General Info

[You Can]

I do similar to other replies. In Cartagena I feel less worried then in Medellin where I take more precautions because I often stay in places with no doorman / front desk guy. So there's a lot more chance of a problem.

Wow. Well I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who was paranoid about ATMs not working and carried cash instead. Your paygrade is a bit different from mine. I only carried a few hundred USD in case none of my cards worked (there was no way I was going to let any of the stateside "currency exchanges" rip me off for any amount of COP.).

So, if you don't mind me asking, what steps do you take to prevent theft? On my first (and only) visit I distributed my currency in three places: In an ordinary-looking leather belt with a secret stash pouch on the inside, some in my regular wallet, and the rest in a soft, neck wallet that I always tote abroad anyways, to keep my passport in. Luckily there were only brief minor detours in getting cash from ATMs, but I did bring enough to cover the minimum expenses for my stay. Without a safe in the hotel room, which is not a sure bet for security, I'd be nervous about carrying a few grand around. Advice for reducing risks or minimizing losses? I find myself thinking of Rob Schneider's stoner character on SNL, who was always contriving a "place to hide your weed".

[You Can]

I find this true to returning to US also. I have only been put thru extra customs check a couple of times and was just honest saying I go there to party and have a good time with the beautiful women, which is true and they appreciated the honesty instead of some bullshit.

Just be honest! Tell them Colombia has the most beautiful women and you are in love with their beautiful country! I got questioned by a Dominican customs woman about why I had so much baby oil and women's clothes. I told her the clothes were to get them to my room and the baby oil was for the sex after I got them there. She chuckled, waved me through, and said "thanks for being honest!

[World Jockey]

This is always one of the biggest questions when traveling. This ring especially true if you may bring a stranger (girl) back to your room.

How does one stash cash and passport?

If the hotel has a safe in the room or behind the counter I will only put a tiny fraction of my money in it. Just enough that may satisfy a thief to stop searching.

My wingman and I typically find hiding places in each others room then test each others hiding spots. I'll go to his room and he will ask me to find where he hid his money and vice versa. Same thing for passports.

Much of this of course depends on the place you're staying and your feeling about it. I will almost never walk the streets with my passport. Only a copy and maybe my DL.

That said I have begun to use more ATMs. I will find a few trusted ones early in the trip and hit them up. I have a capital one 360 account. They charge no transaction fees and it only has money on it for travel. This was if it gets stolen my regular account is relatively safe.

With using the ATM I obly carry a few hundred USD in case of emergency. Much easier to hide a card and a few hundred than a few thousand.

Wow. Well I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who was paranoid about ATMs not working and carried cash instead. Your paygrade is a bit different from mine. I only carried a few hundred USD in case none of my cards worked (there was no way I was going to let any of the stateside "currency exchanges" rip me off for any amount of COP.).

So, if you don't mind me asking, what steps do you take to prevent theft? On my first (and only) visit I distributed my currency in three places: In an ordinary-looking leather belt with a secret stash pouch on the inside, some in my regular wallet, and the rest in a soft, neck wallet that I always tote abroad anyways, to keep my passport in. Luckily there were only brief minor detours in getting cash from ATMs, but I did bring enough to cover the minimum expenses for my stay. Without a safe in the hotel room, which is not a sure bet for security, I'd be nervous about carrying a few grand around. Advice for reducing risks or minimizing losses? I find myself thinking of Rob Schneider's stoner character on SNL, who was always contriving a "place to hide your weed".

[Rodeo9112]

I have been to Medellin many times in the last three years and never had a problem at the airport until my last trip.

Where I was asked a bunch of questions about why are you here so many times and contact info, is this to stop us.

From our hobby?

Just be honest! Tell them Colombia has the most beautiful women and you are in love with their beautiful country! I got questioned by a Dominican customs woman about why I had so much baby oil and women's clothes. I told her the clothes were to get them to my room and the baby oil was for the sex after I got them there. She chuckled, waved me through, and said "thanks for being honest!

