Is it safe to travel to Colombia?
How safe is traveling in Colombia? There are still high-risk areas in the country, the past is heavy with colonial conflicts which impact the presence. I traveled the country mostly by land and gathered plenty of advice from the locals – the most precious source of information. Here is everything you need to know where it is safe to travel in Colombia.
Last year 6 million people visited Colombia! The tourist business is a precious source of income for travel companies and services. Colombia has made significant improvements in safety and security in recent years, making it an increasingly popular destination for tourists. While the country still faces challenges in certain areas, many regions have become much safer for travelers, including those using local transport.
Is Colombia safe for tourists now?
We traveled to Colombia mainly for hiking adventures. We traveled a lot across the country including crossing the land border with Ecuador – Ipiales (probably one of the most dangerous crossings in this part of the world). Best and most true information on safety in Colombia regions you will get from:
- local people/hostel owners
- travel agencies
- taxi drivers
- other backpackers’ experience.
I’ve heard some unpleasant stories from other travelers in Colombia. But what I want to say is that a lot has improved in terms of traveling safety in Colombia over the last few years. The crime rate in Colombia has decreased dramatically. It’s now much safer to travel freely throughout the country.
Travel insurance in Colombia.
You should never travel without a medical insurance. Make sure you are protected by a decent travel insurance like SafetyWing.
Safety in Colombia depends on a region.
Everyone planning to use local transport in Colombia would ask this question – Is it safe to travel to Colombia? That was my concern as well… Everyone who traveled across Asia has a completely different view of the world after a friendly safe Asian environment.
Most people ahead of traveling to Colombia would go on government websites to seek travel advice. Damn.. I haven’t seen so many travel warnings for a looooong time!
Polish, US and the UK government websites clearly state that travel to Colombia is not advised. I’m not saying you should ignore it but don’t panic. This is a piece of general information and usually does not apply to most of the regions in the country.
While I was traveling across Southeast Asia I was planning to fly to the Philippines at some stage. I went online to search for travel advice and guess what – only alerts and warnings on government websites to avoid traveling to the Philippines due to increased terrorist risk. It really looked disturbing. So I didn’t go. But over the next couple of weeks, I met a lot of backpackers flying back from the Philippines islands saying the trip was one of the greatest travel adventures and they didn’t recognize any danger during traveling. Of course, pickpocketing happens but on a small scale, which has no impact on general safety. The only exception is the southern islands of the country where travel is not advised.
Generally traveling to Colombia is safe but you just have to be more careful while traveling between regions and cities. Some sources say 50% of travelers in Colombia were robbed. We were robbed in Quito in Ecuador. But remember – as long as it is a ‘harmless’ pickpocketing and it doesn’t harm you, it’s fine.
Safety advise for Colombia.
- Try to keep your cards separate from your wallet, or at least in two different places.
- Always keep two $50 or $100 notes separately in your luggage together with 2x copies of your passport. I saw a few girls keeping them in socks – smart idea.
- In case you are robbed you will always have small money for a taxi or to live for the next 3-4 days. We were robbed in a public bus in Quito (Equador). They are magicians! You won’t even have a clue when and how it happened!
- Practise some Spanish – almost nobody speaks even basic English.
- Be mindful of your belongings – keep an eye on your belongings when using local transport in Colombia.
Is Bogota safe for tourists?
Bogota is travelers friendly. With milions of tourists, great atmosphere, cosy local bars and salsa, it a pretty safe travelers hub. Make sure you stay in a good neighborhood and do not flesh with your belongings like big camera or blinky iPhone.
Bogota is one of the most fascinating cities I’ve traveled to. You can’t miss touring along city murals, Candelaria district or hiking Monserrate. Best tour options from Tripadvisor I highly recommend:
Few safe and top rated accommodation options:
How safe is Medellin?
Medellin along with Pablo Escobar’s history attracts the biggest number of visitors worldwide. Everyone wants to explore the wealthiest criminal in history. Medellin is probably the safest to place to visit in Colombia, use your common sense and you’ll be fine. Uber is a better option than regular taxis 😉
Cartagena in Colombia.
You can relax in Cartagena – one of the most spectacular regions in Colombia. It asttracts mostly with its natural beauty, historic architecure and golden beaches.
Avoid night buses!
Rule No. 1 of safe traveling in Colombia – You should absolutely avoid night buses, especially on certain routes in the south of the country! The buses still get highjacked! It’s not a joke.
