Can You Travel in Colombia Safely as an American?

What is Colombia Like Today for International Travelers?

As an American who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s when stories of Colombia’s most famous drug kingpins were regularly featured on television, I formed some seriously preconceived notions about the country and its overall level of safety.

At one time, I figured Colombia was a place I’d never get to see in person, so ingrained was my sense of fear and awe regarding the drug cartels and the influence of popular media.

But today, despite the Colombia travel advisory by the United States Department of State that Americans should “reconsider travel” due to civil unrest and kidnapping, I can report that you don’t need to cancel your dream or want to travel to Colombia. Don’t assume that this travel advisory means that the whole country is rife with crime.

Having visited three Colombian cities and meeting all sorts of people around the country, my expectations were greatly exceeded during my travel there in June of 2023. Throughout formerly notorious cities like Medellin, there were stark reminders of the country’s drug-fueled past.

However, it’s truly remarkable how the people of Colombia have come out of that era and into one with greater prosperity and hope. Let me now share with you my experiences in Colombia and my tips on traveling to Colombia as an American.

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The Many Faces of Bogota, Colombia

Every large city in Colombia presents an incredible diversity of wealth and status, and I wasn’t surprised to see that not everyone in Bogota was lucky enough to have a home. As someone from Los Angeles, which has one of the bleakest homeless problems in the United States, I expected to see some unfortunate souls throughout my time in the city and beyond during my Colombia trip.

I don’t think a city can get as big as Bogota (or Los Angeles, for that matter) and not experience some problems keeping everyone housed and happy. On one of the tours we took throughout the Candelaria neighborhood of Bogota, our guide told us that there was a significant poor population in the city. However, it’s important to note that I never felt like I needed an armed escort or anything so crazy during our tours.

There were no shiny black Suburbans racing down the street with occupants suddenly erupting in drug-fueled gunfire. These images are something you’d see in the movies and in pop culture, not something you’d see in modern Colombia.

Overall, the people of Colombia were quite like those of Los Angeles. Some were making a good living, others, not so much. If you hail from an American locale with a sedate, suburban feel where the issues present in large cities aren’t apparent, you may feel a little uneasy walking down some streets. Despite the difference, though, simply remaining aware of your environment and keeping your money safe and hidden, as you would in any large American city, is sufficient.

During our few days of wandering around Bogota and its outlying areas, we used our feet as transportation (for the most part), as well as a van that took us to one of our tours. I don’t think I’d recommend renting a car in Bogota if you can avoid it, because it seemed easier to take a few taxis to and from the airport and book tours where we were picked up right in front of our hotel, or the starting point was within quick walking distance.

I found that having a guide for our explorations on foot of the city was quite advantageous, as we didn’t need to wander around with one of us glued to a smartphone, trying to navigate the streets and directions. Every person I interacted with in Bogota was friendly, and I appreciated getting to speak to all sorts of people from all walks of life.

The Magic of Medellin, Colombia

I think the most surprising experience I had while traveling in Colombia was staying in Medellin, walking around its neighborhoods, and traveling all around the region. Medellin was the home of everyone’s favorite drug lord, and there’s a park you can visit that tells the story of his rise and fall, but the city seems like it’s come a long way since its troubled past.

One of the remarkable features of Medellin is its rapid transit system, which runs right through the middle of the city. Medellin is in a valley, and the hills around it rise with layers upon layers of neighborhoods and buildings. You can get from one side of the valley to the other in record time by using the rapid transit train.

Now, that’s not to say the entire city is beautiful or without some poorer areas. I stayed in what I felt was a very well-to-do area (the picture at the start of this blog was the view from my beautiful hotel room at the Letter A Hotel), and I walked into the commercial area next to it for food and sightseeing. However, when I went on a tour of Arvi Park, I took a cable car ride up the side of the valley, where I saw a crush of humanity living in much less prosperous conditions.

However, despite the wide range of neighborhoods in Medellin, I never felt any malice from anyone I passed, and I really felt just about as safe as I would walking along any street in Downtown Los Angeles. Yes, you need to remain aware of your surroundings, but you don’t need to go packing or have some sort of weapon on you. Just keep your pocketbook or backpack close, and you’ll be fine, whether you’re driving a car or taking public transport.

Like Bogota, the scenery in and around Medellin was beautiful, and the weather was amazing. Bogota was a little chilly, even though it was June when we traveled there, and Cartagena was REALLY hot. But Medellin? Absolutely gorgeous weather, much like a warm and sunny spring day in Los Angeles.

The History and People of Cartagena

At first glance, Cartagena feels like a party town where people from cruise ships disembark to find places to live it up until the wee hours of the morning. Even though there’s all this amazing history to the region (really interesting; a tour of Cartagena is highly recommended!), it seemed like a lot of people visiting the city were just there to party.

There’s nothing wrong with traveling internationally in pursuit of the best places to party, but it’s still quite a crush of people when you stay in the historic district of Cartagena, commonly referred to as the Walled City of Cartagena. Many of the buildings around this popular area of the city are from the colonial era and definitely make you think of the 18th century and famous Disney films about Caribbean pirates.

Out of all the places I visited during my Colombian travels, I’d say I saw the most downtrodden individuals in Cartagena. There are a lot of people who sit on the street and ask for donations or who sell little trinkets to tourists. I definitely bought a few sundresses, as well as a piece of beautiful art from a painter selling his paintings on the side of the street.

Cartagena was the only place in Colombia where I had an interaction with someone who was quite unpleasant. From what I learned about the local population, some of Cartagena has recently undergone gentrification, which has pushed the locals out and caused housing prices to soar. In your walks around town and the Getsamani neighborhood, I definitely felt like an unwanted outsider at times.

However, there’s a big difference between feeling a little out of place and feeling like I was in danger. Since I had a traveling companion and a tour guide for much of my experiences in Cartagena, I didn’t really feel like I was in significant danger. I was a little bit more aware of people around me than I was in either Bogota or Medellin.

My Advice for Americans Traveling to Colombia

Everything about Colombia isn’t hearts and roses, but it certainly doesn’t resemble the country you see in popular culture, where everyone is connected to the drug trade, and you have to have an armed escort to go anywhere. Colombia is, quite frankly, beautiful, and its people are extremely easy to get along and have friendly conversations with.

I’ve always wanted to see Colombia, and I’m so thankful that I was able to experience all the history and culture of the country. I’d describe it as an “up and coming” destination for Americans since most of the people we interacted with along the way (like other tourists) were from places like Mexico or various countries in South America. We did see a few Americans, but the majority of travelers were Spanish-speaking (me and my traveling partner speak some Spanish, but not fluently).

If you’re at all considering a trip to Colombia, I’d recommend traveling with a partner if you’re a woman or you’re not very used to traveling internationally. If you’re very keen on traveling solo to Colombia, I’d say that one of the best options would be to always book tours rather than venturing out without a guide. I love guided tours for all the history they offer, but they’re also ideal for offering a traveling partner for your explorations.

I’d also remain cautious about traveling outside the tourist areas or away from the busy areas of the cities because there are some not-so-nice folks still making a living doing illegal things in the jungles. Yes, it’s sort of a stereotype, but Colombia isn’t perfect, and it’s usually best to stick to the touristy places.

I went on a hike to a waterfall outside Bogota, which took us into some beautifully remote countryside, but the area was well-traversed by tourists, as well as groups of school kids who were bussed into the area for hikes. If you’re headed to a remote place, consider going with a guide or having a traveling partner with you for safety.

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