Fast vs Slow Travel: How to Find Your Own Pace
When comparing fast vs slow travel, which is best for you?
One of the biggest questions we travelers think about when heading to Latin America is how much time we need when traveling around.
Whilst on paper it seems easy as you seemingly just knock-out bucket list items along the way, there’s actually a hell of a lot more to it.
From personal style and day-long hangovers to changing bus schedules and managing your own stress, it’s important that you know your own likes and limitations before heading out.
Fast vs Slow Travel
In this guide I’ll help you work out what travel style is best for you, and other things to keep in mind as you set off across Latin America.
The Most Important Factor: Who are You?
I’ll be the first to admit it; it’s way too easy to get caught up trying to see all of the highlights and bucket-list items of a trip. However we need to remember ourselves along the way too, as this is what will truly make or break our experience.
Here’s my own case. During my travels I’ve had times where I slowed down and did things my way, and these were some of my most memorable experiences. Other times I didn’t really think things through, and whilst I don’t regret it (such as my memorable yet hectic trip to Venezuela), it definitely made me question how I travel more.
I soon worked out that around 6-7 days per place worked really well for me, although it also depends on the area too (small towns less, whilst places like Cusco needed a lot more).
I’m a firm believer in doing things however you want, and that there are no “shoulds” to travel. At the end of the day you’re responsible for the exact kind of experience that you want, and only you.
You want to party until 3am three nights in a row and then hop on a morning tour without sleeping? Go ahead. How about doing yoga all day and then hitting the casino at night? Why not. Spending all of your days walking around trying your luck with cute Latinas? Also fine (just make sure to bring good condoms with you).
Just remember that you’re responsible for everything that happens on your trip. As soon as you take that on-board, it also means that it’s all in your own power too. Such as making more good times, and also to minimise the bad too.
Other Factors to Keep in Mind
Below I’ll mention some important things that you’ll want to take into account when working out your own travel speed.
Important Note: As much as I’d love this article to help you to be 100% sure, the truth is that you won’t know for sure until you’re out on the road and in the thick of it. There may be other things not mentioned here that affect you and not others.
Time Constraints
Perhaps you only have a couple of months free off for the summer, or just 2 weeks left before heading norte to Mexico. Regardless, trying to cram in many places in a short time-frame is something I’m all too familiar with.
If you’re hell-bent on seeing these things, or if they really are must-visits for you (say Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley) then absolutely go for it. Many times these hectic periods will also be the most memorable if you’re focused and it’s your number one goal.
However if you’re on a longer trip you’ll definitely want to slow down. Naturally you’ll want to do this anyway (if you like a particular place or vibe, meet someone or are tired), however it’s really important to prevent burn-out before it happens. I’d aim for staying longer in one place about once a month or so.
Expect the Unexpected
Perhaps you’re a traveller that likes to pre-plan itineraries (like me), where you’ll have 4 days here, then maybe 3-5 there etc…
This is actually really good, given you’ll always have a main focus whilst traveling and really be able live it to the full.
However we also need to remember that we’re in Latin America folks, and this beast doesn’t care one bit about our neatly made plans.
This is most apparent when traveling with buses, where either travel times can be crazily long (if you’ve also done the bus ride from Lima to Cusco then you’ll know what I mean), as well as disruptions and cancellations being likely too.
My personal tip is here is to give some wiggle room to each place. Let’s say you’re backpacking through Chile and want to spend 5 days in Santiago, 3 in Valparaíso and then 5 in San Pedro. Given the crazy distances in this country, it’s much better to do it like this: 4-6 in Santiago, 2-4 in Valparaíso and 4-6 in San Pedro.
This way you’ll stay on top of things, and not resort to last-minute stressing and rushing. It also allows you to get somewhat lost (out your comfort zone) during your time here, and really feel like you’re living too.
Living the Full Experience (It’s not just about Seeing new Destinations)
I can be a really stubborn person at the best of times. Whilst this is great for my personal goals (such as bombing through every corner of Peru in 3 months), it has also meant I spent less time enjoying the more simple things too.
The travel experience is a holistic one, and it’s also the connections you make along the way that make it more real, authentic and memorable. This means you’ll also want to plan a day to just chill out or doing something normal that you’d do back home (such as hitting the mall or chilling in a coffee shop).
This way you can keep yourself in check, and also remember just how fucking cool what you’re doing really is (losing yourself and “what’s normal” in constant travel is actually more common than you’d think).
Again just do you here. If this means hitting a strip club followed by a morning church service then why not? As long as you’re touching base with yourself along the way whilst seeing epic things, then you’ll really be able to keep giving it your all and have a much more fulfilling trip.
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Fast vs Slow Travel
And that’s all for this guide on how to work out your own travel speed when heading through Latin America.
As with any flexible topic, I always say that you must do you first and you only. At the end of the day it’s your trip and nobody else’s!
This is exactly the same when it comes to how quick you travel. Whilst I’ve mentioned some important things to keep in mind, there will also be other factors that seemingly pop out of nowhere and will also make you think. Just be flexible, prioritise your own goals and you’ll work these out with no issues.
I hope you enjoyed this guide. If you want to read more about bucket-list style travel then be sure to check out my Latin America Bucket List article.
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