Night buses are still regularly highjacked on routes: Pappayan – Pasto and Cali – Pasto. Check flights instead, it’s much safer and faster.
We bought tickets a couple of days before the flight and they were $100 each, so it’s manageable. Flights are much cheaper if you book in advance. If you are looking for cheap deals check Skyscanner.com for the best prices. I remember checking flights between Bogota and Cartagena two months in advance and it was only $40/per person.
Day buses on the same routes are safer but there’s always a risk of highjacking. Although nowadays it happens very rarely at daytime. Two years ago it was highly dangerous to travel even during the day, but a lot has improved over the last few years.
Kidnappings happen from time to time. We heard some unpleasant stories when they kidnapped a guy and forced him to withdraw money from the ATM. They drugged him and abused him, he landed in jail for 24 hours and only then, without a single belonging, was deported from the country. Felt for this guy…
Avoid traveling to Florencia in Colombia!
A taxi driver in Bogota told us a bit about the safety situation in the city. Engaging with locals really helps a lot, it provides valuable insights and safety tips specific to each area. Locals offer practical advice and recommendations for navigating local transport in a safe and efficient manner.
He said Bogota used to be an extremely dangerous place back in 2018. There are certainly lots of places in Colombia you won’t be able to travel. Regions covered with dense jungle are cartels’ territories. It is strictly forbidden to travel to some parts of the west coast of the country e.g. Buenaventura or Tumaco.
Florencia is probably the most dangerous city! Even locals cannot live there safely. The whole length of the border with Ecuador is a high-risk area – one of the most popular border crossings is in Ipiales.
We asked about the Cali-Popayan route and further south, as we really wanted to travel to Las Lajas Sanctuary (photo below) near the Ecuadorian border. Although it is not advised to travel this route by a local transport we took a night bus 😉
Taxis in Bogota.
One of the best sources of information regarding safety in Colombia are taxi drivers. Yet in 2018 it was dangerous to drive through the city even for locals. Buses from Pasto were regularly highjacked even during day time.
What does it mean for the bus and passengers to be highjacked? They stop the bus in the middle of the road, robbers get into a bus with guns to take your belongings. If they find bank cards they might take you to the ATM and you’ll be forced to withdraw all the money. If you don’t cooperate they might drug you to break your will.
Transport safety rules in Colombia:
- Use only yellow cabs!
- Always ask to use a taxi meter.
- Do not share taxis with people you don’t know. It happens somebody asking to share a taxi has an agreement with the driver and you might land in a place that is not necessarily your destination.
- It is advised not to drive to a cash machine with the driver. You might be taken to a place and lose all your money shortly after. Cash machines – always use the one in the bank! Gangs used to install card scanning in some cash machines.
- Be prepared some of the taxi drivers might cheat on you on the way from the airport. The same fare to the airport cost much cheaper. An average 10 km taxi fare, Monday – Friday day time cost about 12000 COP.
Traveling from Bogota to Armenia.
Buy a ticket in advance at the bus station. We booked a night bus with Flota Magdalena. This was the most exclusive bus I have ever traveled with!! The ticket price was 55 000 COP. The bus was almost empty. The bus leaves from Salitra Terminal in Bogota on time and there are 3 buses a day. Usually, it’s not possible to purchase a ticket from the bus driver.
When using local long-distance buses try to choose reliable providers – opt for established and reputable transportation providers. To increase safety standards look for major bus companies and well-known transportation services.
How to get to Tatacoa Desert in Colombia – the surreal landscape.
How to get to Tatacoa Desert? Tatacoa was a nice destination after the cold altitudes of
Full travel guide on hiking Cocora Valley from Salento in Colombian Andes.
Hiking Cocora Valley. Hiking Cococra Valley is one of the most popular activities in Colombia, which
3-days itinerary for Bogota – the fourth highest capital city in the world.
I wasn’t fully sure what to expect when flying to Bogota and how safely would Colombia
How safe is it to travel in Colombia?
You can increase your safety by careful planning and awareness regarding: researching your travel route, choosing reliable providers, staying informed, being aware of fake transport operators and connecting with locals – who are a great source of information and advice.
Choose only marked taxis and agree on a price in advance. Do not show your belongings, especially in cities like Bogota. Avoid exploring alone at night. And eventually, enjoy this amazing country as much as you can!
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