Colombia is a mix of Spanish, indigenous people and African people. The country is like five countries in one, so many different things to explore in one country. Colombia is an emerging destination, enjoying stability and economic prosperity after decades of conflict. Our specialists have been visiting for a number of years now, and they’d encourage you to tour Colombia before everyone else catches on.
Like South America in miniature, Colombia is a lively medley of Andean cities, Amazon basin, colonial towns and stately haciendas. But, it has its own one-of-a-kind characteristics, too: wax palms rising like ships’ masts in the Zona Cafetera (where you can taste some of the world’s best coffee), a cathedral hollowed out of a salt mine, and San Agustín, a set of pre-Inca ruins that still confound archaeologists. Our specialists can arrange for your holiday to Colombia to take in the urban regeneration projects of Medellín, the splashy buildings of Cartagena — painted as if to match Colombia’s array of tropical fruits — and private island hotels off the Caribbean coast.
A trip to Colombia could combine the Caribbean jewel of Cartagena, the cosmopolitan city of Bogotá, the historic Villa De Leyva, the resplendent coffee plantations and some Amazon adventure on the border with Peru and Brazil.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Colombia is a year-round destination, particularly along the Caribbean coast and in Medellin where warm, dry weather is prevalent for almost the entire year. The dry season in Colombia is from December to March, but even outside of this period, weather variations are determined more by region than clearly defined seasons. The main differences of note are in the highlands, where nights become chilly in areas of higher altitude. The lowlands enjoy a tropical climate year-round with little temperature variation, though more frequent rain showers will be noticeable in the wetter months of April to June and again in October and November.
What to Pack
Things to do and see
Food and drink
Food you must try when in Colombia is Ceviche which is shrimp cooked in mayonnaise, then covered in ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, basically a ship cocktail. The staples of many colombian dishes are fried plantaines, steamed shrimp, fried fish and rice. A lot of Colombian dishes are cooked and served in a banana leaf. The nearest Colombia gets to a national dish is the “bandeja paisa” (“Paisa platter”). It consists of white rice, red beans, ground beef, sausage, plantain, morcilla, chicharron, arepa, avocado and a fried egg. To drink, Colombia is world-renowned for its coffee and its rum. Another favourite is Aguadiente which is a variation of the Spanish alcoholic drink “Anís”.
How to Get Around
VISA
UK passport holders require a Cuban Tourist card to visit Cuba: we can arrange this on your behalf. As well as being a fantastic country to visit in its own right Cuba can very easily be combined with Costa Rica or Mexico.
Language
The official language is Spanish, English is spoken in the main tourist areas and larger cities.
money and expense
The Colombian currency is the peso. Automatic cash dispensers are widespread, especially in the major cities. Most machines take all credit cards, as well as Cirrus and Plus cards. Visa and Master card are widely accepted, as are bank debit cards.
Tipping
Tipping for good service is an accepted fact. Amounts are obviously discretionary and tipping for good service is an accepted fact.
Social etiquette
Please ask permission before taking photographs.
Adaptor
WIFI
Ruth’s Lonely Planet 