A VPN??? Ok, we’re aware that we’re tackling a subject which, on seeing the title of our post, might make you widen your eyes and say to yourself, but what’s this stuff, it doesn’t concern me at all!
Well, think again. While most of you will discover in this post what a VPN is and why it’s particularly useful when traveling, and also for preparing your trip, those of you who know about this service, but don’t use it yet, will end up being convinced of its usefulness!
So here’s an post explaining why a VPN is your friend, whether you’re a computer pro or a nerd who just can’t seem to use Google!
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
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What is a VPN
AND WHAT IT’S FOR
As you may know, the Internet is a huge network that allows you to connect to anyone, to any information, anywhere in the world. It’s also known as the web, because each information flow could be illustrated as a thread, and each thread is connected to billions of other threads, making a gigantic spider’s web. All these feeds are “public” in a way, and anyone can easily monitor your activity (sites visited, e-mail, communications, etc.) or even retrieve or hack your personal data. All they have to do is “plug in” to the stream and suck out your information.
Why use a VPN?
For us, a VPN is an essential part of any traveler’s toolbox. At a time of massive collection of personal data for commercial or surveillance purposes, and the risks associated with hacking, a VPN offers nothing but advantages.
A VPN allows you to surf the Internet completely securely, preventing the collection of your personal data and protecting you against piracy. It also allows you to bypass geographic zone restrictions. So it’s both an interesting choice for everyday use (privacy protection), and a handy protection tool when traveling.
Our choice: Express VPN
This is the VPN we use: reliable, fast, secure, with servers in Colombia.
Is it easy to use a VPN if you don’t know anything about it?
Nothing could be simpler: a VPN is nothing more than a small piece of software that you install on your computer or phone like any other software or application.
Using a VPN is very easy:
- Connect to the Internet
- Launch the VPN program
- The VPN connects to a server remote from yours, you choose the country you want to connect to and it encrypts all your activity, so you can surf with peace of mind!
Why a VPN is useful when traveling
AND ESPECIALLY FOR A TRIP TO COLOMBIA
A VPN is a solution for everyday protection, but it’s also a very practical tool when you’re traveling, allowing you to surf with peace of mind and connect securely anywhere.
Why is it useful when traveling?
A VPN is very useful, for example, when connecting to public wifi networks in airports, train stations or cafés. Most of the time, these connections are even less secure than your personal connection at home. In some cases, these wifi networks are password-less, which means that the door is wide open to piracy.
If it doesn’t matter to you what sites you visit, you certainly don’t want your login passwords stolen and your e-mail, Facebook or other accounts hacked… and when it’s time to make online reservations during your trip, book a hotel room, buy a bus or plane ticket, and therefore use your bank or credit card information, etc., you certainly don’t want someone stealing your passwords or hacking into your e-mail, Facebook or other accounts. you certainly don’t want your sensitive information to be sucked out of your bank account!
That’s why VPNs can be useful when traveling!
Our choice: Express VPN
This is the VPN we use: reliable, fast, secure, with servers in Colombia.
Why it’s useful for a trip to Colombia
To add another layer regarding Colombia, it’s also a way of bypassing geographical zone restrictions and therefore being able to connect to sites inaccessible from abroad and/or Colombia.
For example, it enabled us to pay for our tickets online on the website of the regional airline San German Express! From abroad, all our payments were rejected , so all we had to do was connect to Colombia using a VPN for the payment to be validated… very practical!
Especially as San German Express is a very interesting company, offering flights that only they do: to Nuqui, to Capurgana, between San Andres and Providencia, etc. etc.
Which VPN solution should I choose?
FREE AND PAID SOLUTIONS
Choosing a paid VPN
This is the solution we’ve been opting for, for several years now. There are a number of reasons why we opted for a paid solution:
- Quality of service
- Service security
- Servers located in Colombia
A VPN allows us to access Colombian sites that are inaccessible from abroad, and that’s important in our daily lives!
We tested several and definitely opted for ExpressVPN, which we find fast and has a server in Colombia, allowing more possibilities for preparing our trip.
The different subscriptions :
- Monthly: handy for preparing your trip. Once you’ve finished, you can unsubscribe.
- Yearly: an opportunity to test if you need it (travel, home, security, etc.)
- Over several years: super attractive financially, this is the option we chose to save money!
Our choice: Express VPN
So this is the VPN we use, and it’s perfect for us. It’s one of the best known, it’s renowned for the speed of its servers, it’s possible to connect to servers in Colombia.
Available subscriptions :
- 1-month subscription
- 6-month subscription: – 23% off the monthly rate
- 1-year subscription: 49% off the monthly rate
Choosing a free VPN (not recommended)
Most of you will be looking for a free solution, and you’ll find plenty of “free VPNs” on the Internet.
In this area, the solution may lie with Tunnel Bear, or Hideme. These services offer a limited monthly browsing quota (between 500 MB and 1 GB), but depending on your usage this may be sufficient.
Problems with free VPNs
First of all, free services quickly become saturated, considerably slowing down your connection. They are often used to create an appeal to switch to the paid solution.
But the biggest problem with free VPNs is the protection of personal data, and free solutions sometimes present a security problem.
Using the TOR network
You’ve probably all heard of the “Dark Web”, and lately there have been a number of sulphurous stories in the media about TOR, the hidden Internet network where whistle-blowers and traffickers of all kinds rub shoulders.
As far as we’re concerned, there’s a browser called “Tor Browser”, offered by Firefox, which uses the TOR network to protect your data and enable you to bypass certain geographical restrictions.
Problems with TOR
Browsing can be extremely slow because the network sends your requests bouncing around the web before they reach their destination.
The other concern, if this was one for you, is that governments tend to track TOR users in the spirit of “if you’ve got something to hide, you’re a suspect”.
