1. Is it safe? I felt safe the entire time! When Americans hear Colombia, they often think drugs and violence. Pablo Escobar died in 1993. That was 26 years ago! The country has worked hard to build itself into a wonderful vacation spot. In Bogota, I felt like I was in a big city in the U.S. I’m not saying it’s okay to break your solo female travel rules here. The same safety rules apply there that would apply in a big city in the U.S. Don’t walk down dark alleys at night. Don’t take drinks from strangers or get hammered by yourself in a bar full of strangers. In Caragena, there was a total beach vibe. The streets were super clean, and the people were all friendly. I think beach towns tend to feel a little safer than big cities know matter what country you’re in. Overall, safety wasn’t an issue while traveling through Colombia for me 🙂
2. How was it communicating? It was HARD! I had a rough time trying to get by on my tiny-bit of Spanish. Very few people speak English here. The Uber drivers, waiters, and even the hostel staff had limited English. I got by, but this was the hardest time I’ve had communicating yet. Dont get me wrong, I got by and still had a blast! I just had to do a lot of google translate. If i could do it again ( I’m actually certain I will) I would get on my Dualingo app for 5 minutes a day a month before I left.
3. Is it easy to get around? Yes. I found it pretty easy to get to where I was going. I steered clear of the taxis in Bogota. I heard some pretty bad things about the taxis. Uber was great though. It is considered illegal in Colombia, but everyone uses it. Uber does background checks so you’re less likely to get robbed. I felt safe with all of my drivers! With the language barrier, It was super convenient to not have to explain where I was going. In Cartagena, the only taxi I took was to and from the airport. Waking all around was easy and fun. You could even walk to the port to get on the speed boats to the islands.
Hope this helps all you ladies, and gents too, get out there and see Colombia!
Until next time,
Des
