11 Cartagena Safety Tips – Is Cartagena Safe to Visit

Fair or not, Colombia earned bad reputation for safety and crime.

People wondering about Cartagena safety ask me a lot, “Is Cartagena safe to visit?”

My answer is an emphatic yes, Cartagena is very safe to visit. It does, like anywhere, have its issues. However, it’s an extremely safe destination for all tourists.

Here, I’ll share my top 11 Cartagena, Colombia safety tips from living there for over a decade so you can make sure you have a safe Cartagena trip.

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn from purchases made after clicking those links. Disclosure Policy.

Photo of an empty street in the safe Cartagena old city.
Cartagena is quite safe, but you will be safer following some simple Cartagena, Colombia safety tips below.

Cartagena, Colombia Safety Tips – Contents

  • Is Cartagena, Colombia Safe?
  • Cartagena, Colombia Crime
  • What About Safety in Colombia More Generally?
  • 11 Cartagena, Colombia Safety Tips
  • Common Scams and Issues to Look Out For in Cartagena
  • What About the Cartagena Travel Advisory from the US Embassy?

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Photo of cannons atop the wall that provided safety to Cartagena from foreign invasions.
Cartagena’s walls may have been built to keep the city safe from pirates, but you can be plenty safe today if you just follow some basic precautions and Cartagena safety tips.

Is Cartagena Safe?

Are you planning a trip to Cartagena?

If you are reading this page on Cartagena safety, then you may have asked yourself, “Is Cartagena, Colombia safe?”

Or, you might just be wondering is it safe to walk around Cartagena or is Cartagena safe at night.

Or, maybe your the adventurous and/or care free sort and not all that worried about Cartagena, Colombia crime or how safe Cartagena is, but your aunt, uncle, or cousin who has watched way too much Narcos is insisting you should be worried more about Colombia and Cartagena safety.

Or maybe, you just have a worried mother/father questioning how safe is Cartagena, Colombia (or perhaps you are that worried mother or father wondering about your son or daughter’s safety in Cartagena!).

Photo of a bike outside a colonial era window in Cartagena, Colombia.
Cartagena is overall quite safe, although I’m not sure I would leave my bike unlocked!

I can tell you, I got lots of these questions when I came to Colombia in 2011 as a volunteer teacher, and even got them lots of times since on visits back home in the states.

People would ask me, “Is Cartagena dangerous?,” “Is Cartagena, Colombia safe for American tourists?,” and of course the pretty much inevitable questions about cocaine and the historic violence the country has suffered.

Well, after living for over a decade in Cartagena, I can say very confidently, the answer to the question is Cartagena safe is emphatically yes!

Photo of a guy and two girls sitting on a boat.
A photo from my first year in Colombia, when my mom and sister came to visit. I remember my mom being a bit worried about safety in Colombia and Cartagena, but she has now visited several times!

In fact, Cartagena is extremely safe to visit.

The tourist areas generally have a heavy police presence and violent crime against tourists is practically unheard of. Even during the heydays of the earlier violence in Colombia, Cartagena was largely spared and considered quite safe.

So, if you’re wondering “Is it safe to travel to Cartagena, Colombia?” or have questions about Cartagena safety or crime in Cartagena that is keeping you on the fence about planning a visit, don’t let them deter you!

While there is some crime in Cartagena, including some directed towards tourists like pickpocketing, it’s not any more than what you would see in nearly any other medium to large sized city with a large tourist presence.

So, as long as travelers follow normal precautions and recommendations for avoiding being the target of a crime and what to do when pickpocketed abroad if the unfortunate does happen, Cartagena is very safe to visit.

The Cartagena safety tips below will help make sure you are taking all those precautions.

Photo of a street with flowers on either side in Cartagena.
As long as you stick to following general guidelines for safety in Cartagena, you should be just fine and avoid any crime in Cartagena.

Some Quick Notes on Cartagena, Colombia Crime

Ok, so I’ve now hopefully convinced you that Cartagena is in fact safe to visit. However, that’s not to say there is no crime.

The fact of the matter is there is crime in Cartagena, much like there is in just about any city of a million plus, much less one in a country that still has a lot of poverty and inequality.

