Colombia - Colombia

Nie om met te verwar word nie Columbia, wat na talle ander plekke as die land in Suid-Amerika kan verwys.

Colombia beslaan die noordwestelike hoek van Suid-Amerika. Dit het 'n oppervlakte van twee keer dié van Frankryk en byna twee keer Texas, met lang kusstreke aan die Karibiese Eilande en die Stille Oseaan, bergagtige streke, en Amazon oerwoudgebiede in die binneland. Die etniese groepe en kulture is uiteenlopend. Die land het byna elke reisiger iets om te bied.

Kies 'n klimaat, en dit is joune - as u die ligte baadjieweer van Bogotá koud vind, ry dan 'n uur deur die berge en gaan sonbad langs die swembad van u gehuurde hacienda. As u nie wil stil sit nie, vertrek na die Amasone of enige ander land se oerwoud, sneeubedekte vulkane, rotsagtige woestyne, eindelose vlaktes, welige valleie, koffie plantasies, bergmere, verlate strande.

Vir kultuur kan die intellektuele Bogotá die res van Latyns-Amerika lei in eksperimentele teater, indie-rock en die aantal boekwinkels, maar u kan ook 'n uitheemse opleiding in 'n Amazone kry. malokka, of u kan die diep Latynse musiektoneel van salsa en Cumbia, met die opwindendste dansvertoning as die enorme karnaval van Barranquilla.

Dwaal in die nou straatjies van die geskiedenis vir Suid-Amerikase oorspronklike hoofstad in Bogotá, kyk na ou Spaanse koloniale provinsiale retraites soos Villa de Leyva, trek deur die dik oerwoudbedekte berge van die noordooste na die Verlore stad van die Tayrona Indiërs, en loop die mure van Cartagenase pynlik pragtige ou stad wat uitkyk oor die versterkte walle waarop die koloniale geskiedenis van Suid-Amerika gedraai het.

Vir die naglewe, warm Cali is vandag se wêreldhoofstad van salsa, en beweer dat die mededingende onderskeid bo Colombia se ander lewendige grootstadpartytonele is, wat die musiek tot in die klein oggendure aan die gang hou. Die hipsters se speelterrein is in die omgewing van El Poblado in Medellín Sentrum.

Om te eet, vind u alles, van die alledaagse goedkoop, heerlike Colombiaanse huisstylmaaltye tot luukse en moderne kookkuns van wêreldgehalte in die groot stede, met kombuis uit alle uithoeke van die wêreld.

En om te ontspan, is daar pragtige tropiese strande langs Colombia's Karibiese Eilande en Stille Oseaan kuste, maar jy kan selfs meer ontspanne en vreedsame toevlugsoorde vind op die idilliese en ongerepte Karibiese eiland Providencia.

Die politieke geweld het in die meerderheid van die land aansienlik bedaar en slim reisigers het al van regoor die wêreld hierheen gestroom — kom voordat almal anders inhaal!

Streke

Stede

• 4.6126388888889-74.07051 Bogotá - die hoofstad, 'n kosmopolitiese stad van 3 km (twee myl), met ongeveer agt miljoen mense wat uit die Andesberge uitstrek, waar u uitstekende museums, wêreldklas-eetplekke en alles wat u van 'n groot stad wil hê, sal vind.
• 10.963888888889-74.7963888888892 Barranquilla - die Goue hawe en die vierde grootste stad in die land is die grootste deel van die jaar nie noodwendig so opwindend nie, maar die karnaval is die tweede grootste ter wêreld na Rio de Janeiro's, en is 'n ongelooflike kulturele ervaring en 'n heck van 'n partytjie!
• 3.44-76.5197222222223 Cali - Colombia se derde grootste stad, bekend as die salsa-hoofstad van Latyns-Amerika.
• 10.423611111111-75.5252777777784 Cartagena - die Heroic City, hoofstad van die departement Bolívar, is by uitstek die toeristestad van Colombia. Die koloniale argitektuur en die wolkekrabbers kan saam gesien word in hierdie stad wat 'n unieke ervaring bied van feeste, historiese besienswaardighede, restaurante en hotelle.
• 5.0661111111111-75.4847222222225 Manizales - die middelpunt van die Zona Cafetera bied die geleentheid om die Los Nevados Nasionale Park te besoek en die koffieplantasie-ervaring te beleef.
• 6.2447472222222-75.5748277777786 Medellín - die stad van die ewige lente en die hoofstad van die departement Antioquia is bekend daarvoor dat hy 'n groot tekstielbedryf het wat klere van topkwaliteit vervaardig wat regoor die wêreld gestuur word. Dit is ook die geboorteplek van meester-skilder Fernando Botero, en dit huisves die oorgrote meerderheid van sy werke.
• 4.8142777777778-75.6945583333337 Pereira - die lieflike stad, die hoofstad van die Risaralda-afdeling, en die belangrikste stad van die koffiestreek - modern, kommersieel en toeristies. Die beroemde 'naakte Bolívar'-monument en die Matecaña-dieretuin is hier. Baie naby die warmwaterbronne van Santa Rosa en die Nasionale Park van "Los Nevados".
• 2.4411-76.60618 Popayán - hierdie pragtige, witgekalkte stad is die godsdienstige sentrum van Colombia. Die tuiste van die tweede grootste Paasfees ter wêreld (na Sevilla, Spanje), het hierdie stad meer Colombiaanse presidente as enige ander bygedra. Begrens deur die Puracé Nasionale Park en poort na die argeologiese terreine van San Agustín en Tierra Dentro in die nabygeleë Huilla.
• 11.236111111111-74.2016666666679 Santa Marta - 'n gewilde basis vir avontuurlike toerisme in die pragtige gebiede rondom, en uniek in die sin dat dit u eendag pragtige strande bied, en die volgende een 'n wandeling na die voetheuwel van 'n sneeuberg, die Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, die hoogste in die land.

