Kolumbija - Colombia

Ne treba se miješati sa Kolumbija, koja se mogu odnositi na brojna mjesta osim zemlje u Južnoj Americi.

Kolumbija zauzima sjeverozapadni kut Južne Amerike. Ima područje dvostruko veće od Francuske i gotovo dva puta Teksasa, s dugim obalama na Karibi i Tihi ocean, planinska područja i Amazon područja džungle u unutrašnjosti. Etničke skupine i kulture su raznolike. Zemlja ima što ponuditi gotovo svakom putniku.

Odaberite klimu i ona je vaša - ako vam vrijeme hladne jakne u Bogoti padne hladno, vozite se sat vremena planinama i sunčajte pored bazena unajmljene haciende. Ako ne želite mirno sjediti, krenite prema Amazoniji ili bilo kojoj drugoj mnogobrojnoj unutrašnjosti džungle, snježnim vulkanima, stjenovitim pustinjama, beskrajnim ravnicama, bujnim dolinama, kava plantaže, planinska jezera, puste plaže.

Što se tiče kulture, intelektualna Bogota mogla bi voditi ostatak Latinske Amerike u eksperimentalnom kazalištu, indie-rocku i broju knjižara, ali mogli biste steći i potpuno strano obrazovanje na amazonskom jeziku malocca, ili biste mogli zaroniti u ogromnu latino glazbenu scenu salsa i cumbia, a najuzbudljiviji plesni prikaz bio je ogromni Karneval iz Barranquilla.

Po povijesti lutajte uskim ulicama Južna Amerikaizvorni glavni grad u Bogoti, pogledajte stara španjolska kolonijalna provincijska povlačenja poput Villa de Leyva, prođite kroz guste planine sjeveroistoka prekrivene džunglom do Izgubljeni grad Indijanaca Tayrona i šetaju zidinama Cartagenabolno lijep stari grad koji gleda na utvrđeni bedem na kojem se okretala kolonijalna povijest Južne Amerike.

Za noćni život, vruće Cali današnja je svjetska prijestolnica salse, tvrdeći da se razlikuje od ostalih živahnih kolumbijskih prizora velikih gradova, koji glazbu zadržavaju dugo u malim jutarnjim satima. Hipstersko igralište nalazi se oko četvrti El Poblado u Medellín u centru grada.

Za blagovanje ćete pronaći sve, od sveprisutnih jeftinih, ukusnih kolumbijskih obroka u domaćem stilu do vrhunskih i modernih kulinarskih umjetnosti u velikim gradovima, s predstavljenim kuhinjama iz svih krajeva svijeta.

A za opuštanje postoje prekrasne tropske plaže duž Kolumbije Karibi i Pacifički obale, ali još opuštenija i mirnija utočišta možete pronaći na idiličnom i netaknutom karipskom otoku Providencia.

Političko nasilje znatno je splasnulo u većini zemlje i pametni su putnici već hrlili ovamo iz cijelog svijeta - dođite prije nego što se svi ostali uhvate!

Regije

Gradovi

• 4.6126388888889-74.07051 Bogota - glavni grad, kozmopolitski grad visok 3 km (dvije milje), s oko osam milijuna ljudi koji se prostiru prema andskim planinama, gdje ćete pronaći izvrsne muzeje, blagovaonice svjetske klase i većinu svega što se želi od velikog grada.
• 10.963888888889-74.7963888888892 Barranquilla - Zlatna luka i četvrti najveći grad u državi nije nužno toliko uzbudljiv veći dio godine, ali njegov je karneval drugi po veličini na svijetu nakon Rio de Janeiroi nevjerojatno je kulturno iskustvo i jedna zabava!
• 3.44-76.5197222222223 Cali - Kolumbijski treći grad po veličini, poznat kao glavni grad salse Latinska Amerika.
• 10.423611111111-75.5252777777784 Cartagena - Herojski grad, glavni grad departmana Bolívar, kolumbijski je turistički grad par excellence. Kolonijalna arhitektura i neboderi mogu se zajedno vidjeti u ovom gradu koji nudi jedinstveno iskustvo festivala, povijesnih atrakcija, restorana i hotela.
• 5.0661111111111-75.4847222222225 Manizales - središte Zona Cafetera nudi priliku da posjetite Nacionalni park Los Nevados i proživite iskustvo plantaže kave.
• 6.2447472222222-75.5748277777786 Medellín - Grad vječnog proljeća i glavni grad odjela Antioquia poznat je po velikoj tekstilnoj industriji koja proizvodi odjeću vrhunske kvalitete koja se šalje po cijelom svijetu. To je ujedno i rodno mjesto majstora slikara Fernanda Boteroa, tako da se u njemu nalazi velika većina njegovih djela.
• 4.8142777777778-75.6945583333337 Pereira - ljupki grad, glavni grad odjela Risaralda i glavni grad regije kave - moderan, komercijalan i turistički. Ovdje su poznati spomenik "golog Bolívara" i zoološki vrt Matecaña. U neposrednoj blizini izvora vruće vode Santa Rosa i Nacionalnog parka "Los Nevados".
• 2.4411-76.60618 Popayán - ovaj prekrasan, bijelo opran grad je vjersko središte Kolumbije. Dom drugog najvećeg uskršnjeg festivala na svijetu (nakon Seville, Španjolska), ovaj je grad pridonio više kolumbijskih predsjednika nego bilo koji drugi. Omeđen Nacionalnim parkom Puracé i ulazom u arheološka nalazišta San Agustín i Tierra Dentro u obližnjoj Huilli.
• 11.236111111111-74.2016666666679 Santa Marta - popularna baza za avanturistički turizam u prelijepim predjelima i jedinstvena u smislu što vam nudi jedan dan prekrasne plaže, a drugi šetnju do podnožja snježne planine, Sierre Nevade de Santa Marta, najviše u zemlji.

Ostala odredišta

• -3.48333333-70.21 Nacionalni park Amacayacu - Daleko, daleko od civilizacije u amazonskoj prašumi, ogromnom nacionalnom parku koji se može istraživati ​​brodom, punom čudnih otoka zaraženih majmunima i ružičastim dupinima.
• 5.0247222222222-74.0013888888892 Katedrala de Sal - Kolosalna crkva sagrađena pod zemljom nekadašnjeg rudnika soli, s prolazima obloženim izvrsnim skulpturama i blistavim križem koji se uzdiže nad oltarom špiljske lađe.

• 11.037997222222-73.9251916666673 Ciudad Perdida de Teyuni - Predkolumbijski grad smješten u kolumbijskoj džungli u blizini Santa Marta. Izgradili su ga između osmog i četrnaestog stoljeća Indijanci Tayrona. Danas su ostale samo kamene terase kružnog oblika prekrivene džunglom.
• 10.175-75.754 Corales del Rosario - slikovit arhipelag kratko putovanje brodom od Cartagene.
• 2.97138889-78.184444445 Isla Gorgona - Ovaj nekadašnji zatvorski otok u Tihom oceanu sada je prirodni rezervat otvoren za posjetitelje. Obilje divljih životinja poput majmuna, zmija, kitova i morskih kornjača. Nudi izvrsne uvjete za ronjenje.
• 4.8-75.3666676 Nacionalni park Los Nevados - Kolumbijski vulkanski park na velikim nadmorskim visinama nudi izvrsne trekinge.
• 13.34888889-81.374722227 Providencia - idilični, zabačeni karipski otok pronađen na pola puta prema Jamajci. S drugim najvećim koralnim grebenom zapadne hemisfere, prekrasni otok Providencia proglašen je UNESCO-ovim rezervatom biosfere.
• 1.8791666666667-76.2683333333338 San Agustín i Tierradentro - Arheološka nalazišta u jugozapadnoj Kolumbiji.
• 11.28333333-74.183333339 Nacionalni park Tayrona - neke od najljepših obala u cijeloj regiji Južna Amerika.