[Parchment10]

I have been to Medellin many times in the last three years and never had a problem at the airport until my last trip.

Where I was asked a bunch of questions about why are you here so many times and contact info, is this to stop us.

From our hobby?

[Manizales911]

I always bring cash as back up. Love Mac machines for rate and never had problem. One time I dropped ATM card at store but luckily retraced my steps and got it back the next day. But I always bring a few thousand US case I get into a jam.

I do the same exact thing, a couple grand in cash in case ATM issues and two ATM cards and always always enough cash for a quick exit to the airport in case shit goes down. Pacsafe keeps all my valuables secure.

[BayBoy]

Wow. Well I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who was paranoid about ATMs not working and carried cash instead. Your paygrade is a bit different from mine. I only carried a few hundred USD in case none of my cards worked (there was no way I was going to let any of the stateside "currency exchanges" rip me off for any amount of COP.).

So, if you don't mind me asking, what steps do you take to prevent theft? On my first (and only) visit I distributed my currency in three places: In an ordinary-looking leather belt with a secret stash pouch on the inside, some in my regular wallet, and the rest in a soft, neck wallet that I always tote abroad anyways, to keep my passport in. Luckily there were only brief minor detours in getting cash from ATMs, but I did bring enough to cover the minimum expenses for my stay. Without a safe in the hotel room, which is not a sure bet for security, I'd be nervous about carrying a few grand around. Advice for reducing risks or minimizing losses? I find myself thinking of Rob Schneider's stoner character on SNL, who was always contriving a "place to hide your weed".

I usually go to areas where there are a few ATMs around, in case one of them doesn't work I can try another or another. I go with Citibank most of the time and don't have any problems. Malls are usually a good spot for multiple ATMs.

I try not to carry large amounts of cash on me. If my hotel doesn't have a safe deposit box then I lock up my suitcase and put valuables in there. A friend of mine locks his suitcase then locks it to something solid in the room.

[Eszpresszo]

I always bring cash as back up. Love Mac machines for rate and never had problem. One time I dropped ATM card at store but luckily retraced my steps and got it back the next day. But I always bring a few thousand US case I get into a jam.

Wow. Well I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who was paranoid about ATMs not working and carried cash instead. Your pay grade is a bit different from mine. I only carried a few hundred USD in case none of my cards worked (there was no way I was going to let any of the stateside "currency exchanges" rip me off for any amount of COP.).

So, if you don't mind me asking, what steps do you take to prevent theft? On my first (and only) visit I distributed my currency in three places: In an ordinary-looking leather belt with a secret stash pouch on the inside, some in my regular wallet, and the rest in a soft, neck wallet that I always tote abroad anyways, to keep my passport in. Luckily there were only brief minor detours in getting cash from ATMs, but I did bring enough to cover the minimum expenses for my stay. Without a safe in the hotel room, which is not a sure bet for security, I'd be nervous about carrying a few grand around. Advice for reducing risks or minimizing losses? I find myself thinking of Rob Schneider's stoner character on SNL, who was always contriving a "place to hide your weed".

[You Can]

I always bring cash as back up. Love Mac machines for rate and never had problem. One time I dropped ATM card at store but luckily retraced my steps and got it back the next day. But I always bring a few thousand US case I get into a jam.

Good tip guys. Always use different banks and keep trying. Just like the girls YMMV with ATMs.

Another tip is to always notify the institution that you will be traveling. Often times I find they will let you do it even a month in advance. If not add it on your to do list before travel.

Yep. When handing a swipe card to a merchant in Europe they look at you as if you just gave them a punch card or floppy disk. To add insult to injury, yes USA has chip but its chip and sign not chip and pin. Still way off the mark and archaic.

The UK is even trying to dump checks http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8414341.stm.

[Gimmedub]

The answer is no. If you want to open an account locally you need a cédula. Unless you're doing heavy banking in country just use CapitalOne for no forex. I myself have been down here for 10 years and have a cédula for 3 and only now opening an account!

