COLOMBIA The Insiders' Guide Salsa the night away, explore Zone Cafetera, and soak up the Caribbean sun with our local insiders. Contents Barranquilla Carnival Overview Contents Colombia Overview 3 Cartagena and Surrounds 40 Bogota Top 10 experiences in Colombia 3 Must see and do 41 Climate and weather 7 Getting around 42 Language & Phrases 8 Outdoor activities 43 Where to stay 9 Nightlife 45 Getting around 11 One day itinerary 47 Cali Colombian cuisine 13 Cultural highlights 15 Medellin and Surrounds 49 Safety and kidnapping 18 Must see and do 50 Visa and vaccinations 21 Getting around 51 Cartagena Outdoor activities 52 Bogota and Surrounds 22 Nightlife 54 Must see and do 23 One day itinerary 56 Getting around 24 Outdoor activities 25 Greater Colombia 58 Medellin Nightlife 27 The Caribbean Coast 59 One day itinerary 29 The Pacific Coast 61 Zona Cafetera 63 Cali and Surrounds 31 Must see and do 32 Our Contributors 65 Colombia Greater Greater Getting around 33 See Our Other Guides 65 Outdoor activities 34 Get a Quote 66 Nightlife 36 One day itinerary 38 2 Welcome! Mysterious ruins obscured by ancient rainforests. Charming colonial towns with romantic, cobblestone alleyways. Authentic, hole-in the-wall venues hosting late- night salsa parties… Welcome to Colombia, where the only risk is wanting to stay. Contents Caribbean Coast Our Insiders’ Picks Cartagena of Colombia’s Top 10 Experiences Overview Immerse yourself in the Medellin Zona Cafetera Zona Grand adventures await in the central Pacific Coast Cafetera Bogota mountain corridors of Colombia. Cali Home to one of the friendliest and Bogota most admired cultural demographics – the Paisas – this region is known as the Colombian Coffee Axis, or the Eje Cafetero. Discover some of the best gourmet Cali coffee shops, fine dining, and a variety of hotels, hostels, and country villas for rent in the region’s capital of Pereira. Breathe in the mountain air in the Cartagena outlying areas of Pereira. Here, you’ll also find bird-watching parks, hiking La Ciudad Perdida and mountain-biking trails, camping grounds, waterfalls, and even an exotic garden that's home to over 40,000 Medellin species of plants and lizards. Trek the Lost City or La Ciudad Perdida This four-to-six-day trek takes you Colombia Greater Greater through the jungles of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and into a place of myth and legend. Built by the Tayrona indigenous tribe 3 some 65 years before Machu Picchu, this 3,000sqm “lost city” of mysterious stone terraces is only accessible by a 1,200-step mossy stone stairway from the Buritaca river. Known as Teyuna to the local people, the architectural style here is unique. Only a few are said to understand the Contents meaning behind its complex plans and many believe the jungle still hides another 9,000sqm of unexplored structures in thick growth. Overview Salsa the night away in Cali Music and dance are a huge part of Colombian culture, and Cali certainly Cartagena flaunts its title of “Salsa Capital of the World” with aplomb. Bogota Attracting the finest movers sample the seasonal offerings of the and burgeoning stars, Tin Tin Deo’s roving fruit vendors. reputation spans the entire country. At sunset, At sunset, climb up to the western This diminutive second-floor club, its climb up to sea-facing wall and watch the sun walls emblazoned with salsa icons, the western setting over the Caribbean. Cali comes alive on weekends. sea-facing Afterwards, take the main road and La Topa Tolondra is another popular wall of walk towards Getsemaní. The former club: it’s relaxed, informal, and open Catagena's slave quarter has been transformed virtually every day of the week, making old town into Cartagena’s most charming and Cartagena it especially popular with travelers. and watch authentic neighborhood – a place the sun where seasoned travelers mingle with Explore Old Town setting young backpackers and locals. Cartagena and Getsemaní over the Packed with dozens of the city’s Home to many of Cartagena’s most hippest cafes, bars, and hotels, it’s Caribbean. Medellin iconic architectural gems and historic home to the some of the city’s best sites is the exquisitely preserved Old nightlife options, and the rumba goes Town. well into the morning. Highlights here include the large Plaza de la Aduana – Cartagena’s oldest Experience true Afro- Colombia Greater Greater plaza – and the Plaza San Pedro Clave. Colombian culture in La Both are perfect spots to grab a cup of Boquilla Fishing Village Colombian coffee (or a hot-chocolate- La Boquilla is located on the outskirts and-cheese) at the outdoor cafes and of northern Cartagena on the 4 Amazon River ruins of Pueblito – a once-thriving community of the Tayrona tribe. Here, Splash in the the remains of more