Bogota Reports

[WindAngel]

Is this report serious?

You want an absolute answer but there is not one. You need to view it as a probability. It is unsafe in terms of higher probability.

[Coupe66]

He was visiting the area with the casas and he wasn't dressed fancy at all. He had Adidas sweatpants on with a hat and a jacket. He actually looks like a native Colombian. I advise that you guys don't carry your debit card with you as there is a thing called "la vuelta millionaria" where they take you to an ATM and then to another ATM and take your money out until your balance is $0. If they thought he was American in that very second, he might have been kidnapped but they probably found out he was American when they looked at his ID in his wallet later.

Is this report serious? I thought kidnappings happened in the Farc controlled areas in the past. Can somebody please give me an actual example of a tourist having been kidnapped in recent years in Bogota, otherwise I wish people would stop writing inflammatory things like this. Maybe I should stop reading this blog, at least until I get there! From my research, the casas in Chapinero are spread out, so what do you mean by the Casa area ? And was this is daylight or at night ?

After weeks of asking questions and getting replies, I am really confused about what kind of city Bogota is. I get all kinds of contradictory advice. On the one extreme there is Mr Enternational telling me to chill out and stop worrying, to Bluecar saying they would have kidnapped his friend if they knew he was American!?

This is supposed to be a vacation after all. A couple of months ago after first seeing the chicas available on prepagados there, I was really excited about coming. Now, 4 days before my flight, all I'm thinking about is all the things I have to worry about the place, and the chicas are far in the background of my mind, not how it should be! Researching the place so much, making sure you look and act just like the locals is bad enough, but having to worry about being kidnapped is something else! (If that is a reality?)

I am getting the impression that Bogota is the most dangerous of the well known cities in Colombia, and if you are unlucky enough to be attacked, that nobody would bat an eyelid. In any given area in Bogota, are there dodgy guys just hanging around waiting for a victim, it seems so!? I don't think a city can be considered even relatively safe or normal by Western standards anyway, if you have to avoid wearing the wrong type of shirt, shoes etc and not be able to take a mobile, bank cards or a visible watch with you in daylight without having a reasonable possibility of getting mugged for them. Blue Car says don't carry bank cards with you, but if you're staying at an Airbnb with no safe, then how can you keep your important items safe?

I'm sitting in a nice cafe in a wealthy northern European city, it's 16 C in February, there's a decent red light district 10 minutes walk from where I am, people leave 6000 Euro bicycles in the street here at night without worrying they will be stolen. So am I sensible to fly half way around the world just to get laid, with all this uncertainty about Bogota. It's stressful enough planning a trip for a month to a country you've never been before, and going solo, without reading about kidnappings!

[Mr Enternational]

This. Whenever I have travelled SEA I took USD and followed same modus operandi as yours. But people on this forum say using ATMs give better exchange rates. So maybe there is a point for using ATMs.

That is because exchanges in Southeast Asia give fairer rates than other places. Best to use ATM in other countries, besides maybe Peru where you can exchange with people on the street. Although it is said they are about to do away with that.

[KilledSoul]

When it comes to money in traveling abroad, estimate, and always bring everything you need with you. Change a little over in the airport, and the rest on the street. When you go out, take only what you need from the stash. I've done it this way for years, and never had to dick around with ATMs or banks.

This. Whenever I have travelled SEA I took USD and followed same modus operandi as yours. But people on this forum say using ATMs give better exchange rates. So maybe there is a point for using ATMs.

[BlueCar]

Please provide some more details, ie in what part of Chapinero? Its quite a big place. At what time of the day or night did this happen? How was he dressed, very touristy? Was he standing out too much?

He was visiting the area with the casas and he wasn't dressed fancy at all. He had Adidas sweatpants on with a hat and a jacket. He actually looks like a native Colombian. I advise that you guys don't carry your debit card with you as there is a thing called "la vuelta millionaria" where they take you to an ATM and then to another ATM and take your money out until your balance is $0. If they thought he was American in that very second, he might have been kidnapped but they probably found out he was American when they looked at his ID in his wallet later.

