Is Cartagena Safe in May 2026?

Cartagena has a documented pattern of locals (men and women) using dating and social apps to connect with tourists before or during their visit, building rapport over several days and then introducing the tourist to a restaurant, bar, or nightclub where the bill is wildly inflated. In the most serious variant, the drink is spiked with scopolamine (burundanga) and the tourist is robbed of cash, phone, and passport. The romantic framing lowers victims guard compared to typical street scam awareness.

How to avoid: Be extremely cautious meeting someone you only know from an app for the first time at an unfamiliar venue they selected. Meet in your own hotel bar or a major public restaurant for a first encounter. Do not leave drinks unattended and do not accept drinks from a new acquaintance.

Thieves work Bocagrande beach in pairs: one distracts sunbathers with conversation or a service offer while the other steals valuables from bags left unattended or under towels.

How to avoid: Never leave valuables unattended on the beach. Use a waterproof pouch worn around your neck for your phone and cards.

Taxis from Rafael Núñez Airport to the walled city or Bocagrande regularly overcharge tourists. The fair fare is around COP $25,000–35,000; touts demand COP $80,000–100,000.

How to avoid: Agree on the fare in Colombian pesos before getting in. Better still, use InDriver or Uber from the airport.

Vendors inside Cartagena's beautiful walled city charge tourist-premium prices for handicrafts and jewelry that are far above market rates found in the nearby Getsemaní neighbourhood.

How to avoid: Compare prices at multiple vendors. The same items sold in the walled city often cost 50–70% less in Getsemaní.

Informal money changers operate along Avenida Venezuela near the Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower) and around the Mercado de Bazurto approaches, offering exchange rates slightly above the official bank rate to attract tourists. The shortchange happens through sleight of hand when counting out COP bills — the vendor folds notes or palms a portion of the stack before handing it over. Counterfeit 50,000 and 100,000 COP notes are also commonly passed in these transactions.

How to avoid: Exchange currency only at official bank branches (Bancolombia, Banco de la República) or licensed exchange bureaus (casas de cambio) with visible signage and receipts. Count all notes in full view before leaving the counter. Using a card with no foreign transaction fees at bank ATMs is the safest approach in Cartagena.