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Is Colombia Safe?
(Local honest opinion 2024)
Dealing with the common question and the tricky answer
I’ve been traveling around the world for several years, and whenever someone asks about my nationality, after I answer, most of the time I get the same reaction: “Oh, Colombia, dangerous, Narcos, and Pablo Escobar.”
I would say the majority of people globally have only ever received bad news about Colombia, which is why I don’t blame them for their response, though it can be frustrating. It’s my duty to try to explain that Colombia went through a dark age but is now facing a different kind of situation.
While we still have many problems and don’t enjoy the security some countries like those in Northern Europe, Canada, or Australia do, we are on the path to improvement.
Security in Colombia generally depends on the region we’re talking about. Colombia is a vast country (even if it doesn’t look like it on the map because of being on the equator) and a jungle nation where half of the territory isn’t even accessible by car. Therefore, the answer will vary significantly depending on the region we discuss.
But you are here for clear answers. So, we’ll focus on: Is Colombia safe for tourists?
Is Colombia Safe for Tourists?
The Safety in Colombia:
In a risky executive summary, I’ll say that Colombia sustained an armed conflict with various guerrilla groups for over 60 years, and in 2014, 10 years ago, a peace treaty was signed with the largest and most famous of these insurgent groups, the FARC.
This didn’t mean the end of the war, but it significantly reduced its scope, drastically lowered the number of deaths and injuries throughout the country, and opened many territories previously inaccessible.
Colombia pacified and entered the mood to close chapters of violence, markedly marked by eras like the war against the mafias, where the famous killer and drug trafficker Pablo Escobar became notorious.
However, Colombia is a rural country, and there are still various armed actors taking advantage of the vast territory to plague remote, hard-to-access populations, or simply very distant from cities.
Is Colombia Dangerous for Travelers?
This answer will be controversial, but I firmly believe it: Colombia is safer for travelers than for locals. This is because 21st-century criminals are more cunning and know that foreigners in Colombia are a prized asset and a source of income for the country, so for the most part, they understand that harming this population would only make the government focus on them, further hindering their criminal activities.
Therefore, security in Colombia affects locals more, such as rural merchants, regional entrepreneurs, who are prey to groups controlling drug and illegal mining zones and are forced to pay extortions to continue their business activities.
Can a Traveler Feel Safe Traveling Through Colombia?
My answer would be it depends on the region you wish to visit, but in a large number of cities in the country, a foreigner can be as calm as when taking the same precautions as in the metro of Madrid, the streets of Bangkok, Thailand, the streets of Manhattan, or the streets of Rome!
You might wonder how I dare compare Colombia with the streets of Europe, New York, or the “land of smiles” (Thailand), and the answer is: after having lived in Europe and traveled through all these mentioned countries, I find that many cities in Colombia can be just as safe, provided that one takes the precautions that are taken in the major cities of the world.
However, I don’t want to imply that security in Colombia is paradise because it isn’t. In fact, I warn all travelers about being cautious when moving through the streets of Bogotá, about the severe security situation in the city of Cali or Buenaventura, and about thefts involving indigenous people in the north of the country (La Guajira).
As well as showing them on the map some red regions that we strongly advise against visiting, such as the border (and distant) region of Norte de Santander, at the limits with Venezuela. Also, in all honesty, I warn them about the security situation with dating apps in Medellín.
Is It Likely That I Will Be Murdered, Raped, or Kidnapped in Colombia?
My answer would be no, with an asterisk at the end: the homicide rates in Colombia have drastically decreased over the last decade, and most of these numbers are often related to wars between actors outside the law. As long as foreigners do not get involved in drug business, prostitution, or in rural territories or areas where serious conflicts exist, the likelihood of this happening is relatively low, even when compared to some European countries.
Scams in Colombia:
Except for the beautiful city of Cartagena, which sadly has become famous for scamming tourists, and aside from taxi drivers in major cities (who have also acquired a bad reputation), scams in Colombia are not an everyday occurrence for tourists.
And I say this when comparing the situation with countries like India, Egypt, or even Italy. Clearly, if you look like a foreigner, you might be charged a bit more in the most touristic spots, but encountering fake tourism agencies or people who scam and take your money is not as common as it may occur in other places.
Nevertheless, we always recommend our travelers use Uber, learn some basic Spanish phrases, and especially understand the different denominations of bills and key tips to recognize a fake bill. As a general rule, especially in less touristy cities, locals will want to help you, and you’ll find they are some of the kindest people in the world.
Police corruption
In a national survey that is constantly conducted, Colombians rank the national police as one of the most corrupt entities in the world. This must be said with total honesty. However, in recent years, significant efforts have been made to change the image of this government entity and make the police more approachable and helpful to both locals and foreigners.
While finding English-speaking police officers is difficult, they will most likely try to help you, and you can feel safe calling them for assistance if someone tries to scam you or harm you. It’s not usual, and I would say it’s exceptional, for police to collude with scammers to cheat tourists, as happens in some cities in India or Egypt.
However, the most important thing will always be to verify that the police are legitimate and, in any case, not to rely solely on them.