Shvati

Kolumbija je jedina zemlja u Južna Amerika s obalama sjevernog Tihog oceana i Karipskog mora, a po veličini je druga po veličini biološka raznolikost na svijetu. Leži na jugu Panama, Kolumbija kontrolira pristup kopnu između Središnji i Južnoj Americi. S Panamom na sjeveru, Kolumbija je okružena Venezuela na istoku, Brazil na jugoistoku i Ekvador i Peru na jugozapadu. Zemlja je dobila ime u čast Kristofer Kolumbo, slijedeći talijansku verziju njegovog imena (Cristoforo Colombo). Iako Kolumbo nikada nije kročio na trenutni kolumbijski teritorij, u svom četvrtom putovanju posjetio je Panamu koja bio dio Kolumbije do 1903. godine.

Putovanje Kolumbijom definitivno se isplati. Iz Bogote, s umjerenom klimom 2.600 m (8.530 ft) nadmorske visine i pri stalnoj temperaturi od 19 ° C, vožnja od jednog ili dva sata sjeverno, južno, istočno ili zapadno može vas odvesti do krajolika koji su raznoliki poput oni su lijepi. Povijesnim gradskim središtima i gradovima, modernim i energičnim stranačkim gradovima, orijentalnim ravnicama koje se s malo modulacije protežu daleko izvan horizonta. neravne konture regije više Ande, poluotok Guajira i njegova pustinja, idilične plaže, tropska džungla Amazone i Choco s obilnom florom i faunom, snježni vrhovi i vulkani, drevne ruševine, dolina rijeke Magdalene i njezino vruće vrijeme, prekrasni koraljni grebeni i bogat podvodni morski život, zajedno s ugodnim opuštenim tropskim otocima, te mogućnost odmora i opuštanja u privatno unajmljenom hacienda to vam omogućava da uživate u ovom blagu. Takva raznolikost dolazi s jednako raznolikim tradicijama i hranom. Kolumbija je jedna od ekvatorijalnih zemalja svijeta, ali jedinstvena po svojoj ekstremnoj topografiji i obilju vode i ima ponešto za svakoga.

Klima

Izaberite, stvarno. Kolumbija je ekvatorijalna zemlja s nevjerojatnim varijantama nadmorske visine, pa će negdje tijekom cijele godine biti prilično bez obzira na temperaturu koja vam se najviše sviđa! Klima je tropska uz obalu, istočne ravnice i Amazonu; hladno u gorju s povremenim sušama. U nedostatku uobičajenih godišnjih doba, Kolumbijci kišne sezone obično nazivaju zimom - ali razlike u terenu i nadmorskoj visini znače da su kišne sezone različite u svim krajevima zemlje!

Ipak, nedostatak sve ove klimaksne raznolikosti je taj što ćete morati ponijeti priličnu količinu različite odjeće ako planirate dugo putovati. Gradovi u središtu poput Bogote i oni na sjeveru u Boyacá mogu potencijalno doseći temperature ispod 0 ° C, zato ponesite kaput. Neke su planine također pokrivene snijegom tijekom cijele godine. Gradovi uz karipsku obalu vole Cartagena, Barranquilla, i Santa Marta su vruće i vlažne, dok neki gradovi na srednjoj nadmorskoj visini u Andama vole Medellín (Grad vječnog proljeća), Manizalesi drugi gradovi u regiji Coffee Triangle uvijek imaju lijepo umjereno vrijeme.

Teren

Ravne obalne nizije, središnje gorje, gorje Ande, istočne nizinske ravnice

Prirodne opasnosti: gorje izloženo vulkanskim erupcijama; povremeni potresi. Vulkanska katastrofa dogodila se u Armeru, 1985. 25 000 ljudi pokopali su lahari (vulkanski muljevi) koje je proizveo Nevado del Ruiz.

Najviša točka: Pico Cristobal Colon 5.775 m (18.950 ft) od Sierra Nevade de Santa Marta. Planina je dio najvišeg svjetskog obalnog lanca. Obližnji Pico Simon Bolivar ima istu visinu

Povijest

Kolumbiju su naseljavale brojne, glavne autohtone kulture poput Muisce, Tayrone i Quimbaye; neke su skupine autohtonih ljudi kao što su Karibi živjele u stanju trajnog rata, ali druge su imale manje ratobornih stavova. Područje koje je danas Kolumbija osvojili su Španjolci savezništvom s nekim autohtonim skupinama kada su Europljani 'otkrili' Ameriku. Proces osvajanja i kolonizacije radikalno je promijenio društvene strukture područja, autohtona populacija dramatično se smanjila i njihov je udio u stanovništvu od tada opadao. Španjolsko je carstvo dovelo europske doseljenike i afričke robove, dok je većina stanovništva u koloniji bila mješovitog španjolskog i autohtonog porijekla. Španjolsko je carstvo dovodilo robove u njihove kolonije uglavnom koristeći sustav "asiento", licencirajući trgovce iz mnogih država koje trguju robljem za prijevoz robova.

Neovisnost od Španjolske osvojena je 1819. godine kao dio Federacije "Gran Colombia", ali do 1830. federacija je raspuštena. Bila je to jedna od pet zemalja koje je oslobodio Simón Bolívar (ostale su Ekvador, Venezuela, Peru i Bolivija). Uspjeh pokreta za neovisnost diljem Latinske Amerike olakšao je Napoleonski ratovi koja je ostavila kopnenu Španjolsku s dvije suparničke vlade. Sadašnja Kolumbija i Panama nastale su kao Republika Nova Granada. Nova je država eksperimentirala s federalizmom kao Konfederacija Granadina (1858.), a zatim Sjedinjene Države Kolumbije (1863.), prije nego što je Republika Kolumbija proglašena 1886. Namjere Sjedinjenih Američkih Država da kontroliraju Panamski kanal dovele su do toga da Panama postane zasebna nacija 1903. godine.

Kolumbija je bila prva ustavna vlada u Južnoj Americi. Ropstvo je u zemlji ukinuto 1851. Godine nakon neovisnosti obilježilo je nekoliko građanskih ratova, nasljeđe tih sukoba u kombinaciji s državnom represijom nad ljevičarskim milicijama u ruralnim područjima i svjetskom polarizacijom izazvanom hladnim ratom, kulminiralo je komunističkom pobunjeničkom kampanjom godine. 1964. FARC i ELN za svrgavanje kolumbijske vlade. Godine tijekom sukoba obilježile su teške borbe između komunističke gerile, kolumbijske države i vojske, desničarskih paravojnih formacija i nekoliko narko kartela. U godinama nakon 2005. sigurnost se poboljšavala u cijeloj zemlji. U sklopu teškog mirovnog procesa AUC (desničarske paravojne formacije) kao formalna organizacija prestala je funkcionirati, a 2012. vlada i FARC započeli su mirovne pregovore s ciljem da se 50-godišnji građanski rat jednom privede kraju i za sve. Kolumbija se oporavlja s gospodarstvom koje se brzo poboljšava. Završetak sukoba, nejednakost bogatstva i obnova nacije neka su od pitanja s kojima se zemlja suočava. U listopadu 2016. predsjedniku Santosu dodijeljena je Nobelova nagrada za mir za napore na okončanju pet desetljeća građanskog rata u zemlji.

Razgovor

Službeni jezik Kolumbije je Španjolski. Neka autohtona plemena u ruralnim područjima i dalje govore svoj jezik, iako će gotovo svi ljudi iz tih plemena biti dvojezični na svom jeziku i španjolskom.

