Anyone travelled thru Colombia?

[Halcyon Daze]

Being a biology geek and all I've always had South America at the top of my list of holiday destinations But it seems to get more dangerous by the year, and safety is the only thing holding me back.

A Spanish backpacker at work has got me thinking about it again since she has been right through SA and up into Mexico. And loved every minute of it.

Obviously I'm keen on Peru but I'm getting more and more interested in Colombia.

Has anyone here traveled Colombia, and just how dangerous are the rural areas?

Cheers!

Edited October 13, 2012 by Halcyon Daze

[rahli]

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Colombia

Threat of kidnap and all.

[occidentalis]

But it seems to get more dangerous by the year, and safety is the only thing holding me back.

 

It seems like it's getting safer every year to me. I didn't make it to Colombia due to time and money constraints, but I had planned to. My trip was from Argentina to Ecuador and everywhere in between. I met lots of travellers who had been through Colombia. The dangerous areas are fairly well delineated and as long as you avoid them you will only face the same dangers you would face elsewhere in South America - mostly scams, rip offs, and mugging. Personally I found Peru to be the most dodgy country, but YMMV. From what I heard, I developed a picture of Colombia as actually safer than Peru.

[paradox]

I have not been to Colombia myself but I went out with a Colombian girl for a while & when I asked her a similar question she just laughed at me & basically said its bullshit. you just have to be streetwise. there's some things you just don't do & some places you just don't go.. just like anywhere.. you should just talk to the locals & take their advice