Valle del Cauca: Buenaventura and Jamundí, areas to avoid

Many couples visiting Cali think of the nearby valley for a getaway, and it pays to know which areas the British Foreign Office (FCDO) advises against. In its Colombia travel advice, updated on 30 October 2026, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the western part of Valle del Cauca Department, including Buenaventura, and to the municipality of Jamundí. This guide summarises what it says and adds nothing.

What the FCDO says about the Valle

The regional advice advises against all but essential travel to the western part of Valle del Cauca, including Buenaventura, and to Jamundí. In the safety advice, Buenaventura is named as a high-risk port because of armed groups and criminal gangs. Cali does not appear in those lists of areas advised against, though it is among the big cities where pickpocketing, mugging and armed robbery are a problem. The FCDO also advises against travel to all of Cauca Department except the capital Popayán, in its Ecuador border section, although the wording does not make clear whether it covers the whole department or only the border strip.

What to do

The FCDO recommends not hailing taxis in the street because of express kidnappings and robberies in unlicensed taxis: order them by phone, app or through your hotel; authorised airport taxis are yellow with white plates. It warns of scopolamine in food, drinks, cigarettes or flyers, which can lead to robbery or sexual assault, and asks you never to leave drinks unattended. It also warns that criminals use dating apps to lure foreigners, often working in teams, and recommends not inviting strangers to your accommodation or accepting their invitations. Drinking alcohol in public is illegal, and protests can arise at short notice and turn violent.

Getaways from Cali

In our Valle destination guides (Buga and Lago Calima) we explain the official sources we use. For Darién and Lago Calima the advice does not let us confirm whether they fall inside the western zone, so check the FCDO regional risk map and your own government's advice before booking.

Lifestyle and caution

As of 7 November 2026 we have not found a swinger club or event in Valle del Cauca with an official website we can cross-check. Any invitation to a party in an area advised against, from a stranger or through a dating app, deserves maximum suspicion: verify the organiser, do not travel alone and tell someone you trust where you are. This guide is general information and advisories change: read them again before you travel.