Tips for Traveling & Living Safely in Colombia
Below are some tips for traveling and living safely in Colombia. This is a work in progress that we published for the purpose of being helpful, based on experiences from Colombians and travelers from around the world. Remember that Colombians are generally very friendly/helpful. The below tips are for the purpose of not being a victim wherever you may be, fitting in, and maximizing your general safety.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do…
Sandals (and flip flops, etc.) and shorts are generally not worn by Colombians in cities (only in beach areas, by the swimming pool, and sometimes in small towns outside of the city called “pueblos”). Understood that when you’re on vacation in a warm area, you may want to wear your relaxed vacation clothes, but this will make you look different to locals and is not recommended. If you are not on a resort or in a beach town, we recommend not dressing as if you are.
Speak Spanish when possible.
Colombians are generally very friendly/helpful, not in a rush, have great hygiene (are well-bathed, wear freshly laundered clothing, smell great, are presentable), etc. The more you behave like Colombians, the more you will fit in.
If you are staying longer term or visit often, consider purchasing clothing from Colombian stores (e.g., Arturo Calle) so that you are wearing the same brands and styles as Colombians. For longer-term visitors, tailors (sastrerías) are inexpensive compared to in other countries, and generally of high quality, so you can even have clothing adjusted to have a nice, comfortable, presentable fit for you.
Don’t give papaya (“No dar papaya”). Papaya is a large fruit. Giving papaya means displaying something someone else may want, making yourself an easy target, making it easy to steal from you, etc…
Don’t wear and/or display phones, jewelry, watches, cash, cameras and other valuables in non-secure areas, such as on the street and/or in cafés, restaurants, etc. open to and visible from the street.
If you need to carry things when away from home, consider using a normal to small, non-flashy backpack or bag that you can keep close to and/or strapped to you. Don’t leave any pockets open and/or contents visible.
Don’t leave with something you are not willing to lose.
In addition to fitting in, your clothing and accessories can help you get around more easily, get away when necessary, etc…
Consider wearing light, flexible trainers as footwear (the equivalent of Nike Free) because this makes for easy walking, getting around, getting away when necessary, etc.
Consider wearing jeans or similar.
Transportation…
Call a taxi or smart phone App service or get a taxi at an official taxi stand (e.g., Flota Bernal, Coopebombas) instead of getting one on the street.
Ask your taxi driver to use the taxi meter (metro) if it is not already turned on when your ride begins.
If you get a taxi on the street, casually take a walk by the available taxis first and survey the drivers, interiors, etc. Take official, clean, presentable taxis and car services with middle-aged or similar drivers with normal to elegant dress/personal presentation. Do not take taxis with drivers who make you feel uncomfortable, have aggressive music playing, are in a rush, are not polite, do not take care of their vehicles (in general, Colombians, especially those who offer transportation services, take very good care of their vehicles and take pride in their appearance), etc.
Stay safe, stay away from danger in general, and use common sense…
Choose accommodations that have 24-hour security, require that visitors sign in and present a government-issued photo ID (cédula), do not allow brief/short stays, are not known for parties and trouble, etc. Of course hotels and hostels allow brief/short stays. If you stay at a hotel or hostel, read reviews, ask others about their reputation, and find the best fit for your safety, tranquility, etc.
Especially when you’re new, stay in well-lit areas that look safe and secure, have presence of security and/or police, have sufficient people who are dressed and behaving normally, etc.
Don’t approach motorcycles, especially with more than one person on board. One of the easiest ways for robberies to occur is via motorcycles where the driver can wait to get away while the passenger conducts the robbery. Motorcycles are agile and can arrive at a sidewalk quickly/unexpectedly and get away and weave through traffic easily.
Keep at least 2 meters (6 or more feet) of distance from others in non-secure areas, especially where others are not around.
If you are speaking a foreign language, speak softly when in non-secure areas.
If you are using an automatic cash machine to withdraw cash, consider doing this during the daytime within a shopping mall (centro comercial) or other closed, secure area that has the presence of security guards and cameras, and be aware of your surroundings (e.g., nobody is observing you while you withdraw cash, nobody follows you after you withdraw cash).
Don’t walk around at night in non-secure areas if you don’t know the lay of the land and are not extremely comfortable with your surroundings.
Do not invite strangers back to your place or accept an invitation to go to their place if you do not know them well.
Stay aware at all times. Don’t wear headphones while you walk down the street. Keep your eye on the ball.
Don’t stand out, seek attention, act like a high roller, etc.
For guys who are proud of their physique: Colombians don’t generally take their shirts off unless they on a beach or at a swimming pool.
If you are looking for trouble, you will find it.
Do not use online dating services or do so with a lot of caution. If it looks too good to be true, it usually is. Don’t meet someone for the first time at your place or his/hers. Always let someone you trust know where you will be before you go. Always get the phone number, WhatsApp number, etc. of the person you will be with. Consider getting a copy of or verifying the validity of a government-issued photo ID of the person you will be with before you go. Consider reviewing the social network pages of anyone you will be with before you go (Is it a real page? Anything that looks less than normal? Does s(he) have lots of normal friends? Do s(he) have normal conversations? Does s(he) write in a normal, educated way?). Considering having various chat conversations, phone conversations, video calls, etc. to get to know someone before meeting him or her for the first time to make sure everything seems normal, no red flags, etc. Don’t leave a drink unattended (a drug could be dropped into your drink quickly and unknowingly). Be cautious of last-minute changes in plans, which may be for the purpose of fooling you into going where others are waiting to make you a victim. Be cautious of any person who joins your plans and you do not know well.
Underdressing can make you stand out, too (e.g., if you wear black t-shirts to not stand out, you may stand out because Colombians generally dress more presentably, such as with polo shirts instead of t-shirts). As a general guideline, consider walking around and seeing how others dress and behave to better fit in.
For those with an even keener eye for possible safety concerns, while you are walking, pay attention to anyone who may be observing you and may call someone who is further down your path for the purpose of making you a victim.