Wondering what it’s like to travel South America as a member of the African diaspora? Well, the experience entirely depends on what countries you’re traveling to. I’ll be discussing my experiences traveling throughout South America & the experiences of my brothers I have met on my journey.
Table of Contents
Colombia
Colombia is arguably one of the best black friendly countries in South America. There is a very sizable black population in Colombia with about 4.7 million (roughly 10% of the population) identifying as Black-Colombian & even more who have mixed African ancestry.
The sizable African diaspora in Colombia means you won’t stick out due to your heritage & it’ll be quite easy to blend in, avoiding any unwanted attention you may experience in other South American countries.
I have not experienced any direct racism during my time in Colombia, I even managed to make local friends very quickly, one of which gave me perspective into how the average Colombian views Blacks. She stated that the average Colombian thinks Blacks are poor unless they are from a rich country like the United States or the United Kingdom, indicating that there is a stereotype depending on where the Black member is from & some underlying racism in Colombian society.
However, I never at any time felt in danger but I do move with caution everywhere I go & use common sense. Colombia can be dangerous if you are naive & are seen as an easy target by pickpocketers & looters. If at any point you are in a situation where someone is attempting to rob you just give them your wallet, it is never worth risking your life for petty cash.
I recommend carrying a spoof wallet around that doesn’t have your debit cards with just a small amount of cash so you can give this up in the unlikely event you’re ever robbed.
As long as you mind your business, use common sense & are not looking for drugs it is highly unlikely you’ll have any negative experiences as a Black man or woman in Colombia.
What Areas are Safe in Colombia for Blacks?
I highly recommend Medellin, Colombia specifically in the “El Poblado” neighborhood. I met many brothers in this neighborhood, each of which usually had a beautiful Colombian woman on his arm. El Poblado is a very safe & diverse neighborhood with many native blacks & blacks from western countries such as the USA, Canada, & the UK.
Be vary of the men that sell candy at night on the touristy streets, they usually try to solicit drugs as well which you probably don’t want to get involved in as a foreigner.
Cali, Colombia is another great city for Black travelers. There is even a greater Afro-Colombian population than Medellin & the culture in Cali is heavily influenced by the Afro-diaspora. Cali is known as the “capital of Salsa” which is a dance style heavily influenced by African cultures.
Ecuador
I have been in Ecuador for the past month & it isn’t bad but certainly a difference from Colombia. When I go into stores I am watched by security & they don’t exactly try to be discreet about it either. I even had one girl tell me: “You are actually handsome, not like the Blacks here in Ecuador”, which showed me there may be more racism & stereotypes towards black in Ecuador.
Ecuador does have a small but noticeable native Black population with about 7% of the country or 1.1 million Blacks calling Ecuador home.
Ecuador is a poor country with few opportunities. If traveling here I would continue with caution as the crime rate is high & there are many desperate people ready to take advantage of a naive foreigner.
As a black man traveling through Ecuador I did have my money stolen once by a woman I was dating while I was using the bathroom. I admit this was my fault, my pants were on the bed with my wallet in them. It only took 3 minutes of me using the bathroom for her to steal all the money out of my wallet & never be seen again.
Other than the nosy eyes on me while in stores & the occasional thief I did not feel in danger for my safety at any point but I am a large black man & results certainly may vary for smaller individuals traveling here.
If traveling to Ecuador as a member of the African diaspora use extra precaution & expect uncomfortable stares a few times a week.
Update: I just had two of my work laptops stolen while I was traveling from Ecuador to Colombia. Always keep an eye on your valuable belongings as there are many opportunistic thieves in Ecuador.
Guatemala
Guatemala was amazing in almost every way & I have never been to a country with more consistently friendly people!
The only negative experience here was with drunken young men from Ireland being a bit rude. The native population is very friendly & welcoming.
One time I was walking on the side of a road to visit a nice viewpoint & a nice old man and his wife told me to hop in the back of his truck. He gave me a ride up the mountain saving me maybe an hour of walking, he then gave me a cold fresh water bottle & told me to have a great day.
I noticed that I was typically only the only black person in every situation I was in. In fact, I only saw a handful of other Black travelers during my two weeks here, five at most. Despite the practically nonexistent black population in Guatemala I never experienced racism in any form & felt very safe and welcomed at all times.
I highly recommend Guatemala as a destination to travel to for Black travelers.
Venezuela
My father traveled here during the late 90s. He ended up finding his first wife & having me, I am half Black & half Venezuelan. Venezuela is a very mixed country & most people have at least some African ancestry. For example, my mother is mixed with African, Spanish, & native South American heritage, this is a common mix in Venezuela.
Venezuela now, however, is an incredibly dangerous country due to the political & economic situation. It is not dangerous for Blacks to travel here, it is dangerous for everyone & would not recommend anyone traveling here anytime soon.
Conclusion
Of the countries in South America I’ve been to so far I can only recommend Colombia & Guatemala so far. Yes, I know Guatemala isn’t technically a part of South America but it is in Latin America so I included it in this list.
