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We tested Proton VPN in 2022 and it worked very well, but in the end we opted for Surfshark, which was more affordable and whose basic offering matched our needs perfectly.
Going on a trip is always exciting: discovering new cities, tasting the local cuisine, meeting new people… but as soon as we connect to the Wi-Fi in a hotel or café, digital reality catches up with us. Between insecure public networks, sites blocked for geographical reasons and the fear of our data falling into the wrong hands, staying connected can quickly become stressful.
This is where Proton VPN becomes our ally. Whether we’re in Bogotá, Medellín or on the Caribbean coast, this VPN allows us to protect our connection, browse safely and even access our usual sites like Netflix, our bank accounts or our favorite services, even if they’re restricted in Colombia. In this way, we retain control over our personal data, without sacrificing our online freedom.
In this article, we’ll show you why Proton VPN is essential for travelers in Colombia, how to use it easily and which features will really simplify our digital lives. Whether we’re digital nomads, expats or simply on vacation, together we’ll discover how to stay connected, safe and free, without getting hung up on geographical limitations or dodgy Wi-Fi networks.
The risks of connecting to the Internet while traveling
Public Wi-Fi and the dangers for personal data
When we travel, we’re often tempted to connect to the free Wi-Fi at a café, airport or hotel: convenient, fast, no data consumption. But these networks are often very insecure, sometimes not even encrypted at all, exposing our personal data to interception. An analysis of almost 25,000 public Wi-Fi access points in Paris showed that 25% had no or weak encryption, leaving data to circulate unencrypted on the network (so we’ll let you imagine in Colombia…).
From a behavioral point of view, almost 70% of Internet users connect to public Wi-Fi at least once a week, which shows just how widespread this risk is.
Without additional protection, attackers on the same network can intercept what we send and receive – from private messages to our login credentials – using techniques such as man-in-the-middle attacks or the creation of fake Wi-Fi networks masquerading as real access points.
Theft of banking data or sensitive information
It’s not just a theory: unencrypted public networks can enable cybercriminals to capture financial information or hijack access to our bank accounts.
On these networks, cybercriminals can not only spy on transmitted data, but also launch “session hijacking” attacks or identification frauds, where our IDs and passwords can be recovered and then reused without our knowledge.
Geographical blocks: inability to access certain sites or services
Another risk is the geographic blocking of the services we use every day. Many platforms restrict access to certain content according to country: our IP address indicates our location, and where we are determines what we can see or use.
For example, the catalogs of series and films on services like Netflix vary from country to country: a series available in France may not be available if we connect from Colombia.
Even sites belonging to national institutions – such as French TV channels or certain banking services – can refuse access if we are connected from another country.
This type of geo-blocking is based on IP address analysis: once our IP points to another territory, the service blocks access or displays an error message.
Why a VPN is the solution for worry-free travel
Faced with the dangers of public Wi-Fi, the risk of bank data theft and geographical blockages, a VPN is fast becoming an indispensable tool for travelers. But what exactly is it and how does it work?
What is a VPN?
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, is a service that creates a secure connection between your device and the Internet, encrypting all data in transit. In concrete terms, when we use a VPN, all outgoing traffic from our computer, smartphone or tablet first passes through a remote VPN server before reaching the site or service we’re consulting.
This dual action has several effects:
- Enhanced security: data sent and received is encrypted, making it virtually impossible to intercept, even on public Wi-Fi.
- Anonymity and confidentiality: the site we visit sees the VPN server’s IP address, not ours. Our activities therefore remain private and untraceable by third parties.
- Access to blocked or geo-restricted content: by choosing a server located in another country, we can unblock sites or services normally unavailable from our actual location.
How it works in practice
- We connect to the VPN application (like Proton VPN).
- The VPN establishes a secure tunnel between our device and its servers.
- All traffic is encrypted and passes through this tunnel, protecting our data from hackers, even on public Wi-Fi.
- By changing server (for example to France), we can access French sites or streaming services as if we were physically in that country.
In short, a VPN acts as digital protection and a passport to the Internet, combining security, confidentiality and freedom of access. For a traveler in Colombia – or anywhere else – it’s a tool that considerably reduces, if not eliminates, the threats associated with connecting to the Internet.
Proton VPN: a Swiss VPN designed for privacy and travellers
Who is Proton VPN?
Proton VPN is a virtual private network service developed by Proton AG, a company founded in Switzerland in 2014 by scientists they met at CERN, with the mission of making privacy accessible to everyone. They are also the creators of Proton Mail, one of the world’s most widely used encrypted messaging services. To date, over 100 million users worldwide use Proton (including VPN users) to protect their online communications and privacy.
The VPN benefits from some of the strictest data protection laws in the world, and the country is not a member of any international monitoring agreements. This means that it is not obliged to keep logs or share data with foreign authorities.
Enhanced security and confidentiality
Proton applies a strict no-logs policy: no trace of your online activity survives (no sites visited, no originating IP, no session duration, no location). This policy has been repeatedly verified by independent audits, which is not the case for all VPN services.
From a technical point of view, Proton VPN encrypts all traffic with high standards (AES-256, RSA 4096 bits, SHA-384) and also protects DNS requests to prevent unencrypted leakage.
Access to restricted sites
A VPN server acts as a “geographical bridge”: by connecting to a server in your home country (or in another country), you can access services that would otherwise be blocked – from streaming platforms to national sites only accessible from your home country.
Practical features for travellers
Proton VPN is more than just “encryption”. Features dedicated to travel resilience include :
- Kill switch & Always-On VPN: if the VPN connection is interrupted, Internet access is automatically cut off, preventing accidental exposure.
