Directory A-Z

Directory A–Z

BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE

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Accommodations

Colombia offers choices for all budgets and traveling personalities, from excellent hostels and funky boutique hotels to occasional jaw-dropping accommodations clinging to cliffs or hanging over raging seas. Book ahead around major religious holidays and festivals like Semana Santa and Christmas.

Camping

For ages camping was out of bounds in Colombia, but the 2016 peace accord ended the 52-year civil war, freeing up some remote regions of the country. As a result, more and more Colombians are strapping on a pack and getting reacquainted with their beautiful country via a small but growing list of campgrounds, as well as pitching tents in the wild.

Hostels

ABackpacker tourism is booming in Colombia. All hostels have dorm beds for around COP$20,000 to COP$40,000, and most have a few private rooms for COP$60,000 to COP$120,000.

AMany of the most established hostels are members of the Colombian Hostels Association (www.colombianhostels.com.co). The most comprehensive listing of hostels is at www.hosteltrail.com.

Hotels

AAlso sometimes called residencias, hospedajes or posadas, a hotel generally suggests a place of a higher standard, or at least higher prices. Cheaper accommodations are usually clustered around markets, bus terminals and in the backstreets of the city center. If you speak Spanish and wish to avoid the gringo trail, a budget private room with hot water, air-con and cable TV goes for between COP$30,000 and COP$40,000 – cheaper than a hostel.

AMidrange hotels are rare in Colombia. Prices tend to jump rapidly from budget cheapies to three- and four-star hotels, with little in between. Nevertheless, there are often a handful of hotels in the COP$80,000 to COP$180,000 range, usually in city centers, which cater primarily to Colombian business travelers.

AAll the major cities have top-end hotels charging from COP$185,000 per night. The best choices of top-end hotels are in Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena.

Resorts

AThere are a handful of package-style resorts on the Caribbean coast and on San Andrés. Most are frequented by Colombians, rather than foreign package tourists, and are usually excellent value.

AThe Pacific coast also has several good all-inclusives, but they are definitely for the more adventurous type as the area is quite remote and is heavily patrolled by the army.

AFor a selection of some of the best small resorts and rural accommodations, see www.colfincas.com (in Spanish only).

AIf you are booking a package resort deal from outside the country, you are exempt from the 19% IVA hotel tax. Some hotels may not know this rule, so be sure to ask for the discount.

Taxes & Refunds

A new law passed in 2016 technically exempts foreigners from taxes on some travel-oriented services (the 19% IVA tax or guided tours, for example) above COP$280,000 but getting the money back requires a bit of hoop-jumping: Receipts must be shown at a National Department of Taxes and Customs (DIAN; www.dian.gov.co) office before leaving the country; you’ll also have to fill out a form and present your passport and a photocopy of a valid tourist visa.

SLEEPING PRICE RANGES

The following price ranges refer to a standard double room before discounts or taxes.

$	less than COP$85,000
$$	COP$85,000–185,000
$$$	more than COP$185,000

Children

ALike most Latin Americans, Colombians adore children. Due to a high rate of population growth, children make up a significant proportion of the population, and they are omnipresent.

AFew foreigners travel with children in Colombia, but if you do plan on taking along your offspring, they will find plenty of local companions.

AAlmost all attractions in Colombia offer discounted admission for children.

APick up a copy of Lonely Planet’s Travel with Children for general tips.

Practicalities

AYou can buy disposable diapers (nappies) and baby food in supermarkets and pharmacies.

AThere are quite a few shops devoted to kids’ clothes, shoes and toys; Pepeganga (www.pepeganga.com) in particular is recommended.

AMost restaurants with a menu, which excludes cheap set-lunch places, will have high chairs available for small children.

ABaby-changing facilities are not standard in public toilets and are rare in men’s facilities.

ABreastfeeding in public remains controversial in some sectors of Colombian society although education programs are seeing attitudes slowly changing.

Customs Regulations

AColombian customs looks for large sums of cash (inbound) and drugs (outbound). If they have the slightest suspicion you are carrying either you can expect an exhaustive search of your belongings and your person.

AExpect to be questioned in Spanish or English by a well-trained police officer. The latest method is x-raying your intestines: if you look in any way out of the ordinary, or fail to give a convincing response to the officer’s questions, they will x-ray you to see if you are a drug mule.