[Woodman09]

Exactly. Try mongering in the poorest latin American country, nicuragua. Not good.

Most Central American countries have a bias against Americans, Mexico too. They are propagandized against the US.

Colombia is one of the best for Americans to visit as they like Americans and are our best friend in Latin America. George Bush saved Colombia and they are grateful.

[Turgid]

Exactly. Try mongering in the poorest latin American country, nicuragua. Not good.

I'd rather monger in the richest Latin American countries viz. Brazil, Mexico, Colombia than the poorest ones Nicaragua, Honduras, Bolivia.

[The Tall Man]

Yes, that is where the kidnap taxis are, a us diplomat was murdered a few years back that way.

Also in La Candeleria tourists are hunted and there have been whole hostels robbed there in the past.

True this stuff, how quickly people forget the reality of the perception of danger.

The Tall Man.

[Routard]

I couldn't conceive of worse advice!

1) the north is actually the MOST dangerous part of Bogot to be hanging out at, ESPECIALLY if you're solo. Thieves in Bogot go where the money is.

2) it's also the most boring and most expensive.

Honestly, if you want to stay north of 72, it's better to not even come here!

It's OK if you feel confortable in the poorer area of Bogota. I apreciate both, but for first timers, south is definitvely not to recommend untel they get used with the city. True, shit can happen everywhere, and thiefes are everywhere. But in the northern areas there is much more protection. I live in the north because of safety. South, the houses and apartments are robbed anytime, while north any building has a 24 hours safety guard. There are more cameras, more police and everywhere there are private body guards you probably never had noticed as they are discrete. Once a guy robbed the cellphone of my girl friend from the open window of the car while she was waiting at the traffic light at 200m from where we live. From the car behind her, came out three armed bodyguards showing their gun and asking the guy to give the cellphone back. Last month I was having a coffee at my favorite terras. Suddenly someone yelled for a thief in the street. In couple of no time the thief was on the ground with several bodyguards on him. This will not happen in the south.

[Mr Enternational]

Exactly. Try mongering in the poorest latin American country, nicuragua. Not good.

What is not good about it? A buddy of mine swore by Managua before getting his place in Medellin. He was getting all kind of chicks for $6. I have had a couple of girlfriends in Managua, but never had the chance to monger there because I would stay at their houses.

[Mr Enternational]

When visiting Casas / apartments etc, I ALWAYS take all my belongings into the bathroom with me and lock the door,

You might have a problem with that in Colombia since the casas do not have doors to the bathroom.

[JjBee62]

I couldn't conceive of worse advice!

1) the north is actually the MOST dangerous part of Bogot to be hanging out at, ESPECIALLY if you're solo. Thieves in Bogot go where the money is.

2) it's also the most boring and most expensive.

Honestly, if you want to stay north of 72, it's better to not even come here!

I'm going to disagree with a qualification.

Most expensive yes. Boring is subjective. I've never been bored in North Bogota. However, I'm sure some people wouldn't care for it. Expensive is also a relative thing. You can find great places for $60 night or under. My last visit For $48 per night I found a place that was 4 times the size of a hotel room in lovely Michigan City, Indiana, that I stayed in every week for $100 per night. And that was 10 years ago.

Safety. Thieves look for easy victims. If you look like an easy victim, it doesn't matter where you are. Walking around staring at your phone, walking around counting your money, walking around obviously lost, all make you vulnerable. Don't act like a victim and you're less likely to be a victim.

[BogotaGringo]

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[HumanBeing1]

Actually there is no direct link between poverty and prostitution offer. For me the number one monger destination is Germany, while Switzerland, Austria or Holland are also good options, not exactly third world countries and one of the worst shoud be something between Mauritania, Afghanistan, Sudan or Pakistan, not exactly rich countries.

Exactly. Try mongering in the poorest latin American country, nicuragua. Not good.

[Coupe66]

Yes, that is where the kidnap taxis are, a us diplomat was murdered a few years back that way.

Also in La Candeleria tourists are hunted and there have been whole hostels robbed there in the past.

Are you talking about what happened in 1980, or a more recent incident?