Medellin Reports

[HornyDude353]

Hi,

I'm heading back down to Medellin in a couple weeks and was wondering if strip clubs like La Isla or Fase Dos are still open? I've not heard much talk of them recently but keen to go if they are back open as I liked the selection pre covid times.

Also when looking for FB girls how do you even begin searching for them? I'm at a loss but would like to see if there is something that takes my fancy.

I'm hoping that I can use Tinder mainly or worst case maybe even join up to SA, I'm going to try and avoid the street walkers.

[JohnHancock11]

Anyone know of a good cigar spot? I found one in Parque Lleras with no selection and what they did have, they were charging 80 mil a stick for!

I also went to that place in Parque Lleras and thought it was a ripoff. Then I found La Cava Puro and I have been very satisfied. The prices are fair, the selection is decent (by Medellin standards) and they have staff that speak English. They have a house brand cigar which is delightful. I prefer the blue label which is a lighter cigar. There is also a red label which is darker. This place will be one of my first stops on every trip unless I find something better.

[Nounce]

Is there weeks long enough ... I want to be there long enough to have a decent understanding of what it's like..

3 weeks is enough.

[Gabacho]

Yep, I'm old school and technically challenged, but had heard that USA phones don't work with SIM cards from south of the border.

Is that correct?

If the phone is unlocked it will work with a sim card from anywhere. It doesn't matter that the phone is from the USA Or the sim card is from elsewhere, all that matters is that the phone is unlocked.

[Knowledge]

That is not correct. Any SIM card will work in any network unlocked phone. The phone has to be compatible with the Colombia networks. Among the few exceptions are older 3 G phones that will provide limited coverage and no coverage at all within a few months.

Yep, I'm old school and technically challenged, but had heard that USA phones don't work with SIM cards from south of the border.

Is that correct?

[JjBee62]

Surfer and others who need to access contacts associated with a certain number, US or otherwise, can pull a contact file and set up an account on the domain (msn, gmail, yahoo, etc) of your choice. Once that account is linked any of the smartphones you own you can access them from any of those smartphones. So Surfer you have the spare SIM, that is by far the most important piece. You can recover your service independently of a phone that might get lost, stolen, or damaged. By the way, you aren't really an old fart Luddite until you resort to buying minutes from the cigarette / tinto / candy vendors instead of carrying the burner phone. You are the ultimate Centro rat because your dates have better phones than you. LOL!

You can get a good idea of how bad the neighborhood is by how cheap they're selling minutes.

[Elvis 2008]

You do not need to show proof of a vax. All you need is to show a completed vax card. I am not sure what access Col Immg has to various online QR linked databases, but the reality is that many countries do not issue such QR cards and Col accepts all types of cards. So a handwritten card is just as valid as a QR card. They chk your card at the airline chk in desk, and again in the queue as you approach the immigration desk on entry. The immigration official at the desk did not look at mine.

You do not need to upload or send your vax card in advance when you do the Check Mig registration.

No one said anything about check MIG last two flights I had to Colombia. Vaccine info is checked by airlines only. It is some minimum wage type employee looking for a few things. You can have the card or even a photo of the card on your phone. It is super easy to fake if you want to go that way.

[Sargon76]

Is there weeks long enough for a newbie to get his bearings in Medellin for a first trip? I speak no Spanish. I want to be there long enough to have a decent understanding of what it's like. Thanks for any help.

I leave Friday for my 1st trip, no Spanish. I will let you know how I make out. I have been overseas before but only to Thailand, but that is kind of easy mode.

[JustTK]

As for the required covid vaccine to enter the country, at what point will I be required to show proof of vaccination? Also does the vaccine need to be registered online or can I simply show them my card? If I'm able to show my physical card. Will Colombian officials attempt to input my info into a database to confirm my card or will they just glance at it and send me on my way?

Also, do I require booster shots to enter the country?

You do not need to show proof of a vax. All you need is to show a completed vax card. I am not sure what access Col Immg has to various online QR linked databases, but the reality is that many countries do not issue such QR cards and Col accepts all types of cards. So a handwritten card is just as valid as a QR card. They chk your card at the airline chk in desk, and again in the queue as you approach the immigration desk on entry. The immigration official at the desk did not look at mine.

You do not need to upload or send your vax card in advance when you do the Check Mig registration.

There is no database to crosscheck your data with. Maybe they could cross check with a few countries if they had the will or desire or thousands of staff to do that. But they don't. Why not just get a card from a country that does handwritten cards? Then they can't cross check anything.

Boosters are not required to enter Col. All your card must show is a useless first round of vaxes that have already become obsolete in terms of effectiveness. That's what they want. Thats what they get. A policy as effective as the useless vaxes that they want you to have.

[Horatio]

Is there weeks long enough for a newbie to get his bearings in Medellin for a first trip? I speak no Spanish. I want to be there long enough to have a decent understanding of what it's like. Thanks for any help.