The lingering effects of the pandemic, a stronger dollar compared to the peso, and the continued issues in neighboring Venezuela that contributed to a wave of migrants all added to that.

It’s true there has been an uptick in crime, especially robberies throughout the city in 2021 and 2022.

It’s also true that crime in Cartagena primarily affects rougher areas outside the main tourist areas.

However, that’s not to say that it doesn’t ever affect tourists.

Photo of a church with high rises buildings in the areas that are safe in Cartagena.
Even with all it’s beauty, Cartagena does have its issues, but if you follow the Cartagena safety tips here, you should avoid any problems.

The Cartagena, Colombia crime that is most likely to affect tourists are petty robberies. There are some common scams as well, which I’ll discuss at the end of this article.

I don’t believe that this uptick in crime is a reason to call off a trip, nor that you should be overly concerned about your safety in Cartagena during a visit as long as you follow basic precautions and maybe exercise some extra caution.

In the Cartagena safety tips below, I’ll give you some things to help make sure you time in Cartagena is safe, I’ll share some ideas of what not to do in Cartagena, Colombia, and finally, I’ll suggest some ways to prevent being a victim of a crime in Cartagena.

Photo of a man carrying a trash bag in front of street art in Cartagena.
Poverty is unfortunately a major driver of crime in Cartagena and Colombia.

What About Safety in Colombia More Generally?

So, anyone wondering is Cartagena safe to visit might be wondering more generally how safe it is to visit Colombia. While Cartagena has long been considered safe, other parts of Colombia have not.

Today, nearly all of Colombia is safe to travel.

The security situation has improved dramatically since the early 2000s and even more so since the 2016 peace agreement.

In fact, previous no go remote and former conflict zones like the Rainbow River of Caño Cristales, the rugged Pacific Coast where you can see humpback whales, and the mystical Mavecure Hills are now open for tourism.

Most of these tips for safety in Cartagena apply to Colombia more generally, but you may also want to check out these great tips on safety in Colombia. Female solo travelers will also benefit from checking out this great guide to solo female travel in Colombia.

Photo of a plaza in Cartagena with people standing around and pigeons.
The rest of Colombia is very safe as well.

That’s not to say there aren’t still problems.

Late 2021 and early 2022 saw some flare ups of violence from remaining rebel groups in remote areas of Colombia. There has also been a troubling trend of violence directed towards social justice activists, especially in rural, former conflict zones for several years.

The 2022 elections were also polarizing and it remains to be seen how the term of President Gustavo Petro, the first left wing candidate to ever win an election in Colombia, will play out.

There are likely to continue to be debates and disagreements about the future of the country that sparked protests in previous years, including around possible economic reforms and possible further peace agreements with remaining armed groups.

Still, most well known tourist areas and cities are plenty safe to travel.

Photo of a bridge over water with skyscrapers in the background in Cartagena's safe area.
If you stick to the major tourist areas in Cartagena and the rest of Colombia, you should be plenty safe.

You should feel very safe traveling up the Caribbean coast from Cartagena to places like Tayrona, Minca, or Palomino though.

Traveling to the interior from the coast and vice versa is best by air (not just for safety reasons, but because travel times over land can be very long due to the mountains).

However, travel by bus along most major routes is safe, but it’s always worth monitoring the situation on the ground, especially if you plan to travel to more remote areas or travel long distances between cities by bus or car.

You should feel very safe traveling up the Caribbean coast from Cartagena to places like Tayrona, Minca, or Palomino though.

Photo of a street in colonial Cartagena
Major cities and tourist destinations like Cartagena are quite safe throughout Colombia.

11 Top Cartagena Safety Tips

Ok, with that introduction addressing the question of is it safe in Cartagena, Colombia, along with some background on the Cartagena and Colombia crime situation, let’s get to the list of 11 Cartagena safety tips.

This is a top 11 because, well, everyone does top 10s, 11 has a special significance for Cartagena since it declared its independence on November 11, 1811 (11/11/11), and I think you deserve just a bit more.

Planning your trip to Cartagena? Be sure to check out our guide to the best areas to stay or see the best luxury hotels, best beach hotels, best boutique hotels, or best hostels.