Ander bestemmings

• -3.48333333-70.21 Amacayacu Nasionale Park - Ver, ver van die beskawing in die Amasone-reënwoud, 'n groot nasionale park wat per boot ontdek kan word, vol vreemde eilande en pienk dolfyne.
• 5.0247222222222-74.0013888888892 Catedral de Sal - 'n Kolossale kerk wat ondergronds gebou is in 'n voormalige soutmyn, met gange gevoer met pragtige beelde, en 'n stralende kruis wat bo-oor die altaar van die hol skip kom.

• 11.037997222222-73.9251916666673 Ciudad Perdida de Teyuni - 'n Pre-Columbian stad geleë in die Colombiaanse oerwoud naby Santa Marta. Gebou tussen die agtste en die veertiende eeu deur die Tayrona-Indiane. Deesdae is daar nog net rasse van steen wat deur oerwoud bedek is, oor.
• 10.175-75.754 Corales del Rosario - 'n skilderagtige eilandgroep 'n kort bootrit vanaf Cartagena.
• 2.97138889-78.184444445 Isla Gorgona - Hierdie voormalige gevangenis-eiland in die Stille Oseaan is nou 'n natuurreservaat wat oop is vir besoekers. Daar is volop wild soos ape, slange, walvisse en seeskilpaaie. Dit bied uitstekende duikomstandighede.
• 4.8-75.3666676 Los Nevados Nasionale Park - Die vulkaanpark van Colombia op groot hoogte bied uitstekende trekking.
• 13.34888889-81.374722227 Providencia - 'n idilliese, afgeleë Karibiese eiland halfpad in die rigting van Jamaika. Met die tweede grootste versperringsrif op die Westelike Halfrond, is die pragtige eiland Providencia 'n UNESCO-biosfeerreservaat.
• 1.8791666666667-76.2683333333338 San Agustín en Tierradentro - Argeologiese terreine in die suidweste van Colombia.
• 11.28333333-74.183333339 Tayrona Nasionale Park - Sommige van die mooiste kuslyne in almal Suid-Amerika.

Verstaan

Colombia is die enigste land in Suid-Amerika met kuslyne aan beide die Noordelike Stille Oseaan en die Karibiese See, en dit het die tweede grootste biodiversiteit ter wêreld. Lê suid van Panama, Colombia beheer die landtoegang tussen Sentraal en Suid-Amerika. Met Panama in die noorde word Colombia omring deur Venezuela na die ooste, Brasilië na die suidooste, en Ecuador en Peru na die suidweste. Die land is genoem ter ere van Christopher Columbus, na aanleiding van die Italiaanse weergawe van sy naam (Cristoforo Colombo). Alhoewel Columbus nooit 'n voet op die huidige Colombiaanse gebied gesit het nie, het hy in sy vierde reis Panama besoek, wat was deel van Colombia tot 1903.

Om in Colombia te reis, is beslis die moeite werd. Vanaf Bogotá, met 'n gematigde klimaat 2.600 m (8.530 voet) bo seespieël en by 'n konstante temperatuur van 19 ° C, kan 'n rit van een of twee uur noord, suid, oos of wes u neem na landskappe wat so uiteenlopend is soos hulle is mooi. Na historiese middestede en dorpe, moderne en energieke partytjie-stede, oosterse vlaktes wat met baie modulasie ver buite die horison strek. ruige kontoere van die hoër Andes-streek, die Guajira-skiereiland en sy woestyn, idilliese strande, die tropiese oerwoud van die Amasone en die Choco met oorvloedige flora en fauna, sneeupieke en vulkane, antieke ruïnes, die Magdalena-vallei en sy warm weer, pragtige koraalriwwe en 'n oorvloed onderwater seelewe saam met aangename ontspanne tropiese eilande, en die vermoë om te rus en te ontspan in 'n privaat huur hacienda Dit laat jou toe om hierdie skatte vir jouself te hê en te geniet. So 'n verskeidenheid kom met ewe uiteenlopende tradisies en voedsel. Colombia is een van die ekwatoriale lande ter wêreld, maar uniek in sy uiterste topografie en oorvloed water en het iets vir almal.

