The months from September through January are full of holidays in Latin America, from independence days that start mid-September to a Christmas holiday that goes on through mid-January. Then in much of South America, it’s school holiday time for their summer. So if you want to avoid a whole different kind of holiday stress, plan ahead for your destination so you’re not looking at oversized crowds and flight prices that are double the norm.
The key to avoiding holiday travel stress in Latin America lies in working with the region’s natural rhythms rather than against them, particularly by choosing destinations where locals aren’t vacationing and timing your visit around cultural celebration patterns instead of showing up not knowing and getting some unfortunate surprises.
If your travels do coincide with a holiday period, even if just passing through, you’ll need to build in buffer time and have contingency plans in place. This is especially true if you’re not on a solo trip. Family travel insurance is essential for protecting your valuables, covering any delays or cancellations, and dealing with any medical issues that crop up.
Other steps take just a little extra planning now for trouble avoidance later. Keep copies of essential documents stored in the cloud, not just on your phone. These include your passport, travel confirmations, insurance info, and key phone numbers. Having your phone contacts backed up and using a password manager will ensure that you have access to everything you need if your phone goes missing.
Also don’t wait until the last minute to figure out entry requirements for the country you’ll be visiting. Some of them require a yellow fever shot and this can change from year to year. Reciprocity fees and advance applications apply to some nationalities entering certain countries. For now that’s just Bolivia and Brazil, but others have had one in the past and could reinstate it.
With all that sorted out, cross-check your dates. Here are the key holiday travel periods to be aware of.
Independence Days in Latin America
While some countries in South America have an independence day that falls in July or August, or Panama’s is in late November, there’s a whole string of them from September 7 (Brazil) through September 21 (Belize). The most common dates are September 15 and 16, with Mexico and most of Central America having parties at the same time. Chile celebrates on the 18th.
During this time, banks and government offices are closed and vacations will often cover multiple days. Some families will take a break or people will go see relatives, so it can be tougher to secure flights and hotel rooms.
Plus you definitely don’t want to be traveling with a dog then: Latin Americans love their fireworks, especially in Mexico and Guatemala.
Fall Holidays and Festivals
Each country has its own long list of festivals and we highlighted some on this blog, running down festivals in Peru and in Ecuador. Many of these are related to a particular saint or historic event, but some coincide with harvest time and are big parties as a result. Late in the year they mark the winter solstice.
Some are unique to a particular country and can be worth attending for the cultural aspects and photo opportunities, such as Señor de los Milagros (Lord of Miracles) in Lima, Peru.
Where I live in Guanajuato, Mexico, two festivals run together and create a month of high season: the nearly three-week Cervantino Festival is in October and then Day of the Dead is in early November. While Day of the Dead is associated with Mexico, “All Saints Day” is celebrated in some way in most Catholic countries.
A Different Kind of Christmas in Latin America
Many of the countries in Latin America are filled with Catholics, so Christmas is still a big deal. They celebrate it in a more subdued way though, and sometimes their biggest celebration is on the Epiphany (3 Kings Day), also known as the 12th day of Christmas. The 25th itself you might find all the stores and restaurants still open in the afternoon where you are. The local celebration was the night before, when the family had a big feast.
Because of this, it’s a bit tricky trying to figure out peak vacation days and often the holiday travel worries are misplaced. Last year I flew from Spain to Mexico City on Christmas Day and we had no problem going out to eat in the Centro Historico after arriving at our hotel.
Since the 12th day of Christmas of January 6 is a bigger deal, especially for the kids, that’s when hotels and resorts can fill up. This is especially true in Mexican beach resorts since January is a peak time for foreign visitors as well, those Americans and Canadians escaping the cold up north.
Summer Vacation Time in the Southern Cone
In many parts of South America the big family vacation break comes at the opposite time of year from the Northern Hemisphere. Their “summer vacation” will begin right before Christmas and run through February. This is not just true in the Southern Cone either. Ecuador, Colombia, and even Costa Rica generally follow this calendar where Christmas kicks off the big school break and it continues until March.
Because of this, there’s no mad rush to cram things in over a very short work break around Christmas. Many families stay close to home for the holidays, then take a vacation somewhere like Vina del Mar (Chile), Mar del Plata (Argentina), or Punta del Este (Uruguay) sometime in the period between early January and mid-February. Try to avoid those spots then because they’re packed and pricey.
The domestic vacation plans are probably very different than yours though. Ecuadorans are not going to the Galapagos or Cuenca. Peruvians are not going to Cusco or Arequipa. Chileans are not heading en masse to Atacama or Patagonia.
Which leads to the big strategy that will save you hassles and money…
Go Where the Crowds Aren’t Going
If you’re looking to avoid the big crowds, just figure out where they’re going and pick an alternative place.
In general, urban areas and adventure destinations get fewer visitors over Christmas breaks than beach spots and family amusement areas do. This is a great time for city travel and cultural travel. It’s also a good time for exploring those archeological sites on your list like Palenque, Tikal, or Copan.
Los Cabos or Ambergris Caye is going to cost you the highest high-season rates at hotels and rental villas. Oaxaca, the Osa Peninsula or Buenos Aires? Not so much.
Smart travelers can capitalize on these cultural nuances to secure better prices, avoid holiday travel crowds, and experience authentic local culture. With proper planning strategies and on-ground stress management approaches, you’ll discover how to turn potential travel headaches into opportunities for memorable experiences across this diverse and vibrant region.