- Secure Core: your traffic can be routed via servers located in highly protective jurisdictions before going out to the Internet.
- NetShield: blocks ads, trackers and malware right from the DNS level, improving both your security and your browsing speed.
- VPN Accelerator: in-house technology that can increase VPN speed by up to +400%, particularly useful for streaming or video calls on the move.
Reliability in the field: stability and speed
When you’re traveling (in Colombia or elsewhere), connection stability and effective download and upload speeds really count: you want to watch a video without lag, telecommute via videoconferencing or make calls without losing data. Here’s what recent tests show for Proton VPN under different conditions, with measurements obtained in 2025-2026 on several international servers:
Speeds with nearby servers
- Download: up to ~870 Mbps on fast local connections.
- Upload: around ~450 Mbps in the best cases.
- Latency: often 20-30 ms, which is sufficient for browsing and video calls.
These figures are achieved using modern protocols such as WireGuard and VPN Accelerator technology from Proton.
Long-distance speeds
- Download: approx. 510 Mbps when connecting from a continent to a remote server.
- Upload: around 270 Mbps, with higher latency (90-110 ms).
This is still sufficient for most heavy-duty uses, such as HD/4K streaming, telecommuting or large downloads.
When using additional features such as Secure Core (double server hopping for greater confidentiality), speeds logically drop: 120-180 Mbps download and ~80 Mbps upload, with latencies often in excess of 200 ms. But it’s still usable for browsing, streaming and essential services.
How to use Proton VPN when traveling
Simple installation on mobile and PC
Proton VPN works on most devices: Windows, Mac and Linux computers, Android and iOS smartphones, as well as some routers and more specialized systems. Installation is quick: just download the application from the official website, create an account or log in if you already have a subscriptionthen follow the guided installation steps.
The application is intuitive, allowing us to connect in just a few clicks, without the need for advanced technical knowledge.
Activate VPN from the outset and use Secure Core if necessary
As soon as we arrive at a new hotel, café or airport, it’s essential to activate Proton VPN immediately before using the Internet. This instantly protects us against the risks of public networks, including data theft and man-in-the-middle attacks.
For sensitive connections, such as banking transactions or access to very private services, we can activate Secure Core, which routes our traffic through servers located in countries with strong privacy protection before it reaches the Internet. This adds an extra layer of security, even if it slightly reduces speed.
Tips for streaming, public Wi-Fi and P2P
P2P and torrenting: Proton VPN supports P2P sharing on selected optimized servers. To download or share files securely, simply connect to these servers and let the VPN encrypt all traffic.
Streaming: to watch our favorite series or films from Colombia, all we have to do is choose a server located in the country corresponding to the service we want to unblock. Proton VPN lets you access Netflix France, our TV channels and other geo-restricted services.
Public Wi-Fi: we must always activate VPN on public networks to ensure that all traffic is encrypted and secure. Even on a dubious hotspot, our data remains invisible to hackers.
Rates and value for money
If we had to describe Proton VPN in one word, it would be affordable. For a service that offers multiple simultaneous connections, a network covering more than 100 countries and an advanced level of security, it’s perfectly possible to equip all your devices without exceeding your budget.
Here are the three “VPN Plus” packages available:
| Duration | Monthly price |
|---|---|
| 1 month | US$ 9.99 / month |
| 12 months | US$ 3.99 / month |
| 24 months | US$ 2.99 / month |
What’s more, Proton VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try out the service with complete peace of mind and no real commitment.
Up to 70% savings
Why the VPN Plus offer is interesting :
- Excellent balance between price, safety and performance for travel use.
- Access to all servers in over 120 countries.
- Up to 10 simultaneous connections to protect all your devices.
- High speeds thanks to optimized servers and VPN Accelerator.
- Advanced features included: Secure Core, Kill Switch, NetShield
- Compatible with streaming (geo-restricted catalogs) and dedicated P2P servers.
Other products in the Proton ecosystem
Proton Mail
Proton Mail is a secure, end-to-end encrypted messaging service. Unlike conventional messaging systems, no one – not even Proton – can read your messages. It’s ideal for protecting your sensitive exchanges, whether you’re traveling or on a daily basis.
Proton Pass
Proton Pass is a password manager. It lets you store, generate and synchronize complex passwords on all your devices. Coupled with Proton VPN, it reinforces the security of your digital identity.
Proton Drive
Proton Drive is an encrypted cloud storage service. As with Proton Mail, everything you save is encrypted before being sent to the cloud. It’s perfect for keeping travel documents, photos or sensitive files safe, even if you’re using public networks.
Proton Unlimited
Proton Unlimited is an all-in-one bundle that includes Proton VPN Plus as well as Proton Mail, Proton ass and Proton Drive. This is an interesting solution if you want to unify all your privacy tools under a single, cost-effective subscription.
Conclusion: key points to remember
If there’s one thing you need to remember, it’s this: using a VPN when traveling is no longer a luxury, but a simple and effective precaution to protect your data and maintain free access to the Internet.
In Colombia as elsewhere, public Wi-Fi networks, geographical restrictions and the risk of surveillance can expose your personal information. A VPN lets you encrypt your connection, hide your IP address and bypass content blocks in just a few clicks.
Proton VPN stands out for :
- A high level of security (robust encryption, Secure Core, strict no-logs policy).
- High speeds for streaming, teleworking and video calls.
- A wide choice of servers in over 120 countries.
- A well-balanced VPN Plus offering, combining performance and reasonable price.
- A complete ecosystem (Mail, Pass, Drive) to enhance your overall privacy.
Whether you’re an occasional traveler, a digital nomad or an expatriate, activating a VPN as soon as you connect to a new network becomes a simple reflex that can avoid many problems.
