Mexico & Central America
Is Guatemala safe?
L3Reconsider travel
Is Guatemala safe?
Violent crime is high nationally, but most visitors on the Antigua–Atitlán–Flores circuit have trouble-free trips using shuttles, daylight travel and app or hotel taxis.
Key facts
- US travel advisory: Level 3: Reconsider travel, updated 2026-03-11.
- Homicide rate: 23.4 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths: 22.9 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 110 · Ambulance 122 · Fire 122 · Tourist police 1500.
- Solo women: Catcalling is common. Antigua and Atitlán have many solo women travelers; use booked transport at night and guided groups for hikes.
Risks, scams and laws
Main risks
- Express kidnappings and robberies via street-hailed taxis
- Armed robbery on some rural roads and volcano trails
- Chicken buses: crashes, theft and gang extortion
- Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and rainy-season landslides
Common scams
- Illegal 'entry fees' demanded at land borders
- Criminals posing as police officers
- Skimmed ATMs; use machines inside banks or malls
Laws visitors break by accident
- Always carry ID; in San Pedro La Laguna police may insist on your original passport.
- Don't photograph Indigenous people, especially children, without permission; it has provoked violent reactions.
- Drug possession brings long sentences in overcrowded, violent prisons.
Safety by place in Guatemala
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Antigua Guatemala | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Flores | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Lake Atitlán | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Semuc Champey | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| San Pedro La Laguna | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Guatemala City | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Quetzaltenango | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Guatemala safe for tourists?
Violent crime is high nationally, but most visitors on the Antigua–Atitlán–Flores circuit have trouble-free trips using shuttles, daylight travel and app or hotel taxis.
Is Guatemala safe for solo female travelers?
Catcalling is common. Antigua and Atitlán have many solo women travelers; use booked transport at night and guided groups for hikes.
What is the emergency number in Guatemala?
Police 110 · Ambulance 122 · Fire 122 · Tourist police 1500.
Safety by place
Sources
- World Bank: intentional homicides
- US State Department travel advisory
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Guatemala
- Government of Canada travel advice: Guatemala
- Instituto Guatemalteco de Migración
- SAT traveller declaration form
- Speedtest Global Index: Guatemala
- World Bank open data
Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.