[Surfer500]

It doesn't really matter what country you purchase your phone in as long as it's unlocked. For example I have an Unlocked Huawei P30 I purchased in Mexico. When I'm in Mexico I have a Telcel sim card that I use and when I'm in Colombia I have a Claro sim card. And when I'm in the US working, the telcel will roam off of T-mobile and I also used to have a prepaid AT&T sim card that works in it as well as a GCI sim card in Alaska. The bottom line is you just need one phone and wherever you go you buy a prepaid simcard and you swap sim cards and it works flawlessly. The Claro sim card litterally cost me I think 3 or 4 k COP and you can load it up with a 6 K recarga. All you people buying extra phones and carrying 2 or 3 phone are just wasting your money. Also to stay connected to the US you can use apps like Talkatone to make unlimited calls to the US thru your data or wifi connection, regardless of where you are in the world.

Yep, I'm old school and technically challenged, but had heard that USA phones don't work with SIM cards from south of the border.

Is that correct?

[El Viajero]

I remember a long time ago having my pants on a nightstand beside the bed and while laying down on the bed and getting blown, the provider was able to sit on the bed and block my view while blowing me and took some money out of my wallet, not all of it, because I hadn't paid yet, apparently I had something like 200 K and she took like 50 K.

Since I always have a small backpack with me, when I take off my pants, I always put them in the backpack, and zipper the pack up, which always remains in sight. And typically when I go with a girl for the first time I take the back-pack into the bathroom with me.

And your right, these girls within 30 seconds can easily rip you off, and are very adept at this. In my case, the girl knew that if she had taken all my money there would of been a problem when I was going to pay her so took a small sum. A bigger issue, more so than money are cell phones being stolen. There's quite a black market for them, with stolen smart phones generally being sold for 100 K and up, so if a girl steals one, she can easily get 50 K for it. This is something guys need to be aware of when they are getting ready to depart the room. And another red flag guys should be aware of is when a girl is in a hurry to leave. In this instance it's best to get in front of the door, and make sure your not missing anything, and besides money or a phone, it could be something else of value you have..

I had a girl come over to mine for a couple of hours and when she was dressed and ready to leave the bedroom for whatever reason I started looking for my vibrator and couldn't find it. After the third time of asking she pulls it out of her bum bag (fanny pack for all you Americans). LOL. Turns out she liked it so much she thought she would just take it with her. Great girl and hot as fuck, especially when she was enjoying herself with the magic wand, but you generally can't trust these girls alone or even in front of you a lot of the time. Still saw her a few times after that of course, just made sure the vibrator stayed with me when she left.

[Srr300]

Hello all,

I had a question for anybody who has recently visited Medellin. In regards to the mandated covid vaccine. At what point will I be required to show proof? Am I required to pull up my vaccine info on my states website or can I just show the original card? Also will Colombian officials be inputting my info into a date base to confirm my vaccine, or is it as simple as just showing my card, and send me on my way?

[Knowledge]

I've been very lucky to not have lost or had a passport stolen. Years ago I was on a business trip when a colleague had his rental car broken into and his passport was stolen. He had to stay behind for several days and take a flight to the capital to get a replacement at the consulate. I treasure those reminders that don't cost me any pain.

I'm old school, and not technical.

I have three phones in Colombia. Two of them are USA "I" phones, and with Verizon. And I also have two spare Verizon SIM cards I brought from the USA as you mentioned.

The two "I" phones basically stay locked up, except when I'm travelling around the Country.

My USA phones are my lifeline to my family / business in the USA, and I know I'm paying a lot for them, but need the security of not losing contact with the USA.

To illustrate how much of a problem it can be for a visitor to lose an American cell phone in Colombia, I have a buddy that last month had his American cell phone stolen in Centro.

He basically was hosed, being cut off from the USA in regards to all his contacts and other things like online banking, online boarding passes, until he returned home.

So your advice is good for others to think about as I have done exactly as you suggested, having immediate back-up in the event of losing one of my American cell phones.

However, when I'm in Centro, and most places in Medellin, I have a $ 20 USD Nokia burner phone with a Colombian number registered with Claro.

It costs me less than one USD dollar a month to maintain.

Again I'm old school, and don't need a smart phone to navigate and conduct my activities in Medellin, yet know most need a smart phone and / or are totally lost or handicapped without one..

[Knowledge]

Surfer and others who need to access contacts associated with a certain number, US or otherwise, can pull a contact file and set up an account on the domain (msn, gmail, yahoo, etc) of your choice. Once that account is linked any of the smartphones you own you can access them from any of those smartphones. So Surfer you have the spare SIM, that is by far the most important piece. You can recover your service independently of a phone that might get lost, stolen, or damaged. By the way, you aren't really an old fart Luddite until you resort to buying minutes from the cigarette / tinto / candy vendors instead of carrying the burner phone. You are the ultimate Centro rat because your dates have better phones than you. LOL!

It doesn't really matter what country you purchase your phone in as long as it's unlocked. For example I have an Unlocked Huawei P30 I purchased in Mexico. When I'm in Mexico I have a Telcel sim card that I use and when I'm in Colombia I have a Claro sim card. And when I'm in the US working, the telcel will roam off of T-mobile and I also used to have a prepaid AT&T sim card that works in it as well as a GCI sim card in Alaska. The bottom line is you just need one phone and wherever you go you buy a prepaid simcard and you swap sim cards and it works flawlessly. The Claro sim card litterally cost me I think 3 or 4 k COP and you can load it up with a 6 K recarga. All you people buying extra phones and carrying 2 or 3 phone are just wasting your money. Also to stay connected to the US you can use apps like Talkatone to make unlimited calls to the US thru your data or wifi connection, regardless of where you are in the world.