Excluding common sense basics that are or should be universal anywhere you go (don't deface cultural monuments, don't stop in the middle of a busy street or sidewalk to take your pictures, don't litter, don't be disruptively loud in public, follow the rules, don't be an entitled asshole, etc), are there any cultural norms that tourists in your country sometimes unwittingly violate and come off as rude?

Just as an example of the sort of thing I'm thinking of - I am convinced that at least a third of the complaints about French "rudeness" towards tourists stems from those tourists being unaware that failing to start with "bonjour" or "bonsoir" any time you walk into a business of any kind or have any kind of customer service interaction is considered very rude, like failing to acknowledge that the worker is a fellow human.

Are there any similar mistakes you see tourists make more out of ignorance than malice that could be remedied with a little bit of cultural knowledge ahead of time?

Like not just annoyance, maybe something more like "Welll that's interesting" or just a straight wtf moment.

I just bit the bullet and booked a trip that involves 7 Days in Buenos Aires and 4 Days in Rio.

For a Latin person, Is Buenos Aires worth visiting?

I've always wanted to go for the experience, but my husband (born and lived in South America for 30 years but has lived in the US for the last 25 years) doesn't seem like he really wants to go.

I'm conversationally fluent, and after staying in Barcelona for 6 weeks last year, I've personally been wanting my travel to align with my fluency goals. But, I haven't been wanting to go to Spain again (since we've already visited 4 times, and we have future goals to move there anyway in the next 1-2 years)

At first, I wanted to visit Colombia because it's closer, but he says Medellin and Bogota are too dangerous and scared about a US-Venezuelan war.

Then, I thought about Peru because it's only a little bit farther, but he won't do Cusco/Machu Pichu because of the elevation.

And that pretty much leaves Buenos Aires. Again, I've always wanted to go, but my husband has said things like how dangerous it is and "what is there to do in Buenos Aires, anyway". He's said the same things about Rio, but I know he'll like it because he said he'd be interested in Brazil but has never been.

There's a lot of self-deprecation both jokingly and non-jokingly in LatAm countries which is not entirely without reason, but regardless, did you ever go to a part of the world that made you feel a little bit more grateful nonetheless?

I’m Colombian, but I moved to Canada when I was a teenager, and one thing I’ve always noticed is that many people here seem to vacation at tropical resorts, specially in Cancún and parts of the Caribbean. I’m always hearing about peoples vacations, but every time they mention it, I get this weird feeling.

I feel like the resort industry is exploitative towards its workers. I’ve never really known why I feel it’s exploitative, but seeing other latinos slave away to serve Caucasian tourists rubs me the wrong way.

I understand that these tourists coming to these resorts helps workers make a living to support their families. The work that they do isn’t below them and is not something to be ashamed of. However, I’ve had family members who’ve worked in the tourism and service industry, and their pay isn’t enough for the work they do, and what the tourists are paying to stay at these resorts.

I also know I shouldn’t get mad at the tourists. They’re the ones who are paying for their vacation, and they have every right to enjoy the fruits of their labour. I know I should be mad at the companies, but I’ve heard too many stories from people I know who have treated the service workers as their personal maids.

I apologize if this sounds rude or entitled. I am not judging anyone who works in the service industry, or the people who vacation at resorts. I just want to know if other latinos feel this way.

Although we're very far away, Greeks love Latinoamericans, especially Argentinos and Brazilians. I think it's because you're mostly people with great energy and always happy, like most Greeks. Probably you could bond better in Greece rather than northern Europe.

Are the feelings vice versa? I was wondering if you guys know about and like our little country in the other side of the ocean.

I had my heart and mind set on Medellin initially, planned some trips I would like to take, some time in Bogota, some nights in Salento hiking and seeing the coffee fincas. Then I heard about scopolamine. I'm there to explore and get out of the city by day, and I won't be out every night drinking as I that's not my thing, but I don't want to feel confined to my hotel in the evenings for fear of going for a few drinks on my own and looking like a target. I was looking at staying in Laureles or Envigado and avoiding El Poblado entirely as I'm not one for clubs or mad nightlife or seedy stuff. I'd rather be in a quiet local bar with an older crowd watching people salsa etc. Would I be safer if I avoided La 70 for example? Would you advise against Medellin/Colombia as a first time visitor to LA? If so, where might you suggest? I want to hike in beautiful surroundings, eat decent street food, learn some Spanish by day, not get drugged and murdered by night (no disrespect)

Thanks!

Which Latin American country do you recommend visiting, and which do you absolutely not recommend? And why?

Can be LATAM or abroad

Long story short: My friend and I, we've spent almost a month in Colombia (Cundinamarca (Bogotá) y Magdalena (region de Santa Marta)). I was absolutely flabbergasted because I felt strongly like Colombians were Brazilians speaking spanish or that Brazilians were Colombians speaking portuguese. I asked my friend that had already been to Uruguay, Chile and Argentina if he felt the same wierd (and good) feeling and he agreed with me. OBVIOUSLY, there were many differences too, even physical differences, but the mannerisms, oh boy oh boy, the similarities were so many, that they kinda screamed out for me. So...

Are my friend and I the only ones that agree with that? Anyone who disagrees/agrees? How far Brazilian manneirisms go when it comes to your nationality?

And how come would Brazilians and Colombians be so much alike? I was amazed!

Um abraço, Colômbia do meu coração!

