I'm a 28M from Italy planning a solo trip from mid-October to mid-November, and I'm genuinely torn between two very different options.
Last year I spent 100+ days travelling around Latin America, including the Galápagos, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Mexico.
I usually travel solo and stay in hostels. What I enjoy most is meeting people, going out, talking to locals, improving my Spanish and having experiences that I wouldn't have at home. I'm not really interested in rushing from one attraction to another.
I also need to improve my Spanish quite a lot before January, so being immersed in Spanish during this trip would be a big plus.
I'm currently deciding between Guatemala + Belize and Argentina.
GUATEMALA + BELIZE
Antigua → Xela → Lake Atitlán → Semuc Champey → Flores → San Ignacio → Caye Caulker
I'd spend roughly 3–6 nights in each place, with a few days at the end in Caye Caulker.
This is the trip that excites me more from a backpacking perspective: volcanoes, lakes, jungle, Mayan ruins, hiking, hostels and then a slower Caribbean ending.
The only thing I'm unsure about is the social side.
I obviously want to meet other travellers, but I don't want to spend the whole month in a bubble of Europeans/Americans speaking English to each other.
I've heard very different things about Antigua, Xela and Lake Atitlán. Some people say it's easy to meet locals if you make an effort, while others say it's mostly a backpacker scene.
ARGENTINA
Mendoza → Salta/Jujuy → Buenos Aires → Iguazú
Around 5–6 nights in Mendoza, 8–9 in the Northwest, 8–9 in Buenos Aires and 3–4 in Iguazú.
This would be a completely different type of trip.
I spent quite a lot of time in Mexico City and loved the experience of simply living in a huge Spanish-speaking city — going to bars and restaurants, exploring different neighbourhoods, meeting locals, dating, going out, etc.
That's what makes Buenos Aires particularly tempting to me.
At the same time, Salta/Jujuy seems to offer the landscapes and smaller places I loved in Peru and Bolivia, while Mendoza would give me a slower few days around wine and the Andes.
So I'm basically choosing between:
Guatemala + Belize = adventure, backpacking, nature, hostels and variety
Argentina = Spanish, urban life, nightlife, locals and more time to simply live in a place
I've already travelled quite extensively through Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Mexico, so I'm also wondering which option would feel more new rather than like a continuation of places I've already experienced.
For anyone who has travelled solo in Guatemala, Argentina, or ideally both:
How different does the social experience actually feel?
Is it realistic to get out of the backpacker bubble in Guatemala, especially in Xela and Lake Atitlán?
And for those who've spent time in Buenos Aires, does it have the kind of social/urban energy that makes it worth staying 8–9 days?
I'm not looking for the "better country" in general. I'm trying to figure out which one would give me the better month as a solo traveller who values people, Spanish, nightlife, spontaneity and memorable experiences more than ticking off sights.
Would love to hear what you would choose and why, especially from people who have travelled both.