General Info

[FlappyGilmore]

Just got back from Medellin yesterday. Thanks to all the contributors, especially the ones who suggested staying in Laureles. Really fun part of town and feeling pretty safe at all hours or the day. Also from our hotel, taxi fares to the places we wanted to get to were $8000 cop or less with the exception during traffic hour.

Great trip report. You really make me want to book a ticket! Was curious as to what the appeal is with Laureles for shorter term stays? It seems far from the action of El Poblado. Do you recommend it for a first time Medellin visitor?

[PirateMorgan]

They are cheap to buy and unlocked. There is no need to bring a phone.

[JjBee62]

Thanks for your input. But, I don't recall saying anything about selling them. I'm only interested in using them as leverage in a P4P agreement.

I've never owned an expensive phone and never plan to. I only buy used phones in good condition that do what I need them to do. One reason I don't own nice phones is because they do get stolen or broken, everywhere. But, at least they are cheap enough to keep a serviceable backup around.

I don't recall replying to you. So whether you were considering selling them, or grinding them up and creating cellphone suppositories has nothing to do with my response.

However, if you plan on using a cheap smartphone for leverage for P4P, you're unlikely to get your money's worth, in the Medellin economy. If she wants 200 k plus 20 k for a taxi, she might take a cheap phone and 180 k plus 20 k for a taxi. Maybe even 150 k. Then she's going to try to get a 50 k tip out of you, or give you lousy service.

She's not going to orgasm over a 2 or 3 year old smartphone.

[PolloNegro]

I haven't given smartphones to any girls in Columbia. But I am planning a trip to Medellin and joined columbiancupid so I can make some whatapp contacts. When I ask some give me their numbers but I've had three say that they need a new phone in order to text. In those cases I just continue to talk to them on the website. I'm thinking about bringing a cheap android to use when I go out to el centro day or night and leave my iPhone in my safe at the hotel, maybe I'm being over cautious but just in case.

LionBacker.

Since March 2018. Most of my pics are with my Galaxy S8+. I haven't upgraded because I'm waiting on the Galaxy S10. I won't even comment on the phone situation, what I will say is this, a good cell phone in Colombia is worth its weight in gold. Any Galaxy starting at the Galaxy S5 will bring you top coin if you still have the box it comes in. Many on this board will steer you down a 1 way street with no exit and watch you fail. Any American item with an American logo on it will bring top coin, especially in Centro. If you're afraid of street people stay in Poblado. Parque Lleras is nothing but an over priced place for tourist, mostly Americans. Your best deals, girls, phones, purses, selfie sticks, liquor, smoke, ect. Will be found in Centro! Get out and meet people, if your Spanish is limited, give the phone, unlocked to a girl of your liking, she will appreciate it. Pollo negro is out!

[Eszpresszo]

It's unlikely you'll get more out of them than you could get selling them locally.
The girls will appreciate the phones, but if you're thinking of turning a profit, you're going to be disappointed.

Thanks for your input. But, I don't recall saying anything about selling them. I'm only interested in using them as leverage in a P4P agreement.

I've never owned an expensive phone and never plan to. I only buy used phones in good condition that do what I need them to do. One reason I don't own nice phones is because they do get stolen or broken, everywhere. But, at least they are cheap enough to keep a serviceable backup around.

[Kafka]

Is it risky to take a girl back to your place even when they check ID at the front desk? I was thinking of locking my things up (wallet, phone, passport). I just like the convenience of her taking a taxi to your place instead of going to centro to meet her and have to stay in a subpar motel.

I hate short term hotels. In my opinion (30 years) if you use some degree of caution, don't leave anything in plain site, and NEVER share a drink in a situation where you could be drugged. You should be fine. Similar for escorts in the US.

[LionBacker]

One thing I noticed a few weeks ago in Bogota, was the lack of good cell phones, not to mention not so many girls pecking at their phones mindlessly. I guess I should be happy for that. A few girls I encountered at the houses of pleasure and night time venues I visited had some archaic and old "dumb" phones. Though, a pair of Venezolanas I met at Chicas Milenio had nicer smart phones and were deep into them when they were not trying to fleece me. I'm not sure if they reflects poverty or more so the expense of owning a smart phone with a data plan. In Asia, smart phones are ubiquitous in poorer nations. However, they also are at the source of cheap electronics and I figure that is a factor on the other side of the Pacific.

That said, is a cheap, outmoded but unlocked Android phone an item in demand or of some value in Colombia? I have at least three of those things lying around in my drawer. We're talking nothing older than Android Lollipop, at least one loaded with Nougat but still outmoded. I could probably sell them on Ebay but wouldn't get much for them. So, I took one along on my last two trips in case of a problem with my preferred phone. I have read reports of guys on other forums who closed the deal with a girl (or upgraded the services) by giving them a cheap smart phone of little value back home. Anyone done that in Colombia?