Ako ste nedavno naučili španjolski, s olakšanjem je znati da je bogotski dijalekt jasan i lak za razumijevanje. Španjolski se, međutim, razlikuje od Cartagene do Bogote do Calija. Općenito se španjolski na obalama govori brže, a španjolski iz Medellína ima svoje osobine. U gradovima poput Medellina i Calija dijalekt španjolskog je voseo oblik. Znači da umjesto zamjenice drugog lica tú, vos koristi se umjesto toga. Iako tú također svi razumiju, vos je prijateljskiji glas dok tú rezervirano je za intimne krugove. Španjolski jezik koji se govori duž karipske obale sličan je dijalektima na kojima se govori Kuba, Portoriko i Dominikanska Republika.

Nemalo Kolumbijaca zna barem nekoliko osnovnih fraza na engleskom jeziku, jer se engleski uči u školi, a hollywoodski filmovi uglavnom su na engleskom jeziku sa španjolskim titlovima. No, većinom biste svakako trebali ulagati u učenje osnova španjolskog jer ćete se susresti s puno situacija u kojima nitko neće govoriti engleski.

Kolumbijci iz imućnijeg podrijetla vjerojatnije će naučiti engleski jezik, a većina visokih stručnjaka, rukovodilaca i visokih državnih službenika u Kolumbiji pristojno govori engleski jezik. Kreola s engleskim jezikom slična Jamajčanski patoa govori jamajčanska dijaspora s karipskog arhipelaga San Andrés i Providencia.

Uđi

Vizama

Vlasnici putovnica sljedećih zemalja ne trebaju vizu za ulazak u Kolumbiju kada je svrha posjeta turizam do 90 dana (ako nije drugačije naznačeno): Andora, Argentina, Australija, Austrija, Azerbejdžan, Bahami, Barbados, Belgija, Belize, Butan, Bolivija, Bosna i Hercegovina, Brazil, Brunej, Bugarska, Kanada, Čile, Kostarika, Hrvatska, Cipar, Češka Republika, Danska, Dominika, Dominikanska Republika, Ekvador, El Salvador, Estonija, Fidži, Finska, Francuska, Gruzija, Njemačka, Grčka, Grenada, Gvatemala, Gvajana, Honduras, Hong Kong (180 dana), Mađarska, Island, Indonezija, Irska, Izrael, Italija, Jamajka, Japan, Kazahstan, Republika Koreja, Latvija, Lihtenštajn, Litva, Luksemburg, Malezija, Malta, Marshallovi Otoci, Meksiko, Mikronezija, Monako, Mongolija, Crna Gora, Nizozemska, Novi Zeland, Norveška, Palau, Panama, Papua Nova Gvineja, Paragvaj, Peru, Filipini, Poljska, Portugal, Katar, Rumunjska, Rusija, Sveti Kitts i Nevis, Sveta Lucija, Sveti Vincent i Grenadini, Samoa, San Marino, Srbija, Singapur, Slovačka, Slovenija, Salomonovi Otoci, Španjolska, Surinam, Švedska, Švicarska, Tajvan, Trinidad i Tobago, purica, Ujedinjeni Arapski Emirati, Ujedinjeno Kraljevstvo, Sjedinjene Američke Države, Urugvaj, Grad Vatikan i Venezuela.

Državljani sljedećih zemalja mogu ući s osobnom iskaznicom: Argentina, Bolivija, Brazil, Čile, Ekvador, Paragvaj, Peru, Urugvaj i Venezuela.

Kanadska naknada za reciprocitet Od 1. svibnja 2019. kolumbijska će vlada ukinuti ulazni porez za kanadske putnike.

Kanadski državljani koji imaju uobičajene putovnice moraju po dolasku platiti naknadu za reciprocitet od 160 000 kolumbijskih pezosa, osim za turiste mlađe od 14 godina ili više od 79 godina ili one kojima je konačno odredište San Andrés, Providencia i Santa Catalina.

Kolumbijske vlasti žigosaće putovnice gore navedenih zemalja dajući dozvolu boravka najviše 30 do 90 dana. Službenici za imigraciju u bilo kojoj međunarodnoj zračnoj luci u zemlji obično će vas pitati predviđenu duljinu putovanja, dajući vam određeni broj dana koji će ga pokrivati, a koji možete produžiti na 90 odlaskom u bilo koji ured za imigracijske službe.

Produljenje boravka

Možete se prijaviti za 90-dnevno produženje boravka u uredu Asuntos Migratorios u nekim od većih gradova, koji košta oko 40 američkih dolara. Potrebne su vam dvije kopije glavne stranice putovnice, dvije kopije stranice s ulaznim pečatom, dvije kopije karte na putu izvan zemlje i četiri fotografije. Postupak traje neko vrijeme i uključuje uzimanje otisaka prstiju. Za posjetitelje maksimalno trajanje boravka ne može biti duže od 6 mjeseci u 1 godini.

Avionom

Postoje redovni međunarodni letovi u veće gradove, uključujući Bogota, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Pereira i otocima San Andrés, kao i drugim manjim gradovima na granicama s Venezuelom, Ekvadorom, Panamom i Brazilom.

Postoje svakodnevni izravni letovi za i iz SAD-a, Kanade, Meksika, Kostarike, Paname, Španjolske, Francuske i Južne Amerike.

Čuvaj se toga Medellín jedini je kolumbijski grad koji opslužuju 2 zračne luke: za međunarodne i dugotrajne domaće letove José María Córdova Internacionalna zračna luka (MDE ^IATA), dok regionalni i neki drugi domaći letovi dolaze u Olaya Herrera zračna luka (EOH ^IATA).

Bogota ima dva aerodromska terminala: Puente Aéreo i El Dorado. Izvan zračne luke budite svjesni poduzetnih muškaraca koji će vam pomoći da dignete kofere u taksi ili automobil, a zatim očekujte plaćanje. Najbolje je pristojno odbiti sve ponude pomoći, osim ako vas taksist ne namjerava zaposliti.

Taksiji su regulirani, imaju prihvatljive cijene i sigurni su iz zračnih luka. Vožnja taksijem od zračne luke do središnje poslovne četvrti u Bogoti traje približno 20 minuta.

Automobilom

• Uđite iz Venezuela od strane San Cristóbal-Cúcuta ili Maracaibo-Maicao proći.
• Uđite iz Ekvador od strane Tulcan-Ipiales (Rumichaca) prolaz.
• Važno: Nema glavnih cesta iz 3 susjedne države: Paname, Brazila i Perúa. Iz Paname uopće ne postoje ceste, a male su ceste između Kolumbije i Perúa ili Brazila, ali ne vode do većih gradova ili regija.

Brodom

Uđite iz Panama jedrilicom. Jedrilice redovito polaze iz Portobelo, Panama, na 5 noćnih putovanja u Cartagena, Kolumbija. Od kojih su 3 dana istražena San Blas otočki raj. Cijene se kreću od 550 do 700 američkih dolara, a najcjenjeniji brodovi rezerviraju se unaprijed izravno putem interneta.

Uđite iz Paname po Puerto Obaldia-Capurganá proći. Iz Capurganá, vodi vas još jedna vožnja brodom Turbo, gdje vas autobusi vode do Medellina i Monterije.

Ako uđete iz Brazil, postoje tjedni brodovi iz Manaus do Tabatinga/Leticia kroz rijeku Amazonu. Potrebno je oko šest dana da se ode iz Manausa i samo tri dana da se vrate (razlog razlike je struja rijeke). Postoje i tjedni motorni čamci koji su skuplji, ali rutu prelaze za manje od dva dana. Jednom u Leticiji svakodnevno imate domaće letove do nekoliko gradova, uključujući Bogota.

Priličan broj kruzeri jednodnevne posjete (obično u Cartageni), posebno tijekom hladnijih mjeseci u Sjevernoj Americi.

Autobusom

Iz Venezuele

Mogu se uspostaviti veze od glavnog terminala u Caracasu do većine gradova u Kolumbiji. S glavnog terminala, Maracaibo (Venezuela) možete pronaći autobuse koji voze do gradova (Cartagena, Baranquilla, Santa Marta) na obali. Granica u Maicau pruža relativno lagan, izravni ulazak u Kolumbiju iz Venezuele.