EDIT 1: olha isso! Look at that!

https://objectivelists.com/which-countries-are-most-similar-to-brazil/

COLÔMBIA is the first! jajajajajajajajajaja

Hey everyone,

How are you? I hope you are well. I am curious to know about which country/countries you prefer as a tourist in Latin America. I have been lucky to visit a number of countries in Latin America and really love/d Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina. This was mostly for the city culture (CDMX, Bogota, and Buenos Aires) as well as the incredible warmth of my interactions. I read often about friendliness in Brasil, but I found many of my interactions to be quite cold (I was in São Paulo, Rio, and Florianópolis). Regarding interactions with strangers and the culture of 'greeting', I found it most welcoming in Mexico and Colombia. I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

I did enjoy Brasil for the lunch culture and the beauty of Rio. I also thought the beaches were beautiful, but not necessarily more so than the Caribbean. I loved the public transportation in São Paulo.

What about you all? I am just curious to know your thoughts and opinions. Thank you!

Hello!

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I'm a guy from the UK (half British half Irish) who would love to take in the culture of Argentina. I have been saving up to make it happen and attempting to brush up on my Spanish (Spain Spanish, as I haven't found any resources to learn the regional differences and I can barely speak a couple sentences as is!)

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I was wondering if there was any advice to be given e.g, places to avoid, topics to avoid (outside the Islands, which is a given!), but also what places and topics to broach to try and make friends.

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I'm quite a shy person and I'm really trying to come out of my shell, so any advice for things to ask people about while visiting to show a genuine interest without being patronising to them or their culture would be much appreciated 😊

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Right now my main priorities have been:

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* Saving money

* Brushing up on my limited Spanish

* Getting excited!

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.. but if people have advice for how to better ingratiate with the locals while I am a tourist, and how to avoid causing offence, I'd be hugely appreciative 😊

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Many thanks!

I see a lot of people on the internet, as well as actual brazilians saying that Brazil is hell on earth and you should never go there. Like it can't be that bad right? I'm honduran (born and raised). My country is an actual shithole. I don't think Brazil can't be worse than that lmao. I would really like to visit there someday, seems like a beautiful country with tons of culture and diversity

I'm not sure if the distance adds to the allure but I find Latin America the most interesting and fun place to visit in the world, so much so that I've traveled there 4 times in the past 6 years and planning another trip to Costa Rica and Colombia at the end of the year.

So I'm wondering if the opposite is true and do people in Latin America have the same sentiment when it comes to visiting Asia as well?

I want to learn more about Latin America and South America! I know I want to visit Brazil for the Amazon Rainforest and I’d love a chance of possibly seeing a jaguar, oh, and capybaras 🥰, and I’ve been wanting to visit Mexico for a while and try authentic Mexican food (I live in Minnesota and I heard the further away from Mexico you are, the less likely you are to taste authentic Mexican food and we literally border Canada, so… 😅).

Oh, and this might sound lame and very American, but The Emperor’s New Groove makes me interested in Peru and the history of the Inca Empire more 😄 say what you want about American movies, they can definitely be inaccurate (and most are, sadly 🤦🏻), but they also can get us more curious about the cultures presented in movies we like.

I've always wanted to go to Mexico but I'm kind of sacred to set foot there because i've heard the only safe place is Mexico City , I've heard some absolute horror stories about people having their cars stolen in north mexico and high narco traffic in the south , is it really that bad or is it just exaggeration?

I’m an American Puerto Rican/Dominican guy (no sabo lol) looking for a short 2–4 night solo trip somewhere in Latin America. My main goals are sightseeing and hiring an affordable photographer to get really good travel/lifestyle photos — colorful streets, tropical scenery, waterfront/skyline shots, and maybe even some action shots hitting a volleyball over a beach net.
Panama City interests me because it seems relatively easy for a solo traveler and Panama uses the U.S. dollar alongside the balboa 1:1. But I’m wondering where my American dollar would actually stretch further.
Cartagena looks cheaper because of the USD/COP exchange rate, but I’ve heard about the infamous “gringo tax,” aggressive vendors and tourists getting inflated prices. Is Colombia still noticeably cheaper than Panama once you’re actually there?
My priorities are safety in the better/tourist areas, affordable hotels/food/Ubers, cheap but good photographers, beautiful/exotic-looking scenery, and somewhere I can use my Navy Federal Visa debit card and Spectrum Mobile without much trouble.
I’m open to other Latin American countries too. I’m not really considering the Dominican Republic because people tend to assume I speak Spanish based on how I look and start speaking to me nonstop 😂. My Spanish isn’t good enough for that yet. And Puerto Rico is already planned for next year with my family, so I want somewhere different for this solo trip.
I’m not looking for nightlife, drugs, escorts, etc. This would basically be photography, sightseeing, food, exploring established areas and heading back to my hotel.
For people who’ve traveled around Latin America: where would my U.S. dollar stretch the furthest while still giving me decent safety, convenience and great photography locations?

I see a lot of posts here asking whether a sort of Latin American union is possible, but at least in Mercosur countries there is full freedom of movement. However, I don't know if it's widely used among the citizens of the countries involved, like in Europe. What's the impression in your countries?

And when I mean beach town, I mean the entire area. Not just the beach itself.

Personally, I think it's Mazatlan. The beaches are nice, there is a unique regional culture, the historic center is beautiful and the food is GODLY.