Must sees in Colombia.... (country, safe, dangerous, place) - Americas - City-Data Forum

klmrocks · 03-21-2016, 11:51 AM

Okay I am very close to booking a flight to head to Colombia in late April/ early May OR October.

If going to Colombia what do you think would be must see's and must do's? Ex Don't leave the country before seeing, trying or doing this? I think I could spend years in Colombia and not see as much as I might want to so I got to narrow it down. Anyone know of any festivals or events in either of these times frames that I should check out? I am only going to be there for a week. The cities/areas I am likely visiting are going to be 1 to 3 of the following Bogota, Cartagena and La Guajira maybe if I can figure outa way to get there and back fast (it is a streach, but I want to see the Mosque). Stupid general note Colombia is pretty big ... the world map is really not to scale as on papper these places seem much closer to together and take like 7 hours plus to drive to from each other!

Also anthing I should know ahead of time to absolutely NOT do to not get in to trouble ex cultural, social or political taboos I should be aware of.

The person I am going with is trying to push going to Brazil or Peru instead (He has got to be out of his mind if he thinks I am climbing anywhere to get to machu picchu because I do not do sleeping outside and potentially getting knock off a moutain by falling rocks

... if I am climbing up anything for that many hours they better be handing out desginer bags, have a spa and 5 star resort at the top

)!

Any ideas or suggestions will be greatly apprecited ex airlines and train names and stuff like that.

Thanks in advance.

Vacanegro · 03-22-2016, 09:51 AM

You don't sound like an adventure traveler.

I only know a few places in Colombia but I would certainly recommend Bogota and Cartegena (old town). There are at least 3 days worth of sites in Bogota and 3 or 4 in Cartegena. Note that speaking some Spanish is very useful in Colombia. As a tourist you will stand out.

As far as compared to Brasil or Peru. Peru in particular is a much better tourist destination than Colombia - as far as facilities, sights, food, music, shopping, much more to do in Peru (Lima or Cusco). Not to say Colombia does not have things to see but it, in general, is much less tourist friendly. Forget Brazil, you need visa, it is logistically challenging (like the US) and is a huge country that also happens to be dangerous.

klmrocks · 03-22-2016, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vacanegro

You don't sound like an adventure traveler.

I only know a few places in Colombia but I would certainly recommend Bogota and Cartegena (old town). There are at least 3 days worth of sites in Bogota and 3 or 4 in Cartegena. Note that speaking some Spanish is very useful in Colombia. As a tourist you will stand out.

As far as compared to Brasil or Peru. Peru in particular is a much better tourist destination than Colombia - as far as facilities, sights, food, music, shopping, much more to do in Peru (Lima or Cusco). Not to say Colombia does not have things to see but it, in general, is much less tourist friendly. Forget Brazil, you need visa, it is logistically challenging (like the US) and is a huge country that also happens to be dangerous.

What??? I am Canadian??? Seriously as I usually almost never have to get visa .. I forgot to get in to that. Worse case it is the ones you get when you land there ex give them move they let you come in their country and put a pretty stamp on your past port. I can only stay nonsense in Spanish, but can pass for Hispanic so I think it actually gets me in more trouble as people just start talking to me and I have this stupid look on my face while I am debating at what point I should tell them I don't really know what they are saying

. Most of the Spanish I recognize now comes from music ... so I am pretty sure reciting some vocabulary form the latest Reggetaon songs in rotation on my iphone will like get me in to trouble. Hopefully people will just assume I am shy when I provide my one word responses

.

You are starting to make we wonder if I am pushing my luck going to 2 cities in one trip. I want to go to Peru and Brazil, but Colombia first. I have done rougher travel, but frankly I really do not get why on my vacation after paying my hard earned money to be somewher I want to bust my butt trying to climb up a moutain/hill to see something and come home feeling completely wipped out? I have done the whole sleeping on the streets, trains, buses and on the deck of boats in my 20s. Now in my 30s my evaluations skills are a lot stronger and if I am going to do something risky ... the risk better be worth taking. I'll do adventure only with the perks ex. no running water or I need to sleep on the floor outside ... not really strong selling points for me. I don't go camping in my own country so I don't imagine I would love it anywhere else. I am not looking for an adventure off the beaten path. If I do want to see something in that respect I want to get there and get out after a few hours. I am more in to city adventures

!

Mr.Falcon · 03-22-2016, 01:15 PM

It is always important to inform yourself about the necessary documentation, as well as vaccines, to go to an international travel.

Mr.Falcon · 03-22-2016, 01:19 PM

Colombia for exemple

VACCINATION
You must be vaccinated against yellow fever at least 15 days before departure to these departments:
Santander, Norte de Santander, Bolivar, Boyaca, Huila, Arauca, Caquetá, Casanare, Cesar, Guainía, Guaviare, La Guajira, Meta, Putumayo, Vichada, Amazonas and Vaupés., The vaccine is not suitable for people with HIV, pregnant women and children under 6 months of age, among others. To visit nature parks or wilderness areas other vaccines, such as tetanus and hepatitis A and B are also recommended. Visitors from countries offering a dengue vaccine should have it applied before traveling if visiting sites below 1,800 m.