1. Use Your Common Sense

To be honest, this entire list of Cartagena, Colombia safety tips is more or less variations of this first one.

It’s what we might call being “street smart.”

If you follow this tip, then you really shouldn’t worry about your safety in Cartagena at all.

Cartagena is a city, a city with its fair share of poverty, and a city with a lot of tourism. The crime in Cartagena directed against tourists is more or less the same types of crimes directed against tourists anywhere.

So use your common sense.

Make sure you’re getting correct change. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t wander aimlessly through areas you don’t know.

All the other cliches pretty much apply here.

And, like any other city, if an area looks rough, it’s probably best to head somewhere else.

Honestly, if you just use common sense, you will almost assuredly avoid just about any real Cartagena safety issues.

Photo of a church tower and balconies on a street with lots of safety in Cartagena.
While the tourist areas are quite safe, it’s still good to exercise caution and be aware of what’s going on around you to ensure your safety in Cartagena.

2. Don’t Make Yourself a Target

Maybe this could fall under using your common sense, but it bears singling out.

There’s a famous saying in Colombia of “No dar papaya.”

While that literally translates to “Don’t give papaya,” it’s not about fruit.

What this popular phrase really means is don’t give someone an opportunity to screw you over. While it can be applied in other situations, it is generally used when talking about safety and avoiding being the victim of a crime in Cartagena.

Basically, it means, don’t make yourself an easy target.

Don’t be one of these people that go around flashing cash or jewelry, or yelling loudly and showing off to everyone in earshot that you don’t know Spanish and/or are drunk.

I guess this is where I should say the only time I was ever robbed in over a decade living in Colombia was when I was out drunk at like 3 am. Not only was I walking home much too late, but I thought it was a good idea to stop and take some Ron Medellín shots from some guys I know from the neighborhood who were drinking outside a drug store (I promise this is a true story).

Some thieves came by, waved a knife around, and robbed all of us.

So basically, I broke the both of the first two of these Cartagena safety rules.

Don’t be like me.

Photo of Bocagrande district at night as an illustration of Cartagena safety.
Cartagena is quite safe even at night, but try not to stumble around too late.

3. Be Weary of Strangers

This one seems obvious too. Surely your mother told you not to talk to strangers a gazillion times when you were a kid.

However, it bears repeating.

I want to be clear, Colombians and Cartageneros are generally very nice and generally very respectful and not out to rob you but be weary. That’s not to say don’t every talk to strangers (you’re not a 6 year old anymore either).

In fact, Colombians are good fun to make friends with. But, there are people out to get you.

I would generally be leery of anyone who approaches you in a bar or club or on the street and seems too friendly.

I’d recommend having your scam and bs radar up about anyone who seems to be insisting on hanging around you. It could just be they are trying to get a free drink or two, ask for some money, or trying to sell you something. Or they could just want to practice their English or are trying to look cool in front of their friends or something.

Or it could be worse.

I would especially recommend being cautious accepting drinks from or getting into a taxi or even walking to an unknown place with someone you just met.

This is especially the case if you are by yourself and/or it is at night.

While it is extremely, extremely rare in Cartagena, the drug scopolamine, which can render you basically unaware of what you’re doing, is sometimes used in robberies targeting tourists. It has a similar effect to ruffies.

It can be slipped in a drink or even just blown in your face in powder form.You can read more about it here or watch a Vice video on it.

It is more common in Bogotá and especially Medellín, so use even more caution if traveling to those cities.

Photo of a cocktail on a table.
Exercise caution when meeting strangers out drinking as, while very rare, people have been drugged.

Be particularly careful with members of the opposite sex you meet out.

This is doubly true if that person happens to be a “working” girl or guy. I’m not here to pass judgment, but the simple fact of the matter is using scopolamine to drug someone and then robbing their hotel or apartment is one of the most dangerous crimes directed against tourists in Colombia.

In fact, another good extra Cartagena safety tip is to stay at hotels or AirBnBs in buildings that have doormen and register guests’ IDs. It will give you an extra layer of security.

You should also caution if you are meeting someone from a dating app like Tinder for the first time. It’s best to do it somewhere public and during the day.

