Why your next vacation should be in Colombia
Keep these tips in mind to make the most out of your trip to enjoy the sunshine, birds and more
Where: Colombia When to go: June-September and December-February, for consecutive days of sunshine.
Why to go: Colombia is the only South American country with coastlines on the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It also has the world’s highest number of bird species, clocking in at nearly 2,000.
Logistics: El Dorado International Airport in Bogota is the main airport and offers the most frequent service from the United States. International passengers can also fly into Medellin, Cartagena, Pereira and Cali but will likely have to connect in Bogota.
Money: The currency is the Colombian peso. The bigger cities accept credit cards, but you will need cash in smaller towns. ATMs are pervasive in the more populated areas, but be careful of scammers. Paperwork: No tourist visa is required for stays of 90 days or less. Language: You should learn some basic Spanish phrases to get around (see Reading List, below), but you will typically find English speakers in more tourist areas, such as Cartagena and Bogota.
Health: The U.S. Embassy in Colombia recommends travellers between the ages of 1 and 60
receive a yellow fever vaccine at least 10 days before travelling to high-risk spots; some airlines and national parks may request proof of vaccination. Tap water is safe to drink in the Barranquilla, Cartagena and Santa Marta areas and major cities. In more rural environments, use a water filtration system or buy bottled water. Prevailing myth: As soon as you leave the airport, you will be kidnapped, mugged or murdered, or will bump into a cocaine dealer. The reality: Security has significantly improved since the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a peace accord in 2016. Nearly 3.8 million people visited in 2018, a 1.6 million increase from 2012. Itinerary for first-timers:
Start with the cities: Bogota, known as the Athens of South America, and Cartagena, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the Caribbean coast. And, of course, when in Colombia, you must drink coffee. Sip it straight from the source in the Coffee Triangle, the coffee production region in Pereira, Manizales and Armenia departments.
Eat this: Bandeja paisa, a traditional lunch of rice, beans, fried egg, avocado, pig belly, beef and chorizo; the Pacific and Andean cuisines in Popayan, UNESCO’s first Creative City of Gastronomy; and West Africaninfluenced dishes of the Palenque
people in San Basilio de Palenque, the first free-slave town in the Americas.
Reading list: “My Cocaine Museum,” by Michael Taussig; “Colombia a Comedy of Errors,” by Victoria Kellaway and
Sergio J. Lievano; “The Robber of Memories,” by Michael Jacobs; and “Colombian Spanish: Phrases, Expressions and Tips to Help You Speak Like a Local,” by Peter Low.
Cultural sensitivities: Use the correct vowel: It’s Colombia, not Columbia. Don’t crack jokes about Pablo Escobar.
Souvenirs: Coffee; sombrero vueltiao, the palm hats that are a national symbol; and Wayuu bags, or mochila.