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Colombian expats & global forum conspiracy: Leticia, eje cafetero, Tayrona

Hello all,

I know this has been asked a gzillion-zillion times and some of you might be tired beyond limit of seeing this question posted again and again but I kinda have a reason to ask:

Ok, planning to do the jungle around Leticia, Coffee Trail and Tayrona for about three weeks starting end of September, spending one week on each approx.

Now, we currently live in Spain and have a few Colombian friends & acquaintances that live here but visit their home country regularly. We've thoroughly trawled all relevant forums available, guidebooks (LP Colombia sucks!) and read tons of info about the places we want to visit (both in English and Spanish) so we gather that these places are mostly safe providing you use your "common sense". The thing is that everytime we comment with these friends the places we are about to visit their response is usually like this:

1- Leticia:"¿Quéeee? ¡a la selva! ¿estás loco?" and they look at me as if I'm some crazy lunatic and start babbling about crime, trafficking, narcos, guerrilla, acculturated alcohol-n-basuco maddened indians and all sorts of stuff.

2- Eje cafetero country side: "¡Nooo! la guerrilla está por allá mismo" (guerrilla is right overthere!!): same looks as above, perhaps no so strongly.

3- Tayrona: !Olvídalo, está infestado de paracas! (forget it, it's infested with paramilitaries): same looks as nº 2. To be honest I suspect this because it's near Sta. Marta and they seem to relate to Sierra Nevada de Sta. Marta which is supposed to be somewhat controlled by the paracas.

I'm beginning to think that either they're kind of middle/upper class Colombians that never get out of their protected bubble and don't have a clue about what's going on in their country (!) or this whole forum thing and all the possitive feedback I've been reading is a paranoid conspiracy to lure westerners into some hellish Colombian realms.

I ask for anyone that has recently been in this places to give us their impressions.

Gracias,

Dani

By macaco on Aug 23, 2007, 08:55 in Travel tips.

Peter (Moderator) says on Aug 23, 2007, 09:21:

1. Leticia is considered very safe, even by most Colombians that have never traveled inside their own country.

2. The coffee zone: same.

3. Tayrona is also very safe.

You're right about the Colombians that never leave Bogota and their bubble :)

Poor but snappy

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Gator says on Aug 23, 2007, 10:35:

All Bull S--T. You should have no problem

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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elk says on Aug 23, 2007, 11:49:

I'm purchasing a Suzuki V-strom 650 and was thinking of riding to the border of Ecuador. Would be leaving from Medellin and was curious about the safety issue? I've never been further than Manizales.

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bufalo says on Aug 24, 2007, 05:13:

Every colombian always thinks that all other parts of the country with the exeption of where they live is a hot zone. I lived in Leticia for 6 months - safest place there is in Colomiba from my travellings. I have lived in and still do Armenia for about 5 years and is relatively safe, however I personally know people who have dealings with guerilla and paras here. Being a typical dorky tourist, you shouldn't have any trouble at all. I spent 12 years going to Santa Marta including PT and during that time, yes, it was bad. I haven't been there in 5 years and have mostly heard only good, so things probably have changed.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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