Colombia Travel Tips

Storytime!

It’s Friday in Cali, Colombia and I’m waiting in line to dance at a Salsa club. I try to pay the bouncer and unfortunately, it’s cash only. I don't have any cash because all the ATMs I checked this morning were cleaned out. WTF…

So, I ask around for nearby ATMs, but when I get there, the first ATM ran out of cash, the second one was closed, and the 3rd one was located in a sketchy house. It was late and I wasn’t about to risk getting locked up in someone’s basement, so I went back to the salsa club… still cashless.

This experience was pretty frustrating and if I had only read the BusyTraveler newsletter, I might’ve been able to anticipate the importance of cash and the challenging ATM experience in Colombia.

Here's what you need to know if you want to have the best experience in Colombia (one of my favorite countries):

Medellin and Cartagena are great, but don’t limit yourself…

These places are fun but they also tend to be a little more touristy, less authentic and more expensive. I tend to run from touristy areas when I feel my wallet getting lighter. So don’t forget to also check out Bogota, Cali, and Guatape. In addition to the major cities, you can find deserts, rainforests, and mountains. I was there for 6 weeks and I still felt like I needed more time!

Don’t forget to bring cash!

Although Colombia runs on cash, it’s common for ATMs there to run out. Avoid trying to get cash on the weekends or on a Friday night when everyone is getting ready to spend their paychecks at the bar. I’ve found that getting cash on a weekday morning is pretty reliable.

Crime is everywhere, but here are a couple of guidelines for Colombia...

Avoid walking down the street with your cellphone out, mainly because some people might want your cash. It’s also better to use a ride-sharing service than to walk around at night. This may be uncommon knowledge to Americans but this is common knowledge to Colombians. They have a saying, “Don’t give papaya,” which basically means, "Don't be stupid and you won’t get in trouble.." Kind of like our version of “Don’t start none, won’t be none.” 🤨

If you’re not dancing, then you’re not experiencing Colombian culture. Go out dancing!

They call Cali, Colombia the salsa capital of the world. As a salsa dancer, I may not agree with that title, but the salsa scene is still great there! There aren’t many places in the world where Salsa culture oozes out of the country’s pores (this sounds gross, but you get the point). They play salsa in the grocery stores, there’s a salsa party every night of the week and many salsa museums to check out.

There’s so much more to Colombia than Pablo Escobar... he was a bad guy ☹️

Talking about Pablo Escobar to Colombians is rude because he was a criminal and doesn’t represent the actions of an entire people. Labeling a group of people based on the actions of one man, a criminal, is rarely a good thing. So don’t do it.

P.S. You’re missing out if you’re going to Colombia only to see all of the Pablo Escobar sites.

Pack for multiple temperatures

The climates in Colombia vary significantly so pack different types of clothing. Cartagena is hot and muggy while Medellin is known as the city of eternal spring.

Embrace a slower paced life

This is more directed towards Americans because we want everything done yesterday, but the pace of Colombia is a lot slower. So, don’t get upset if you’re waiting a little longer in lines/queues.

English is not widely know

I know this is hard to believe, but let me tell you something…

The United States is not the center of the universe, so not everyone knows English.

In the states, many of us have taken a Spanish class or two, but only some of us can speak fluently. Before visiting, it couldn’t hurt to learn a few Spanish words and phrases… and not just “¿Dónde está la biblioteca?”🙄

So in summary…

Colombia is great and you’ll love it when you visit too. I hope my tips make your experience even better! Adios!

If you’ve been to Colombia, what tips do you have?