MEDICAL CARE AND PURCHASE OF MEDICINES
Those wishing to visit Colombia should buy travel insurance giving them medical and emergency hospital care coverage. As regards medication and prescription drugs, these can be obtained without restriction in drugstores and pharmacies. You should verify that the package has the date of expiry and price printed on it.

WATER CONSUMPTION
Tap water is only safe to drink and use for cooking in Bogota. Other capital cities have very good water supply services, with water that can be used for bathing. In rural areas and small towns it is advisable to buy bottled water or in treatment plants.

http://www.colombia.travel/en/practi...nd-vaccination

klmrocks · 03-22-2016, 02:49 PM

Oh my god .....

! What a pain. I have travel insurance. Talk about taking one step forward and like 20 backwards. You know I did not have all this potentail drama when I was going to Panama. It was simple pay for package, show up at airport, do the travel and customes thing and have fun... no other monkey business. Thanks for the reminder though. I almost got in trouble by customers when coming back home from Florida. I ticketed off that I was not bringning in any fruits, nuts ... on my customers card and forgot I had a bag of walnuts in view when handing the customers officer my customes declaration. I was scolded, yet forgiven and I got to keep my walnuts

!

Pueblofuerte · 03-22-2016, 05:08 PM

Mr. Falcon doesn't know what he's talking about, he's never even been to Colombia. No vaccination is required to any destination within Colombia, even the depths of the Amazon! It's advised as it is with any tropical destination but in no way shape or form is it a requirement.

However, Canadians do have to pay for a visa on arrival as I mentioned in the Bogota thread. It was only introduced a year ago because Canada walloped a tax on Colombians visiting Canada. So be prepared to fork out another $60 US dollars on arrival.

As for must sees, you only have a week so I suggest Cartagena 2 days, Santa Marta 3 days and Bogota 2 days. Forget about visiting the Mosque, it's in a small city close to the Venezuelan border and there's spill-over from the troubles there plus Colombian traffickers taking advantage of Venezuelan lawlessness to transport drugs. It's bandit country and not a place a tourist should find themselves. Northern Guajira is nice and some adventure tourists do go there but as you saw from my other thread it's a desert owned by the indigenous Wayuu, so zero hotels and only hammocks in the open air which doesn't seem like your cup of tea. It's also pretty far and requires 3 days across dirt roads.

VivaColombia is a budget airline where you can fly direct from Santa Marta to Bogota. If you prefer a regular airline then Avianca http://www.avianca.com/es-co/ or LAN. I gave you the Colombian Avianca site in pesos as flights tend to be cheaper than the international dollar site.

Also practically all major cities have potable drinking water from the tap, including Cartagena. However, the water in Cartagena is heavily treated at the Loma Marrion plant so doesn't taste very nice. Water in Bogota tastes sublime as it comes straight from the Paramos and high altitude lakes.

Mr.Falcon · 03-22-2016, 06:16 PM

I'm not "talking", I just pasted the requirements of the oficial travel department. Obviously he must confirm in the Colombian Consulate all the information before issue his ticket.

Pueblofuerte · 03-23-2016, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Falcon

I'm not "talking", I just pasted the requirements of the oficial travel department. Obviously he must confirm in the Colombian Consulate all the information before issue his ticket.

Well that is very careless/OTT of the national tourism agency because none of these things are implemented. As with most official bodies they're over the top so as to not be liable for any responsibility.

But the OP can check on tripadvisor where thousands of people have been to Colombia. vaccination is not required and the risk of yellow fever is just as possible in Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Panama and Trinidad as it is in Cartagena. However, it won't hurt to get the vaccine, it lasts at least 10 years and I'm always for preventative measures even though in my more than 10 visits to Colombia I've never had the vaccine, I really should get it done though.

Astral_Weeks · 03-23-2016, 04:30 AM

OP: I am from the U.S.A. and I have been a "tourist" in Colombia two times. No vaccination required and for those with a U.S. passport, no visa required. But $60 U.S. Dollars is cheap for a visa.

I highly recommend Colombia: 1) Cartagena; 2) Medellin; 3) Santa Marta/Parque Tayrona. And a fringe benefit if you are a single guy, the women in Colombia are fantastic and mostly friendly to North American tourists. I am talking about "normal" women in Colombia, not "professionals"....

I do suggest having a decent amount of Spanish under your belt if you are going alone. I have a decent command of basic Spanish (not fluent). Colombia is far from the U.S. border, it is not like Mexico where English is more common.

Brazil is great too.