Medellin Reports

[VsebudetNY]

Hi,

I'm going to visit Colombia in 2 weeks. Aug 31-Sep 4 Cartagena, Sep 4 - Sep 8 Medellin.

New to the forum and the country, but not to the game - 20+ years mongering in US, DR, Mexico, Jamaica, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Greece, Netherlands.

Have been reading the forum for couple weeks. Thanks a lot to veterans for time and efforts spent to help newbies to understand Medellin!

Booked already Ayenda 1235 Botero hotel (I read all cons and pros and despite my Spanish limited to 20 words -for many years just plan to start learning. I've been in rough places and hopefully will survive).

I have free cancellation with Expedia, so if veterans convince me that I should stay somewhere else. I'll think about it.

The only question that bothers me for now. I've read that there is NO in-room safe in Botero hotel. Where do you guys keep your passports, cards, money?

If anybody is going to be in Medellin Sep 4 - Sep 8 - will gladly meet and share beer and stories.

Thanks in advance!

[Orgasmico]

Just sharing this very recent information because some of you guys say that you use this app. Stay safe!

[Fun Luvr]

Hi,

I generally prefer hotels, but if they won't let the chica in, I will go to an apartment.

Are chicas banned from hotels in Medellin?

What if they arrive separately and to your room alone?

Thanks in advance.

As a rule, chicas are not banned from hotels. Some hotels will not allow local females to enter the rooms unless they are registered. Some will charge a fee for them to enter. Some will allow them to enter if they have an ID showing that they are 18 or older. You need to ask the hotel if they allow local guests to visit you in your room. The hotels that don't allow local visitors will not allow them in, whether they arrive alone or with a hundred people.

[Jbj64]

I first stayed in Hotels, Suite comfort and TRYP both in Laurles near the stadium, I booked for 2 people and the girl had to show her ID at the desk then she came on up or I went down and got her. Now I stay at Airbnb much cheaper ($25-65 nt) and more privacy (sometimes). I am trying a new Airbnb this trip so we will see.

Motels are different in Colombia, they are short time places used for sex.

Hi,

I generally prefer hotels, but if they won't let the chica in, I will go to an apartment.

Are chicas banned from hotels in Medellin?

What if they arrive separately and to your room alone?

Thanks in advance.

[Chicafan]

No, I just use the Sprint international service.

No SIM card needed.

Balboa is out!

Here in the US Sprint's network might not be as ubiquitous as Verizon and AT&T but their international roaming is excellent. Two years ago Verizon's international plan was so expensive that I had to get a SIM card every time I traveled and it was not transparent- people could tell I was traveling if I called back to US. It was basically $40 for 100 mb data (which is nothing) and perhaps 100 minute talk time and the price of exceeding that was punitive. Sprint's international data roaming is free, although slower than 3G, but the option of buying some megabytes of 4G are available and a hell of a lot cheaper than Verizon's $40 for 100 mb. I just don't need it for wpp and FB in the streets of MDE or where wifi is available. Calls within Colombia or to US are 20 cents a minute.

CF is out!

[Balboa]

Do you put in a new SIM card? That is what he is talking about.

He also mentioned roaming worked. There are very few phones support multi-band will work but these phones probably are not common.

No, I just use the Sprint international service.

No SIM card needed.

Balboa is out!

[Surfer500]

I go with a dual SIM phone for the past 10 years or so. I find it the most convenient for travel and home use. I keep a spare phone with as a backup only. I use a local SIM for data service when I'm out of my home coverage area. Every so often a local phone number comes in handy but it's less and less often.

It's interesting how everybody has a different way they handle their cell phone communication overseas.

In Colombia I rarely take my " I " phone out of my apartment out of fear of it being stolen. Because if it is, there is no way to get my Verizion telephone number back and working until I get back to the USA. At least that is what Verizion has told me, maybe that has changed recently. I handle all of my business dealings, Whatsapp messaging etc. While in my apartment. But also have a local Colombian cell ($30 USD Nokia) I use in Colombia. As I am on the METRO daily and walking all over El Centro most days I cannot afford to lose my I phone. I basically treat it security wise like my Passport. I also think everyone has become to dependent on smart phones, with boarding passes, etc. And almost everything else on them, what a nightmare if you lose one.

If you decide to buy a "burner phone"' or inexpensive smart phone with a Colombian SIM card for use in Colombia, it will only be valid for I believe thirty days unless registered with a carrier like CLARO. I recommend CLARO as a carrier here only because they have so many offices everywhere versus TIGO or others.

A few months ago on a flight from Medellin to Santa Marta, my local Colombian cell phone fell out of my pocket on the flight and I lost it. Not a problem, when I landed in Santa Marta I went to the Claro office and paid like $ 2 USD and was issued a new SIM card with the same number. If I had lost my USA cell I would of been hosed.

