Travel Report: Medellin, Colombia
Long gone are the days of Pablo Escobar, sky high murder rates, and cartel run cities; but don't let anyone tell you Colombia is "safe", it is safer. It's safe enough to visit and enjoy.
Lacking in a rich culture, healthy food options, and having safety concerns; Medellin only scores a 3 on my travel rating scale from 1-5. Saving itself from a lower score is good affordability and transportation.
Travel Score = 3
Affordability= 4
Food= 2.5
Culture = 1.5
Safety = 2.5
Activities = 2.5
Hotel Value= 3.5
Transportation = 4
Medellin has had many upgrades in recent years, including a very efficient above ground metro system. There is also an impressive network of cable cars leading out of the valley and directly to Arvi park.
Arvi Park is the nicest and biggest park in Medellin. Besides a visit to this lovely place, a great way to spend the afternoon is touring different neighborhoods, churches, and museums.
Medellin is a young party city. Tourist town, El Poblado has many high end nightclubs and bars. Colombian girls go there to have a good time and meet foreigners with money; which comes with the risk of getting drugged and robbed, so be careful.
The population is about 3 million. Each neighborhood has a unique social and economic status with an exact rating given by the government. There are "red zones", and seriously do not go there!
Walking from one part of the city to another; you will be crossing from poverty stricken third world ghettos to spotlessly clean first world upper class neighborhoods. Medellin is a bizzaro-world of the extreme haves and have-nots all living side by side.
In an effort to hide the ugly, all the information online is for tourist to stay in the most pristine and touristy neighborhood, El Poblado. It's so high end it's like you're not even in Colombia! You can buy a Harley Davidson here, you can eat a $12 dollar hamburger here, there is even a Porsche dealer here.
If you can afford it and have little to no travel experience, you should probably stay in El Poblado; However you'll pay through the nose. The average private hotel room is north of $50 dollars and a shared dorm will cost you about $20. There's restaurant after restaurant sporting prices that you would see in an airport and Spanish is definitely not needed in this part of the city.
All other tourist stay in El Centro. I highly recommend the Normandia for 13 dollars a night. I had a very spacious room with good wifi, hot water, 24 hr security, and friendly management. Being in the heart of the city, it is the real Medellin. It's a bit sleazy, so be prepared if you stay there.
Throughout many parts of the city you can find casinos, bars, sex hotels, and prostitutes. In El Centro I saw a father babysitting his two year old son while manning a booth selling dildos! You won't see this in El Poblado, instead you'll see sex shops on the main street selling full body blow up dolls for $2,000 dollars! This is now Colombian culture?
What you see is what you get! I recall a conversation with a young Colombian about neighboring Ecuador and the Quichwa Indian culture there. He laughed with his hat on sideways, put his tattooed hand to his mouth and imitated an Indian chant, then told me they are dumb and stupid. Then he asked "What can you give me?" as I said good-bye.
The food is cheap and generally unhealthy; a quarter roast chicken with potatoes is 2 dollars, a huge Avocado is 35 cents, a liter of water is 25 cents, and a big chicken empanada at the chain Machetico is about 50 cents. This is mostly what I ate. The national dish is the Bendeja Paisa; an assortment of grilled meat and a couple of starchy sides. The Colombians aslo love their deep fried food; fried bready cheese balls, fried chicken, fried cheese sticks, and a large variety of deep fried empanadas are sold seemingly on every corner....not a salad in sight!
Colombia is evolving out of it's dark violent past, and they still have a ways to go. You're either in an expensive tourist district or some form of a third world hell hole. This was true for each place I visited in Colombia. There for I can not recommend a trip to Medellin or Colombia in general when there are so many other countries you can visit that are safer with better food and culture.
Thanks for Reading
-World Travel Pro
-World Travel Pro
(all non-credited photos were self taken)
Great information, i would like to travel to Colombia one day.
Thank you!
This is utterly ridiculous. You haven't judged Medellín, you've only revealed your own ignorance. I don't think you even actually traveled here.
BTW I live in the Medellin metro area, I do not live in a tourist district and my home is certainly not a "third world hell hole" [sic].