AYou can bring in personal belongings and presents you intend to give to Colombian residents. The quantity, kind and value of these items shouldn’t arouse suspicion that they may have been imported for commercial purposes.

AYou can bring in items for personal use such as cameras, camping equipment, sports accessories or laptops without any problems.

Electricity

Embassies & Consulates

Most of the countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Colombia have their embassies and consulates in Bogotá. Some countries also have consulates in other Colombian cities.

Argentine Embassy (%1-288-0900; www.ecolo.mrecic.gov.ar; Carrera 12 No 97-80, piso 5)

Australian Embassy (%1-657-7800; www.colombia.embassy.gov.au; Av Carrera 9 No 115-06, edificio Tierra Firme, oficina 2002)

Brazilian Embassy (%1-635-1694; http://bogota.itamaraty.gov.br; Calle 93 No 14-20, piso 8) Also in Leticia (%320-846-0637; Calle 10 No 9-104; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri).

Canadian Embassy (%1-657-9800; www.colombia.gc.ca; Carrera 7 No 114-33)

French Embassy (%1-638-1400; www.ambafrance-co.org; Carrera 11 No 93-12) Also in Bucaramanga.

German Embassy (%1-423-2600; www.bogota.diplo.de; Calle 110 No 9-25, edificio Torre Empresarial Pacífic, piso 11)

Israeli Embassy (%1-327-7500; http://embassies.gov.il; Calle 26 No 57-83, piso 7)

Italian Embassy (%1-218-7206; www.ambbogota.esteri.it; Calle 93B No 9-92)

Japanese Embassy (%1-317-5001; www.colombia.emb-japan.go.jp; Carrera 7 No 71-21, torre B, piso 11)

Netherlands Embassy (%1-638-4200; www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl; Carrera 13 No 93-40, piso 5)

Panamanian Embassy (%1-257-5067; www.embajadadepanama.com.co; Calle 92 No 7A-40) Also in Barranquilla (%5-360-1870; Carrera 57 No 72-25, Edificio Fincar 207-208), Cali (%2-486-1116; Av 6 No 25-58, Piso 3), Cartagena (%5-655-1055; Carrera 1 No 10-10, Bocagrande) and Medellín (%4-312-4590; Calle 10 No 42-45, oficina 266; h9:30-11:30am Mon-Fri).

Peruvian Embassy (%1-746-2360; www.embajadadelperu.org.co; Calle 80A No 6-50) Also in Leticia (%8-592-7755; Calle 11 No 5-32; h8am-noon & 2-4pm Mon-Fri).

Spanish Embassy (%1-622-00-90; www.exteriores.gob.es/embajadas/bogota; Calle 92 No 12-68)

UK Embassy (%1-326-8300; www.ukincolombia.fco.gov.uk; Carrera 9 No 76-49, piso 8)

US Embassy (%1-275-2000; https://co.usembassy.gov/es; Carrera 45 No 24B-27)

Venezuelan Embassy (%1-644-5555; http://colombia.embajada.gob.ve; Carrera 11 No 87-51, edificio Horizonte, piso 5) Also in Barranquilla (%(5) 368-2207; www.barranquilla.consulado.gob.ve; Carrera 52 No 69-96; h8am-noon & 1:30-4pm Mon-Thu, 8am-noon Fri), Cartagena (%5-665-0382; Edificio Centro Executivo, Carrera 3 No 8-129, Piso 14), Cúcuta (%7-579-1951; http://cucuta.consulado.gob.ve; cnr Av Camilo Daza & Calle 17; h8-10am & 2-3pm Mon-Thu, 8-10am Fri) and Medellín (%4-444-0359; www.consulvenemedellin.org; Calle 32B No 69-59; h8-11:30am Mon-Fri).

Food

Colombians are blessed with a fertile country: fish and plantain on the coast; legions of delectable tropical fruit; coffee, chocolate and dairy in the mountains; and cheap, fresh vegetables and meat everywhere. The collective cuisine is known as comida criolla (Creole food).

While Colombian cuisine can’t boast the international recognition of Peru or the diversity of Brazil, it’s a truly wonderful place to eat.

