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THE QUESTION – IS IT SAFE TO GO TO COLOMBIA?

The answer – For the 20.000 time in this site, everybody is going to say that traveling to Colombia is safe as long as you have common sense and listen to the advises everybody repeat time after time.

If one is coming to one of the major cities (Bogotá, Cali, Medellin, Cartagena, Barranquilla, Pereira) you should be fine, those cities already have a lot of foreign presence. Notice that you should behave the same way as you were in one of the major cities around the world. Don’t talk to strangers, avoid bad (very poor neighborhoods) neighborhoods, always be alert, when needing a cab call one if you can, don’t go traveling outside the cities if you are not sure that the roads are safe (can do that by calling the road police.

Those are just simple and common sense advices. Please stop asking the same thing, there are a million articles, posts and people are still asking, I am going to Bogotá would it be safe or would I get kidnapped.

If you want to come to this beautiful country people are open to welcome you with all kindness, but stop thinking that in Colombia everyone is a kidnapper a thief or a murderer.

Foreigners have suffer from this conflict, but read their stories, some were at the mountains, some others at small villages away from the cities, so trust the people who are inviting you and give the Colombian people a chance.

By camilo on Mar 11, 2004, 09:08 in Friendly Talkzone.

Sam Salmon says on Mar 11, 2004, 09:23:

I'd just like to add that much of the countryside is safe as well.

' a la orden!'

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Gator says on Mar 11, 2004, 11:39:

Please, Please, Listen to Your Tio Camilo
Bravo for your answer, Camilo. I and my wife live in Colombia and get very, very tired of the reaction from people when we visit the USA and tell them we live in Colombia. Eyes grow wide, jaws drop, and a look of utter amazement crosses the face. Then come the words, "Colombia! ColoMBIA!, COLOMBIA!" "In SOUTH AMERICA? Isn't that dangerous?" My answer is usually, "Nope, If I will draw money from an ATM in downtown Miami, or ride the subway in NYC I know real danger."

Answer this question truthfully, why would anyone want to kidnap 99.9 percent of the people who frequent this board? My advice if you are that worried don't go. It's not a vacation if you feel you have to look over your shoulder all the time. Seek local advice, don't wander into bad neighborhoods, leave the Rolex at home and keep out of certain areas outside of the cities. Believe me the vast majority of Colombians genuinely like gringos.

Camilos best advice, "Foreigners have suffer from this conflict, but read their stories, some were at the mountains, some others at small villages away from the cities, so trust the people who are inviting you and give the Colombian people a chance."

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

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