Recommendations from a local who knows what’s cool in Bogotá.
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Colombia is on Colombia Standard Time. It’s GMT -5 hours, meaning that it’s 1 hour behind New York and 6 hours behind London. Without calculating for daylight savings.
US Citizens will need:
Visa not required:
Germany, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Bhutan, Canada, Czech Republic, Chile, Cyprus, Korea (Republic of), Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States of America, Estonia, Fiji, Philippines, Finland, France, Georgia, Grenada, Greece , Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro , Norway, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Dominican Republic, Romania, Russia (Federation of), San Cristobal and Snow, Samoa, San Marin or, Saint Lucia, Holy See, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Serbia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Holders of passports from Hong Kong , SARG China, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and Taiwan-China.
Visa Required:
Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Benin, Belarus, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau , Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lesotho, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Thailand, Tanzania, Tajikistan, East Timor, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
For more detailed info, check out Colombia Travel.
Travelers aged 18 and older must display proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test, taken 48 hours before traveling if antigen or 72 hours before traveling if PCR. Visitors must also complete Migración Colombia’s online Check-Mig form within 72 hours of boarding a plane flying into or out of Colombia.
Source: U.S. Embassy in Colombia
Landing in El Dorado Luis Carlos Galán Sarmiento International Airport (BOG), you’ll be situated 9 miles from Bogotá city center. Here are a few ways to get into the city:
TransMilenio/Airport Bus:
Yellow Taxi:
Private Car:
The Bogotá Metro system is not currently in place but is projected to be in operation in 2021. Here are a few things you should know about the other ways of getting around in Bogotá.
Colombia requires a few safety precautions to have a safe and enjoyable visit. Theft and scams are common in the country so it’s important to be vigilant and wary of your surroundings.
The emergency number in Colombia is 123.
Safety tips:
Don’t leave valuable possessions in your back pockets.
Don’t bring valuables with you.
Be vigilant in bustling, crowded places.
Avoid going anywhere remote alone.
Safety Tips for the Night-Owls:
Try to avoid taxis at night as taxi scams are quite common.
Travel in groups- especially if you are a solo female traveler.
Countries the U.S. government says not to travel to in Colombia: Arauca, Cauca, Chocó, Nariño and Norte de Santander Departments
The U.S. State Department has safety guidelines for most countries, if you would like their information click on the link: U.S. Gov Travel
Colombian climate is warm and tropical on the coast and in the north. However, there is a rainy season from May to November. The temperature varies little throughout the year due to Colombia’s proximity to the equator.
Spanish is the official language of Colombia. It is spoken by more than 99.2% of Colombians. However, it is important to note that the Spanish spoken in Colombia varies slightly from the Spanish in Spain and other-Spanish speaking countries. Other Spanish dialects are also spoken in certain regions of the country and English is considered an official language in some parts of Colombia.
Here’s a few basic words and phrases:
Hello: Hola
Thank you: Gracias
You’re welcome: De nada
Excuse me: Perdóneme
I’m sorry: Lo siento
Please: Por favor
Good morning: Buenos días
Goodnight: Buenas noches
My name is…: Me llamo…
Check, please: La cuenta por favor
I don’t understand: No entiendo
Do you speak English?: ¿Hablas inglés?
Where is…?: ¿Dónde está…?
Call the police: Llama la policía
Colombia has a rich history and culture and certain etiquette is looked upon favorably. These tips are helpful to avoid any misunderstandings with locals.
Social settings:
Wine and Dine:
Colombia’s unit of currency is the Colombian Peso (COP$). Approximately COP$ 3190.51 equates to USD $1.
Exchanging money is best done at the airports in Colombia. Most banks don’t exchange money unless it is an exchange money. It is recommended to not exchange money at ATMs on the streets.
Tipping! Restaurants typically include a service charge so tipping isn’t necessary. Always check the bill and you can always tip more for excellent service!
Colombia’s electricity outlets are compatible with U.S. type plugs. Electricity in Colombia run at 110 volts. Tourists from the US will therefore not be required to bring transformers. The outlets contain two vertical slots.
Your converter may look like this if it is the three prong version- however in some places it doesn’t include the top prong:
Drinking water straight from the faucet is safe to do in major Colombian cities like Bogota, Cartagena, Cali, Medellin. But in other cities it would be safest to buy bottled water.
Here’s how to get a SIM card in Colombia:
Uber is allowed in Bogotá- and it’s frequently used.
The next best option for transport would be the classic yellow taxi. Since there have been many taxi scams the safest bet would be to call the taxi service you want to use ahead of time.
Colombia is one of the most advanced Latin American countries when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. Consensual homosexual activity was decriminalized in 1981- making it an advanced country when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights legislation.
However, laws are one thing. Unfortunately, discrimination and harassment is still quite commonplace in Colombia. A record 109 LGBTQ+ people were murdered in 2017. For these reasons displays of affection are safer within private venues rather than public.
While recycling isn’t common in Colombia they are making strides to become more environmentally conscious. The Colombian Government’s most recent venture has been in renewable energy sources, like wind and solar power.
Must See Highlights for Eco-Travelers:
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