This post deserves a swift kick in the ass.
I agree... There are other parts like Laureles, Conquistadores and Belen etc... that are very nice and safe. The hotels in these areas reasonable, like for example Inntu Hotel. It is in El Segundo Parque de Laureles and it has an European flair to it. You can pay on average around $60 per night with breakfast included. Best part, you have everything you need all around you. Food Markets, shops, restaurants etc... Even a Burger King across the street if you are so inclined.
I live in MDE 6 months out of the year and have been doing so since 2009. The city has changed for the better during those years and it continues to show progress. Now with the new tunnel going from Rio Negro Airport to the city, the travel time will be cut to 20 minutes instead of 45min. Expansions to the metro system are being planned for the next few years making it easier to get around the city.
This city is not perfect but then again you can say that for any city in the world. If you want find trouble and pay thru the nose for things, you can do it. There are plenty of places in MDE that would gladly accommodate you if that is what you are looking for. But in general, the city is inexpensive, safe and definetly not a 3rd World Hell Hole. As a matter of fact it is considered by some to be the "NEW" capital of Colombia.
I like MDE... it is charming and that is why I live there.
Sorry my harsh words offended you. But Between the Minorista Market and el Central, then south covering half the city. I'd say it's sadly impoverished, with many many homeless. I'm sure you stay in a nicer area. Unfortunately for us travelers their are often no hotels in nice residential areas. Leaving the option of el Central or El Poblado. I wanted to stay in Evigado, but there are no hotels. I stayed in El Centro and walked miles and miles around. Including a walk all the way down to El poblado. I saw some Sh*t.
Sorry you didn't like my review. Here is another post on how shocking the homeless population was in your city. All these photos were taken in like less than 10 minutes. Last time I saw poverty this bad I was in Cambodia.
https://steemit.com/travel/@world-travel-pro/the-good-the-bad-the-ugly-colombia
Several of "your" photos are street vendors, others are beggars who are not necessarily homeless. You are a pretender and know not of what you speak. I don't believe you have ever been to Medellín.
Si yo olvider. Eres Colombiano. Si Tu Pies es el Mejor en El mundo. No puedo esperar a volver. Q tengas un buen dia!
It's wonderful that you're learning Spanish, if that's what's really happening here. Keep at it. It's a fun language that is one of the most spoken in the world.
Great selection of images and you tell a linked up story to link everything together! I like your comment at the end, since I will not visit the country (for some time at least) I can live vicariously though your story.
I didn't learn how to write well in school. I dropped out of college too. I think it was the years of teaching English under the table that helped with my writing most; but don't tell anyone that! lol Thank you for your very kind comments!
linda Colombia!!!
Si bien linda!
Colombia is on the list of next destinations :) their food is amazing ! coming from Brasil i really appreciate it !
All a matter of opinion my friend. I'd take Thai food any day of the week, or Italian, or Meditaranian, or Spanish, or Greek, or Argentinian, or Mexican, or Chineese, or Korean, Vietnamese, Polish, German...I have a lot to compare it to.
Regardless you know what you like. That's good enough for me. I hope you enjoy! Thanks for your reply!
Been to Colombia twice. Liked you stories, keep them comming.
maybe you enjoy the this blog, its a story of my two best friends:
https://steemit.com/youtube/@theywillkillyou/escobar-uncovered-5-days-w-pablo-escobar-s-top-assassin-pre-departure-and-day-1
Very nice. Thank you for sharing.
Wow you have pointed out quite a lot of Details good I like this kind of posts
That is so good to here. I don't often look for entertaining reads online. I look for information for real life decision making! A reply like this, really "gets" who I am. Thank you for your comment!
No worries man I just followed you and I am looking for more posts like this.
I'm really excited about the great response you and many others. Thank you!
