Travelling Colombia in Times of Covid

At time of writing, travelling to and around Colombia is a relatively easy experience, depending on where you’re coming from - I believe the hardest part about travelling from Europe is justifying leaving your country if it's under lockdown! Travel between the UK and Colombia is currently suspended indefinitely. Most South American land borders are closed, but in Central America you can move between countries by providing a negative test. It's also very easy to fly from Colombia to Panama, and as it stands travelling from the US and Canada is very simple. All people travelling to Colombia are obliged to provide a negative PCR test taken within 96 hours of arrival. Cases have dropped off sharply in recent weeks, with many hoping that this is the pandemic tapering off in Colombia.

In Bogotá, there is very little tourism and most hostels are closed. Botanica and the Cranky Croc in the Candelaria are open, but otherwise the area is dead. Chapinero and the north are buzzy with bars and restaurants open, no clubs. In the bigger cities restrictions come and go, but at time of writing there are currently very little limitations to socialising in Medellin, Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena and Santa Marta.

At El Rio, our nearest city is Santa Marta, which is currently quite quiet in tourism terms; mostly Colombian but with a smattering of internationals. That being said, the hostels in our area (the Taryona area, between Santa Marta and Palomino) are busy on weekends and behind closed doors their bars are open and swinging, with a lot of activities running as before. The Lost City is open, but you have to do a test beforehand, Tayrona Park is open as normal.

This area lives from tourism and there has been a collective stance of "Covid doesn't exist here", with pretty much 0 confirmed cases and 1 death since March (a policeman, ironically, who was going round enforcing the restrictions). The lockdown back in March, although on paper lasted until September, was completely ignored by the locals in rural areas all across the country, with no social distancing and all shops reopening immediately. People here deal with mosquito and water born bugs all the time, so Covid was shrugged off as unimportant. In other words, it has most likely ripped through and done the rounds, however with symptoms identical to the stomach flu most people catch once or twice a year here, any cases of the virus have been (rightly or wrongly) blamed on this annual flu. These factors, plus the huge amount of vitamin D and fresh air the locals are blessed with, could explain the phenomenal resistance to the virus. To many local people, the knock-on economic effect and consequent inability to provide for families has been a much larger concern; it’s currently more an attitude of "work with what tourism there is and scrape by" than worry about outbreaks.

So essentially if you're considering coming our way you can do so relatively easily. To those pondering that by coming here and travelling you're potentially endangering the lives of locals, from what I've witnessed most Colombians are going about their lives as normal and travelling their country freely, so you wouldn't be doing anything that they are not.

By coming here you're also helping the recovery of the economy, which around here at least is mainly reliant on tourism (the other source being agriculture - banana plantations). As I stated above, most locals who live from tourism see going hungry as a far greater concern than Covid. However with the vaccine around the corner (vaccination began mid-February in Colombia) if you're planning a longer trip it might be better to wait - a traditional pan-South American "backpacking" experience is still a way off. But for a bit of winter sun and a more relaxed attitude, Colombia is a good shout.

One of the most important things is to be flexible during this time because restrictions can change from one day to the next in a local or international setting. This is why considering a backup plan for the unexpected such as travel insurance is essential. Things happen, medical emergencies, issues with baggage, etc. It can seem daunting to know what option could be the one for you and your family, so this in-depth research about the best travel insurance provides insights on what it covers so you can compare and shop around before committing.

Is Colombia Safe?

By and large, the answer to this is yes! Most areas in Colombia have stabilised enormously in recent years, with the area around El Rio in particular improving vastly. Colombia has a chequered history and is still recovering, however tourists on the coast can now travel safely to areas that up until as recently as 15 years ago were no-go zones. 

Having said that, like any country Colombia has areas that aren’t as safe as others. Avoid walking alone at night in big cities and be careful about which areas of the city you visit. Big cities like Medellin and Bogotá have no-go areas, whereas the more touristy areas such as Poblado in Medellin are largely very safe; the north of Bogotá such as the area around Parque 93 and the Zona T are pretty safe at night, whereas La Candelaria (where most of the hostels are located) suffers from more petty crime after dark. 

Most bad experiences start with travellers not taking these basic precautions. Walking around quiet streets after a night of partying and entering into transactions with unsavoury characters can be sure-fire ways to end up in trouble. Basic common sense should me your most trusted source of advice. If something feels unsafe, then it may well be so take a step back and be smart!

In a nutshell, Colombia, as with any other destination, is as safe as each person makes it.

For further reading check out what the Lonely Planet has to say, and take a look at what Bookmundi has to say about which times of year are best to visit Colombia

Book your stay at Hostelworld’s best hostel in Colombia 2018 here

Friendship Whilst Travelling

Prior to a trip, a lot of thought can go into who would make a good travelling companion. I’ve known best friends opt out of travelling together for fear that they wouldn’t gel whilst on the road. This fact makes it all the more interesting when considering the faith in their compatibility people put in strangers whilst on the road. Often people will meet in the bar of a hostel, perhaps spending one or two days together, discuss travel plans and realise they’re heading in the same direction. “Should we get the bus together?” And so it begins. 

Friendships are formed quickly and often very intensely whilst travelling. Complete strangers go to being best friends in the space of days. All of a sudden you are spending every waking moment in the company of someone that just a few days ago was unknown to you. If you think about it, when was the last time you spent weeks, perhaps months, spending nearly all of your time in the company of one of your friends back home? You eat every meal together, take buses together, share rooms, see bizarre sights, ride elephants together, have profound and life changing experiences together. When was the last time you did that with a friend back home? In fact, some of my most frequently recounted memories have involved the company of “Nathan and Doobs, these two Aussie blokes we met in Puerto Escondido”, or something similar. This can bring you very close to someone very quickly, which is brilliant. 

And what if it’s more than friendship? Coupling up whilst travelling happens frequently, especially amongst solo travellers. However getting to know someone whilst travelling is very different to your usual dating game. Whilst back in your home town, you might go on a date or two a week, getting to know people slowly. You want to look your best, come across well and dates tend to last the evening or a weekend. This is a stark contrast to how this works whilst on the road, which is much more honest and full on. The makeup goes out of the window, your imperfections and stresses are laid bare far faster than they would be normally. You’re not just meeting for brunch; you’re having breakfast, lunch and dinner with your new partner. 

This is made all the more bizarre by the fact that when you say goodbye to these people who have touched your life so deeply whilst on the road, you then have to deal with them suddenly leaving and saying goodbye. Often plans are made to visit each other and meet again, but this rarely happens. The odd Facebook message may be exchanged down the line, but that can often be the end of it. 

So you make the most of your shared experiences and then promptly move on to your new new best friend, and temporarily forget all about that funny German bloke you travelled through Bolivia with. But when you get home and go through your photos and are in tears laughing at some inside joke that no-one will ever possibly understand, you know that even if you never see that person again, you’ve got a friend for life. That’s something to hold on to.