Latin American countries where English is widely spoken (speaking, population, time)

[intelfan11315]

Cartagena, Colombia is a good place to go if you really want to go to South America but don't speak Spanish. A lot of the people there will speak English due to the cruise ships and high amount of tourism.

That being said, you won't have that luxury in the rest of Colombia and I personally wouldn't recommend going to Bogotá or Medellín without knowing Spanish.


As others have said, Belize is going to be your best bet in terms of language.

[PosterExtraordinaire]

In Costa Rica, most people speak English in the port city of Limon because of all the Jamaicans working the docks. Other than that, I never noticed any spot in L. America speaking a lot of English. Even in major tourist hot spots or border cities the very best you get a handful of people who speak semi-decent English. That's part of the fun of going to a new country though!

[BeauCharles]

Latin America seems an monolingual as the US. Kind of ironic many expect concessions for Spanish in education, government and social services upon moving here (and we foolishly bow to those expectations).

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by burgler09

Cartagena, Colombia is a good place to go if you really want to go to South America but don't speak Spanish. A lot of the people there will speak English due to the cruise ships and high amount of tourism.

Also, there is a pretty substantial population on the Caribbean coast of South America who have ethnic and cultural ties with Caribbean islands, where English is the main language. English is also widely spoken in the few little towns on the Caribbean coast of Central America, such as Bluefields, Nicaragua and Limon, Costa Rica.

[Acajack]

And here I thought English was the only language we needed to travel anywhere in the world and that pretty much everyone spoke it everywhere?

[paull805]

Originally Posted by Thomas R.

I seem to recall reading of a town in Colombia that was settled by English. It looks like I might be thinking of San Andres and Providencia Island.

San Andres Island confronting modernity - Columns - JamaicaObserver.com

Yeah I have read about this place, shame that the once peaceful place (only 4 murders in 2008) has to put up with murderous thugs invading their island

Protesters march against San Andres violence - Colombia news | Colombia Reports

[MalaMan]

Originally Posted by Acajack

And here I thought English was the only language we needed to travel anywhere in the world and that pretty much everyone spoke it everywhere?

In the best hotels, yes, at least part of the staff always speak English, in any city in the world.

But outside of the hotels, don't expect everyone in the street to know English!

[mickey mouse is dead]

Puerto Rico, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico (Mexico City) and Argentina (Buenos Aires).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by mickey mouse is dead

Puerto Rico, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico (Mexico City) and Argentina (Buenos Aires).

I know the city pretty well, and there is no way English is widely spoken in Buenos Aires.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MalaMan

In the best hotels, yes, at least part of the staff always speak English, in any city in the world.

Provided the hotel is part of an American chain!