Colombia essential info
Shrugging off its edgy reputation, Colombia is a tantalising mixture of Andean foothills and Amazon jungle, pre-Columbian sites and Caribbean beaches – get there soon
Travel in Colombia: vital statistics
Capital of Colombia: Bogotá
Population of Colombia: 45.6 million
Languages in Colombia: Spanish, plus indigenous languages/dialect
Time in Colombia: GMT- 5
International dialling code in Colombia: +57
Voltage in Colombia: 220 AC 50 Hz
Visas for Colombia: Colombia visas
Money in Colombia: Colombian peso (COP). Exchange rates for anything except the American dollar are low and you’d be better off withdrawing money from an ATM with your credit card. Haggle for un-metered taxis and intercity buses.
Colombia travel advice: Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Colombia tourist board: Colombia official tourism portal
When to go to Colombia
Colombia’s dry season, or verano (‘summer’), is December to March, with a second dry period mid-June to mid-August (except in the northern plains). These are the best times to visit and when most festivals take place. Temperatures are fairly constant year round, varying with altitude more than season.
International airports
Bogota (El Dorado) (BOG) 12km from city; Barranquilla (BAQ) 10km from city; Cali (CLO) 19km from the city; Cartagena (CTG) 2km from the city.
Getting around Colombia
Domestic flights connect to all major cities and towns via frequent, daily services to and from Bogotá. Standards are high, perhaps because problems with road travel mean Colombia has relied on air transport. Long-distance buses link many of Colombia’s major transport hubs but are susceptible to armed robbery and guerrilla activity, not to mention accidents. In cities public transport is excellent, with joined-up systems that include metro, bus, cable car, plentiful, inexpensive taxis and dirt-cheap shared minibuses.
Colombia accommodation
Accommodation is springing up all over the place in Colombia, especially backpacker hostels in towns on the gringo trail.
It’s also worth looking for a private room in small hotels – many of them are great value.
High-end hotels are mainly clustered in the big cities with few mid-range options.
Campsites are expensive. Caffeine lovers looking for something different can stay on a coffee finca.
Colombia food & drink
Colombians don’t like to mess about with their food. They like good unpretentious grub, simply served. Breakfast might be huevos pericos (scrambled eggs with tomato and onion) followed by a hearty lunch of meat, rice, beans and a salad. Arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) is a staple. For snacks, look for tasty tamales (a meat pie steamed in a banana leaf) and arepas (flat maize cakes cooked on a griddle). Sugar fiends should try brevas con arequipe (figs smothered in a gooey brown syrup).
Health & safety in Colombia
Healthcare in Colombia is reasonably good, especially in cities; in rural areas you’ll need to travel with a first aid kit.
Yellow fever vaccination is advised, especially if you’re travelling through any national parks, as are polio, tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis A jabs. Malaria prophylaxis is recommended for travel to rural, low-lying areas. Heatstroke is a real danger, especially in the beach and jungle regions. Drinking untreated tap water isn’t recommended.
As for security, visitors who apply common sense should expect an incident-free stay in Colombia. A 78% drop in kidnappings since 2002 is reassuring. At the time of writing, Bogotá has less reported kidnaps than Buenos Aires or Mexico City. Still, you should avoid road travel after dark and heed warnings regarding landmines in rural regions. Some areas remain out of bounds: take local advice and steer clear.