Is Leticia safe? A practical guide for travellers

Short answer: yes. Leticia is one of the safest cities in Colombia for visitors. It is a small city of around 45,000 people on the Amazon river, its economy depends on tourism and trade from Brazil and Peru, and violent crime against tourists is rare. We have been running tours here for more than fifteen years and the problems our guests actually face are almost always minor: a lost phone in the market, sunburn, mosquitoes or a passport left in the wrong bag.

The longer answer is that safety in the Amazon is less about crime and more about preparation. Heat, water, insects, river currents and the three-border geography deserve more of your attention than the city itself. This guide covers both: the human side and the practical one.

Crime: what actually happens

Serious crime against visitors is uncommon. Leticia is generally safe both by day and by night, but it is still a city, so the sensible habit is to stay aware of your surroundings after dark and avoid empty streets along the river. What does happen, like in any river city in South America, is petty theft: a phone on a table at the market, a bag left unattended at the port, money counted in the street. It is opportunistic, not targeted.

• Keep your phone in your pocket in the market and at the port, not in your hand.
• Do not walk alone after midnight along the river bank or the road to Tabatinga.
• Tabatinga: go during the day and stay in the main streets and the market area. We do not recommend walking around Tabatinga at night — it is less safe for tourists than Leticia.
• Use registered taxis or mototaxis from your hostel; they are cheap and everywhere.
• Leave your passport in the hostel safe and carry a copy or a photo on your phone.
• Do not buy anything from someone who approaches you in the street offering tours or exchange rates.

The three-border area: Leticia, Tabatinga and Santa Rosa

Leticia is Colombia, Tabatinga is Brazil and Santa Rosa is Peru — all a few minutes apart by boat or on foot. The three countries have an agreement for the tri-border area, so you can move between the three towns without being asked for documents. That is why a day trip to Brazil or Peru feels like crossing a street.

The stamps only matter if you go further. If you continue into Brazil (towards Manaus) or Peru (towards Iquitos), you must get the exit stamp in Leticia and the entry stamp at the migration office of the country you enter.

• Inside the tri-border area, no documents are requested. The agreement covers free transit between Leticia, Tabatinga and Santa Rosa.
• Going further into Brazil or Peru? Then yes: exit stamp in Leticia and entry stamp at the migration office of the country you are entering.
• If you arrive or leave by air, the stamp is done at Leticia airport.
• Carry a copy or a photo of your passport: not needed for the crossing, but useful at hotels and for any police control.
• Cross during the day. The last boats to Santa Rosa leave around 6:00 p.m.
• The border is calm, but it is still a border: do not carry anything for anyone.

Health: the part that deserves real attention

Check with your doctor at least four weeks before travelling. Recommendations change and depend on your health, not on the destination.

The Amazon basin has malaria transmission, dengue and yellow fever risk in forest areas. None of that should stop you from coming — millions of people live and work here — but it should shape your preparation.

• Yellow fever: vaccination is recommended for the Amazon region, but it is not required and not obligatory. It is still the single most useful vaccine for this trip.
• Malaria: prophylaxis may be advised depending on your itinerary. Your doctor decides.
• Dengue: no vaccine for most travellers; the protection is repellent and long sleeves at dusk.
• Water: never drink tap water. All our tours include drinking water; in the city, buy bottled.
• Sun and heat: the equator is at midday strength all year. Hat, long sleeves and water.
• Travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is worth it if you are going deep into the forest.

In the jungle: the real risks are small and specific

We have never had a serious accident on a tour. The incidents that exist are predictable: a twisted ankle on a wet root, sunburn on the boat, a stingray in the sand where people swim, mosquitoes at dusk. All of them are managed with boots, a flashlight, a guide who knows the water and basic common sense.

• Walk behind the guide, not ahead: they know which roots move.
• Do not swim in the river at night or where the guide says not to. Caimans and stingrays are real.
• Bring rubber boots (we provide them) and keep them on in flooded forest.
• Do not touch frogs, caterpillars or colourful insects.
• Tell your guide if you take medication for allergies, asthma or heart conditions.

Money, phones and connectivity

Leticia has several ATMs, open 24 hours, and they rarely run out of cash nowadays. For foreign cards we recommend Banco Popular or Banco Agrario: they charge the lowest fee and allow larger withdrawals than the others. Many small businesses still do not take cards, so carry cash in small notes. In the jungle there is no signal and often no electricity at night — that is part of the trip, not a fault.

• Change money in Leticia or Tabatinga; the rate is better than at the airport.
• Claro and Movistar work in the city; almost nothing works at the lodges.
• Download maps and your booking confirmations before you leave.
• Bring a power bank; charging is limited in camps.

Solo travellers, women and LGBTQ+ visitors

Leticia is a small, family city and most visitors feel comfortable walking around during the day. Solo women report a normal level of attention, not harassment. The same common-sense rules apply as anywhere: tell your hostel where you are going, do not accept drinks from strangers, and use registered transport at night. The Amazon is also a conservative region in some respects; public displays of affection are best kept discreet outside hostels and bars.

When to come

There is no bad month, but the river changes the trip. High water — roughly January to May — opens the creeks and the flooded forest, which is the best time for boat trips and wildlife in the canopy. Lower water — roughly July to October — means more walking, more beaches and easier fishing. Rain is possible any month; it usually falls hard and stops.

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Tours from Leticia