I have thoroughly enjoyed blogging about my travels around South and Central America. It’s been a lovely reminder of the magical almost four months I spent wandering around Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico. The trip was more a ‘taster’ than a full exploration of any one country, but it made me fall more in love with South America, and introduced me to some amazing Central American countries.   

Lots of people have (have had) questions about the trip, some of which have revealed that there are still a lot of myths about travelling to this part of the world. I address some of these concerns in this post, in the hope that it will give you the confidence to book a trip to any one of these countries. 

Travel Myth #1: You have to speak Spanish to travel around South/Central America.

Simple answer: you don’t. 

On my first trip to South America (in 2016), I spent 4 weeks travelling around Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. I am embarrassed to say it didn’t occur to me to attempt to learn Spanish before that trip. However, not understanding Spanish did not have a significantly negative effect on my experience (except in Bolivia where it felt like 99.9% of the Bolivians I interacted with only spoke Spanish. It may be different now). I was able to get around these countries, visit local attractions, shop and dine, take buses/coaches, cross borders etc without a word of Spanish. And this was in the days before the widespread use of google translate!

I find that in most cosmopolitan cities, there’s usually a smattering of locals who speak English, particularly those in the tourism industry. In places with high rates of tourism, like Costa Rica, the numbers go up exponentially. (And of course Belize is an English-speaking country). 

Complicated answer: you don’t, but you may have more fun if you do. 

I had a more unique and interesting experience travelling with some knowledge of Spanish. I felt more confident approaching locals, who in turn gave me useful local knowledge that I may not have gotten without being able to communicate with them in Spanish. 

That said, I would encourage you to set off on a Latin American adventure with or without Spanish…and remind you that human beings communicate very well using non-verbal language. 

Remember, you can also…

1. Learn a couple of useful phrases before you go (or better yet, use google translate if you get really stuck!)
2. Buddy up with another tourist who speaks English and Spanish. I found this very helpful during that fateful trip to Bolivia. And it’s only because I had those friends who interpreted for me that I was able to enjoy my 4-day Salar de Uyuni tour (which was solely in Spanish!). 

Travel Myth #2: Travelling around South/Central America is Very Dangerous 

Violence and crime can happen anywhere in the world, even on your own doorstep. I think it’s important to be sensible and do your research before you travel (avoid notoriously dangerous places) and use your common sense while you’re out there. Travelling around Latin America is the same as in most countries around the world – there are areas or neighbourhoods in some cities that you should be wary of, and not visit at night or alone. You should be careful not to flash expensive gadgets, phones, jewellery etc. And lastly,  you should let someone know where you are.  

In my experience, cities and countries are keen to attract the travel pound/dollar and they do their best to keep crime rates low in tourist hotspots. I never felt unsafe travelling around South/Central America…in fact the first time I felt unsafe during my 8-month world tour was in the United States! 

Travel Myth #3: Travelling to Latin America is Expensive

You don’t need to be rich to go travelling. If nothing else, the number of teenage backpackers I met while travelling tells me that if you’ve got a job, you can go travelling. You may need to make sacrifices and save up in order to travel, but it can certainly be done. And remember that once you get to South/Central America (bar Costa Rica) you’ll often find that your living expenses are much lower than what you’d have spent in your home country (this is the kind of ‘travel math’ I love…you’re practically saving money!).  

However you do need to have a budget for your trip, choose your destination(s) wisely, and be clear on your priorities. 

For example, I have friends who only fly business class  whereas I take pleasure in flying as cheaply as possible. I put those savings towards my accommodation or experiences. Some people prefer to stay in 5* resorts and others don’t mind sharing dorms in hostels. Decide what is most important to you on that trip and craft your holiday accordingly.

Some ways to save on:

1. Flights: Use sites like Skyscanner, Momodo, Hopper. Search using incognito/private browser. Be flexible on your travel dates. Set airfare alerts. Don’t travel in peak season for your destination. Use credit cards that give you air miles or other travel rewards, like Amex. 
2. Accommodation: Book a dorm or private room in a hostel rather than a hotel, try couchsurfing, consider ‘work away’ experiences (https://www.workaway.info/) where you get free accommodation in exchange for services. Use booking.com regularly and you get ‘genius’ discounts, which can be up to 20% off. 
3. Experiences: Don’t feel you need to visit every tourist attraction (pay for only those you really want to experience). If you do want the full tourist experience, get tourist cards or passes which often offer good discounts on the main attractions & transport.  Look out for free tours and activities on Tripadvisor, Guruwalk. Take advantage of free tourist days where museums/attractions offer free entry once a week/month. 

Travel Myth #4: Planning a South/Central America Itinerary is Overwhelming 

Yes, it can be…if you try to plan your trip from scratch. One of my favourite travel hacks is to adapt the tour itineraries from reputable travel companies like G Adventures, Intrepid, Tour America etc. I know they’ll have picked the highlights of each region/country, therefore it gives a good base to start planning my itinerary. I may omit certain activities or choose to stay longer in certain cities but it helps give me a structure and direction for my travel. This is what I did for my trip last year. 

I’m also a huge fan of blogs and love reading guides on travel blogs. One of my favourites is ‘Along Dusty Roads (https://www.alongdustyroads.com/ ), and of course, my blog. Social media is also pretty helpful and there are numerous travel accounts on Instagram and Tiktok that offer suggested itineraries. 

Remember to leave some flexibility in your itinerary. Once you arrive at your destination, get recommendations from locals (your hosts, staff at your hotel/hostel, tour guides etc) and other travellers. They often give the best tips!

Travel Myth #5: Latin American Countries are Poor and Underdeveloped

Latin America is a vast and diverse region with varying levels of development in different countries. Yes, there are some underdeveloped countries and/or those with high levels of poverty. However there are also thriving modern cities with booming economies and all the modern conveniences you could wish for, like Buenos Aires (Argentina), Sao Paolo (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), to name a few. In order to enjoy travelling in this region, you have to accept the good with the bad…and it all becomes part of the adventure.

Final Thoughts

My trip to South and Central America gave me some incredibly memorable and utterly unforgettable experiences. I was in awe of the nature and landscapes, blown away by the cuisine and culture, and won over by the openness and warmth of the locals. I hope this post has convinced you to ignore your preconceptions about Latin America, take the plunge and plan a visit this enchanting corner of the world. 

Let me know if there are other myths you’ve heard of that I haven’t addressed…