Stay Safe in Colombia by Blending in and Planning Ahead

Safe travel in Colombia is a matter of where you go. Like other destinations, Colombia has good spots and bad. Knowing where to go and where not to go is always desireable. This article will explain how to have a safe trip to Colombia and avoiding the spots where you could have problems.

Be advised that if you are wealthy, you will no doubt seem to be a better target than others. If you don't make your wealth obvious (not wearing gold and other jewelry or those loud, flowery shirts), your chances of having a positive and safe travel to Colombia will improve. Colombia has a diverse population and no matter what your skin color, you will find it also in Colombia. White, black, red, and in between are here, so no one skin color is singled out by the bad folks.

In the north, Barranquilla is near the ocean, about a little less than an hour from shore. Barranquilla is not in a zone with a lot of leftist type activity. If you like boxing, it is a popular place for many fights such as flyweight or bantamweight matches. It is also popular during carnival. Barranquilla is a good peaceful place to go for seeing a good mix of the regular people of Colombia. The beach is near in the little town of Santa Marta. What a nice beach ! The water is beautiful. You can look down into the water off the rocky pier and see the fish right below you. The sand is beautiful with reflections like diamonds or silver under the water. Santa Marta is a true gem for travellers to Colombia.

The big city, and capital of Colombia, Bogota, is also seeing a decrease in violence. Safe travel here is a matter of staying away from places a "gringo" would not be welcome. One place to avoid would be the streets near the platypus hotel. Otherwise, the same things apply as Barranquilla. The north side of the city has modern architecture and great food. The La Candelaria has theaters and museums. Bogot is higher in elevation, so bring something warm to wear just in case.

Medellin is one of the places I might not go. It has had a history of being dangerous, but like many places in Colombia, it is less so now. Drugs have played a part in the society of Medellin so visit with care. Medellin is a city of about three million and second in size only to Bogota.

Cartagena is a safe place in Colombia. Colombianos themselves vacation in Cartagena. Unlike Bogota, it is hot. This city has stone walls that had protected it in the past from enemies. Today they are a tourist magnet. If it matters, Mel Gibson chose to visit this town not too long ago. Overall Cartagena is a nice place to visit

Safe travel to Colombia and in Colombia is getting easier. Traveling between cities is much safer if you use the frequent airline flights and not the bus. Please remember to view the actual dates of posters who post online about how safe Colombia is or not. Things are changing all the time. If you see posts from 2003 or 2004 remember the State departments site can always be checked for the latest warnings, even though people who live there are better judges. Safety travel in Colombia is somewhat backwards from safe trips in the USA or Europe. The countryside is more dangerous in Colombia, while the cities are safer. As in all tourist locations, be careful when exchanging your money. Enjoy your trip to Colombia !