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I have spent collectively more than 2 months traveling in Colombia. It’s a country I would venture to say that I know *well*. But I made my fair share of travel mistakes in Colombia. Especially on my first visit to the country. Here are 25 common pitfalls travelers find themselves in on their first visit to Colombia that can be total trip-ruiners.
25 Travel Mistakes to Avoid in Colombia For First-Time Visitors
1. Showing all Your Papayas
Colombia is not a dangerous country. The years of drug cartels and gun-point robberies are behind them for the most part. But this local catch-phrase essentially boils down to…don’t give anyone a reason to rob you. Don’t draw attention to yourself. In other words, don’t carry too much cash, wear flashy jewelry, etc.
Cards are accepted pretty much universally in Colombia so there is no reason to carry large sums of cash anyways.
2. Thinking You Can See the *Whole* Country in a Month.
I’ve spent more than two months in Colombia and haven’t even come close to seeing all the incredible sights to see within the country. I would recommend a three-month stay to see EVERYTHING or being content with a quick highlight tour in a month.
Check out my Caribbean coast itinerary for a look at what you can see on the northern coast.
3. Spending Too Much Time in Cities.
It’s easy to get sucked into Colombia’s incredible modern cities like Medellin and Bogota. But the real beauty is in the Amazon rainforest, the lush pueblos like Jardin + Salento, and colorful towns like Guatape.
4. Getting in an Unmarked Taxi
This is a big no-no in Colombia. I know I just discussed how “safe” Colombia is BUT there are still scams a foot. Be aware that especially in Bogota, but also elsewhere, scams are prevalent. Never get into a taxi that is unmarked.
5. Dressing too Conservatively.
You do whatever makes you comfortable but South America as a whole gets sex appeal. Colombian women dress very provocatively when going out or just spending a day shopping in the city. If you’re a lover of sheer fabrics, tight/short dresses, cleavage, or crop-tops have no fear packing them here.
I actually bought some new clothes at a Colombian thrift shop ( a snakeskin deep-V leotard) because I felt like my typical backpacker garb was so unflattering in comparison to the sultry Colombian women. Here’s the gear I recommend packing specifically for a destination as diverse as Colombia.
6. Skipping Cali.
On my first visit to Colombia, I made this mistake.
But now Cali is one of my favorite destinations in Colombia. This is the city of salsa music and dancing, seafood, and has some great city hikes.
7. Choosing a Day-Trip to Guatape instead of Staying Overnight.
Guatape deserves more than a day trip. I actually wrote a whole blog post about it. If you follow the crowds and visit on a quick tour from Medellin you’ll end up packed into the colorful streets with loads of other people.
There are tons of cool things to do in the town and plenty of cheap lodging for an overnight stay. You’ll get to actually enjoy the city without all the other people around.
8. Not Allowing Time to Visit the Pueblos.
These are some of the coolest places to visit in Colombia. It’s where you’ll get in touch with the local culture and get a taste of what real life for Colombians is like.
9. Visiting in February.
In February, Tayrona National Park is CLOSED to all tourists. This is great for the environment but a huge bummer if you plan your trip not realizing this. We did this the first time and it was one of our biggest travel mistakes in Colombia.
Tayrona National Park is one of the best places to visit in Colombia if you’re looking for nature and beaches.
10. Visiting During Dec/Jan if You Hate Crowds.
December and January aren’t just popular with foreign tourists, they are popular with local tourists. Most Colombians have the entire month of Dec/Jan off from work due to local holidays. This means most attractions and outdoor sights will be PACKED with people.
I recommend visiting Colombia anytime from March-November.
11. Choosing to Bus Instead of Fly.
Plan ahead and fly between Cali, Medellin, and Bogota. The bus routes are PAINFUL. They say they’ll be 12 hours and then they end up 15 long hours in a bus seat that doesn’t fully recline.
If you book ahead of time, flights can be cheaper or the same price as bus tickets anyways.
12. Staying in Poblado rather than Laurales (Medellin).
Poblado is old news. It’s now the most dangerous neighborhood in Medellin and where all the crazy parties happen. If this is your jam feel free to stay in this part of town.
Otherwise, Laureles is definitely the “trendy”, foodie, cute neighborhood where locals live and hang out.
