Barranquilla Safety

When people think of travelling to Colombia there are two distinct aspects of safety which concern them, firstly the risks posed by FARC and the long running civil war, secondly the risk of crime.

FARC and the guerillas. Since 2004 there has been a significant reduction in the number of revolutionary fighters hiding in the jungles of Colombia. In Barranquilla there has never been a problem with FARC who prefer rural areas where they can move undetected. Without doubt outside of urban areas there are many dangers relating to the ongoing war with the rebels and caution is advised.

Safety in Barranquilla. Although some urban areas of Colombia saw an increase in crime and murders in 2009, Barranquilla remains relative safe. Even compared to neighbouring Cartagena, recently declared as one of the safest cities in South America, the crime rate is relatively low as there is less petty crime aimed at tourists.

Of course as with any large city you must take sensible precautions.

Safety Tips

• stay within the safer zones within the North of the city particularly at night
• if you go to the poorer areas only do this if you are in the company of trusted friends
• be aware of your surroundings
• don’t walk far at night even in the northern part of the city
• during Carnaval week there is a greater amount of petty crime as many tourists crowd the streets so be extra careful
• carry a copy of your passport with you
• carry extra money (20,000 pesos?) in a location other than your wallet
• if someone does try to take something from you don’t resist

Having spent a lot of time walking around the streets in various Colombian cities I have been more comfortable and relaxed than when either in the UK or the USA – but I did stay within the guidelines above.