Colombia offers high-standard, stomach-filling food at great prices. There are plenty of budget places serving meals for COP$12,000 or less. Lunch is the easiest: known as comida corriente (literally ‘fast food’ but used to mean a set lunch menu), a two-course meal will consist of soup followed by rice, beans, choice of meat, a token salad and a glass of tropical fruit juice. Midrange restaurants (COP$20,000 to COP$40,000) tend to be a step up in quality and service, and meals in top-end restaurants generally cost more than COP$40,000.

Don’t miss uniquely Colombian specialties ajiaco (an Andean chicken soup with corn, potato, cream and capers) and bandeja paisa (the ‘paisa platter’), a gut-busting mound of sausage, beans, rice, egg and arepa (ground corn cakes) – Colombia’s de facto national dish despite controversy that its prevalence rarely strays from Antioquia. On the streets nationwide you’ll find savory arepas of all ilk (with cheese, with ham and eggs, with chicken), mazamorra (a corn-based beverage), empanadas, and fresh-squeezed orange juice and fruit salads. Regional options include llapingachos (fried potato cakes with meat) and helado de paila (ice cream whipped in a copper tin) in Nariño, ceviche on the Caribbean coast, and tamales in Tolima and Huila. There’s also plenty for your sweet tooth: obleas con arequipe are thin wafers doused in milk caramel; and cuajada con melao is fresh cheese with melted jaggery.

In terms of fruit: zapote, nispero, lulo, uchuwa, borojo, curuba, mamoncillo. Confused? You will be. Don’t try and translate these fruits – they’re native to Colombia and you won’t find them in many other places in the world.

EATING PRICE RANGES

The following price ranges refer to the cost of main dishes for lunch and dinner.

$	less than COP$20,000
$$	COP$20,000–40,000
$$$	more than COP$40,000

Health

Most visitors travel to Colombia without incident, but there are certain medical conditions to be aware of and several things you can do to prevent sickness. Most illnesses are the result of Colombia’s tropical-zone location. If traveling anywhere along the coast or jungle, you can bank on little tropical nuisances – infected bug bites, rashes or heat exhaustion. Other, more dangerous afflictions, including malaria and yellow fever, can strike travelers who get further off the beaten track or spend a lot of time trekking through national parks.

Dengue fever and the newest mosquito-borne threat, chikungunya, which arrived in 2014 on Colombian shores, and zika, which hit the country hard in 2016, are a risk in lowland population centers although the epidemic has passed and not many cases are being reported at present. Other problems can occur in the mountains, including soroche (altitude sickness).

The good news is that Colombia has some of the best medical care in South America.

Environmental Hazards

Altitude sickness may develop in travelers who ascend rapidly to altitudes greater than 2500m, including those flying directly to Bogotá.

Health Insurance

AWhile health care in Colombia is fairly affordable, bills can add up, making it worth having a comprehensive insurance policy that includes evacuation.

AMost hospitals and clinics will ask for proof of insurance or a cash/credit card deposit before treating patients for non-life-threatening conditions.

AOften you will have to pay the bill yourself before claiming reimbursement from the insurance company.

AIf you plan on staying in the country Colombian health insurers offer monthly prepaid ‘medicina prepaga’ plans that are more comprehensive than the basic private health care in the country.

Insurance

AIdeally, all travelers should have a travel insurance policy, which will provide some security in the case of a medical emergency, or the loss or theft of money or belongings. It may seem an expensive luxury, but if you can’t afford a travel health insurance policy, you also probably can’t afford medical emergency charges abroad if something goes wrong.

AIf you need to make a claim on your travel insurance, you must produce a police report detailing loss or theft. You also need proof of the value of any items lost or stolen. Receipts are the best bet, so if you buy a camera for your trip, for example, hang on to the receipt.

AColombian law stipulates that in emergency situations hospitals must treat you, whether or not you can pay. If you don’t have the Spanish to insist on this right, you may have difficulty getting treatment.

AWorldwide travel insurance is available at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel-insurance. You can buy, extend and claim online anytime – even if you’re already on the road.

ORIENTATION

Colombian cities, towns and villages have traditionally been laid out on a grid plan. The streets running north–south are called Carreras, often abbreviated on maps to Cra, Cr or K, whereas those running east–west are called Calles, often labeled on local maps as Cll, Cl or C. This simple pattern may be complicated by diagonal streets, called either Diagonales (more east–west and thus like Calles), or Transversales (more like Carreras).