I want to be clear, in over a decade in Cartagena, I’ve never personally met anyone who was “scoped,” and I’ve only ever heard of it being used in Cartagena in Facebook groups, forums, or blogs online once or twice (although I have seen many more stories shared of it happening in Medellín).

I hope I’m not exaggerating the threat here I dated a great girl for like a year that I met out dancing at a club, so, not every girl out in the club is there to drug you, just like I said exercise caution and apply rule 1 and 2 as well, doubly so if you’re traveling solo and/or not out with friends

Just try to avoid putting yourself in situations where the threat may be heightened.

Oh and by the way, if you’re looking for some fun places to go out that are all in safe parts of town check out my guide to the best bars and nightclubs in Cartagena.

Photo of a group of people at a table being safe in Cartagena.
You don’t need to avoid going out to stay safe in Cartagena, just try to do it with trusted friends and don’t be too trusting of strangers.

4. Don’t Buy Drugs

As I said above, I’m not here to pass judgment. I will say though, there are countless reasons not to do drugs, especially cocaine, in Colombia, starting with the fact it’s helped to fuel the country’s internal conflict and enable corrupt politicians.

But if we are talking about how to be safe in Cartagena, well, if you are buying drugs, you are engaging with criminals.

It’s breaking rule #2 above and gives you little legal recourse if something does happen.

There are so many great things to do in Cartagena (in fact, I made a list of more than 75 you can read here) that are not doing drugs.

Stick to those and avoid putting yourself at increased risk of crime or legal problems.

5. Stick to the Tourist Areas, Especially at Night

So, I’m a big proponent of getting off the beaten path. So staying in a bubble at a resort is not what I’m saying here.

However, if there’s no good reason to go somewhere, why do it?

And the rougher areas of Cartagena really don’t have any good reason to go there.

Now, if you have befriended a trusted local (one you didn’t just meet), then by all means go out to eat or go shopping or go dancing with them at places outside the tourist zone, or go to a sancocho or birthday party at their house.

However, otherwise, there are plenty of authentic experiences to be had mingling with locals around the touristy zones and there really isn’t much of a reason to wander around other areas.

I would generally advise staying in the area north of the Castillo San Felipe Fort. For attractions outside this main tourist area, like the Bazurto Market, it’s best to go with a tour like this one or this one.

Photo of 2 couples being safe at night in Cartagena.
If you stick to the tourist areas, especially at night, you should not have any problems with safety in Cartagena.

6. Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Regardless of in the tourist area or not, try to be aware of what’s going on around you.

Trust your gut.

If something or someone looks sketchy, they might be best avoided. If you’re in a situation that feels unsafe or uncomfortable, try to get out of it.

Most thieves are looking for easy targets.

Even something as simple as seeing someone sketchy is following you and speeding up your pace to get to a more well lit or crowded area can deter a would be robber.

Not really much else to say here.

7. Leave Unnecessary Valuables at Home

Ok. These Cartagena safety tips have so far focused on prevention.

Sometimes though, even with all precautions, you can be the victim of a crime. If you’ve followed all the above advice though, then the worst case scenario is you get robbed.

So, let’s talk about mitigation.

I would generally encourage you to leave valuable things at home. Do you really need your finest jewelry on vacation? Can you get by without your new fancy watch? Is it necessary to have your nicest purse?

Part of this has to do with rule #2 above, but part of it is also preparing yourself to not be broken hearted in the unlikely event that you are robbed. I would suggest leaving anything that is unnecessary at home. This is doubly true of anything that is irreplaceable or has special sentimental value.

I met a couple on vacation one time doing a short term rental in the building I was living in who were in town for a wedding. Someone broke in and the lady had all her jewelry stolen.

It’s just not worth the risk. If you are coming for a special event like this, bring something nice, but maybe not your finest.

However, I realize some things you do need to bring.

You’re not going to leave your wedding rings behind. Maybe you need a laptop because you’re working while traveling. You are going to want your phone and/or camera for photos.

Using the hotel safe or taking along something like a PacSafe to lock up these things when out at night or when not needed adds another layer of security.

Graphic of a safe in the shape of a hand.
Try to leave valuables at home or take measures like using a hotel or travel safe to keep them locked up when in Cartagena.

