VPNs and other tools worth installing before you go, curated for travelers visiting Colombia.
No extra utility app is more important than preparing the phone you already carry. Before arrival, update the operating system and key apps, enable device finding and remote lock, back up important data, hide sensitive message previews and make sure banking and email recovery do not depend only on the travel SIM. Save passport, insurance, accommodation and emergency details offline, but keep identity documents out of an unlocked photo gallery where possible. Phone snatching and armed robbery can happen in cities and tourist areas. Set a route indoors, avoid using the phone beside a road or open vehicle window, and do not resist a robbery. Colombia travel advice also warns about criminals using scopolamine or other drugs and about travelers being targeted after meeting people through dating apps. Keep drinks under your control, do not accept food, drinks or cigarettes from strangers, tell someone where you are going and do not invite a new contact to your accommodation. Use dispatched transport rather than a street-hailed taxi. The national emergency number is 123 for police, ambulance or fire services. Save your insurer, card issuers, mobile carrier, accommodation and embassy or consulate separately. If the phone disappears, move to a secure place before trying to track it, lock the device, block the SIM and cards, and change the primary email password from a trusted device. Do not meet a thief or follow a tracking dot yourself. WhatsApp, a ride app and a map are useful tools, but none replaces current local safety advice or human help.
These apps need data
Guac eSIM covers Colombia with plans from $1.50 per GB. Install it before you land and activate instantly.
No extra utility app is more important than preparing the phone you already carry. Before arrival, update the operating system and key apps, enable device finding and remote lock, back up important data, hide sensitive message previews and make sure banking and email recovery do not depend only on the travel SIM. Save passport, insurance, accommodation and emergency details offline, but keep identity documents out of an unlocked photo gallery where possible. Phone snatching and armed robbery can happen in cities and tourist areas. Set a route indoors, avoid using the phone beside a road or open vehicle window, and do not resist a robbery. Colombia travel advice also warns about criminals using scopolamine or other drugs and about travelers being targeted after meeting people through dating apps. Keep drinks under your control, do not accept food, drinks or cigarettes from strangers, tell someone where you are going and do not invite a new contact to your accommodation. Use dispatched transport rather than a street-hailed taxi. The national emergency number is 123 for police, ambulance or fire services. Save your insurer, card issuers, mobile carrier, accommodation and embassy or consulate separately. If the phone disappears, move to a secure place before trying to track it, lock the device, block the SIM and cards, and change the primary email password from a trusted device. Do not meet a thief or follow a tracking dot yourself. WhatsApp, a ride app and a map are useful tools, but none replaces current local safety advice or human help.
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