Americas · South America
🇨🇴 Colombia travel guide
Colonial towns, coffee hills & Caribbean coast.
- Currency
- $ COP
- Time
- UTC −5
- Emergency
- 123
Best places in Colombia
- Cartagena. Walled old city and Caribbean islands.
- Medellín. Comuna 13 graffiti tours and cable cars.
- Coffee Triangle. Salento, Cocora Valley and coffee farms.
- Tayrona Park. Jungle beaches.
Hidden places
- Ciudad Perdida. Multi-day trek to the Lost City.
- Caño Cristales. The “river of five colours” (June–Nov).
- Villa de Leyva. Colonial town with a huge plaza.
- Providencia. Quiet Caribbean island.
When to go
- Best time. December–March and July–August.
- Avoid. Heavy rain April–May and October–November in some regions.
- Festivals. Barranquilla Carnival (Feb), Medellín Flower Festival (Aug).
What you need
- Documents. Passport, Check-MIG form.
- Pack. Layers for Bogotá, light clothes for the coast.
- Health. Yellow fever advice for some parks.
- Apps. Uber, DiDi, Cabify.
The soul of Colombia
- Start somewhere unforgettable. Cartagena, Medellín, the Coffee Triangle, Bogotá and Tayrona.
- Choose your season. December–March is drier in many regions.
- Before you leave. Domestic flights save long mountain drives.
Visual money
- Currency · COP $. Colombian peso.
- A daily budget. Illustrative, per person: budget COP 150,000–250,000; comfortable COP 400,000–800,000.
- Paying locally. Cash for small shops; cards in cities. A 10% service charge is often suggested.
Arrival playbook
- Documents first. Complete Check-MIG before arrival and check visa rules.
- Your first ride. Use official airport taxis or ride apps.
- Get connected. Claro SIMs give the best coverage.
Street codes
- Don’t give papaya. A local saying: don’t make yourself an easy target.
- Greetings. Handshakes and friendly chats are normal.
- Respect history. Avoid joking about the drug trade.
Beyond the postcard
- Salento. Wax palms in the Cocora Valley.
- Guatapé. Climb El Peñón for lake views.
- Barichara. A quiet colonial village of stone streets.
Food dossier
- A few first plates. Bandeja paisa, arepas, ajiaco in Bogotá, fresh tropical fruit.
- Coffee. Visit a finca in the Coffee Triangle.
- Fruit. Try lulo, maracuyá and guanábana juices.
Scam shield
- Drugging. Never accept drinks or food from strangers.
- Dating apps. Meet only in busy public places.
- Taxis. Use apps at night.
Language cheat sheet
- Hello · Hola / Buenas. Thank you · Gracias. Please · Por favor.
- How much? · ¿Cuánto vale?. Water · Agua. Help · ¡Ayuda!
- “Con mucho gusto”. A warm “you’re welcome”.
Survival essentials
- Emergency · 123. National emergency line.
- Altitude. Bogotá sits at 2,600m.
- Power & time. 110V; sockets types A and B. UTC−5.
Your Colombia chapter
- A gentle first journey. Bogotá → Medellín → Coffee Triangle → Cartagena over 12 days.
- A different pace. Hike to the Lost City with a licensed guide.
- Before confirming. This is a starter guide, not live advice. Verify visas, prices, opening times and safety conditions with official sources.