I have always been fascinated by the South American culture and it is my dream to travel there.
I am 18 years old and i have the opportunity to travel next march for a couple of months, I have some time to plan and decide where i should travel first.
My only problem is putting my parents at ease, because of all the dangers and stories, I am curious myself to hear stories from travelers of what places to see or to stay away from.
I can speak fairly good Spanish, although i am still expanding, and i have traveled to Spain alone last August. I dont mind travelling alone, I would just like advice of what country to visit for my first experience to South America
I would love to go to Cartagena, Colombia..or Buenos Aires, there are too many wonderful places in south america its hard to choose..
so i would love to get some advice and experiences from South America
Thanks😊
Reply to this Argentina is great--------cheap, nice people, excellent food and wine, stunning scenery.
Chile is also great--------same things I said about Argentina apply here---except the cheap part------and it has a lower violent crime rate than the USA.
As long as you use basic common sense, you'll be as safe in those 2 countries as anywhere in the USA or Europe.
Reply to this Argentina is no way as cheap as it used to be, but anywhere is affordable if you plan. In March you can still enjoy good weather in the lakes and Patagonia and there are several places to cross the border back and forth between Chile and Argentina.
You could fit Colombia in if you fly in from Chile or Argentina. It is a beautiful country with wonderful people.
Traveling in Europe does not really prepare you for travel in South America. Read up on tips on this and other forums.
Keep up with the Spanish as you get so much more out of a trip if you speak a bit of the language.
Reply to this Thanks for the responses , i would really love to see all of south america, its so exciting and new for me
are there any place that you think i should avoid from experience or w.e
Reply to this and im also thinking about central america, like Panama, Costa Rica or Guatemala
any advice would be appreciated
Reply to this I don't think it is a good idea to try to combine Central and South America. If you have a couple of months, stick to two, maximum three countries, in SA. Slow down and enjoy the trip. At 18, you have many trips ahead of you still.
Reply to this thank you i plan to visit one, two countries is probably the max for my first trip down there, im just stuck at where to start😞
Reply to this Hello Sandra 😊
I have been in S. America a few times. I have been in Peru, Ecuador and Rio. I will be going to Brazil and Uruguay in November.
My only problem is putting my parents at ease, because of all the dangers and stories, I am curious myself to hear stories from travelers of what places to see or to stay away from.
I think the best way to reassure your parents is to let them know how much research you are doing about your trip and show them experiences and comments on travel sites by other female travellers, especially ones your age. If my daughter was 18 and wanted to travel I would be reassured if I could see that she was doing plenty of research and knows what to expect and what to be careful of. I would also still like to get emails regularly from her while she is travelling. Even if she was independently minded and had done plenty of research, I would still like to get emails to let me know that everything is still going well.
Many countries in S. America are relatively safe. But I wouldnt wander around at night alone or even with other girls and avoid wearing things like hot pants. Be very careful with your belongings. Robberies are quite common. One useful tip is to wear one of those bras with padding in it. Put most of you cash in a pouch and sew it to the inside of your bra. Also, leave copies of you passport, flight details etc with your parents so they can contact your consulate for you if the worst ever comes to the worst. But dont get too worried. I was never robbed in S. America. This is down to some luck and a lot of being careful.
A copy of South America on a Shoestring, by Lonely Planet might be a useful purchase for you. It costs around 40 Euros, but is worth it in my opinion for the information it gives.
Consider Ecuador too. It has some beautiful scenery.
and im also thinking about central america, like Panama, Costa Rica or Guatemala
I have also been in C. America a couple of times. Guatamala is becomming quite popular with backpackers. I want to go back there some time. I would also like Honduras, but am unsure about how safe it is right now with all the political trouble that is happening there.
Mel
Reply to this South America is generally more similar to Europe and more touristy than central America which has its pros and cons... pro is safer, better access in terms of transport con - more expensive, more touristy... depends what you're looking for though!
I would say that BA is a great place to start, its European but very Latin American at the same time, so it would be a good way to ease your way into your trip, its also safe and has a functional infrastructure in terms of public transport etc etc. You could do a Spanish course here to get your confidence up and this would help a lot for the rest of your trip... and from there you could explore Argentina (El Calafate, Ushuia, Bariloche, Salta are some of the most fascinating places) and then head over to Brazil and Uruguay... and from there see where the wind takes you!
BA is an amazing city, and VERY tourist-friendly, so I would say it would be the best place to start! There are also plenty of cheap flights into BA, rather than more obscure places...
Just take the usual precautions (use radio taxis, know where you're going, dont withdraw money at night...) and you'll have a great time!!
Have fun!
Reply to this Hi Sandritta,
We are nearly finished on our four week trip round South America. We too were concerned about the scare stories that are often touted about, but the reality is very different. The key, as always, is just to be sensible. Most of the big South American cities we have been in have large numbers of city police in the main areas. The only bad stories we have heard appear to happen to people in secluded places at night-time. Sticking to the authorised taxis (most SA cities have numbers in the front window) is also a must.
For some of our experiences and views of the different places, feel free to head to
Have a great time!
Gaz Reply to this I recently completed 3 months travel in South America and it was completely safe. Before I left I bought into all the horror stories the lonely planet could throw at me. I feared I was going to be robbed an mugged on a regular occurrence. I felt silly for what I had thought after a few weeks. Some countries require more caution than others. You need to be sensible and not have your camera or wallet visible. If you have nothing to rob no one will try and rob you. I only ever met friendly people. You will meet and travel with plenty of people and as my mother all ways says to me "Trust no one!!"
The chances of anything happening to your physical well being are highly unlikely. If the worst thing that happens to you is some of your personal belongings get stolen, so what. Its a pain in the ass but not really a big deal. Money, phones and cameras can all be replaced. You cant! Other travellers are probably as much a danger as locals. I lost my phone in a hostel in La Paz. It was a cheap crap one with no re-sale value. Think the person who found it handed it in? Absolutely not.
Enjoy SA. Its amazing.
Reply to this I am currently in Colombia.This is my 2nd 6month trip to Sth America.I have travelled in Peru ,Bolivia ,Paraguay ,Uraguay ,Argentina ,Chile ,Ecuador and Colombia.If you only have 2months I would suggest the time would be best in Colombia.The only problem here is you will never want to leave.I was supposed to continue on to Mexico this trip but after a month in Colombia I changed my return tickets to Bogota and will end up spending 4months exploring this incredible ,friendly country.I am at this moment killing time before an interview with a government department about buying land here.Foriegn ownership is a no no here but I'm hoping to find a loophole.
I am not the only person that has this LOVE of Colombia.Everyone I meet feels the same way.
If you want to see a bit more I would suggest flying into Lima ,Peru and traveling up through Nth Peru ,Ecuador and Colombia and flying home from Bogota.All of Sth America is incredible but these countries are my ,and many others I've met ,favourites by far.
If you want any suggestions on what to do while here please feel free to message me.
And to steal a line from a wise man - Enjoy SA. Its amazing
Reply to this Thanks everyone, i am so excited about planning my trip!!!I am soo happy i found this website there is soo much information and pictures, wow its over whelming...
My main goal now is to find a country that suits me and puts my father at ease
Alsoo, i will be traveling in March '10 till about June(more or less)...and i'd really prefer "nice", sunny weather while im down there, I understand that Argentina has beautiful weather from december to march/feb, but i hear it gets cold😞 and im actually trying to get away from the cold weather since im from Toronto, Canada...so thats why im thinking maybe start off in Argentina and continue my trip and studies in another country
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