Welcome To Colombia

Welcome to Colombia! Whether visiting Colombia for the first time or the fourteenth time, Colombia is a beautiful place to explore and uncover. From the rich culture to the fascinating landscape, there’s something here for everyone. Since Colombia is such a big country, you’re going to have to split up your trip unless you can afford to take a 2-3 month vacation and explore the whole country. I started off by visiting the Northern part of Colombia (Cartagena & Santa Marta) and then visited again to explore Bogotá. Lastly, I’d love to explore Medellín, Calí and more of the West! Here are some of my favorite experiences in Colombia, tips for your next trip & more! Comment your favorite experience, any questions you may have and I will respond right away! Appreciate all of the support and without further ado, Welcome to Colombia!

Why Colombia? It’s a Great Bank For Your Buck

1. There are tons of flights all at affordable prices from major airlines. Based on experience, if possible to find a direct flight- those are always superior. Layovers could really interrupt a good travel day, depending on delays and immigration lines, it could be the cost of a half travel day into a full one.
2. Your money could really stretch, making this a trip that won’t break the bank. For every $1USD is 4,000 COP. Typically a plate or food costs $20-25k which is around $6 USD. Just WOW right? Lots of stores also give discounts if you pay in cash. I’d recommend exchanging a good amount upfront so that you don’t have to stress about finding ATMs. 

Why Colombia? There’s So Much Culture To Explore

1. Since it’s a Spanish-speaking country, this is an amazing opportunity to learn, freshen up, & perfect. Duolingo cannot compete with this type of language immersion.  
2. The food is truly spectacular. Arepas, coconut rice, fresh seafood, and plantains are just a few of the many dishes that’ll make you want to try every restaurant. When it came to deciding where to go, it was honestly chosen by what was closest to us. Since we had some pretty awesome dishes, I’ll list my recommendations here as well. 
3. Culture is huge for me and Colombia is full of it. It was a privilege to learn not only about the culture of the Colombian people but of the indigenous groups in the Sierra Nevada region. The museums, monuments, and free tour guides truly offer an insightful experience that helps you put everything you learn to memory.  
4. The natural wonders are out of this world. From the Tatacoa Desert to Tayrona National Park & La Ciudad Perdida, an indigenous civilization that predates Machu Picchu by a few hundred years, there is something for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions Before Traveling to Colombia

1. How long is the immigration line at the Colombian airport? Unfortunately, the immigration line took FOREVER. Forever meaning 2.5 hours. This is something you really cannot avoid so you’re going to have to keep that in mind when you travel here and honestly most countries. Specifically, Latin American countries operate a little slower so that could also explain the lengthy wait. Even though there were about 8 desks, only half of them were in use- making it a frustrating waiting game as we anxiously awaited our adventure. Ways to prevent this is to try to get an early flight so essentially, you’re one of the first flights in OR by getting a direct flight to avoid layover times since immigration lines you can’t really avoid. 
2. When is the best time to take out money? The best time to take out money is a very ambiguous question. Why? Because currency rates are ALWAYS changing. It’s best to look at the currency rates a few weeks before and as you get closer you can request a currency exchange at your local bank with the rate that is the best deal. Typically at the airports, you’ll get an unfavorable rate compared to at your local bank so just try to be wary of that and plan as much ahead as you can. 
3. How much money should you take out? In terms of how much to take out, again another ambiguous question. It all depends on what you paid for already via credit/debit card for hotels, excursions etc. The more cash you have, the more bargaining power you have to ask for deals and discounts on souvenirs and excursions as well. For this trip, we took out about 600 USD in exchange for roughly 2.7mil COP. This lasted us just 2 days before the trip when we had to start using our credit cards. Both Amex & VISA cards are accepted which was great for us!
4. Should you rent or drive from Cartagena to Santa Marta? If you aren’t a confident driver, please do not do this. It’s pretty dangerous to rent a car like that let alone the physical injuries & fees you’d have to pay for an accident. The roads are one-lane highways so the only way to pass is to drive into oncoming traffic & then switch back into your plane to pass someone which is super scary!! If you’re renting a car, be careful when making stops. Don’t stop when you see a group of people clustered together- that’s a recipe for disaster. Use your street-smart skills to justify rest stops & make sure you’re diligently checking for surprise scooters that will pop up out of nowhere. It’s the law to make sure after 8:30, no rental cars are being driven so plan & time out the day accordingly to make sure you don’t get pulled over. Getting pulled over could mean a bunch of things, but more so they’re usually after money and will try to pull you over for the slightest inconvenience. I’d also make sure to check for automatic & manual vehicles since the majority of Colombians drive manual cars. 

How Much Time Do You Need to REALLY Visit Colombia?

Realistically you need about 2 months so the best way to do this is to break up your trips.

Where Should You Travel To?

• Since Bogota is the capital, you could pair this one with another city of your choice to help you with the travel costs and long travel days. 
• Cali is known for its Salsa dancing. They have the most authentic salsa spots and for good reason. Start practicing now to try and fit in! 
• Medellin is known for its chaos & from hearing about it from other travelers, that’s really taking a turn for the better. Medellin has one of the best nightlife spots in the world, a reason to definitely get your party on. 
• Santa Marta is known for its beautiful nature. From Tayrona Park to the Sierra Nevada mountain range along the Buritaca river, explore more and get outdoors. 
• Cartegena is the closest city to travel to from the Northern Hemisphere. Its Caribbean beaches, beautiful history & energy are just a few reasons many want to get a glimpse themselves. As with big cities comes other situations to be wary of- watch out for overly persistent sellers trying to make an extra buck.  

The Brooklynite Abroad’s Recommendation

• Trip #1: Northern Colombia (7-9 days)- Visit Cartegena, Santa Marta, hike La Ciudad Perdida, Tayrona Park, Taganga Beach, Islas Rosario, Rincón del Mar
• Trip #2: Bogota (5 days) – Visit Lake Guitavita and the Salt Cathedral
• Trip #3: Calí & Medellín (7-9 days) – Visit Tatacoa Desert

Welcome to Colombia: In Photos