8. Make it Harder to Snatch Things

When you are carrying those things of value, try to make them a bit harder to steal.

Like I said above, most thieves are opportunistic and go for the low hanging fruit. Make their life harder, not easier.

When traveling to a new place, on the bus, or in large crowds, I always put my wallet in my front pocket. Put things like cameras and phones away when they’re not being used. Wear bags and purses across your body, not just on one shoulder where it’s easier to snatch and run. If you have a backpack, wear it in the front when in crowds.

You could also consider using a money belt, neck pouch, or bra pouch for extra security.

All of this will make you less of a target and make it less likely someone can get anything of value from you if you are.

9. Limit the Amount of Cash You Carry

This is like safety in Cartagena tip 6 above. If you don’t have a lot of cash, you can’t have a lot of cash stolen.

Try to get a bank account and credit cards that won’t charge you foreign transaction fees so you can take out smaller amounts of cash as you go as well as limit how much you need (I love my Capital One 360 Checking and my SavorOne Credit Card).

If you do have to carry a lot of cash for some reason, consider splitting it up.

That might be giving whoever your traveling with some of it, sticking some in a sock, or getting something like one of those money belts, neck wallets, or bra pouches.

Photo of 50 thousand peso bills fanned out on a table.
How to avoid being robbed in Cartagena? Don’t flash 50 mil stacks everywhere you go!

10. Take Along Back Up Credit/Debit Cards

If you can, keep a backup card stashed somewhere in your hotel, maybe in the safe or in a Pacsafe.

That way if someone does snag your wallet you still have something you can use to pay for things.

It’s not the worse idea to take your home country ID and other difficult to replace things out of your wallet either.

And never carry your passport around with you if you don’t need it. Carry a copy instead.

11. If You Do Get Robbed, Don’t Fight Back

If you’ve followed these last few Cartagena safety tips about mitigation, then nothing a thief is going to take from you is going to be that big of a loss.

And even if you do have valuables, there’s nothing more valuable than your life.

A guy waving a knife or gun in your face to rob you on the street almost certainly has much less to lose than you do. I have heard stories of people being stabbed or beat pretty badly after attempting to fight back.

It’s just not worth it over cash or some material item that can be replaced.

Photo of a yellow wall with green window.
If you follow those 11 Cartagena safety tips, you should have no issues during your visit.

Extra Tips on Avoiding Scams and Common Problems

Those are my top 11 tips for Cartagena safety.

However, I wanted to address a few things that aren’t necessarily about physical safety or even what we would consider traditional robbery.

That is avoiding some of the common scams.

Agree to Prices and Know There Are No Free Samples

The first, and probably the most important is to make sure to negotiate prices with taxis, street vendors, and beach vendors beforehand always.

Several times a year it feels like there is some story about people being charged something absurd at the beach, including a rash of pretty farfetched cases in 2022.

Those extreme cases are pretty rare, but little things like charging for oysters after offering a “free sample” or tacking on a “service” charge are super common.

Particularly if your Spanish is not very good, I would discourage ordering from random vendors on the beach. Go instead to the actual restaurant or shop yourself.

Photo of vendors with goods tacked around a stone platform in a plaza in Cartagena.
Be sure to agree to prices and avoid “free samples” from vendors in the streets or on the beach in Cartagena.

Also watch out for the street rappers.

They can be really funny and sometimes even actual decent freestylers. However, they can also be a nuisance, and if you’re not interested in hearing them and/or you aren’t going to give them a small tip it’s best to ignore them or give them a “no, gracias” and finger wag.

This goes for street vendors as well, many of which can be very pushy. Be more insistent than they are that you’re not interested (and of course, if you are interested, negotiate the price!).

For any tours or things like that that you are buying from street vendors, I would not pay full price up front.

If you have to put a deposit down, fair enough, but you’re best paying as much as possible the day of or just going directly to an office. Definitely always get a receipt. To be honest I would discourage buying these types of tours anyways, they usually aren’t very good.

Also, while I haven’t heard of this in Cartagena, I have heard of some apartment scams in Medellín, so be sure to at least give a look at companies’ websites and to the extent possible avoid sending money ahead of time.

