Colombia

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In 2021 I lived in Colombia as a digital nomad for about 2 months based out of Medellin, taking small trips throughout the country. To put it simply, I LOVE Colombia. The country really stole my heart with its spirited energy and diverse environments. There is so much adventure to be had here whether you’re taking a boat out to islands surrounded by bright blue water, trekking up to snow-capped mountains, experiencing rich coffee in its place of origin, wandering through red canyons, or partying all night in Medellin. Before arriving, I knew that there were a lot of judgments in the U.S. about Colombia, especially by older generations who not long ago lived through historic moments. But every traveler told me no, it’s the most amazing place you could ever visit and you’re going to love it. And they could not have been more right, Colombia I absolutely love you and I’ll be back. For now, I’ll settle for convincing everyone else to go.

HOW IS COLOMBIA FOR SOLO TRAVEL?

Colombia is a great place for solo travelers who love adventure and experiencing rich culture. Because tourism is popular in Colombia it’s really easy to meet other travelers, many tours are available to join, and there’s plenty of modes of transportation that are relatively straightforward to navigate.

In general, Colombia is safe to travel to, but you should take extra precaution traveling on your own, especially taking care of your valuables at all times and personal safety when partying.

Colombia in my opinion is for intermediate solo travelers who have a little bit of travel experience under the belt. However, it’s not completely out of the question for first-timers.

Resources for your trip:

Best Time to Visit:

Colombia has two season, dry and cloudy. Dry season is July & August and December & January. So technically those are the best times to visit, however a trip outside of those limits is more than worth it you just may see some rain in the afternoons.

Know Before You Go

Language

The official language of Colombia is Spanish.

Currency

Colombian

SYMBOL: $

ABBREVIATION: COP

CONVERSION: The currency rate is subject to change but typically 1 USD ~ 3,900 COP

Plugs Used

Colombia uses plug types A & B (the same as the U.S.) and the standard voltage is 110V supply voltage and 60Hz. This is very similar to the U.S. so you do not need a travel adapter if you are from the USA. I had no trouble plugging in my curling iron or laptop.

Visa

U.S. citizens can travel without a visa to Colombia if staying for less than 90 days. If you’d like to stay longer you can apply to renew for another 90 days. Visa information is subject to changes so double check here.

Health

To check health advisories and what vaccinations are needed to travel to Colombia check the CDC website and the TravelState.gov information page. To see what travel COVID restrictions are in place in Colombia, check their travel website.

Safety

Before traveling anywhere I suggest checking the U.S. Government Travel Advisory just for your own knowledge. I’ll be honest I take it with a grain of salt and don’t let it completely determine my travel plans but rather to keep me advised.

As I always say, safety is a tricky term because a “safe” place does not mean there 100% won’t be unsafe people and there’s no way to determine that. That being said though, I feel overall Colombia is a safe place to travel to right now but you should take your usual safety precautions while traveling, especially as a solo traveler, and exercise common sense.

In terms of scams, personally I didn’t experience any, but it’s a good idea to stay away from police and count your change in taxis.

As a woman and solo traveler, I didn’t have issues but I’ll admit times of feeling uncomfortable because of excessive cat-calling by men. In Cartagena especially this was an issue and it borderline ruined my time there because it annoyed me so much. As a whole though, I believe Colombia is a good solo traveler destination but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to a newbie or nervous-traveler off the bat. This is all subjective though because my friend just visited for her first completely solo trip and she loved it so much she’s going back for a second time!

If you’re thinking of traveling to Colombia, like any country make sure to do your due diligence. Being prepared is the biggest step towards keeping yourself safe.