Travel style

The South American Handbook is the most authoritative.

Colombia does have a bad reputation and it is largely warranted. There is a hideous violent internal armed conflict going on with thousands of people falling victim to executions, kidnappings, sexual violence and landmine injuries each year. It is not just in the rural areas either. Saying that however, it is a country of vast contrasts and is definitely worth a visit.

Choco and Buenaventura are not particularly safe - in fact I would give them a wide berth. However, there are many delightful places to visit that as a tourist you will be as safe as any other country (take care as anywhere). Bogota is great and easy to spend a few days there wandering around. I loved Popayan but found Cartagena boring after a couple of days.

"Colombia does have a bad reputation...largely warranted. There is internal armed conflict going on blah, blah, blah, blah...... It is not just in the rural areas either....."

The areas of conflict are remote and inaccessible to tourists-Army checkpoints see to that.

The cities are some of the safest in Latin America-the communist goons have been pushed back into the hinterlands there to be pounded to dogmeat by the Army-as well they should be.

"Choco and Buenaventura are not particularly safe ....."

Agree on Buenaventura-because of widespread drug trafficking-much like LAX or Miami-but Choco is a wonderland for nature lovers.

The area around SAN AGUSTIN where the ancient ruins are located has been considered dangerous for tourists IN THE PAST. But I'm NOT SURE if that is still the case.

When I was there in 1980 I walked to most of the different sites in that area and had no trouble, but that was 28 years ago.

C&P from Poor But Happy

More and more people are visiting previously unthinkable locations in Colombia. See why they’re totally good to go.

1. President Uribe

Love him or hate him– and there appears to be no standing on the fence here– Bush’s best buddy in South America has increased security, dealt some serious blows to the guerrillas, presided over economic growth, and encouraged tourism into a “conflict zone."

Did you know that Colombia, in stark contrast to its Latin American counterparts, has only suffered one coup d’état and one dictatorship in its history, way back in 1953…although some of the students hollering out there in the streets would have you believe that current boss is no better than a dictator.

2. Fading FARC Influence

Whisper it carefully and in well-chosen circles, but the FARC and ELN Guerrilla groups are possibly at their lowest ever ebb.

Controversial events such as the rescue of Ingrid Betancourt and the three American contractors from the southern jungles of Guaviare, as well as the deaths of leading FARC members Raul Reyes, Ivan Rios, and founding member Manuel “Tirofijo" Marulanda, have led many commentators to declare FARC a tired anachronism.

3. The conflict is not aimed at you.

Cocaine and kidnapping. Sure, cocaine and marijuana are regularly available, and your decision to meddle in the marching powder is what keeps Colombia’s warring factions in business.

As for kidnapping, unless you are an aid worker attached to an international NGO, a crusading journalist or just plain crazy, why would you be traveling alone through the forests of Guaviare, Vaupes, or other outlying regions where there is the very real threat of being kidnapped?

4. Reputable Bus Firms

Overland travel, even at night, with reputable bus firms between the major cities of Bogota, Cartagena, Medellin, Santa Marta and intermediary cities such as Barrancabermeja, Bucaramanga, Ibague, Manizales, Villavicencio has become acceptable and frequent.

5.US State Department Warnings

Come on! If you were to follow these to a T then you would never leave the prairie. Apply some common sense and listen to what the locals have to say; after all, this is not Baghdad.

6. Secure Urban Areas

Walk around Bogota’s Zona T and Zona G or Medellin’s El Poblado and see how lightly the Colombians themselves are taking life. Some 15 years ago you would have thought twice and then thought better of a night out here in Medellin, but now it’s how to stay in and detox that is the main concern.

7. Colonial Cities

For small perfectly preserved whitewashed and cobblestoned oases of calm, make your way to Popayan, Mompos, Villa de Leyva, and San Gil.

Cartagena is a little more frenetic and plagued with street vendors but then it’s been receiving tourists for decades.

8. Tourism is booming

But don’t let this put you off; come now before the rest of the world catches on. Cartagena and Bogota are still the most visited areas of the country, closely followed by Medellin, but what does it tell you that a country with a long running internal conflict received a little more than two million visitors in 2007?

9. Colombians

War weary and decidedly unhappy with their narco-fueled image as perceived by those only glued to Fox News will have you believe – are arguably the friendliest bunch in the Americas.

If you’re lost In Brazil, a local will show you home. But in Colombia you’ll be invited to the family cookout that day or the following!

10. Still Afraid?

In this case you are advised to head only to the Colombian Caribbean islands of San Andres and Providencia – as they say over there, “no hay guerrilla maritima," “there’s no sea-based guerrilla!" Grab a coco loco and hit the beach

That's odd. Its AA that got me the guts to travel again.
Now this sober Texan can't get outta Sevilla maravilla.

TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE.

Thanks all for good advice and encouragement.
I've been thinking of going to southern Colombia and to the border with Brazil. I wonder if it's possible to go to Peru (Iquitos) and from there either northern Peru (Piura) or Ecuador. If anyone has done that route I'd like to hear from them. Thanks and God bless you.

i have not done that particular route but did travel through the Andes last year in Ecuador and would encourage you to be careful. I loved Ecuador and it is a beautiful country but the northern part is supposed to be very dangerous. In addition, i was on a bus that was hijacked coming back from Puerto Lopez where we spent a day after backpacking for three weeks. I still get nervous when i think about it. God Bless!

Ecuador is now much much more dangerous than Colombia.