I haven't given smartphones to any girls in Columbia. But I am planning a trip to Medellin and joined columbiancupid so I can make some whatapp contacts. When I ask some give me their numbers but I've had three say that they need a new phone in order to text. In those cases I just continue to talk to them on the website. I'm thinking about bringing a cheap android to use when I go out to el centro day or night and leave my iPhone in my safe at the hotel, maybe I'm being over cautious but just in case.

LionBacker.

[JjBee62]

One thing I noticed a few weeks ago in Bogota, was the lack of good cell phones, not to mention not so many girls pecking at their phones mindlessly. I guess I should be happy for that. A few girls I encountered at the houses of pleasure and night time venues I visited had some archaic and old "dumb" phones. Though, a pair of Venezolanas I met at Chicas Milenio had nicer smart phones and were deep into them when they were not trying to fleece me. I'm not sure if they reflects poverty or more so the expense of owning a smart phone with a data plan. In Asia, smart phones are ubiquitous in poorer nations. However, they also are at the source of cheap electronics and I figure that is a factor on the other side of the Pacific.

That said, is a cheap, outmoded but unlocked Android phone an item in demand or of some value in Colombia? I have at least three of those things lying around in my drawer. We're talking nothing older than Android Lollipop, at least one loaded with Nougat but still outmoded. I could probably sell them on Ebay but wouldn't get much for them. So, I took one along on my last two trips in case of a problem with my preferred phone. I have read reports of guys on other forums who closed the deal with a girl (or upgraded the services) by giving them a cheap smart phone of little value back home. Anyone done that in Colombia?

Good cell phones get stolen, frequently. They also get dropped and broken. Practically any girl you meet in Colombia can tell you where to get your broken phone fixed, cheap.

Any girl will accept a smartphone as a tip. If it's good enough, she might accept it as a partial payment. It's unlikely you'll get more out of them than you could get selling them locally. We're well past bartering beads for Long Island. The girl walking around with a flip phone probably knows within 1000 pesos the value of those phones. She's not going to give you $300 worth of sex for a $10 phone. If she likes you, you might get $10 worth.

The problem is Huawei. Their phones are comparable to Samsung and Apple at a much lower price. I think my Mate 9 cost about $300 and it is comparable to a $600-$800 Samsung. They have plenty of cheaper models as well.

In addition, there's a big used cell phone market. Plenty of girls selling iPhones and Galaxies.

The girls will appreciate the phones, but if you're thinking of turning a profit, you're going to be disappointed.

[Eszpresszo]

One thing I noticed a few weeks ago in Bogota, was the lack of good cell phones, not to mention not so many girls pecking at their phones mindlessly. I guess I should be happy for that. A few girls I encountered at the houses of pleasure and night time venues I visited had some archaic and old "dumb" phones. Though, a pair of Venezolanas I met at Chicas Milenio had nicer smart phones and were deep into them when they were not trying to fleece me. I'm not sure if they reflects poverty or more so the expense of owning a smart phone with a data plan. In Asia, smart phones are ubiquitous in poorer nations. However, they also are at the source of cheap electronics and I figure that is a factor on the other side of the Pacific.

That said, is a cheap, outmoded but unlocked Android phone an item in demand or of some value in Colombia? I have at least three of those things lying around in my drawer. We're talking nothing older than Android Lollipop, at least one loaded with Nougat but still outmoded. I could probably sell them on Ebay but wouldn't get much for them. So, I took one along on my last two trips in case of a problem with my preferred phone. I have read reports of guys on other forums who closed the deal with a girl (or upgraded the services) by giving them a cheap smart phone of little value back home. Anyone done that in Colombia?

[Fun Luvr]

A few years ago I stayed just over 60 days, and I had to go to the embassy in Belen, and it was a real pain in the butt plus these was a charge. Yes you are allowed 180 days in country, but not more than 60 days at a time. You can stay longer, but you will not be happy with the hoops they make you jump thru.

Since the beginning of 2012, they always write 90 days on the visa stamp when I enter at MDE. Prior to that time, they wrote in 60 days at MDE and one time 30 days at BOG.

[JjBee62]

Does anyone have any experience using uber in Medellin?

It would make things easier for someone like me that doesn't speak much Spanish, since the pickup / dropoff and payment is done all on the app.

Just in case uber isn't available, is it easy to get a taxi at midnight outside of Ejecutivo or Maraicaibo. I don't want to be stuck or walking around looking for a taxi at that time of night.

Yes, you can use Uber. The biggest problem I had with Uber was them trying to find me. The locator always tried to send them a block away from my location. Just make sure the pick up is at the right spot.

There are usually taxis outside of the strip clubs. You can also use the Easy Taxi app. Sometimes was difficult getting one to show up, but the app works similar to Uber except for payment.

[JjBee62]

A few years ago I stayed just over 60 days, and I had to go to the embassy in Belen, and it was a real pain in the butt plus these was a charge. Yes you are allowed 180 days in country, but not more than 60 days at a time. You can stay longer, but you will not be happy with the hoops they make you jump thru.

