Central America (is hitchhiking safe)

DAVIDDOLAN

Hi. I will be travelling to Central America soon. Has anybody had any experiences hitchhiking there. Is it safe. What about camping. Any experiences.

holystungun9

Only have experience in Costa Rica and Panama. tbh, it really isn't a thing people do. If you are in some little village and meet what you feel are good people and they are driving over to the next little town then I'm sure you'll be all right. Getting to the outskirts of a town or city and then sticking your thumb out on the road will probably get you two types of people. The kind that see you as a naive walking dollar sign that they can rob and the kind who instinct kicks in to pick you up just to get you off the road and maybe warn you that its a bad idea.
Is it a money saving thing or is it for the stories and people you might meet? Whoever doesn't have access to a car or pickup just use the buses. There should be buses of some description to almost everywhere and they won't break the bank.
I lived in Ecuador for a while and would occasionally go to the coast for the weekend. Some bus companies would search you before you got on as there was a spate of people coming on with guns and then during the overnight trip would stop the bus and rob everybody in a remote area. Some instances of "accidents" and roadblocks happened too to hold up the bus and rob everyone. No bus driver will get fresh when a gun is pointed at them.
Soooo, not to warn you off buses but I can't imagine standing on the side of the road with even one big bag, knowing the any bad guy looking for a quick buck will case me pretty quickly, realise I am not from here, on my own, not familiar with customs (by virtue of hitch hiking, my guess at least), and i appear to be travelling about so will have some cash, a passport, maybe a camera or electronics.
Not a fear monger, but you will just have to be as smart as you can in whatever situation you are in. There may be many lifts that will work out grand but others where you would wish you spent the spent the ten or fifteen dollars for the 4 hour trip instead of getting jacked for your stuff.

InTheTrees

"Central America" is six or seven different countries.

Some are comparatively safe while others have a reputation for being not so safe.

I can just imagine some naive westerner standing on the side of the road loaded down with expensive gear in the middle of nowhere, actually asking to be picked up by random strangers. Even in the "safe" countries in the area I wouldn't imagine its recommended. I mean why wouldnt they rob you?

But maybe I'm just getting old?

silja

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