Colombia is the country people ask about most before they go, because the reputation and the reality are far apart and the answer depends on which city, which barrio and which week. Four forums answer, and they are good at different things.
The forums, compared#
| Forum | Who answers | Best for | Weak at |
|---|---|---|---|
| TripAdvisor Colombia forum | Visitors, a few guides | Routes, buses and flights, Guatapé, the Coffee Region, the standard loop | Safety nuance; the same questions every day |
| The Colombia subreddit, and the Medellín, Bogotá and Cartagena ones | Expats, nomads, Colombians | Safety, scams, drink spiking, 'is it OK right now' | Can be jaded; search before posting |
| Expat Facebook groups | Long-stay foreigners | Apartments, visas, coworking; the Medellín groups explained | Short-trip questions get buried |
| Roavi Community, city boards | Local Friends who live in Colombia, travellers | A plan checked by a resident; prices; which barrio; the answer can become a person | New and small |
What to ask where#
Is it safe, is this a scam, is it OK right now: Reddit first, then is Colombia safe for Americans?, then a resident on Roavi for your specific plan and dates.
Two weeks: Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, the Coffee Region, in what order and how: TripAdvisor has it answered a hundred times, and the Colombia itinerary has it once, with the trade-offs.
Medellín or Cartagena, Bogotá or Medellín: Cartagena vs Medellín and Bogotá vs Medellín first; then ask a resident of each on Roavi.
An apartment in Laureles, a month's budget, coworking: the expat groups and the digital nomad guide.
Which salsa bar on a Thursday in Cali, is this tour price fair, what would a paisa do with my Saturday: Roavi Community, where the person answering lives in Colombia and has a profile you can open. Many are Local Friends you can hire for an afternoon: how rent a friend works in Colombia.
Where Roavi actually has people in Colombia#
Honestly: Cali, Medellín and Bogotá, with a couple in Barranquilla. Cartagena has almost nobody listed yet. The city boards are small; a question there may be the only one that week, and it is answered by someone who was in the city this morning. City pages: Medellín travel forum, Cartagena travel forum, Local Friends in Cali, in Medellín, in Bogotá.
Before you post anywhere#
Search first; on TripAdvisor and Reddit your question is already answered. Give dates, cities, budget, solo or not, and what you have read. The basics are here: best time to visit Colombia, how much a trip costs, solo travel in Colombia, a travel buddy in Colombia.
Post your Colombia question on Roavi Community.
A Colombia question? Ask someone who lives there.
Post on Roavi CommunityThe most-asked questions, answered: is Medellín worth visiting?, Cartagena, Bogotá, Cali.
And the whole country: is Colombia worth visiting?, with a verdict per city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Colombia travel forum?
Several. TripAdvisor's Colombia forum is the largest and best for logistics. The Colombia subreddit and the Medellín, Bogotá and Cartagena subreddits are the most honest about safety. Expat Facebook groups cover living there. Roavi Community has city boards for Medellín, Bogotá, Cali and Cartagena where Local Friends who live in Colombia answer and can be messaged.Is it OK to travel to Colombia right now?
For the main tourist cities and routes, yes, with city rules: no phone out on the street at night, licensed taxis or apps, no drinks from strangers. Read the current threads on the Colombia subreddit for this month's mood, then check your specific plan with a resident. Is Colombia safe for Americans has the detail.Which Colombia forum has actual Colombians answering?
The subreddits have Colombians alongside expats. TripAdvisor is mostly visitors. Roavi Community is built the other way round: the people answering are Local Friends who live in Colombia, with a profile, a city and a rate, and you can open their profile and write to them.What should I ask on a Colombia forum?
The questions a guide cannot answer: whether your route is too much for two weeks, what a bus or a tour should cost, whether your Airbnb's barrio is a good idea, which city suits you, and what a Colombian would do with your dates.