This is very interesting to me. Colombia and Medellin specifically are high on my lists of possibilities for a place to live longer term. I'm in expat groups there and sub various people who tout their fair city. The posts I see are overwhelmingly positive. I'm actually in these groups for many places around the world and Medellin is one that the expats seem to love. I will take your points and focus on them over there for a while. Maybe these expats are glossing things over. I really appreciate this post and perspective. Thank you :)
That's exactly what brought me to Medellin. I heard endless positive stuff about the place. Only to learn first hand how it really is. One good friend that convinced me to go....well, he's a multi millionaire. He's planning on moving to Medellin. But he'll be living in el Poblado and spending probably 10,000 dollars a month to live. He'll be in his luxury bubble in tourist town forever more. Great life if that is what you want and you have the money. But stepping outside of this bubble, it's a whole other world. Seriously this el Poblado, it's more expensive than most places throughout the western world regarding food and accommodation. Go a few blocks away, and your back to 50 cent empanadas.
Not to go on and on, but I really appreciate you comments. One main point I promise to my audience is to bring them the truth. So many travel blogs and websites are just trying to sell you a place. .... like www.gotomedellin.com, as if they don't have an agenda. I'll never do that. To find a perfect place on this earth does not exist, nor will I pretend that it does. You may want to check out Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I'm here now and will write a report on it in a few weeks. It's like 1st world quality everything at third world prices. It's my favorite place so far south of the border, food, people, it's very safe, weather, affordability, activities, ....it will rate high for sure! Thanks again for following me! World Travel Pro!
Playa del Carmen was actually on my list before I moved to Bangkok. It has a school I was thinking about attending and my brother vacations there yearly. He loves the place but he is spending the big bucks for luxury. I will be really interested to know what you think. I did not see downsides other than being too close to the US lol.
I prefer to stay in a local neighborhood away from tourists and love it where I am now. But I have two unrelated Thai friends who both tell me I am in a bad part of town and they do not want to come here. This is kind of good news to me. I'm on the 7th floor with a great balcony view and all the street food is delicious, healthy and inexpensive. What more can I ask?
As for Medellin, I am very happy to have this other side to the story. The key points I liked about what I saw were weather, people and food, but I did look back and see you are correct - the people I follow are living in this el Poblado area. I definitely appreciate the heads up and I will be reading their posts more carefully in future.
EXACTLY. El Poblado is not Colombia. It's the most insulated isolated touristy thing I've ever encountered in a major city. It's like Hooters and TGI Friday one after another. It's like going to Disneyworld, once your beyond the gates it's fantasy world. Outside you can find scenes from walking dead!
Yeah, people don't know what they are doing when it comes to living expenses. Who would come to a third world country to spend like their in Europe? I got a super nice place for 20 dollars a night just out of the tourist district and 15 minute walk to the beach here in playa del carmen. Casaejido. They look expensive if you look them up online but they negotiate. AC, room service, pool, great quality everything. But I'm only here for a week.
Then there are apartments all around. I got invited to a friends apartment here that is actually 3 blocks from the beach on 3 south. Big and luxurious In California he said would be at least 2,000 a month. He's paying 600. You could easily find something nice here in the 300-500 range all inclusive. I like it here so much, I'll probably make this my base camp for this part of the world in years to come. So good meeting a like minded person on here. Will certainly be following you as well.
Disney - a nightmare place. Only second to Legoland with their plastic grass lol. just your mention of Hooters gives me all I need to know. Thank you so much for the follow. I am really excited to have people see my work. it's a quiet world for the most part, so I am happy to be here.
I like the way you think. I'll be in touch! :)
Thanks for an interesting and informative post, @world-travel-pro! I have friends who lived there for a while who told similar stories. Makes me appreciate Johannesburg more in some ways (affordable food variety, for one)! But I do look forward to visiting Medellin one day and that park looks absolutely lovely.
Thanks for your kind comments and I'm glad to hear that your friends like myself are not into sugar-coating reality!
Sounds like the inequality there is extremely difficult to ignore, and could indeed influence travel choices as you've outlined.
I've been all over the world and I've really never seen anything like it. There were streets I went down just lined with homeless people, I didn't feel safe, nor was I going to take out my camera. Then two blocks over it's totally different. Quite frankly it was very sad.
😓😧
Soy un extranjero que lleva viviendo 6 años en Colombia y te quiero felicitar porque has captado muy bien la idiosincrasia del colombiano en general.
Saludos
Gracias por tu comento. Buen dia! :)