All streets are numbered and the numerical system of addresses is used. Each address consists of a series of numbers, eg Calle 6 No 12-35 (which means that it’s the building on Calle 6, 35m from the corner of Carrera 12 toward Carrera 13), or Carrera 11A No 7-17 (the house on Carrera 11A, 17m from the corner of Calle 7 toward Calle 8).

The system is very practical and you will soon become familiar with it. It is usually easy to find an address. It’s actually one of the most precise address systems in the world; if you have an address you can determine the location of the place with pinpoint accuracy.

In the larger cities the main streets are called Avenidas or Autopistas. They each have their own names and numbers, but are commonly known just by their numbers.

Cartagena’s old town is the only Colombian city where centuries-old street names have withstood the modern numbering system. Streets in some other cities (eg Medellín) have both names and numbers, but elsewhere only numbers are used.

Internet Access

AColombia is a wired country. Internet is everywhere and cheap – rarely more than COP$2500 per hour.

AIn smaller towns and more remote destinations, the government’s ambitious and heralded Plan Vive Digital has brought free wi-fi to almost everywhere. You can usually stop by the local library, park or cultural center to get online.

AAlmost all hostels and hotels offer wi-fi. Shopping centers often have free wi-fi and so do most restaurants and cafes. Major airports offer wi-fi although it’s usually very poor.

Language Courses

Universities and language schools in the larger cities run Spanish-language courses. It is generally cheaper and better value to arrange a private one-on-one tutor. Popular backpacker hotels are the best places to ask about independent teachers. Enrolling in a university course is useful if you want to extend your stay beyond the six months a tourist visa permits you.

Legal Matters

If arrested you have the right to an attorney. If you don’t have one, one will be appointed to you (and paid for by the government). There is a presumption of innocence and you can expect a speedy trial.

The most common legal situation that travelers find themselves in involves drugs. In 2012, Colombia’s Constitutional Court decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cocaine (one gram or less) and marijuana (20 grams or less) for personal use, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Although you cannot be criminally prosecuted, police may still give you a hard time and you may be ordered to receive physical or psychological treatment depending on your level of intoxication.

LGBTI Travelers

ACompared to some Latin American countries, homosexuality is well tolerated in Colombia (it was declared legal by the government in Bogotá in 1981).

AThere is a substantial gay undercurrent in the major cities and as long as you don’t broadcast the fact in public you are unlikely to be harassed.

AWith popular apps like Grindr for men, most contact is initiated online these days.

AIn 2011 Colombia’s Constitutional Court ordered Congress to pass legislation addressing same-sex marriage by June 2013; if they did not, the ruling dictated same-sex couples would automatically receive all marital rights from that date forward. Congress failed to act and Colombia’s first gay wedding was performed on July 24, 2013. Full legal rights were confirmed in 2016 when the country’s constitutional court ruled that the constitution required the state to process and recognize same-sex marriages.

AFor LBGTI-specific listings check the website www.guiagaycolombia.com.

GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ADVICE

Government websites with useful travel advisories:

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (%24hr consular assistance +61-2-6261-3305; www.smartraveller.gov.au)

British Foreign Office (%Foreign and Commonwealth Office/FCO +44-20-7008-1500; www.fco.gov.uk)

Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs (%Emergency Watch and Response Centre +1-613-996-8885; www.travel.gc.ca)

US State Department (%+1-888-407-4747; http://travel.state.gov)

Maps

AIt’s difficult to find detailed maps of Colombia outside the country itself. In the USA, Maps.com (www.maps.com) has an excellent supply of Colombian maps. A similarly extensive selection is available in the UK from Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk).

AWithin Colombia, folded road maps of the country are produced by various publishers and are distributed through bookstores. Of special note is the Movistar Guía de rutas, a Spanish-language guidebook to Colombia with excellent maps. You can buy it at any tollbooth (ask the bus driver beforehand to buy it for you), or from a handful of better bookstores.

AThe widest selection of maps of Colombia is produced and sold by the Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi (IGAC; map; %1-369-4000; www.igac.gov.co; Carrera 30 No 48-51), the government mapping body, which has its head office in Bogotá and branch offices in departmental capitals.

Money

AThe Colombian peso (COP$) is the unit of currency in Colombia.

