I recently got back to Medellin and really loved it. The culture, the people, the weather, the mountains, etc. However, I did have one bad night there, I won’t get too much into the details unless someone in the comments wants me to, but I did fall victim to getting drugged/scoped one night and it was really a smack in the face, that this is a city that I need to be cautious in and that I should have my guard up more.
I was there for 40 days, so I feel like one bad experience shouldn’t deter me from somewhere. Just need to learn from the experience. But I have heard of a lot of scoping/drugging cases in Medellin. Also, in the r/medellin subreddit there are numerous posts of people being pickpocketed on the streets. And there’s always at least a couple comments saying “welcome to Colombia”.
So the first part of my question is: for the people that live/lived in Medellin, do you feel that it’s safe if you take the correct precautions (stay of tinder, don’t invite people you don’t know well to your home, don’t go out alone late, etc.)? Or do you feel this is a place where things can and do happen anytime anywhere?
My second question: Are there any countries near that people would recommend? I’m looking for an inexpensive city that is lively. A place with a beach and areas to scuba dive is a plus, but not completely necessary. A couple places I am thinking about are Lima, Peru and Panama City.
Happy travels!
Edit: I should also add that I’m a solo traveler from the U.S. and work remotely.
what was the culture like?
Good vibes, super friendly people, good and healthy food, and very proud people. I also liked that each barrio had a different feel to it. I feel like I could move around Medellin and not feel like it’s all the same.
But unfortunately, like a lot of places, the few bad apples seem to ruin the whole bunch.
For what it’s worth man.. people are mostly nice on the surface. Many of them have distaste for foreigners. Especially since prices have started to go up.
The constantly having your guard up wears on you. Just think if you got drugged a second time. People think they can live by some rules they’ll win. But ya gotta think.. there’s desperate people out there hunting for you. Literally. The police just arrest a gang of 15 people that’s sole purpose was to drug and rob foreign. They found 9 different people’s blood in their car. Anyways. You know.
Lima is beautiful af in the summer (right now). I walked around with my 5k camera and no one ever bothered me. Food is so amazing. Go see Machu Picchu. Spend some time in Cusco. Was an epic experience for me. Just don’t drink the water. Don’t even get it in your mouth. Seriously.
Good luck bud
Sounds like Lima is the spot. And yeah man, being in the r/medellin there definitely is a distaste for foreigners. Probably not the best spot for a gringo.
Yeah… I’ve been in the r/medellin group for a few months. They seem to celebrate every time a foreigner is drugged or murdered. I’m not sure I feel up to going there at this point.