Is Guatemala safe for solo female travelers?
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How safe is Guatemala for female travelers?
Travel safety index
based on 51 experiences from female travelers
Izzi
United States
Guatemala City, Couple travel
We stayed with local friends for the first leg of our trip in Guate city. A lot of people skip right through this city and move onto Antigua, but I think it’s worth a stay! At the time, our friends recommended “try staying in either Zone 14, 10, 15 or 16 of the city those zones/districts are very centric and not too far from most centric locations. If you stay in z 14, or 10 you will be pretty close to the airport.” Do your research on the zones as some are safe for tourists and some are more encouraged to avoid. I felt safe here though I do think it’s also because I was traveling with a male partner.
Posted: June 11, 2025Antigua Guatemala, Family travel
It felt fairly safe, if you follow common sense. We didn't take the bus there as it was pretty much not advised by fellow travellers or locals. We took private shuttles or public shuttles for long transportation wish was pretty nice! Just, when they come get you at the rendezvous point wait for them to say for who it is and don't blatantly say "oh is it for me/us" followed by your name cause well it's easy afterwards to say "oh yes it's for you op". We stayed in a youth hostel and again it felt safe! We walked through the city by foot and it was nice! We also booked a guide to have the history of the buildings and it was worth it! People over there are so nice! No problem with the food too! Didn't get sick or anything! Do bring medication for the travelers flu in case, it can be useful! Overall very nice!
Posted: March 12, 2025Experienced: May, 2022
Laura
Germany
Acatenango, Solo travel
Really nice hiking trip that you can do in Guatemala! You start in the city of Antigua which is also a really nice town. It‘s cool for solo travellers cause you will probably hike with a nice group and meet nice people hiking
Posted: January 28, 2025Guatemala, Solo travel
I felt extremely safe in Guatemala! I solo travelled to Guatemala City, Antigua and Lake Atitlan and at no point did I feel unsafe or threatened. I was particularly surprised with my experience in the city when every single blog post I read advised me to stay away. However, I still decided to explore the city. I stayed only around zona 10, 4, and cayala
Posted: October 15, 2024
Franllely
Costa Rica
Antigua Guatemala, Solo travel
It was my first time solo traveling amazing experience It’s really affordable and local food is cheap and delicious the people amazing love the culture Be ready to walk a lot in September it’s really hot Take pictures everywhere those are nice memories
Posted: August 9, 2024How safe is Guatemala for women?
Local safety index
Based on 4 local experiences
Local crime index
Based on 4 local experiences
Emily
Guatemala City
Guatemala can be safe if youbtake certain precautions, like always having your bag close to you, never walk with your headphones or phone on display and always be aware of your surroundings. Take Uber or private rentals, because the public transport is extremely unsafe and inefficient. Never go out alone, especially during the dark, go out in groups and make sure someone knows your location.
Posted: April 21, 2025
Sarah
Antigua Guatemala
I stayed in a neighborhood just a few blocks from the Santa Catalina Arch for a little under two weeks and felt incredibly safe the entire time. As a solo mom with two young kids, I had no issues walking around—day or night. The locals were so kind and welcoming; at one point, my kids even fell into a fountain near a street food market, and people immediately ran over to help! Antigua gets a lot of tourists, so street vendors can sometimes be a bit persistent, but a simple “no, gracias” and walking away is enough (they won’t follow you). Tuktuk drivers do tend to overcharge, but haggling felt totally fine and expected. One thing to note—there are a lot of dogs roaming around, and it can be hard to tell if they’re strays or belong to someone. None that we encountered were aggressive, but we played it safe and avoided petting them. Overall, such a friendly and walkable place!
Posted: March 17, 2025
Daniela
Mazatenango
Herencia is a small town where the people enjoy different activities like dancing, drawing, and music, and they are good people. Here in Mazatenango, we are warm people and good hosts! Near Irtra and the beaches, we offer a lot of adventure.
Posted: January 12, 2025
Ana
Guatemala City
Depending on the area you are staying could be a little bit dangerous or not dangerous at all. My recommendation would be to stay at Zona 2, 4, 10, 14 and Cayalá. Definitely avoid areas like zone 18 and 3
Posted: December 24, 2024Safety in Guatemala