Usually, currently, when you go through imigracion at the airport, you will receive a stamp good for 90 days. If you are staying beyond 90 days you can either leave the country for 1 day to get a new 90 day stamp, or you can go to the local imigracion office. You can set up an appointment on the imigracion website.

You will need to bring a copy of your passport, main page and current entry stamp page, along with your passport. Once it's your turn, it takes about 5 minutes. You'll get a piece of paper and be sent to be fingerprinted and photographed. Once that's done, take the piece of paper to any Banco Occidental branch and pay the fee. I believe it's less than 150 k. The bank will mark your paper as paid. Take it back to the person who processed you and he'll put a new stamp for another 90 days.

I've jumped through the hoops. They weren't a problem. It takes a lot less time and money than leaving the country for a day.

If you're in Bogota it's even easier. They have a bank cashier right there.

If you are staying beyond 180 days you'll need some type of Visa. The student visa is easiest. To qualify for a 6 month visa you need to pay for 3 months of classes at an accredited school. I recommend the Spanish language for foreigners program at EAFIT. It's one class per day, 5 days a week, for a total of 40 hours per class. Pay for 6 classes in advance and you can get a 1 year visa.

Classes are either 2 hours per day for 4 weeks, or 4 hours per day for 2 weeks. No more than 8 students per class. Cost for 3 is a bit over $1000. There are 15 classes in the program. Placement exams determine where you start. Class times will be between 8 am an 2 pm, depending on your class.

To get the visa, first pay for the classes. The office is ground floor in the building on the east side of Avenida Las Vegas. The main campus is on the west side. Clara will give you the paperwork you need for your Visa. You will also need, copies of your passport, main and most recent stamp pages, 6 months of bank statements showing an average balance, used to be about $2500. They've updated the website and doesn't give a specific multiple of the minimum wage any more. You'll also need a letter from you stating that you are responsible for your own support in Colombia and that you have the means to leave Colombia when your Visa expires in. Also 2 recent photos, in color, with a white background. All of this must be uploaded to the imigracion website before you go. Pro tip: files must be in PDF format, which makes the files bigger than the allowable size. Use a PDF optimizer to shrink the size. Check the results before uploading, because if you optimize too much, you lose quality.

You must get the student visa in Bogota. When you enter the office you'll need to pay for the the visa study, $50. There's a bank cashier right there. Once your number is called go to the appropriate desk. Someone will check everything and give you the bill for the visa. You'll then go through picture and fingerprint and go to pay for the visa, another $40. When everything is finished you'll get a visa placed in your passport and you're on your way.

On your way back to an imigracion office to get your cedula. For this you need the same stuff as needed to extend a tourist visa, plus a blood type certificate. Go to a medical clinic lab. Took me about 45 minutes, 10 minutes waiting, 1 minute to get some blood, 30 minutes to wait for results and 4 minutes to get the certificate. Cost was about $3.

You have to apply for your cedula within 15 days and it expires the same day as the visa. It will take about 10 days, and you'll need to return to imigracion to pick it up.

Not counting travel time to and from Bogota, or class time at EAFIT, for about 6 hours of dealing with bureaucracy and about $1400, you can legally spend 1 year in Colombia, without leaving. Plus you'll improve your Spanish.

[LionBacker]

Does anyone have any experience using uber in Medellin?

It would make things easier for someone like me that doesn't speak much Spanish, since the pickup / dropoff and payment is done all on the app.

Just in case uber isn't available, is it easy to get a taxi at midnight outside of Ejecutivo or Maraicaibo. I don't want to be stuck or walking around looking for a taxi at that time of night.

[Kelso1]

Unless you're planning on staying more than 180 days, all you need is your passport. Bring a pen with you on the plane. While you are enroute they will hand out a Colombian Customs entry form for you. You'll need the address of where you will be staying. It's not complicated.

Upon landing, follow the line to get your entry stamp. The paper you fill out on the plane will go to the last guy before you exit the arrival area.

A few years ago I stayed just over 60 days, and I had to go to the embassy in Belen, and it was a real pain in the butt plus these was a charge. Yes you are allowed 180 days in country, but not more than 60 days at a time. You can stay longer, but you will not be happy with the hoops they make you jump thru.

[LionBacker]

That is a wealth of great advice. I might add that if the girl is working at a casa in el centro, are you sure, I mean really sure, you want to take her to your apartment? I would be very careful until you have been with her a few times and gotten a feel for her personality. There is a reason there are so many short-term hotels in el centro and most areas of the city. Yes Colombians have families and can't take the girl home but a fair amount of them are single and know better. Even if your apartment has a front desk that takes her cedula and copies it. You might prefer to spend the $15 dollars (usually between 13 and 17 dollars (or 35-50 mil pesos).

Is it risky to take a girl back to your place even when they check ID at the front desk? I was thinking of locking my things up (wallet, phone, passport). I just like the convenience of her taking a taxi to your place instead of going to centro to meet her and have to stay in a subpar motel.