AThere are paper notes of COP$1000, $2000, $5000, $10,000, $20,000 and $50,000. The coins you will use are primarily the COP$100, $200, $500 and $1000; the $50 is rarely seen outside of supermarkets, and some people may refuse to accept it.

ACounterfeit pesos are a major problem in Colombia and you’ll notice cashiers everywhere vigorously checking notes before completing transactions. While it is difficult for visitors to identify dud bills, if you are given one that is old, battered or just doesn’t seem right, hand it back and ask for another.

ATMs

AAlmost all major banks have ATMs, and they usually work fine with cards issued outside Colombia (Bancolombia being the ornery exception for some folks). Cash machines affiliated with Banco de Bogotá/ATH and BBVA are good bets.

AMost banks have a maximum cash withdrawal limit of COP$300,000 per transaction, but it varies. Bancolombia, Davivienda and Citibank allow double that from most branches. If you need more, just pull out twice, and be quick about it. The machines have very little tolerance for those that take their time navigating the menu – a second of hesitation and it cancels the transaction!

AIf you must use an ATM after dark, always use one inside a gas station or shopping mall. Some ATMs can be fussy if you do not have a chip-and-pin ATM card.

Credit Cards

ACredit cards are common in Colombia and used extensively in the major cities and larger towns. When paying with a credit card, you will be asked, ‘¿En cuantas cuotas?’ (How many payments?). Colombian customers can choose to divide the payment over one to 24 months. Foreign cardholders should just say ‘one.’

AThe most useful card for cash advances is Visa, as it’s accepted by most banks. MasterCard is less common but still processed by many banks. Other cards are of limited use.

AYou can get advance payments on cards from the cashier in the bank or from the bank’s ATM. In either case you’ll need your PIN.

International Transfers

AIf you need money sent to you quickly, MoneyGram (%1-800-269-4556; www.moneygram.com.co) and Western Union (www.colombia.westernunion.com) are your two principal options. MoneyGram is usually cheaper, and is what most overseas Colombians use to send remittances home to their families.

AYour sender pays the money, along with a fee, at their nearest MoneyGram or Western Union branch, and gives the details on who is to receive it and where. You can have the money within 15 minutes. When you pick it up, take along photo identification and the numbered password they’ll give the sender.

ABoth services have offices in all the major cities and most smaller towns.

Money changers

AYou are better off using your ATM card in Colombia, as you will get a much better exchange rate.

AThe US dollar is the only foreign currency worth trying to change in Colombia; expect dismal rates for euros, pounds sterling, Australian dollars etc.

AMany but not all banks change money; in major cities and in border regions there are usually several casas de cambio (currency exchanges).

AAvoid changing money on the street; some informal changers have fast fingers and often dodgy calculators.

AColombia is considered a leader in producing counterfeit banknotes, including US currenc,y which is worth noting if you are changing your pesos back at the end of a trip.

AYour passport is required for any banking transaction. You’ll also have to provide a thumbprint.

AThere’s a fair amount of paperwork involved in changing money (to prevent money laundering).

Tipping

Restaurants A government regulation dictates that in midrange and top-end restaurants (anywhere there is a service charge), your waiter must ask you if they can add the 10% service charge to the bill. In midrange restaurants it’s acceptable to decline to pay the service charge with a polite ‘sin servicio, por favor’ if you are dissatisfied. In top-end restaurants refusing the pay the service charge is likely to bring a manager to your table to inquire what was wrong with your meal.

Taxis Tipping in taxis is not commonplace but rounding up to the nearest 500 or 1000 pesos is quite normal.

PRACTICALITIES

Newspapers All major cities have daily newspapers. Bogotá’s leading newspaper, El Tiempo (www.eltiempo.com), has reasonable coverage of national and international news, culture, sports and economics; El Espectador (www.elespectador.com) is also good. The leading newspapers in other large cities include El Colombiano (www.elcolombiano.com) in Medellín, and El País (www.elpais.com.co) in Cali. Semana (www.semana.com) is the biggest national weekly magazine.

TV Colombia has plenty of national and local TV stations. Each region has its own TV station; Bogotá TV is dominated by City TV (www.citytv.com.co). Nationwide channels include Caracol TV (www.canalcaracol.com.co), RCN TV (www.canalrcn.com), and government-run Señal Colombia (www.senalcolombia.tv).

Online For English-language coverage of Colombian news and current affairs check out Colombia Reports (www.colombiareports.com).

