Which country should I visit first?
I'm a lone female traveler who will be visiting Latin America for the first time. Which country do you think I should visit first to acclimatize myself to the culture and lifestyle?
1 Answer
Depends on if you want to ease into things or if you want jump right into to something completely different than you are used to. If you want to ease into things I would probably recommend Costa Rica, as it is arguably the most "advanced" (in the Western sense) of the Latin American countries.
For a little more representative experience Peru is a great choice. My wife and I visited Peru a few years ago and loved it. Most likely your trip will be designed around going to Macchu Picchu which should not be missed.
Chile is also a great cosmopolitan country that is a great blend of beach and mountain and is also a wonderful choice.
Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina may also be worth looking into, depending on your interests. Some countries like Venezuela and Bolivia would not be as recommended due to politically charged environments that may not be amenable to foreigners, especially females travelling alone.
Obviously as a woman travelling alone you will want to take special precautions and plan to always be in areas where there will be lots of other people, preferably some of whom are able to speak English. Contact the US embassy of the country to which you wish to travel from more information.
If I had to narrow it down to one recommendation I would say Peru. We met a woman travelling to Peru by herself and she did not seem to have any issues. Peru is "touristy" enough to have the structures in place so you never feel like you're unsafe but you can still get the full feeling of Latin American and Andean culture.