Iz Venezuele možete ući i prometnim prometom San Cristóbal do Cúcuta ruta koja prolazi kroz pogranični grad San Antonio del Táchira.

Granica može biti malo gnjavaža ili čak opasna, posebno noću. Pitajte mještane.

Iz Ekvadora

Vrlo je jednostavno ući u Kolumbiju iz Ekvadora. Putujte do Tulcana, gdje možete doći taksijem do granice. Uzmite izlazne markice iz imigracijskih ureda i odvezite se drugim taksijem do Ipialesa. Odatle možete putovati dalje do Calija, Bogote i tako dalje.

Iz Paname

Ne možete autobusom prijeći iz Paname u Kolumbiju - Darien Gap započinje kod Yavize, gdje istječe Interamericana. Razmislite o tome da umjesto toga koristite prijelaz brodom. Često postoje jahte koje će vas prebaciti između Kolumbije i Paname i ponuditi zaustavljanje na prekrasnim otocima San Blas.

Zrakoplovne kompanije koje lete između dviju zemalja su Avianca, COPA i LAN.

Zaobiđi se

Avionom

Dijelom zbog nedostatka međugradske željeznice i visokih planina koje razdvajaju mnoge veće gradove, zračni promet je popularan i raširen među onima koji ga mogu priuštiti, a konkurencija je velika. Bogotá-Medellin bila je 30. najprometnija putnička zračna linija u 2018. s gotovo četiri milijuna preletjenih putnika i nema naznaka da će se putovanje na toj 239 km ruti uskoro prebaciti na druge načine. Najvažniji domaći prijevoznici u Kolumbiji su:

• Avianca (glavni kolumbijski nacionalni zračni prijevoznik)
• VivaColombia (jeftina zrakoplovna kompanija nalik Ryanairu).
• Wingo "podređena marka" niske cijene COPA Kolumbija djeluje kao zasebna marka (bivša AeroRepublica)
• LATAM Kolumbija (bivši LAN Kolumbija i Aires)
• EasyFly (regionalna zračna linija oko Medellina, Bogote i Bucaramange)
• Satena (Servicio Aéreo a Territorios Nacionales) (njime upravlja kolumbijsko ratno zrakoplovstvo za prijevoz iz udaljenih regija Los Llanosa, Amazone i pacifičke obale iz Bogote)
• TAC (Transportes Aero Colombiana) čarter zrakoplovna tvrtka
• AEXPA (prvenstveno čarter prijevoznik do i duž pacifičke obale)

Svi oni imaju dobro održavanu flotu i redovnu liniju do većih gradova u Kolumbiji. Postupak internetskog plaćanja nekih domaćih zračnih prijevoznika složen je. Uplate se mogu izvršiti u zračnoj luci ili na službenim blagajnama.

Vlakom

The Metro u Medellinu i okolici najbliža je putničkom vlaku u Kolumbiji. U zemlji nema međugradskih vlakova. Postoje, međutim, planovi da se to promijeni, a gradonačelnica Bogote za razdoblje 2020. - 2023. vodila je svoju kampanju na platformi "Metro, Metro i više metroa", a izgradnja i metroa i regionalnog tramvajskog vlaka već je u tijeku .

Automobilom

Vožnja je s desne strane ceste - većina automobila ima standardne mjenjače. Kolumbijsku flotu uglavnom čine automobili s četverocilindričnim motorima europske i japanske proizvodnje.

Strani posjetitelji mogu voziti ako pokažu međunarodnu vozačku dozvolu (višejezičnu potvrdu izdanu od automobilskih i vozačkih klubova širom svijeta).

Osiguranje je jeftino i obavezno.

Ograničenje brzine u stambenim naseljima je 30 km / h (19 mph), a u urbanim područjima 60 km / h (37 mph). Postoji nacionalno ograničenje brzine od 80 km / h (50 mph).

Zemlja ima dobro održavanu mrežu cesta koje povezuju sve veće gradove u andskim područjima i one na karipskoj obali. Tijekom kišne sezone (studeni do veljača) na cestama i autocestama često ima odrona. Manji odroni mogu smanjiti ceste na jedan kolnički trak, uzrokujući značajne povratne tokove; veća klizišta mogu danima u cijelosti biti prometnica. Mnogo je prijelaza s naplatom cestarine; naknada iznosi oko 3,00 američkih dolara. Ima i dosta zemljanih cesta promjenjive kvalitete. Međunarodna kopnena putovanja moguća su samo do Ekvadora i Venezuele.

Autobusom

Putovanje autobusom rašireno je i ima različitu razinu kvalitete. Međugradska putovanja rijetko koštaju više od 55 američkih dolara (jedan smjer). Prilikom stjecanja karata za autobus, lokalni je običaj da putnik dođe na terminal i kupi kartu za sljedeći slobodni autobus koji ide do željenog odredišta. Ovisno o tvrtki ili terminalu, možda je čak i nemoguće kupiti kartu više od nekoliko sati unaprijed! Stoga je preporučljivo znati barem kada određena usluga započinje i završava za jedan dan. Putovanje autobusom na velike udaljenosti obično je vrlo sporo, jer su glavne autoceste ceste s dva traka s puno prometa kamiona. Mnogo ruta vijuga visoko u planinama (3.000 m), a putne bolesti mogu se kombinirati s visinskom bolešću. Za bilo koju udaljenost dulju od 5 sati, možda ćete se htjeti prijaviti na putovanje zrakoplovom.

Udaljenost i vrijeme putovanja od Bogote:

Odredište	Udaljenost (km)	Vrijeme (h)
Armenija	296	8
Barranquilla	985	20
Bukaramanga	429	10
Cali	511	12
Cartagena	1090	23
Cúcuta	630	16
Ipiales	948	24
Manizales	278	8
Medellín	440	9
Neiva	309	6
Pasto	865	22
Pereira	360	9
Popayán	646	15
San Agustín	529	12
Santa Marta	952	19
Tunja	147	3

Neke od glavnih tvrtki koje nude rute na sjever Bogote i Medellina do karipske obale i područja između dva grada:

• Expreso Brasilia, besplatni: 1 8000 51 8001. S telefona Tigo i Movistar nazovite # 501 ili # 502 (ažurirano srpnja 2015)
• Kopetran, ☏ 57 7 644-81-67 (Bukaramanga), besplatni: 1 8000 114 164. # 567 ili # 568 s Claro mobitela (ažurirano srpnja 2015)
• Berlinas del Fonce. Putuje između Bogote, Bucaramange, Cartagene, Cúcute, Santa Marte i točaka između (ažurirano srpnja 2015)
• Rapido Ochoa, ☏ 57 4 444-88-88. Putuje od Medellina i Bogote do Arboletea, Barracajermece, Monterije, Barranquille, Santa Marte, Tolua i između njih u više kombinacija ruta (ažurirano srpnja 2015)

Ostale tvrtke koje odlaze u više gradova i mjesta u južnom dijelu zemlje, južno od Bogote i Medellina i područja između dva grada; i dolje prema ekvadorskoj granici:

• Expreso Bolivariano, ☏ 57 1 424-90-90 (Broj Bogote). Nudi opsežne rute od Bogote i Medellina do Manizalesa, Armenije, Medellina, Calije, Ipialesa, Popayana i do drugih južnih mjesta. Također nude međunarodne usluge dolje u Peru. (ažurirano srpnja 2015)
• ^{[mrtva veza]}Expreso Palmira, ☏ 57 321 890-35-97 (s mobitela), besplatni: 1 8000 936-662. (ažurirano srpnja 2015)
• Fronteras - Kontinentalni autobus. (ažurirano srpnja 2015)
• Koomotor. (ažurirano srpnja 2015)

Postoje brojne druge autobusne kompanije i sindikati vozača koji diljem zemlje djeluju lokalno na različitim udaljenostima određenog grada ili mjesta ili unutar odjela ili između susjednih odjela. Pogledajte ili dodajte one članke određenog mjesta u vezi s onim što je dostupno. U Amazonasima, Los Llanosu i udaljenim dijelovima južnih regija prema Leticiji i pacifičkoj obali ceste nisu ograničene, kao ni autobusne usluge. Uz to neka od tih udaljenih područja, posebno ona u blizini granica s Venezuelom, Panamom i Ekvadorom; Amazonska prašuma na jugoistoku i prema obali Tihog oceana možda još uvijek nije sigurna za putovanje u i okolicu zbog trajne gerilske aktivnosti. Raspitajte se lokalno prije odlaska.