13. Not Freely Exploring Neighborhoods like Comuna 13 on Your Own.
A lot of bloggers and influencers are pushing the narrative that comuna 13 is still too dangerous to visit on your own.
That’s simply not true.
Comuna 13 has become a tourist hub and there is NO REASON you can’t visit on your own, buy some souvenirs, and drink some street beers. I promise the streets have dramatically changed since Pablo Escobar’s time.
14. Not Finding a Tejo Bar.
Tejo is the national sport of Colombia. And it’s essentially drunken exploding horseshoes. That’s the best way I can describe it. Salento is an easy town to play in. But also San Gil.
15. Not Taking Advantage of the Free Salsa Classes.
Cali offers lots of free salsa classes throughout town. I swear nearly every single Colombian can salsa dance on a near professional level. You must go to at least one. Your hostel will be able to hook you up with locations on any night of the week.
16. Or of the Free Walking Tours in Medellin & Bogota.
Real City Walking Tours are both educational and eye-opening. You’ll learn a little bit of history and a little bit about the drug trade days. It’s also a great way to better get to know the city and its people.
Even though the tour is technically free a tip is definitely expected.
17. Taking Anything Other Than the Medellin Metro in the City.
The Medellin metro is one of the cleanest and best maintained worldwide. It also connects the entire city making every destination an easy walk away. I’ve never visited anywhere with a more convenient public transport situation.
18. Not Getting Your Adrenaline Fix in San Gil.
San Gil is known as the adventure capital of South America.
For about $48 per person, you can white water raft class 5 rapids, bungee jump, and paraglide from the canyons surrounding the area. If I was going to pick only one of these adrenaline-pumping activities to recommend it would be paragliding.
19. Eating in Restaurants for Every Meal Instead of Cooking & Street Food.
Tamales. Enough said. This is the best food in Colombia. Otherwise, the food gets pretty repetitive after a while. I recommend cooking meals in hostels to save money along the way.
20. Not Upping Your Caffeine Addiction Significantly.
Colombian coffee is no secret. And the cafe culture in Colombia is thriving. Also, most hostels offer free coffee throughout the day.
21. Skipping the Caribbean Islands.
Colombia doesn’t actually have the most incredible beaches in South America. Cartagena’s city beaches are actually quite disappointing. Capurgana has some of the best beaches in mainland Colombia. But scattered off the coast of Colombia are a handful of Caribbean islands owned by the country. Casa un el Agua (which literally translates to “house on the water“) is a great way to access these pretty islands.
Panama controls the real tropical paradise in the region, however. Check out my blog post on the San Blas Islands for more information.
22. Not Booking Accommodation in Advance.
Things fill up. I’ve never experienced this outside of South America. Maybe it’s just traveling post-covid and maybe it’s the fact we were traveling during the peak season but many hotels– the cheap and scenic ones that is…filled up quickly.
23. Buying Cocaine or Anything to Do With Pablo Escobar.
This is a huge NO.
It’s a common occurrence among foreign tourists in Colombia. I think this is by far the most offensive travel mistake in Colombia that you can make. The drug trade and cartels have SUCH a negative impact on Colombia with foreign tourists driving the local drug market.
I’m 100% not anti-drug. But I am anti-doing-drugs-that-harm-the-local-communities. I just think it’s very important to consider the greater impact of our decisions. Colombia is desperately trying to shed its cocaine connotations. Don’t be a part of the problem.
24. Not Drinking Gallons of Tropical Fruit Juice.
I have never had better fresh fruit juice than in Colombia.
Mango, passionfruit, pineapple, goldenberry, granadilla, mamey, zapote, dragonfruit, papaya…the list goes on and on. Often, I had never even seen or heard of the fruit I was consuming. But it’s super cheap and super delicious.
25. Missing the Opportunity to Diverge from the Beaten Path.
Chiribiquiya, Capurgana, Tatacoa Desert, 7 Colors River, Leticia, La Guajira. None of these places are easy to get to. But all of them are some of the most beautiful and interesting destinations on the planet.
These are the most common and easiest avoidable travel mistakes in Colombia. As you can see, none of them are life-or-death situations but they can contribute to a less than satisfactory trip in the country. And no one wants that. Especially, in a destination as beautiful and exciting as Colombia.
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