| The answer is yes*. An asterisk because it's safe if | | | | them from several provinces, including Cundinamarca, |
| you come well prepared. If you believe the US State | | | | Caldas and Risaralda. Overall, it's a battle they are |
| Department's warnings about this country, you will be a | | | | winning, and I hope the pressure will continue to be |
| bit discouraged, as they still warn Americans against | | | | applied under whichever President is elected in May of |
| traveling to Colombia, the US' most important ally in | | | | 2010 to replace the outgoing Alvaro Uribe. |
| South America. Other foreign affairs ministries of | | | | The US state department warns that kidnappings are |
| several developed countries also advise their citizens | | | | a serious problem in Colombia, but I have not heard of |
| not to travel here. At the other end of the spectrum is | | | | any foreigners being targeted this way in a very long |
| the travel guide books which mislead their readers by | | | | time. Sure, if you walk into an area controlled by rebels |
| presenting the major attractions of the country without | | | | you could very well be captured and kept prisoner for |
| warning them of the risks they run in certain areas. | | | | several years, but the kidnapping of foreigners for |
| The truth is somewhere in between: traveling inside | | | | ransom, as happens frequently in Mexico, is unheard of |
| Colombia can be as safe as anywhere else in the | | | | here, so my take is that the State Department needs |
| world, but stray just a bit too much from the | | | | to review its facts! |
| established path and you will be exposed to serious | | | | We have talked about where not to go, now let's |
| dangers. For instance, it's now possible to travel safely | | | | discuss where you can. Most of the major and |
| from the Caribbean coast to Medellin by road, but it's ill | | | | intermediate cities of Colombia, including Bogota, |
| advised to stop in some of the towns along the way. | | | | Medellin, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Manizales, and |
| Two American backpackers traveling separately told | | | | Barranquilla are either very safe to visit, or at least |
| me they had spent the night in Taraza, Antioquia on | | | | nowhere as hazardous as it is to stroll through Brazilian |
| the way to Medellin from Cartagena. Both were a little | | | | cities such as Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. Cali and |
| surprised when I informed them that the north of | | | | Pereira are hotbeds for the drug organizations and |
| Antioquia is still a very active zone for armed rebel | | | | also rife with petty crime. You might want to skip them |
| groups, paramilitaries and organized criminals in the | | | | on your itinerary! |
| drug trade. Coca fields are abundant and the murder | | | | As with most cities anywhere in the world, you can do |
| rates in small towns like Taraza and Caucasia are | | | | the basic to mitigate your risk of being victimized: dress |
| shocking. | | | | modestly, leave the baubles back home, do not dangle |
| Large areas of the country are still in the throes of the | | | | cameras around your neck, do not carry a lot of cash, |
| war against the illegal drug trade and the heavily | | | | only use ATMs inside malls, do not wander into |
| armed columns from the so-called liberation armies of | | | | neighborhoods you know nothing about, and avoid |
| the FARC and ELN, which often stage attacks on | | | | hailing taxis off the street. I've lived in Colombia for |
| roads and against towns. This is particularly true in the | | | | over two years now and although I stand-out like a |
| provinces (departamentos) bordering Ecuador and | | | | sore thumb for being so tall and blond, I've yet to be |
| Venezuela. Nariño, Putumayo, Choco, Valle, | | | | victimized in any way by following those simple rules! |
| Cauca, Meta, Guaviare, Caqueta, and Arauca, make | | | | Yes, come to Colombia! It's an incredibly beautiful land |
| the headlines on a regular basis, as do some areas in | | | | with a sophisticated culture, and best of all, it's not |
| several other provinces, such as the north and | | | | polluted by throngs of tourists, so it's still very authentic, |
| southeast of Antioquia, and the rural areas of Bolivar, | | | | not "Disneyfied" as in so many other parts of the |
| Cesar, Guajira and Cordoba. | | | | world, and the people are genuinely earnest in letting |
| However, in terms of cleansing the country of the | | | | you see the good side of their much maligned country. |
| illegal armed factions, the Colombian army has them | | | | Nothing bad will happen to you if you come here well |
| running in almost very area, and has in fact routed | | | | informed. |