Smoking Forbidden in public transport, enclosed spaces, including bars and restaurants, and workplaces. Some hotels have ventilated smoking zones although many are completely smoke free.

Weights & Measures Usually the metric system. Exceptions include petrol measured in US gallons, and fresh food often sold in libras (pounds).

Opening Hours

Banks 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, 9am to noon Saturday

Bars 6pm to around 3am

Cafes 8am to 10pm

Nightclubs 9pm until very late Thursday to Saturday

Restaurants Breakfast from 8am, lunch from noon, dinner until 9pm or 10pm

Shops 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 9am to noon or 5pm Saturday; some shops close for lunch

Post

AColombia’s official postal service is the terribly named 4-72 (www.4-72.com.co), which has turned the debilitating pension liabilities and inefficiency of Colombia’s former government postal service, Adpostal (shut down in 2006), into a profitable and efficient business.

AThere are also numerous private courier companies, including Avianca (www.aviancaexpress.com), Deprisa (%1-8000-519393; www.deprisa.com) and Servientrega (%Bogotá 1-770-0200; www.servientrega.com).

AIf you want to receive a package in Colombia, you have a choice. The sender can ship via a courier like DHL, which guarantees fast, dependable delivery, but also guarantees Colombian customs will open the box and charge often exorbitant duty. If you’re not hurried, have the package sent via regular airmail (four to eight weeks).

AIdentification is required to ship packages or letters from Colombia, so head to the post office with your passport.

Public Holidays

The following days are observed as public holidays in Colombia.

Año Nuevo (New Year’s Day) January 1

Los Reyes Magos (Epiphany) January 6*

San José (St Joseph) March 19*

Jueves Santo & Viernes Santo (Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) March/April (Easter). The following Monday is also a holiday.

Día del Trabajo (Labor Day) May 1

La Ascensión del Señor (Ascension) May*

Corpus Cristi (Corpus Christi) May/June*

Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Sacred Heart) June*

San Pedro y San Pablo (St Peter and St Paul) June 29*

Día de la Independencia (Independence Day) July 20

Batalla de Boyacá (Battle of Boyacá) August 7

La Asunción de Nuestra Señora (Assumption) August 15*

Día de la Raza (Discovery of America) October 12*

Todos los Santos (All Saints’ Day) November 1*

Independencia de Cartagena (Independence of Cartagena) November 11*

Inmaculada Concepción (Immaculate Conception) December 8

Navidad (Christmas Day) December 25

When the dates marked with an asterisk do not fall on a Monday, the holiday is moved to the following Monday to make a three-day long weekend, referred to as the puente (bridge).

SHOP TILL YOU DROP

Colombia is famous for everything from fat emeralds and colorful hammocks to beautiful La Chamba black-clay pottery cookware. Rich traditions and favorable prices mean you can pick up excellent, high-quality souvenirs that you won’t find buried in your closet a few years down the road.

Emeralds Mined chiefly from the Muzo area, emeralds are sold in in Bogotá at the flourishing emerald street market at the southwestern corner of Av Jiménez and Carrera 7 and nearby Plaza Rosario, where dozens of negociantes (traders) buy and sell stones – sometimes on the sidewalks.

Handicrafts Boyacá is the country’s largest handicraft manufacturer, with excellent handwoven items, basketry and pottery. The Pacific coast also has an interesting selection of basketwork, plus the occasional blow-dart gun. Guapi is famous for its musical instruments, especially handmade drums. You may also find some good handwrought gold jewelry here. If you don’t make it to the Pacific coast, the Parque Artesanías (map; Loma de la Cruz; h10am-8pm) in Cali is a good place to shop.

Woodwork Pasto is known for its woodwork – decorative items are covered with barniz de Pasto, a kind of vegetable resin. Ceramic miniatures of chivas (traditional buses) have become a popular souvenir.

Pottery La Chamba pottery and cookware, forged from black clay, is a speciality of Tolima and is as beautiful sitting on a fireplace mantel as a stove.

Hammocks These come in plenty of regional variations, from the simple, practical hammocks made in Los Llanos to the elaborate Wayuu-crafted chinchorros.

Ruanas Colombian woolen ponchos, known as ruanas, are found in the colder parts of the Andean zone. In many villages they are still made by hand with simple patterns and natural colors. Bogotá and Villa de Leyva are good places to buy them.

