Please review this travel guide on www.amazon.com Submit additional suggestions or comments to [email protected] Businesses in Colombia are constantly evolving, please send us any new information on prices, closures and any other changes to help us update our information in a timely manner. [email protected] Written and researched by Justin Cohen Copyright ©2013 by Explore Travel Guides Colombia ISBN – 978-958-44-8071-2 Map and book design by Blackline Publicidad EU Bogotá, Colombia This travel guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. You are free: to share, to copy, distribute and transmit this work. Distributed by Explore Travel Guides Colombia www.gotocolombia.com [email protected] CONTENTS General Information ............................................................................. 17 Colombia Websites for Travelers .............................................................. 48 Activities in Colombia ............................................................................. 59 A Brief History of Colombia ..................................................................... 64 Bogotá .................................................................................................. 89 Outside of Bogotá ................................................................................ 153 Suesca............................................................................................. 153 Guatavita ........................................................................................ 154 Parque Natural Chicaque ................................................................. 157 North Coast ......................................................................................... 159 Cartagena ....................................................................................... 161 Tolú ................................................................................................. 194 Santa Cruz De Mompox ................................................................... 201 Barranquilla .................................................................................... 207 Santa Marta ..................................................................................... 222 El Rodadero..................................................................................... 239 Minca.............................................................................................. 244 Parque Tayrona ............................................................................... 250 Taganga ........................................................................................... 257 Outside of Santa Marta .................................................................. 275 Riohacha ......................................................................................... 278 Cabo De La Vela ............................................................................... 288 Valledupar....................................................................................... 291 Other Popular Destinations in Colombia ............................................. 305 Motorcycling....................................................................................... 312 English – Spanish Dictionary ............................................................... 317 GENERAL INFORMATION 17 GENERAL INFORMATION This book is intended to be a resource to help plan your lodging, activity, restaurant, nightlife and transportation choices while visiting Bogotá and the North Coast of Colombia. PRICES The prices have been broken down into three categories for both accommodations and restaurants. All prices used in this book are in Colombian pesos (COP). Accommodations Budget = Under 30,000 COP per night Mid-Range = Between 30,001 COP and 80,000 COP per night Expensive = More than 80,001 COP per night Restaurants Budget = Under 15,000 COP for a meal and a drink Mid-Range = Between 15,001 COP and 25,000 COP for a meal/drink Expensive = Over 25,001 COP for a meal and drink 18 GENERAL INFORMATION CLIMATE There are climate charts in Celsius and Fahrenheit throughout the book for larger cities that have airport weather reporting systems. The weather in Colombia varies according to each region. Although Bogotá is almost always cold and rainy, the sun does show itself, especially from mid-December through January. It's recommended to pack a rain coat, sweatshirt and other mountain weather clothing. People respond to weather differently. If you don't react well to cold weather, its best to bring gloves and a warm hat. The North Coast's climate is extremely hot. It's recommended to pack clothing that you can breathe in. It rains on the coast all year, but especially in September and October. August and November also see frequent rainfall. The rain will come and go, but the rainy season can have an effect on people's vacation times. If you're looking for a pure beach experience, it's best to plan your time on the coast in a careful manner. Medellín and Bucaramanga have the most pleasant climates. Medellín has even earned the nickname "the City of Eternal Spring". If you're looking for prototypical perfect weather these two locations are recommended. The Coffee Region is pleasant, but it has mountain-like weather conditions. Its best to come prepared when visiting these areas. Cali has hot weather, but not as hot as the coast. GENERAL INFORMATION 19 CLOTHES Packing for Colombia is not an easy task. With the drastically different climates a person must choose their clothing choices wisely. It's highly recommended that you bring the following items for your stay. All of Colombia Raincoat and pants A pair of pants Long sleeve shirt with collar (men) Broken in hiking boots or reliable shoes to walk in For men with large feet, an extra pair of shoes, as they can be hard to find For Bogotá (depending on your cold tolerance) Hat Gloves Heavy sweatshirt or sweater For the North Coast Bathing suit Sandals or flip-flops Light weather clothing For Nights on the Town When you go out you will want to look nice. Colombians are excellent dressers and fashion is important. For men a collared shirt and pants are essential. Most places you can wear jeans, but if you're going to a club, a nice outfit from head to toe is recommended. Women can adhere to their own style, but making an effort is essential. You should expect more attention from people based on the fact that you're a foreigner. Like most places in the world the way you dress has a huge impact on your first impression. 20 GENERAL INFORMATION Buying Clothing You can find all the clothing that you forgot to bring with you anywhere in Colombia. Some items may be more expensive, but if you take your time you can find what you need at reasonable prices. Laundry It's also best to remember the length of your trip and your laundry requirements. Most hostels or hotels have a service to do laundry. It can be costly in certain parts of the country. You must think of your clothes situation deeply as having the proper clean clothing takes effort and planning. FOOD Eating in Colombia is an experience in itself. On the coast, fish-based meals are common and easy to find. Colombian meals are large and usually include soup, a meat dish, and a few sides. They are usually more on the un-healthy side. Vegetarian restaurants can be found, but they are not common. If you take the time, you can find acceptable meals by dining in restaurants, on the street and purchasing food from grocery stores. Restaurants Different types of food can be found all over Colombia. International menus are common alongside Colombian food. Chicken, meat and fish are the core items on the menu. Streets Cheap meals can be found on all Colombian streets. Fast food such as hotdogs, hamburgers, pizza and other common junk food are available in all cities. Colombian hand-held snacks such as arepas and empanadas can be found all over the country. It's HIGHLY recommended NOT to eat from street vendors unless you've been traveling in Latin America for an extended period of time. Your body needs to adjust and eating vendor food is the fastest way to ruin your GENERAL INFORMATION 21 vacation. Even seasoned travelers get sick when eating off the street. Please be careful. Grocery Stores There are major chains of grocery stores in big and mid-sized cities. You can find a great variety of products that allows you to cook at your hostel and put together meals with different items. Many backpackers in Colombia save money by cooking their favorite meals in their hostel. Fruit Colombia is a fruit lovers paradise. Smoothies and fruit drinks are very popular. You can find fruits in restaurants, stores and in the street. Vegetables Vegetables can be found all over Colombia, but not with the same variety as fruit. It's hard to find a good salad, but it is possible. Vegetable lovers need to make an effort to get their daily intake, but it's not an impossible task. One should be careful about how well-washed the vegetables are before ordering salad - cooked vegetables are more reliable. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES Embassies are located in Bogotá and many countries maintain consulates throughout Colombia in other major cities. Please consult the following website below for your home country. Please check if the information is correct before coming to Colombia. It's important to understand your country's level of assistance if you run into a problem. Most embassies encourage you to register