Is there a bank in Colombia that has branches in the US, whereby if I open an account in the US, I could get banking services in Colombia? HSBC maybe?

[Mr Enternational]

Is there a bank in Colombia that has branches in the US, whereby if I open an account in the US, I could get banking services in Colombia? HSBC maybe?

I had HSBC in the States. It is not the same as HSBC Colombia or Peru. Although it is the same name I think banking rules are different in different countries so they do not operate the same. The people at the HSBC in Bogota could not even pull up my account. I would always get charged the ATM fee in Colombia and Peru and had to call them to refund it when I got back to the States. In other countries I was never charged the fee though.

[JjBee62]

Is there a bank in Colombia that has branches in the US, whereby if I open an account in the US, I could get banking services in Colombia? HSBC maybe?

There is a Citibank office in Bogota (or was. Someone mentioned something about Citibank closing S. A. Offices), not sure what services besides ATM usage they might offer.

[Rodeo9112]

Is there a bank in Colombia that has branches in the US, whereby if I open an account in the US, I could get banking services in Colombia? HSBC maybe?

[C Jack Sparrow]

Unemployment raises:

More persons reaching 16/18 years than the market can give jobs.

Totally, the number of jobs increase, but since they are so many entering the labor market, unemployment raises simultaneously.

944 k more persons have jobs, but 216 k more have become unemployed.

On the Medellin thread I claimed that unemployment had rose 3% in one month (compared with the same months the year before).

However it's complicated.

DANE can explain it correct: http://www.dane.gov.co/index.php/mer...eo-y-desempleo.

[World Jockey]

Arriving in MDE for the first time this week, actually first time in Colombia, I made a first-time ATM withdrawal at the airport. No problem, once you understand you have to MOVE FAST or the machine will cancel the transaction if you dally. I tried a few other ATMs with no problems this week, including a Banco Bogota, next to Relax on Carrera 74. However, on Thursday night I needed cash, and I found two ATMs from two different Colombian banks on Carrera 70 rejected my card. I was getting a little worried and then tried the ATM at a nearby BBVA branch, and I withdrew money with no other problems. The next morning I decided to have a last session at Relax, and I tried to get cash out of the ATM, I had previously used. No dice. The ATM rejected the transaction, though it had given me money three nights earlier. I walked down the block to the BBVA branch and got money from their ATM with no hassle.

What made BBVA different from the Colombian banks? I am assuming that being a gigantic, global, "First World" bank might have been a factor. But, the lesson is that if one bank rejects your card, that doesn't mean all of them will. And if a bank's ATM does accept your ATM once, there is not guarantee it will accept it again, despite having adequate funds. So, if you are experiencing trouble using your Yanqui credit union debit card that still doesn't have a chip in it, you are not alone. You just need to find a better bank.

Good tip guys. Always use different banks and keep trying. Just like the girls YMMV with ATMs.

Another tip is to always notify the institution that you will be traveling. Often times I find they will let you do it even a month in advance. If not add it on your to do list before travel.

As a rule, expect all Colombia-based banks' ATM's to require a chip card. You may find one that doesn't; but as Eszpresszo reported, it may work one day but not the next. Most of the ATM's have a message on the screen telling you a chip card is required, but the message is only in Spanish. I think Citibank ATM's will accept non-chip cards, but you have to pay the ridiculous ATM fees if you are not a Citibank customer. Also, Eszpresszo reported that BBVA ATM's accept non-chip cards.

Contrary to Eszpresszo's thinking about third-world banking, it is the US banking system that is technologically "third-world". Most of the civilized countries are now requiring all cards, debit and credit, to have a chip. The magnetic stripe is out-dated technology.

Yep. When handing a swipe card to a merchant in Europe they look at you as if you just gave them a punch card or floppy disk. To add insult to injury, yes USA has chip but its chip and sign not chip and pin. Still way off the mark and archaic.

The UK is even trying to dump checks http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8414341.stm.