Možete pronaći više informacija o RedBus.co koji uspoređuje raznolik broj tvrtki.

Gradskim autobusom

Otprilike na prijelazu ovog stoljeća u urbana središta u Kolumbiji zabilježen je razvoj vrlo učinkovitih i urednih autobusnih tranzitnih sustava koji se šire u druge zemlje. U Bogoti možete pronaći Transmilenio, u Medellín el Metroplus[1], u Cali el Mio, u Barranquilli Transmetro, u Bucaramangi Metrolíneau Pereiri Megabús.

I dalje se preporučuje da pripazite na svoje stvari i da ne nosite dragocjenosti, višak gotovine (vidljivo više od 20.000 COP) ili nepotrebne predmete. Nikada nemojte prihvaćati hranu ili piće od stranaca. Izbjegavajte razgovarati s nepoznatim ljudima na autobusnim stanicama ili terminalima. Moguće je da vas zaustave na policijskim punktovima. Mirni stav najbolji je ključ za izbjegavanje neugodnosti.

Podzemnom željeznicom

Jedini sustav metroa u Kolumbiji je u Medellín, u departmanu (država) Antioquia. Povezuje udaljene prigradske gradove s barijeima Medellina - linija A polazi od La Estrelle do Barrio Niquíe, linija B od Barrio San Antonia do Barrio San Javíer. Metro sustav također ima dvije žičare: metro kablovska linija K od Barrio Acevedo do Barrio Santo Domingo Savio i metrocable linija J koja polazi iz Barrio San Javier. Vožnja žičarama jedinstveno je iskustvo, dok putnici putuju planinama u gondolama. MetroCable ima šest postaja i produžetak do ekoparka Parque Arví. Vožnja do parka Arvi košta oko 4 USD (3500 COP). Tu nakon 20-minutnog putovanja kolima s gondolama dostižete nadmorsku visinu od 2500 metara.

Taksijem

Taksi mreže u velikim gradovima poput Bogote su opsežne. Cijene se uvelike razlikuju među gradovima, Bogota je, na primjer, relativno jeftina, dok je Cartagena skupa. Putovanje taksijem (svijetložuta) preko Bogote može potrajati i jedan dan, ali košta manje od 15 američkih dolara.

Ako taksi naručite telefonom, tvrtka će vam dati registracijski broj taksija. Tada će taksi čekati na zadanu adresu. Možda ćete im trebati dati trocifreni ili četveroznamenkasti kôd koji ste dobili kod rezervacije taksija. Tijekom dana neki taksi stajališta ispred hotela, uredskih zgrada i državnih ureda dopustit će samo certificirane vozače i tvrtke, a uzet će i vaše ime i podatke prilikom ulaska u taksi. Taksi od grada do grada lako je organizirati telefonskim pozivima i dogovaranjem cijene, on će po zapadnim standardima i dalje biti jeftin, siguran je i prilično ugodan.

Brojilo u svim taksijima kreće se od 25 COP, a zatim se povećava na daljinu. Broj na koji dolazi odgovara tarifi koja će biti izložena na prednjem sjedalu kabine. Cijene taksija i autobusa rastu nedjeljom, državnim praznicima, rano ujutro i kasno u noć. Također se naplaćuju prtljaga i telefonska rezervacija unaprijed.

Za razliku od mnogih drugih zemalja, nije uobičajeno davati taksiste. To je do pojedinca.

Mnogi taksiji ne smiju putovati izvan Bogote zbog ograničenja granica s njihovim dozvolama. Uvijek se trebate dogovoriti za putovanje izvan Bogote taksijem prije vremena.

Na nekim lokacijama (primjerice Las Aguas u okrugu Candelaria u Bogoti) možda ćete pronaći pojedinca koji djeluje kao zamjerka taksistima - ponudit će vam taksi i odvesti vas do određenog taksija. Tada od vozača dobivaju malu napojnicu.

U velikim je gradovima postalo vrlo često koristiti aplikacije za pozdravljanje kabina. Čini se da su Tappsi i EasyTaxi prilično popularni. Uber usluga dostupna je u Bogoti, Cartageni i Medellinu.

Žičarom

Budući da većina kolumbijskog stanovništva živi u Andama, sustavi žičara postaju popularni i za putovanje na posao i za turistički prijevoz. Možete se voziti onima u Manizalesu i Medellinu, koji su integrirani u sustav metroa, i onima u ruralnim malim gradovima Antioquia: Jardín, Jericó, Sopetrán i San Andrés de Cuerquia. Također uživajte u veličanstvenom pogledu na novu žičaru iznad kanjona rijeke Chicamocha u Santander.

Vidjeti

Velik dio Kolumbije nalazi se u Andama, što znači da se mogu pronaći vrlo lijepi planinski krajolici. S druge strane, u nizinama postoje i lijepe plaže. Nadmorska visina nekih vrhova znači da se snijeg može vidjeti iako leže u tropima.

Sportski

Nogomet (nogomet) je nacionalni sport Kolumbije, a kolumbijska reprezentacija jedna je od jačih na svijetu, koja je iznjedrila nekoliko igrača svjetske klase kao što su Carlos Valderrama, Iván Córdoba i James Rodríguez. Posebno mečevi protiv Argentine obično privlače veliku pažnju domaćih.

Domaći je vrh kolumbijskog sustava nogometne lige Categoría Primera A, a Kolumbijci također vrlo ozbiljno shvaćaju svoje domaće rivalstvo.

Čini

U Kolumbiji možete puno toga raditi, a zabave i proslave možete pronaći gdje god da idete. Kolumbijci posebno vole plesati, a ako ne znate kako, rado će vas naučiti. Colombia is known for its exciting night life.

There are many groups and agencies offering eco-tourism and it is very usual to find trekking plans (locally named 'caminatas' or 'excursiones') on weekend; many groups (named 'caminantes') offers cheaper one day excursion, special trips (on long weekends or during periods of vacation time (January, Holy Week, July, August, October, December) to different places in the country. Some recommended groups based out of Bogota are: Viajar y Vivir, Fundación Sal Si Puedes, Caminantes del Retorno; there are many other. Patianchos in Medellín; Rastros in Bucaramanga. They usually offer guidance and transportation to the place; on long trips include lodging and other services. The recommendation is asking if the guide has the official certification.

Kupiti

Novac

Exchange rates for Colombian pesos As of January 2020: US$1 ≈ COP$3,300 €1 ≈ COP$3,700 UK£1 ≈ COP$4,300 Tečajne razlike variraju. Trenutne cijene za ove i druge valute dostupne su na XE.com

The currency of Colombia is the Colombian peso, but the symbol you will encounter is $ (ISO code: COP). Wikivoyage uses the notation "COP$" for clarity.

Most banks and money changes will accept major world currencies such as the US dollar and the euro.

ATMs are widely available, with varying withdrawal limits. Banks with highest limits are Citibank (COP$1,000,000 but charges an extra fee) and Bancolombia (COP$600,000 limit).