than 500 dwellings refreshing were discovered, estimated to have waters of been home to 4,000 people at one point in history. the Pance If you’re looking to enjoy a piece River, which of the Caribbean good life, head to originates Contents Cabo San Juan. This idyllic beach is a high in the hotspot for social young travelers. With Farallones Gregg Bleakney Gregg a relaxed, easy-going atmosphere, get de Cali. ready to make new friends over beers Caribbean coast, and has remained at the beach bar, or fall asleep to the Overview relatively untouched by tourism. sounds of the ocean breeze while on an Inhabited by Afro-Colombian ethnic aerial hammock. groups, the beaches here are lined with palm-thatched huts. Arrive at sunrise Be part of the crowd at a and spend time with local fishermen as football match Bogota they cast their nets into the water, and No trip to Colombia would be complete watch as they prepare their catch of the without experiencing the country’s day for sale. national pastime: football. Uniting If you prefer a sleep-in, there are a Colombians across the nation, the variety of other activities to further sight of red or yellow t-shirts, people Cali explore the village and culture, too. Canoe tours through mangrove Tayrona swamps, bird watching, bathing in medicinal volcanic mud, watching Cartagena a traditional dance, and, of course, learning about fishing from the locals are all on the agenda. Hike through Tayrona Medellin National Natural Park Revel in a natural park where tropical forests embrace the Caribbean Sea. This serene paradise is home to at least 56 endangered species, but most stay Colombia Greater Greater out of sight, leaving you in a cacophony of monkey shrieks and bird songs. For the fit and adventurous, enter via Calabazo and climb to the pre-Hispanic 5 leaving work early, and shops closing at Colombian Currency noon are all signs that a soccer match The currency in Colombia is the is on that day. The largest stadium is El Colombian Peso (COP$), which Metropolitano in Barranquilla – home can be withdrawn from all ATMs. ground of Colombia’s national soccer Colombia is still very much a cash economy. team. Grab the face paint and don’t Although most hotels and tour companies will miss a chance to experience the electric accept credit cards, many smaller shops and restaurants won't, so always carry some cash. energy of a soccer match here. Contents Tipping is not usually expected, but fancier places will add a discretionary 10% service charge onto your bill. Some places will Surf, dive, and relax on ask if you’d like to include service in your bill. Guachalito Beach Bargaining in markets is common, but aggressive tactics are not If you’re looking for something a welcome. Always haggle with a smile. little more slow-paced, don’t miss the The most common scams involve fake banknotes. The best way Overview to identify a real note is to hold it up to the light and check for a stunning Guachalito Beach, an hour by watermark of the person depicted on the note. boat from Nuquí on the Pacific coast. This isolated beach, fringed with verdant jungle, has several For great views of Medellín, take a guesthouses, as well as some of the cable car ride to Santo Domingo Savio Bogota best humpback whale-watching and Revel in Library Park, which sits on the eastern ecotourism in the region. a natural mountain slopes. Divers of all abilities will be spoilt park where with an abundant kaleidoscope of tropical Spend a day of adventure marine life, warm tropical waters, and a forests in Pance River Cali wide range of diving conditions here. embrace the Splash in the refreshing waters of the If you’ve always wanted to try Caribbean Pance River, which originates high in the surfing, the mild currents here are Sea. Farallones de Cali, or go running, biking, perfect for beginners, too. or hiking through the surrounding Cartagena mountains. Marvel at a city’s rebirth in This little gem is 25min from Cali, so Medellin’s library parks avoid the weekends if you want some Dotted throughout Medellín, you'll find peace and quiet. several library parks – each with their For a “fresher” experience, head up Medellin own style and architectural personality. the river, where you’ll encounter an ice- Built between 2008 and 2010 with cold waterfall that crashes down into a support from the Spanish government, natural pool. and strategically placed within the You can also walk all the way up to city’s most marginalized communities, Pance Village, where the locals like to Colombia Greater Greater these parks played an instrumental bring their pots and pans on weekends role in transforming public spaces into and make a fire to cook sancocho – a safe, accessible, and inclusive parks for chicken and vegetable soup – for a everyone.