What do you think about Bogota (Colombia), is Bogota safety place?

Question

Is Bogota safety to come? Are there some bandit attacks on visitors?

Can you walk the streets 0-24 without care, Are people nicely? Have they money? Are they most black or white? Are there some cocaine-mafias who will kidnap you, and make drums from your skin? (i am serious, and I like Colombia!)

Answer 1

Bogota is as safe as any other large city in the USA for example.  Use your head and you will be ok.  Don't believe what the newspapers have to say.  They only want to sell copy.  Do some more research like you are doing here and you will find out the truth about Bogota and Colombia.  You can find more info on Bogota Colombia on the 2 cites below.

http://www.apartmentinbogota.com or

http://www.welovebogota.com

Answer 2

Greetings, I've been there and I LOVE IT......especially the historical Bogota.  DO BE CAREFUL.  I have a daughter there, exchange student.  Her family is born and raised there and worried when ever I left their sight.  I had a BLAST and enjoyed every single moment.  They told me a "gringo" with a back pack can mean money.  If they had the money to travel, then someone in their family has the money to pay for their return.  Family is everything in their minds.  Which is part of what makes them such special people!!!

Get on virtualtourist sites and see if you can find someone to help you navigate and who KNOWS if you are okay or not.......and LISTEN to them.   IT's a wonderful place to visit, you'll Love it.  Good Luck..........in looking at your question directly.........NO you should not walk 0-24, People are lovely, yet private until approach and respond, YES, lots and lots of money there, they are mostly Latinos.  I think the cocaine-mafias have plenty to do, I doubt there is much money in making drums from your skin.

Answer 3

Just returned from my 4th trip to Bogota.  I've never had any problems there, but I am usually with locals who know the ins and outs.  The biggest threat is common street crime.  I carry a dummy wallet with expired credit cards and 20,000 pesos as a throw-away.  Also I only carry a copy of my passport, not the real one.  

I don't think there has been a guerrilla attack in the city for some years now.  People are very nice, but watch where you walk and when - Colombians are poor and the recent wave of refugees into the city means some are desperately poor.  But I have been out partying in bars at late hours and been fine.

Most Colombians are mixed race - called Mestizo.  The cartels are gone.  FARC and Paras control the drug trade now.  If they kidnap you, it will be for political reasons.

Just travel smart and don't engage in any overt displays of wealth, arrogance or nationality.

Answer 4

Lots of good comments preceeded this answer. A few things worth mentioning. Ask you local friends where to go and not go. Most businesses close around 9.. and unless you are in a tourist zone you probably ought not to be out. The Andino area is the T zone. Costly but good to dance. Some good places to eat (I think) Amarti in Usaquen is fabulous Italian food. Carbon De Palo on 106th and 19th is wonderful. Luna is a great restaurant. If you go ask for Jimi Vargas. The best server in Bogota. For fast food.. the locals are going to tell you that Corral makes a good burger. Its a lie and they are expensive. If you are used to good Chinese food, dont eat any there. Even Mr Lee which is supposed to be good, sucks. Jaramillo near parque 93 is good for seafood. Luisa Braun chocolates near the same park are out of this world. Restuarant Renault near the park is ok. Not fab but ok. Braza Brazil is a good Churrascaria. La Fragata above the World Trade Center is great. Revolves like the restaurant in the space needle in Seattle. Good seafood. Any of the restaurants in El Mirador (overlooks the city) are good, also.

Dont flash a lot of cash. Dont ever leave your drink unattended. Dont every be alone anywhere outside at night. Its a wonderful city, but just be careful.

Answer 5

Just avoid traveling city to city on the road, better by air  Bogota is safe!