Troškovi

Typical prices: modest but clean (and occasionally charming) hotel: US$25, for a nice meal US$15, for two beers US$0.60-1.00 at "tiendas" or similar stores, US$1.5-3 at bars; bus 100 km about US$6 (cheaper per km for longer trips, more for dirt roads); urban transport US$0.50-0.90

Tipping

A service charge of 10% is generally added to the bill in nice restaurants (if it's not, you should add it yourself). Tipping taxi drivers is not common. Most "tipping" is merely rounding up to the nearest thousand pesos (e.g., rounding up your cafe bill to COP$7,000 from COP$6,700). Private tour guides do not need to be tipped, but it is common to do so, if you liked the guide.

In some restaurants and bars that include the tip (la propina) in the bill, this extra money often does not make it into the hands of the staff person who serves you. Instead, it is simply kept by the owners. With this in mind, many Colombians will pay the bill without the tip (in cash or with credit card) and then hand a cash tip to the staff member (waiter, bartender, etc.) who served them.

Kupovina

The Colombian textile industry is well-recognized and reputable around South America and Europe. Clothing, including lingerie is particularly well-regarded as high quality and very affordable. Leather garments, shoes and accessories are also of interest to foreigners. The best place to buy either is Medellín, known for being the fashion capital of the country, where one can buy very high quality goods at a very low cost.

Colombian emeralds and gold (18k) jewelry can also be very attractive for visitors. A typical Colombian style of jewelry is a copy of precolombian jewelry, which is fabricated with gold, silver and semi-precious stones.

The "mochila", the Spanish word for "backpack" or "rucksack", is also a traditional, indigenous, hand-woven Colombian bag, normally worn over the shoulder. They are commonly sold in shopping malls, especially in the Santa Marta/El Rodadero area. Mochilas usually come in three sizes - a large one to carry bigger things, a medium one to carry personal belongings, and a small one to carry coca leaves. Coca leaves are carried by local tribe members to reduce hunger, increase energy and to combat altitude sickness.

Handicrafts such as intricately designed jewelry are commonly sold in markets and on street corners. Many street vendors will approach people, selling T-shirts, shorts, glasses, bracelets, watches, necklaces, souvenirs, and novelty photographs. If you want to buy something, this is a good time to exercise your bargaining skills. Usually you can go down by COP$2,000-3,000, however 10%-15% is the generally accepted rule. For example, if someone is selling a shirt for COP$10,000, try asking if you can pay COP$8,000. Go from there.

If you don't want to buy anything, a simple gracias, ("thank you") and a non-committal wave of your hand will deter would-be sellers.

Jesti

Pre-Columbian civilizations cultivated about 200 varieties of potatoes, and they remain popular today. Try the local preparations like papas saladas (salted potatoes) or papas chorriadas (stewed potatoes). Most meals feature some kind of meat with rice, potatoes, and avocados. In the coastal areas, the rice is usually flavored with coconut.

Both restaurants and family meals often feature soup, and, in the mountain areas, you may even be served a milk-based soup called changua for breakfast.

Compared to nearby countries, Colombian food is not nearly as spicy as Mexican food. Fruit juice is particularly popular. Some foods with the same name are quite different. Na primjer, empanadas, made with potato and meat with a pouch-like yellow exterior, are delicious and entirely different from their Mexican and Argentinian counterparts.

In many areas of Colombia, it is common to have buñuelos (deep fried corn flour balls with cheese in the dough) and arepas (rather thick corn tortillas, often made with cheese and served with butter) with scrambled eggs for breakfast. Bogota and the central region have its own breakfast delicacy of tamales: maize and chopped pork or chicken with vegetables and eggs, steamed in plantain leaves, often served with homemade hot chocolate.

For lunch, especially on Sundays, you should try a sancocho de gallina (rich chicken soup, served with part of the chicken itself, rice and vegetables or salad). Sancocho is widespread throughout the country, with countless regional variants. On the coast it features fish, and is highly recommended. Another soup, served in Bogota and the periphery, is Ajiaco (chicken soup made with three different kinds of potato, vegetables and herbs (guasca), served with rice, avocado, corn, milk cream and capers).

Bandeja paisa is the official national dish of Colombia. The name translates roughly as "the peasant's plate". This filling dish includes rice, beans, fried plantain, arepa (corn bread), fried egg, chorizo sausage, chicharrón (pork crackling) with the meat still attached. It's a very fatty dish, but you can leave what you don't like, and if you're lucky enough, you could find a gourmet bandeja paisa in a good restaurant in Bogotá or Medellín. They are lighter and smaller.

In Colombia there are a great variety of tamales but they are very different from their most famous Mexican cousins. They differ from region to region, but all of them are delicious. Envueltos are the sweet tamales made of corn.

There are a few chain restaurants in the country. In addition to worldwide franchises (McDonald's, Subway, T.G.I.F., which are specially focused on Bogotá and other big cities), Colombian chains are very strong and located in almost every city. Presto and especially El Corral serve outstanding burgers, Kokoriko makes broiled chicken, and Frisby specializes in roasted chicken. Gokela is the first choice among people wanting healthy options such as wraps, salads, super foods, supplements, and subsequently one of the only options for vegetarians, vegans and organic eaters. Crêpes and Waffles, as the name indicates, is an upscale breakfast/brunch restaurant with spectacular crêpes, waffles, and ice cream. There are many international restaurants, including rodizios (Brazilian steak house style), and paella houses.

Organic food is a current trend in big cities, but in little towns you can get fruits and veggies all very natural and fresh. Colombians aren't used to storing food for the winter, since there are no seasons in the traditional sense. So don't ask them for dried items like dried tomatoes or fruits. All you have to do is go shopping at the little grocery stores nearby and pick up the freshest of the harvest of the month (almost everything is available and fresh all year). As for pickles and related preserved food, you can find them in supermarkets, but they are not common in family households.

Sweets

Bread and pastry is easily available from a neighborhood bakeries. Pastry is prevalent, both salty and sweet, including pandebono, pan de yuca, pastel gloria, i roscon. These vary in quality—ask the locals for the best niche places to indulge.

Colombians are famous for having a sweet tooth, so you are going to find a lot of desserts and local candies like bocadillo made of guayaba (guava fruit), or the most famous milk-based arequipe (similar to its Argentinian cousin dulce leche or the French confiteure du lait). That just covers the basics, since every region in Colombia has its own fruits, local products, and therefore its own range of sweet products. If you are a lover of rare candies, you could get artisan-made candies in the little towns near Bogotá and Tunja.

A great variety of tropical fruits can be tasted, and the corresponding variety in juices, from some of the oddest ones you can find around the globe (really) to the sweetest ones. Some examples of those exotic fruits include: tamarinds, mangoes, guanabanas, lulo, mangostines (really great and rare even for Colombians), and a great variety in citrus. In addition, you can find some of those rich and strange flavors in prepared food like ice cream brands or restaurant juices. Fruit juice is a very common and popular drink. Most of Colombians drink juices at home and in restaurants. They are inexpensive and natural everywhere.

Regarding coffee, you can find a lot of products that are both made commercially and homemade from this very famous Colombian product, like wines, cookies, candies, milk-based desserts like arequipe, ice-cream, etc.

The tres leches cake is not to be missed. A sponge cake soaked in milk, covered in whipped cream, then served with condensed milk, it is for the serious dairy fiend only. Another delicious milk-based dessert is leche asada, a milk custard similar to the better-known flan.

Piće

For breakfast, take a home-made hot drink. The choices normally include coffee, hot chocolate or agua de panela. The latter is a drink prepared with panela (dried cane juice), sometimes with cinnamon and cloves, which gives it a special taste. Coffee is usually taken with a lot of milk. In Bogotá and the region around, it's customary to use cheese along with the drink, in a way that small pieces of cheese are put into the cup and then after they are melt, you can use a spoon to pick them up and eat it like a soup. It is the same way to drink hot chocolate.