Mochilas The best and most fashionable mochilas (a kind of woven handbag) are the earthy-toned varieties of the Arhuaco from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the colorful offerings from the Wayuu in the Guajira. Authentic bags are not cheap, but are beautiful and usually of good quality.

Solo Travelers

ATravelers on their own are unlikely to have any problems traveling in Colombia. There are hostels in all major cities and many smaller locales, and you’ll often find yourself traveling with other foreigners you meet en route.

AIf you are going to remote regions unfrequented by or unused to foreign visitors, or if you’re concerned about security in general, traveling with a friend will certainly ease your mind, and may lessen the likelihood of street crime.

Telephone

The telephone system in Colombia is modern and works well for both domestic and international calls. Landlines are operated by different companies in different cities, many of which were once state entities that have been privatized.

Public telephones exist in cities and large towns, but they are few and far between, and most are out of order. In their place you’ll see shops, kiosks and street vendors selling ‘minutos’ or phone minutes on a bunch of mobile handsets. These vendors purchase prepaid minutes in bulk, and it is always cheaper to make calls with them than to use credit on your own handset. For this reason many Colombians use their handsets to receive calls only and use street vendors when they need to make calls. Rates oscillate between COP$150 and COP$400 a minute to call anywhere in the country.

Internet cafes almost always have a few cabinas (booths) where you can make both local and international calls for around a few hundred pesos a minute.

Cell Phones

Cell (mobile) phone and mobile data coverage is excellent. Most unlocked cell phones will work with a local SIM card.

Colombians love their cell phones, and in urban areas almost everyone has at least one. The three major providers are Claro (www.claro.com.co), Movistar (www.movistar.co) and Tigo (www.tigo.com.co). Claro has the best nationwide coverage, and is the most useful to the traveler. Cell phones are cheap, and many travelers end up purchasing one – a basic, no-frills handset will set you back around COP$130,000.

Alternatively you could bring your own cell phone from home and buy a Colombian SIM card which usually costs around COP$5000. You will need to take ID to buy a SIM from one of the companies; you can also buy them from third parties but eventually you’ll need to register with the company or risk having your handset blocked. Colombian cell-phone companies do not charge you to receive calls, only to make them.

Phone Codes

It is possible to call direct to just about anywhere in Colombia from any phone, but to dial a landline from a cell (mobile) phone, you’ll need to prefix the number with 03 + area code. Many landlines are barred from making calls to cell phones.

Landline phone numbers are seven digits countrywide, while cell-phone numbers are 10 digits. Area codes are single digits.

Colombia’s country code is 57. If you are dialing a Colombian landline number from abroad, add the single-digit area code and then dial the local number. Cell numbers have no area code and should be dialed directly after the country code.

Time

All of Colombia lies within the same time zone, five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). There is no daylight saving time.

Toilets

AThere are very few public toilets in Colombia. In their absence use a restaurant’s toilet. Museums and large shopping malls usually have public toilets, as do bus and airport terminals and some supermarkets.

AYou’ll often (but not always) find toilet paper in toilets, so it’s wise to carry some with you. Never flush toilet paper. The pipes are narrow and the water pressure is weak, so toilets can’t cope with paper. A wastebasket is normally provided.

AThe most common word for toilet is baño. Men’s toilets will usually bear a label saying señores, hombres or caballeros, while the women’s toilets will be marked señoras, mujeres or damas.

ABus-station restrooms will usually charge COP$800 to COP$1000 plus COP$200–300 for toilet paper.

Tourist Information

AAlmost all towns and cities that are frequented by tourists have a Punto Información Turística (PIT) – an information kiosk or office identifiable by the red ‘i’ logo. They’re often located near the central plaza as well as at transport terminals.

AColombia has a number of good regional and national websites offering information (sometimes in English) about what to do and where to stay.

AThe country’s principal portal is the excellent www.colombia.travel.

Travelers with Disabilities

Colombia is taking strides towards improving accessibility but remains a somewhat challenging destination for travelers with disabilities. Forward-thinking Medellín is perhaps the easiest place for travelers with reduced mobility followed by other major cities like Bogotá, Bucaramanga and Cali.

Sidewalks are often uneven and while more and more ramps are being added they are far from being universal. Motorists also are used to flying around corners without stopping for those crossing the road.