If you’re looking for tours you can book online ahead of time and not worry about being scammed, check out the top tours on GetYourGuide here or from our partners BnB Colombia here (use the discount code ExploreColombia10 for a discount with them).

Photo of a hut on the beach in Cartagena.
Also, be weary of beach vendors or paying full price for tours up front or online from businesses that don’t look well established.

Are Taxis Safe in Cartagena?

Finally, a question that sometimes comes up is if it’s safe to take taxis.

It used to be discouraged, especially in Bogotá, to take taxis on the street, especially at night. In Cartagena, taxis, including taxis you flag on the street at any hour are generally very safe.

I will say I have heard plenty of stories of taxi drivers acting a bit creepy towards women, so be aware of that.

If it’s very late and you’re alone, especially if you are a woman, it’s not the worse idea to have someone note the taxi’s plate numbers or text them yourself to a friend and check in with them once you get back safely just to be extra safe though.

I get asked a lot about Uber. Uber exists in a sort of weird legal gray area in Colombia. It’s actually pretty common in Bogotá, but not so much in Cartagena.

If you would like to use a similar app, I recommend InDriver and EasyTaxi aka Cabify (use my code adamm204 to get $5,000 pesos off your first ride and let me maybe get some referral credit too). In addition to knowing the taxi’s license plate #, you will also agree to the price before hand on those apps and avoid being overcharged.

->Click here to get a free planning checklist for your trip to Cartagena!<-

Photo of taxis which are very safe in Cartagena.
Taxis are generally very safe in Cartagena.

What about the Cartagena travel advisory from the US embassy?

In November 2021, the US embassy issued a travel warning for Cartagena (you can read it here).

It mentioned increased crime and encouraged increased caution for areas without police presence, mentioning in particular the area known as Chambacú, located roughly in the vicinity of the Mall Plaza shopping mall between the Walled City and the Castillo San Felipe, the area near the Caribe Plaza Mall (this is near where the Bazurto Market is located), and the southern part of the city.

This advisory likely prompted some prospective travelers to question anew is it safe in Cartagena, and it most certainly prompted some backlash and pushback in Cartagena. You can see the video response from the mayor here.

There was another US embassy advisory in December 2021, encouraging increased precautions and concerns about Cartagena safety around the usually crowded Christmas holidays.

Honestly, it’s hard not to agree with the mayor that for 99%+ of tourists there are no real safety concerns about Cartagena.

It’s maybe worth pointing out that these embassy advisories tend to be out of an abundance of caution.

Also, well, to be honest, the advice they are giving is pretty much common sense and would apply just about anywhere where there is inequality and poverty and the unfortunate crime that goes with it.

Also, if you strictly follow the US Embassy’s travel advisories, then you are probably avoiding traveling in Colombia at all. That’s not to poo poo it, but just to be honest that the advisories are out of an abundance of caution and even when they sound a bit alarming represent a very low risk overall.

So, check them, but also take them with a grain of salt.

Photo of an orange wall with a window with blue shutters and a white round semicircle window to the rights.
The US embassy did give a warning about Cartagena crime and safety but tourist areas are extremely safe.

Cartagena Safety Tips – Conclusion

There you have it, a background on crime in Cartagena as well as 11 useful Cartagena safety tips. Travel to Cartagena is quite safe and if you follow these tips you’ll be even safer. I hope you found them useful and I’d love to any other tips you have in the comments below.

Cheers and Safe Exploring!

Did you like this post?

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Planning a trip to Cartagena?

Be sure to check out the rest of the site to help you plan!

In particular, you might want to check out my complete guide to planning a trip to Cartagena, my guide to the best areas to stay, my list of over 75 things to do, my picks for the best Cartagena tours, the best day trips from Cartagena, my suggested packing list, my guide to the Rosario Islands, and my guide to all the beaches of Cartagena.

About the Author

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Adam McConnaughhay

I signed up to come to Colombia for one year as a volunteer teacher in 2011. I ended up staying in Cartagena over a decade, meeting my wife Susana, and getting the chance to travel much of Colombia. I started Cartagena Explorer in 2018 to share my love for Cartagena and Colombia and help others explore all it has to offer.

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