After a smooth and uncomplicated journey from London Heathrow to Bogotá via a quick stopover in Madrid, we touched down in the land of chocolate, coffee & carnivals.
I have to be honest when I say that I had a handful of people warn me of the supposed ‘dangers’ of Colombia when we announced that it was to be our first stop when backpacking South America. From the tales of friends-of-friends who were mugged there years ago, to regurgitated news stories of all the other dangers we would be putting ourselves at risk of – at times I was made to question my decision to come here at all!
The reality of our experience in Bogotá could not have been more different to what people (many of which had never stepped foot in the country) claimed it would be. I am so thrilled to be able to share our experience in Bogotá from a first hand perspective and add some rationality to the fear-mongering that nearly stopped us from being able to experience the wonder and charm of this effervescent city.
First Impressions
Upon arriving at Colombia’s El Dorado airport we encountered our first (and what would turn out to be our only) headache of our stay. The transfer which we had pre-booked in England to transport us from the airport to our hostel was nowhere to be seen when we passed immigration and baggage control.
Pre-booking companies tend to run a 45 minute/1 hour policy. This means if you fail to meet your driver within the given time frame you’re out of luck. We thought we would be fine, but quickly found that disembarking from the airplane and crossing immigration took around 1hr 30. So we’d suggest avoiding pre-booking your transport unless you can negotiate some additional time.
We remedied this problem by seeking out a yellow taxi which was driven by an incredibly friendly local (shoutout to Nelson!) who gave us a very warm welcome and introduction to the city.
Adam and I chatted to Nelson about his own travels, his love of football and he even gave us some recommendations on what to do and see in the city. I felt compelled to ask him about whether safety should be a concern for us when exploring the city. He explained that much like in all other cities/towns across the world, there are places that are less comfortable to walk around than others. And some tourists should not venture to at all, especially at night. However, he explained that much of the city is perfectly safe and tourist friendly. He made it clear that we were going to have a great time here.
He would be right.
TIP: I’ve subsequently learnt that yellow taxis are a more sensible choice for solo travelers, those in smaller groups, and those with less luggage, than the white taxis also available. Apparently white taxis do not have a meter so it’s easier to get overcharged. We lucked out on our choice the first time around thankfully!
It’s Not The City You’ve Heard About (Or Watched On Netflix)
We signed up for a local food tour during our stay in the Colombian capital and our guide, the lovely Milena, very passionately spoke about why she chose to work as a tourist guide. She has happily dedicated over a decade of her life to showcase her hometown with visitors such as ourselves in the hope that it will gradually help to dispel any negative connotations the outside world has of Bogotá, and wider Colombia.
She said that prior to becoming a tour guide she was unable to travel to America simply because of the negative association people had with Colombians and the cartels. She described that she found the association between her as a Colombian and the notorious drug cartels as ‘painful’. I found this quite an emotive statement and very sad to hear. Simply put, Colombians do not wish to be associated with what happened in their country in the past.
By sticking to the right areas and not going out alone late at night we were perfectly safe. We walked for miles, across various locations and often as the only tourists. We never felt in danger. In fact people only ever came up to us to offer assistance!
Police Presence
Something that we were instantly aware of as we journeyed across Bogotá was the number of police and private security on the ground. In the La Candelaria region in particular there are police and dogs situated around literally every corner.
While at first this can appear intimidating, we soon realised they were there simply to keep the area safe. They were often very friendly, wishing us good morning/afternoon. Their presence also extended to local parks and even the entire hike up the incredible Montserrat (more to come on that in my next blog post).
Street Vendors And Locals
It is definitely worth noting that we were never harassed by anyone at any point during our stay – not from street vendors in the markets or anyone we encountered on our exploration of the city. No one was pushy or invaded our personal space. In fact we had a few instances where locals overheard us having language barrier issues and helped us out. Everyone has been super kind and there was a real feeling that the locals were happy to meet tourists and showcase their amazing city.
Personal Belongings
When researching what I should bring when backpacking South America, something that repeatedly came up was the fact that I should go to some lengths to deter pickpocketing. I bought a fanny pack to wear across my body and a neck strap for my phone. While the phone neck strap was a useful purchase as it freed up valuable pocket space, these probably weren’t needed.
Adam stopped wearing his backpack across his front after an hour or so into the visit, as it became clear as long as he was sensible there was no immediate danger of pickpocketing.
My advice is, therefore, to do what you would in any city, just be sensible. Keep your wits about you and don’t flash expensive jewelry, watches or clothing. Keep your bags close and don’t put them down unattended.
So… is Bogotá Safe?
The short answer is… YES!
There are, of course, parts of the city that you should not visit. Do your research, speak to your hotel/hostel and the locals and work out where these are. We were told the south in particular (an area you probably wouldn’t go to anyway) was a no-go for tourists. But there were some occasions where perfectly tourist friendly areas would stop and more exposed regions begin. So make sure you know when it’s time to turn around!
But ultimately we were perfectly safe the entire time we were in the city. In fact, if anything we often felt more welcomed and secure than we would in central London!
Zona Rosa and La Candelaria have the best accommodation options (from hostels to Airbnb’s) and also boast the most to see there too. I would highly recommend staying in these areas as you will really get a feel for the vibrancy, colour and magic of the historic city.
I hope this post goes some way to counteract the noise and negativity surrounding the topic of personal safety as a tourist in Bogotá. Our experience in the Colombian capital has been nothing short of exciting, eye-opening and culturally enriching!
Until next time,
Lica & Adam (a big thank you to Adam for his contribution with this piece!) xoxo
P.S. More exciting Bogota-related content coming shortly – stay tuned!
Very nice blog post. I absolutely love this website. Keep writing!