Colombia's national alcoholic beverage, Aguardiente (a.k.a. guaro), tastes strongly of anise, and is typically bought by the bottle or half bottle or a quarter. People usually drink it in shots. Each region has its own aguardiente, "Antioqueño" (from Antioquia), "Cristal" (from Caldas), "Quindiano" (from Quindío), "Blanco del Valle" (from Valle del Cauca) and "Nectar" (from Cundinamarca). There is also a variety of rum beverages, like "Ron Santa Fe" (also from Cundinamarca), "Ron Medellín Añejo" (also from Antioquia), "Ron Viejo de Caldas" (also from Caldas) among others.

The water is drinkable right from the tap in most of the major cities, but be prepared to buy some bottles if you go to the countryside. Agua Manantial Bottled water is recommended, it comes from a natural spring near Bogotá. An advice, make sure you do not use ice cubes, or drink any beverage that might contain non distilled water, ask if the beverage is made with tap or bottled/boiled water.

If you are lucky enough, and if you are staying in a familiar "finca cafetera" (coffee farm) you can ask your Colombian friends not only for the selected coffee (quality export) but for the remaining coffee that the farmers leave to their own use. This is manually picked, washed, toasted in rustic brick stoves and manually ground. It has the most exquisite and rare flavor and aroma ever found.

In Bogotá and the rest of the country, black filter coffee is referred to as "tinto" - confusing if you were expecting red wine.

Also, you can find specialized places where you can drink coffee with many different combinations (like Juan Valdés Café or Oma), hot or frozen preparations.

Commercially, you can find a lot of products made out of coffee too like wines, ice-creams, soda-pops and other beverages.

Spavati

In Colombia you can find a range of options, bed and breakfast conditioned to western standards and hostels to five-star hotels. There are also apartments that rent per day.

Motels vs hotels

A quick word of caution; in Colombia a "motel" is not the same as what one normally finds in the United States. The term motel in Latin America usually refers to a place of accommodation where the rooms are rented on a short term basis, typically for romantic assignations. Hotels, by contrast, are places of accommodation for travelers and are typically family friendly. Many hotels will not permit persons who are not registered as guests to go beyond the reception area. This is for the safety of both the guests and hotel staff and also to protect the hotel's reputation in what is still a culturally conservative and Catholic country. So visitors looking for a place to enjoy the physical company of another, will often use motels. Also privacy is something of a premium in Colombia, with children often living at home until they are married. For this and other practical reasons, couples, even married couples desiring a little intimacy, sometimes rent a room at a motel. These motels are common in Colombia and do not carry the social stigma that used to be associated with so called "no tell motels" in the United States or Canada. The quality and price of motel accommodations varies, sometimes drastically, with most being clean and well kept. Rooms are engaged anonymously with the tariff and any associated charges usually being paid on a cash only basis.

Naučiti

Colombia education is generally strict and is kept to high standards. Most Colombian degrees can be legalized in foreign countries. In contrast to American education, a typical Bachelor's degree program in Colombia is 160 credits or 5 years long. You can find several programs in different universities around the country.

Learn Spanish

Colombian Spanish is considered by many around the world as the purest in Latin America and there are many universities and language schools that have Spanish programs.

Learn Salsa

Colombia is one of the mother countries of Salsa and you will be able to listen to this music all over the place. In the last years several of the Salsa World Champions came from Colombia. Especially in Cali and Cartagena there are plenty of clubs and schools.

Raditi

If you want to work for a national company, such as Bancolombia/Conavi, Avianca, or Presto, you must be able to speak Spanish with near-native fluency. Depending on your qualifications, companies may offer Spanish lessons, however always make sure that you are indeed eligible for the position advertised. You can teach English for extra money, especially in smaller cities where the demand for it is high. Also you could work for a non-governmental organization.

Ostati siguran

Colombia has suffered from a terrible reputation as a dangerous and violent country but the situation has improved dramatically since the 1980s and 1990s. Colombia is on the path to recovery, and Colombians are very proud of the progress they have made. These days, Colombia is generally safe to visit, with the violent crime rate being lower than that in Mexico or Brazil, as long as you avoid poorer areas of the cities at night, and do not venture off the main road into the jungle where guerrillas are likely to be hiding.

The security situation varies greatly around the country. Most jungle regions are not safe to visit, but the area around Leticia is very safe, and the areas around Santa Marta are OK. No one should visit the Darien Gap at the border with Panama (in the north of Chocó), Putumayo ili Caquetá, which are very dangerous, active conflict zones. Other departments with significant rural violence include the Atlantic departments of Chocó, Cauca, i Valle del Cauca; eastern Meta, Vichada, i Arauca u the east; i sve Amazonian departments osim za Amazonas. That's not to say that these departments are totally off-limits—just be sure you are either traveling with locals who know the area or sticking to cities and tourist destinations. In general, if you stick to the main roads between major cities and do not wander off into remote parts of the jungle, you are unlikely to run into trouble, and you are much more likely to encounter a Colombian army checkpoint than an illegal guerrilla roadblock.

Landmines

Colombia is one of the most mine-affected countries in the world. So don't walk around blithely through the countryside without consulting locals. Land mines are found in 31 out of Colombia's 32 departments, and new ones are planted every day by guerrillas, paramilitaries, and drug traffickers.

Paramilitaries

There was an agreement in 2005 with the government which resulted in the disarmament of some of the paramilitaries. However they are still active in drug business, extortion rackets, and as a political force. They do not target tourists specifically, but running up against an illegal rural roadblock in more dangerous departments is possible.

Kidnappings

At the turn of the millennium Colombia had the highest rates of kidnapping in the world, a result of being one of the most cost-effective ways of financing for the guerrillas of the FARC and the ELN and other armed groups. Fortunately, the security situation has much improved and the groups involved are today much weakened, with the number of kidnappings dropping from 3,000 in 2000 down to 205 cases in 2016. Today kidnappings are still a problem in some southern departments like Valle del Cauca, Cauca, i Caquetá. Colombian law makes the payment of ransom illegal, therefore the police may not be informed in some circumstances.

Guerrillas

The guerrilla movements which include FARC and ELN guerrillas are still operational, though they are greatly weakened compared to the 1990s as the Colombian army has killed most of their leaders. These guerrillas operate mainly in rural parts of southern, southeastern and northwestern Colombia, although they have a presence in 30 out of the country's 32 departments. Big cities hardly ever see guerrilla activity these days. Even in rural areas, if you stick to the main roads between major cities and do not wander off the beaten track, you are far more likely to encounter soldiers from the Colombian army than guerrillas. River police, highway police, newspapers, and fellow travelers can be a useful source of information off-the-beaten-path.

Zločin

The crime rate in Colombia has been significantly reduced since its peak in the late 1980s and 1990s, with the police having arrested or killed many of the important leaders of the drug cartels. However, major urban centers and the countryside of Colombia still have very high violent crime rates, comparable to blighted cities in the Ujedinjene države, and crime has been on the increase. In the downtown areas of most cities (which rarely coincide with the wealthy parts of town) violent crime is not rare; poor sections of cities can be quite dangerous for someone unfamiliar with their surroundings. Taxi crime is a very serious danger in major cities, so always request taxis by phone or app, rather than hailing them off the street—it costs the same and your call will be answered rapidly. Official taxi ranks are safe as well (airports, bus terminals, shopping malls).

Droge

Local consumption is low, and penalties are draconian, owing to the nation's well-known largely successful fight against some of history's most powerful and dangerous traffickers. Remember that the drug trade in Colombia has ruined many innocent citizens' lives and dragged the country's reputation through the mud.

Marijuana is illegal to buy and sell, although officially you can carry up to 20 grams without being charged for it. Police will tolerate you having a few grams of this drug on your person, but you are flirting with danger if you carry much more. Especially in small towns, it is not always the police you have to deal with, but vigilantes. They often keep the peace in towns, and they have a very severe way of dealing with problems.

