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IS CALI UNSAFE?
When people hear you're coming to Cali, they'll probably warn you it's dangerous. Despite its reputation, more and more tourists visit every year and have an amazing time. While Cali may not meet the safety standards of Europe or North America, it turns out it's not as terrible as it seems.
In this section:
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First, some data.
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Unsafe areas to avoid.
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"Don't give papaya".
Want to walk around safely guarded by a local?
FIRST, SOME DATA.
Opinions open conversations to a million ways of interpretation. Facts however, present a more objective comparison point. Here are some interesting facts from the last decade:
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Murder rate in Cali has decreased 63% since the 90's during the height of the Cartels era (1994 vs 2023)
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Automobile theft in Cali decreased 68.3% from 2021 to 2022.
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Cali presents the lowest number of robberies & cellphone thefts compared to Bogotá & Medellín.
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There are 5 cities in the USA with a higher murder rate than Cali (New Orleans, Baltimore, Detroit, Memphis, Cleveland).
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There are 13 cities in Mexico with a higher murder rate than Cali (including Cancún and Acapulco).
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Regarding cities in Colombia, Cali is NOT in the top 5 for: homicides rate, bodily injuries rate, thefts rate, residential burglaries rate, threats rate, extortions rate.
Sources:
- Cali's City Hall & Security Observatory's 'Annual Safety and Coexistence Report': https://www.cali.gov.co/observatorios/loader.php?lServicio=Tools2&lTipo=descargas&lFuncion=descargar&idFile=83119
- PARES Annual balance of security and citizen coexistence: https://www.pares.com.co/post/balance-anual-de-seguridad-y-convivencia
- Colombia's National Police report: Citizen security, violence and crime: a holistic and criminological vision of the statistical figures of 2018: https://revistacriminalidad.policia.gov.co:8000/index.php/revcriminalidad/article/view/65/60
- Wikipedia's "List of cities by homicide rate": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_homicide_rate
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UNSAFE AREAS TO AVOID
This is a common question with an easy answer. The deep east of the city is the area that you most want to avoid, as well as some neighborhoods up in the mountains. Truth is, you should find no reason to go there, and it's not like you have to go across them to get to interesting areas of the city. Most of the city's touristy and popular areas are safe and walkable, places where you will most probably have a safe and fun time.
In the gallery below you will find maps depicting homicides in Cali and also population in poverty. You will see, they coincide. Those are in general terms, the areas you should avoid. To put a name to the neighborhoods: Agua Blanca, Siloé, Napoles and the east of the city. You will also find a full list of the top 20 neighborhoods with the highest homicides numbers in the gallery below.
And for neighborhoods that are safe and nice: San Antonio, Peñon, Granada, Centenario, area around Chipichape, San Fernando, Miraflores, Pance, Ciudad Jardin, area around the stadium, La Flora, Versalles, Ingenio.
For your comfort, I have also put together a map indicating in colors my opinion on the places to feel comfortable in and the areas to avoid. Check it out:
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"DON'T GIVE PAPAYA"
A phrase used in all of Colombia that in general terms means: don't put yourself at risk. Here are my tips and recommendations to enjoy Cali, risk-free:
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When going out to explore the city: if ever in doubt, dress down.
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Don't wear expensive jewelry or technological devices.
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If it's too lonely, specially after dark, avoid walking alone.
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Take Ubers after dark. Avoid taking taxis in the street.
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Take 9pm as a safe limit to be out during the week. 10pm max. Midnight is pushing it. For the weekend midnight is fine.
Contact
I'm always open to help people come to Cali and have a nice time.
WhatsApp +57 316 254 3554