Alright let’s jump straight into it. Packed my bag thinking Cartagena was all sunshine and beaches, right? Boy, was I gonna get schooled. Landed at Rafael Núñez airport feeling kinda pumped, grabbed a taxi right outside. Driver seemed cool, talking about the weather. Then bam. Route got weird. Started taking these tiny side streets away from the main tourist drag, walls covered in graffiti. My gut went “nope”. Told him flat out, “Nah man, take me back to the main road by the clock tower now.” He grumbled but did it. Lesson zero: Trust your gut and be ready to speak up. Forgot that, you’re paying tourist tax in a bad way.
The Reality Check Walk
Decided to scope out Getsemaní myself the next morning. Sun blazing, music pumping, looked amazing. Grabbed my phone to snap a pic of a crazy colorful wall. Felt a little nudge behind me. Whipped around fast. Young guy, hand kinda near my backpack pocket. Locked eyes with him, didn’t say a word, just stared hard. He mumbled something and melted into the crowd. Felt my heart pounding like a drum solo. Kept walking, saw another dude eyeballing a different tourist’s fanny pack. Reality hit: You relax? They see a target. So I switched it up.
Operational Security for Dummies (Me)
Went straight back to my Airbnb and became a human fortress engineer. Heres the drill:
- Wallet? Gone. Used a little clip with one credit card and maybe 50k COP ($10-ish) cash. Rest? Hidden money belt under my sweaty t-shirt like a spy.
- Phone? Not for idle pics in crowds. Quick shot, then straight back into the FRONT pocket of my cargo shorts. Deep pocket, zipper shut. Forget back pockets.
- Look? Tried hard to ditch the “lost gringo” vibe. Sunglasses on, walked like I had a place to be, even if I was just hunting for coffee. Avoided eye contact with the constant “Hey amigo!” street vendors unless I wanted something.
Went out again. Felt sketchy vibes near the old wall late afternoon? Walked straight to the closest group of cops chilling by their truck. Didn’t need help, just stayed visible near them for a few minutes. Sketchy dudes moved on like ghosts.
Night Shift Test
Wanted dinner in the Walled City. Sunset painted it gold. But getting back? Nah. Didn’t risk the “charming” dark alleys. Asked the restaurant host straight: “Safest way back to Getsemaní? Taxi?” He called a trusted driver they used. Car showed up in 2 minutes flat. Worth every peso. Later, wanted street food. Found a spot with tons of locals queuing. Rule: Eat where the locals eat, especially at night. Felt safe surrounded by folks just grabbing dinner.
The Wrap Up
Spent a week there. Zero issues after day one. Saw two other tourists arguing loudly about a stolen bag near the beach. Looked like easy targets, phones waving around. My thought? “You didn’t do the homework.”
So…is Cartagena safe? Look. It ain’t Disneyland. You gotta walk in with your eyes wide open and your street smarts turned up to 11.
Here’s what actually works:
- Blend in (as much as a tourist can). Look purposeful.
- Secured pockets, decoy cash. Leave the bling at home.
- Trusted taxis only. Get your place to call them.
- Ditch the wandering at night. Especially solo. Get rides.
- If it feels off? Bail. Find crowds or cops. Seriously.
Did I get hassled? Yeah, a bit. But feel unsafe? Nah. Not after I started playing it smart. You can absolutely enjoy the hell out of the place – beaches, mojitos, all of it. Just remember: Your safety? That’s your job. Don’t expect Cartagena to do it for you. Do the work, you’ll be fine. Slip up? Might get a painful souvenir. Stay sharp.