Everybody's situation is different, so there's no right way or wrong way to handle communication Overseas. I employ the same above-mentioned strategy when I go to the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, and Thailand because I am out on the streets walking around a lot. When I land at the airport, I purchase a SIM card and put in my burner phone and am ready to go!

[JjBee62]

Than this please let me know. Simple $225 phone, Samsung A50 with dual sim cards, once I land in Colombia I activate my claro sim card & my phone works immediately, for $13/ month with 2 g of data. Pollo negro is out!

Okay. Letting you know. This is easier, but not much.

As soon as I land, I turn on my Google Pixel 2 XL with my Verizon Unlimited plan. My phone works immediately. I get 0.5 GB daily of high speed data. Drops to 2 G speed after that. Once per day Verizon texts me to let me know how many free days I have left, or to tell me I'm being charged $10 for the day. No need to switch SIMs, no need to activate a SIM, no need to pay 2 different companies.

It's not cheaper. My Verizon plan is $55/ month. I have an $850 phone and after 5 days in Colombia my International plan costs $10/ day.

However, I get unlimited 4 G data, 75 GB per month of 5 G data and 30 GB of mobile hotspot data in the US. Most importantly I get the Verizon network. The T-Mobile / Metro PCS network is fine, as long as you never leave the city. There are too many gaping holes in the network for me.

Your way is a better way, for someone who frequently travels to only 1 country. If your phone gets broken or stolen, you're only out a cheap phone. You have a local number for use in Colombia, while still having your US number available.

For someone who travels often to several countries, especially if they are spending 5 days or less per month outside the US, Verizon Unlimited plans (or Google FI) are the way to go. It's also easier for someone who rarely travels. Sucks to spend $200-$300 on a cheap phone, go to the trouble of buying a local SIM, paying to load some data and then only use it once, because you decide to go somewhere else the next year.

For the record, I also have a dual SIM Huawei Mate 9. Paid about $300 for it in Medellin after my Samsung S7 Edge got broken. It has my old T-Mobile SIM and a Claro SIM. I keep it as an emergency backup phone. If I was spending 30-180 days a year in Colombia, I'd be using the Claro SIM.

There are lots of options. Pick the one that best fits your travel style.

[Franko11]

Hi,

I generally prefer hotels, but if they won't let the chica in, I will go to an apartment.

Are chicas banned from hotels in Medellin?

What if they arrive separately and to your room alone?

Thanks in advance.

[Nounce]

Than this please let me know. Simple $225 phone, Samsung A50 with dual sim cards, once I land in Colombia I activate my claro sim card & my phone works immediately, for $13/ month with 2 g of data. Pollo negro is out!

My post is in agreement with you, that is why I try to explain to him.

Multi-band is not multi-sim. There are a few phones that work on both AT&T and Sprint. These are multi-band phones.

[Knowledge]

I go with a dual SIM phone for the past 10 years or so. I find it the most convenient for travel and home use. I keep a spare phone with as a backup only. I use a local SIM for data service when I'm out of my home coverage area. Every so often a local phone number comes in handy but it's less and less often.

With the Verizon International Plan I have, it's though I have never left the USA, the phone works just like at home and in the last three months I have used it in Turkey, Iceland, Germany, and in Colombia. May cost more than multiple phones and SIM cards, but no hassle whatsoever.

[Knowledge]

That would be up to your bank. The same is true of the transaction fees. Ask about it at your bank. Unlike us, they actually have to respond to you with verifiable facts.

Awesome, it seems that there are a few of them in Laureles and Poblado. Does it matter if my bank currency is in Jamaican instead of Canadian or USA the when trying to use the ATM to get Colombian pesos?

[RudeBwoy100]

If you are staying in or near Laureles, there is a Scotiabank ATM outside of Jumbo 65.

Awesome, it seems that there are a few of them in Laureles and Poblado. Does it matter if my bank currency is in Jamaican instead of Canadian or USA the when trying to use the ATM to get Colombian pesos?

[PolloNegro]

Do you put in a new SIM card? That is what he is talking about.

He also mentioned roaming worked. There are very few phones support multi-band will work but these phones probably are not common.

Than this please let me know. Simple $225 phone, Samsung A50 with dual sim cards, once I land in Colombia I activate my claro sim card & my phone works immediately, for $13/ month with 2 g of data. Pollo negro is out!

[Big Boss Man]

I like leggier women so this agency might be good for me as they require their chicas to be 165 cm tall. The bad is they have probably the highest prices.

https://www.prepagos1000.co/requisit...r-con-nosotros