Cartagena Colombia Travel Tips

If you’re ready to make your first trip to Colombia, Cartagena is a great place to start. Colombia is no longer the place where Americans often get kidnapped and gun violence is the major cause of death. Cartagena is not only the land of sun and surf, but also safety. A few stats directly from the US government to put your soul at ease:

• There have been no reports of U.S. citizens targeted specifically for their nationality
• The U.S. Embassy has no information regarding specific and credible threats against U.S. citizens in Colombia
• The incidence of kidnapping in Colombia has diminished significantly from its peak in 2000

So, while you still need to exercise caution (don’t flash around expensive stuff, don’t take buses to go from one city to another), chances are if you go to Cartagena, you’ll come back perfectly ok. I visited in 2013, 2014, and 2015 and I at no point felt unsafe or experienced a negative experience. For those of us who call NYC home base, it’s incredibly easy to get to. There are direct flights that at some times can be seriously cheap.