Many restaurants and hotels do not have ramps for visitors with impaired mobility. Large chain hotels are more likely to have accessible rooms – usually just a couple – and public areas. Larger shopping malls also usually have ramps and elevators.

Most major integrated public transport systems including the Transmilenio in Bogotá and the metro in Medellín have accessible stations and vehicles but overcrowding can make travel difficult and unpleasant. The majority of Colombia’s taxis are small hatchback vehicles that are not particularly easy to get in or out of and often have little space for wheelchairs or other bulky items.

Visas

Nationals of many countries, including Western Europe, the Americas, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, don’t need a visa. Otherwise, expect a small fee.

Visa Extensions

Migración Colombia (Centro Facilitador de Servicios Migratorios; www.migracioncolombia.gov.co; Calle 100 No 11B-27; h8am-4pm Mon-Fri) handles visa extensions for tourists via Centros Facilitadores de Servicios Migratorios offices around the country. Visitors on a tourist visa may extend up to an additional 90 days at the discretion of the officer. To apply for an extension, known as a ‘permiso temporal de permanencia,’ you’ll be asked to submit your passport, two photocopies of your passport (picture page and arrival stamp) and two passport-sized photos, along with an air ticket out of the country in most cases. The fee of COP$92,000 can be paid by debit or credit card at Migración Colombia offices.

If you’re paying in cash it must be deposited into the government bank account, which is often Banco de Occidente but depends on the city in which you are applying. Show up first to fill out forms, then they’ll direct you to a nearby bank to pay the fee.

You can also complete the process and pay online and once it’s approved pop into a Migración Colombia office to get the stamp.

If you apply for the extension in the office, expect the process to take an entire morning or afternoon. It can be done at any of the Centros Facilitadores de Servicios Migratorios offices in Colombia, which are present in all the main cities and some smaller towns (there’s is a list on the Migración Colombia website). You’ll usually get the extension on the spot.

Fines for overstaying range from half of to up to seven times the minimum salary (COP$737,717 as of 2017), depending on length of overstay.

Volunteering

Colombia offers a decent array of volunteering opportunities in education, the environment and social fields. Most major international volunteer boards have in-country listings.

One worthwhile local organization is Goals for Peace (www.goalsforpeace.com) in Bucaramanga where volunteers can help out giving English classes, sports training, arts and crafts workshops or with homework assistance.

While some hostels will offer travelers ‘volunteer’ positions in exchange for food and board this is technically illegal as it takes jobs away from Colombians.

Let’s Go Volunteer (%310-884-8041, 301-600-6049; www.letsgovolunteer.info; Carrera 5 sur No 22-40, Ibagué) A small, Colombian-based NGO that offers opportunities working with underprivileged children, women who want to leave prostitution, children living with HIV and the elderly. Costs range from one week (US$250) to one month (US$500) to three months (US$3500).

Techo (%in Chile +56-2-838-7300; www.techo.org) This Chilean-based, youth-led organization works to transform slums into empowered communities across 19 Latin American countries, including Colombia. Volunteers help build houses with families living in poverty.

Globalteer (%in UK 44-117-230-9998; www.globalteer.org) A registered UK charity which offers volunteer placements in Colombia working with children. Prices start from US$795.

Women Travelers

AWomen traveling in Colombia are unlikely to encounter any problems.

AThe usual caveats apply: bring your street smarts, don’t wander alone in dodgy neighborhoods after dark; keep an eye on your drink.

AFemale travelers are also more likely to be victims of a bag-snatching or mugging attempt, as you will be perceived as less likely to fight back.

AAlso be careful taking taxis alone after dark – while rare, there have been reports of taxi drivers raping single female passengers.

Work

AIn order to take part in any paid employment in Colombia it’s necessary to apply for the appropriate visa through Migración Colombia; your employer will need to sponsor the application which is more likely if you have formal qualifications and are willing to commit to a longer contract.

AThere is a growing demand for qualified English-language teachers in Colombia. Some schools may be willing to pay cash-in-hand for a short period of time, but for longer-term employment you will have to find a school willing to organize a work visa. Don’t expect to get rich teaching English: you’re unlikely to make more than a few million pesos a month, usually less.

AAs a general rule, the more popular the city is among travelers, the harder it will be to find employment.