Scopolamine is an extremely dangerous drug from an Andean flowering tree, which is almost exclusively used for crime, and nearly all the world's incidents of such use take place in Colombia. Essentially a mind control drug (once experimented with as an interrogation device by the CIA), victims become extremely open to suggestion and are "talked into" ATM withdrawals, turning over belongings, letting criminals into their apartments, etc., all while maintaining an outward appearance of more or less sobriety. After affects include near total amnesia of what happened, as well as potential for serious medical problems. The most talked about method of getting drugged with scopolamine is that of powder blown off paper, e.g., someone walks up to you (with cotton balls in their nose to prevent blowback) and asks for help with a map, before blowing the drugs into your face. But by far the most common method is by drugging drinks at a bar. To be especially safe, abandon drinks if they've been left unattended. While a pretty rare problem, it's an awfully scary one, and happens most often in strip clubs or other establishments involving sex workers.

Ostati zdrav

Drink only bottled voda outside the major cities. The water in major cities is safe. Most drinking water in people's homes is either boiled or of the purified variety that comes in huge multi-gallon plastic bags (which you can find at any little grocery store). The coffee's delicious, though, so why not just start that habit!

Tropical diseases are a concern in lowland parts of the country, and more so outside of major cities. Mosquitoes carry malarija, Yellow fever, i Dengue, and infection rates are similar to other lowland parts of Južna Amerika (i.e., much lower than in sub-Saharan Africa). Yellow fever has a vaccine, so get it—it's required for entry to many national parks, anyway. Dengue is not preventable beyond avoiding mosquito bites, so using bug spray regularly in lowland rural areas is good sense.

Malarija is a potential problem, so trips outside Bogota, Medellín, Cartagena, i Andean region warrant use of antimalarials, which can be bought vrlo cheaply without a prescription from a droguería, which are everywhere in any city of any size throughout the country. Ask for Doxycicline tablets at a dosage of 100 mg, with the number being 30 days plus the number of days in a malarial area (so you can start 1–2 days in advance, and take it daily continuing for 4 weeks past the end of your trip). The phrase you want is: doxyciclina, cien miligramos, [number] pastillas. Using some bug spray in the evening serves as a bit of extra protection.

Cases of Zika virus have been reported in Colombia. Zika is a mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted infection that can cause serious birth defects. Travellers who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy should avoid travel to this country.

Poštovanje

Colombians are acutely aware of their country's bad reputation, and tactless remarks about the history of violence might earn you a snide remark (likely regarding your country of origin) and an abrupt end to the conversation. However, Colombians eventually become willing to discuss these topics once they feel comfortable enough with someone.

Colombians are more formal than much of Latin America. Make a point to say "please" ("Por favor" or "Hágame el favor") and "thank you" ("muchas gracias") for anything, to anyone. When addressed, the proper response is "¿Señora?" or "¿Señor?" In parts of the country (especially Boyacá) Colombians can be formal to the point of anachronism, calling strangers "Su merced" (your Mercy!) in place of usted. The one (much) more informal part of the country is along the Caribbean coast, where referring to people just as "chico" can be more the norm—but take your cues from those around you.

Race is not a hot issue in Colombia, since whites, criollos, and mestizos (mixed race) blend naturally with natives and Afro-Colombians in everyday life (education, living, politics, marriage). Differences between white foreigners are not dwelled upon: expect to be called "gringo" even if you are, say, Russian. Unless context includes anger, it's not meant to be offensive. If you are black, you will probably be referred to as "negro" or "moreno," which also are not considered at all offensive. Asians are usually called "chino" (Chinese), regardless of actual background. Confusingly, Colombians from the inner regions also occasionally refer to children as chinos ("kids"); this use comes from Chibcha, an indigenous language. Even more confusingly, Colombians refer to blondes and redheads as "monos" (monkeys). It sounds offensive, but actually ranges from neutral to affectionate.Colombians have the mannerism of pointing to objects with their chins or lips; pointing to a person or even an object with your finger can be considered rude or less discreet.

Avoid indicating a person's height using your hand palm down, as this is considered reserved for animals or inanimate objects. If you must, use your palm facing sidewards with the bottom of the hand expressing the height.

Colombians dance a lot. Anyone will be glad to teach you how to dance, and they will not expect you to do it correctly, since they have been practicing every weekend for most of their lives. Colombian night life centers mostly on dancing, and bars where people sit or stand are less common outside major cities. Despite the sensual movements, dancing is normally not intended as flirtation. It is applied in the same way as in Brazil—an almost-naked "garota" dancing samba in the carnival is not inviting you to have sex with her but inviting you to enjoy, to be happy, to join in the celebration, to join the exuberant shedding of inhibitions.

Gay and lesbian travelers

Most Colombians are Catholic, although you'll find that young people are quite relaxed about religion, especially with regards to social issues. Public displays of affection are rare, though, and may elicit uncomfortable stares. Verbal and physical homophobic violence is not necessarily unheard of, and unfortunately less aggressive homophobia may be more widespread than what politeness masks. Overall, Colombian attitudes to homosexuality are pretty similar to what you find in the United States.

You can find more liberally-minded areas (at least about LGBT issues) in Bogotá's Chapinero okrug. It is home to what may be the biggest LGBT community in Colombia, and is the focal point of the community's nightlife in Bogotá (if not the whole country), with explicitly gay-friendly establishments such as Theatron (arguably one of the biggest discos in South America) [2]. LGBT pride parades also take place in some of the major cities sometime around late June and early July. [3]

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Colombia since April 2016.

Spojiti

Objavi

Colombia does not have a government-run post office system. However, the private firm 4-72 serves as Colombia's zapravo postal service, though it tends to be somewhat slow and unreliable. Locals rarely use the 4-72 service and usually go to couriers such as Servientrega, which have many more branches than 4-72, though they are very expensive when used to send mail overseas.

By phone

Prijevoznici

It's simple enough to get a SIM card and even an unlocked phone at the international airport in Bogota, although there is, of course, a price hike. They're not hard to find in any city either, just ask your hotel or hostel staff where to go. Topping up is also easy, and can be done pretty much on any street corner.

The carriers you'll most likely see are Claro, Tigo, and Movistar. Claro is the most expensive (by a little bit), but has the widest coverage in the country, if you expect to get off the beaten path.

Virgin Mobile might be the best option if you want to have internet for a low price, as you can pay for COP$20,000 for a month and get 350MB (plus 50 minutes, 10 sms and unlimited use of WhatsApp, an almost universally used chat app in Colombia) without the need of a contract. It might take a bit longer to find a spot that sells the sim cards. It should cost COP$5k-10k pesos.

Dialling

Colombian area codes

#	Odjeli
1	Bogota i Cundinamarca
2	Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Nariño
3	Mobiteli
4	Antioquia, Chocó, Córdoba
5	Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, La Guajira, Magdalena, Sucre
6	Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío
7	Norte de Santander, Santander, Arauca
8	Boyacá, Tolima, Huila, San Andrés i Providencia, Meta, Caquetá, Amazonas, Casanare, Vichada, Guainía, Vaupés, Guaviare, Putumayo

From landlines:

To call from a landline to another local landline, dial the normal seven digits. To call from a landline to a mobile, dial twelve digits, always beginning with 03, followed by the ten digit number provided.

It's far more complex to make long-distance domestic calls or international calls. Ask whoever owns the phone to dial it for you. If that's not an option, buy a mobile phone. Seriously.

From mobiles and from abroad:

To call a Colombian landline from another country or from a mobile phone in Colombia, use the 57 country code then the eight digit number (the first of which is the area code). To dial to a mobile phone, dial 57 and then the deset digit number. You can also type "00" instead of the " ".

By Internet

Internet cafés are easy to find in any city or town. Expect rates to run about COP$1,250-2,500 per hour, depending on how much competition there is (i.e., cheap in Bogotá, expensive in the middle of nowhere). Quality of connection is directly related to the centrality of location, and hence inversely related to price.