Klimaat

Kies regtig. Colombia is 'n ekwatoriale land met 'n ongelooflike afwyking in hoogte, en dit sal dus mooi wees watter temperatuur u die hele jaar die beste hou! Die klimaat is tropies langs die kus, oostelike vlaktes en Amazon; koud in die hooglande met periodieke droogtes. By gebrek aan die gewone seisoene, verwys Colombiaanse reëntye gewoonlik as winter - maar die verskille in terrein en hoogte beteken dat die reënseisoen in elke uithoek van die land verskil!

Die een nadeel van al hierdie klimaatverskeidenheid is egter dat u heelwat verskillende klere moet saamneem as u van plan is om baie te reis. Stede in die sentrum soos Bogotá en diegene in die noorde in Boyacá kan moontlik temperature onder 0 ° C bereik, so bring 'n laag. Sommige berge is ook die hele jaar met sneeu bedek. Stede langs die Karibiese kus soos Cartagena, Barranquilla, en Santa Marta is warm en vogtig, terwyl sommige stede op middelhoogte in die Andes soos Medellín (die stad van die ewige lente), Manizales, en ander stede in die Koffiedriehoekstreek het altyd 'n mooi, gematigde weer.

Terrein

Plat kuslaaglande, sentrale hooglande, hoë Andesberge, oostelike laaglandvlaktes

Natuurlike gevare: hooglande onderhewig aan vulkaniese uitbarstings; af en toe aardbewings. 'N Vulkaniese ramp het in Armero, 1985, voorgekom. 25,000 mense is begrawe deur lahars (vulkaniese modderstrome) wat die Nevado del Ruiz opgelewer het.

Hoogste punt: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m (18,950 voet) van die Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Die berg is deel van die wêreld se hoogste kusreeks. Naby Pico Simon Bolivar het dieselfde hoogte

Geskiedenis

Colombia was bewoon deur talle, belangrike inheemse kulture soos die Muisca, die Tayrona en die Quimbaya; sommige groepe inheemse mense, aangesien die Caribs in 'n toestand van permanente oorlog geleef het, maar ander het minder beledigende houdings gehad. Die gebied wat nou Colombia is, is deur die Spanjaarde verower deur bondgenootskappe met sommige inheemse groepe toe Amerika deur Europeërs 'ontdek' is. Die proses van verowering en kolonisasie het die sosiale strukture van die gebiede ingrypend verander, die inheemse bevolking het dramaties gekrimp en hul aandeel in die bevolking het sedertdien afgeneem. Die Spaanse Ryk het Europese setlaars en Afrika-slawe gebring, terwyl die meeste van die bevolking in die kolonie van gemengde Spaanse en inheemse afkoms was. Die Spaanse ryk het slawe na hul kolonies gebring, grotendeels deur die 'asiento'-stelsel te gebruik, wat handelaars van baie slawehandellande gelisensieer het om slawe te vervoer.

Onafhanklikheid van Spanje is in 1819 gewen as deel van die "Gran Colombia" Federasie, maar teen 1830 is die federasie ontbind. Dit was een van die vyf lande wat deur Simón Bolívar bevry is (die ander was Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru en Bolivia). Die sukses van die onafhanklikheidsbewegings regoor Latyns - Amerika is vergemaklik deur die Napoleontiese oorloë wat die vasteland van Spanje met twee mededingende regerings verlaat het. Wat nou Colombia en Panama is, het ontstaan ​​as die Republiek van Nieu-Granada. Die nuwe nasie het met federalisme geëksperimenteer as die Granadine Confederation (1858), en daarna die Verenigde State van Colombia (1863), voordat die Republiek Colombia in 1886 verklaar is. Die voorneme van die Verenigde State van Amerika om die Panamakanaal te beheer, het daartoe gelei dat Panama geword het 'n afsonderlike nasie in 1903.

Colombia was die eerste grondwetlike regering in Suid-Amerika. Slawerny is in 1851 in die land afgeskaf. Die jare na onafhanklikheid is gekenmerk deur verskeie burgeroorloë, die nalatenskap van hierdie konflikte gekombineer met staatsonderdrukking teen linkse milisies in landelike gebiede en wêreldpolarisasie veroorsaak deur die Koue Oorlog het uitgeloop op 'n kommunistiese opstandige veldtog in 1964 deur die FARC en die ELN om die Colombiaanse regering omver te werp. Die jare tydens die konflik is gekenmerk deur hewige gevegte tussen die kommunistiese guerrilla's, die Colombiaanse staat en weermag, regse paramilitêrs en verskeie dwelmkartelle. In die volgende jaar 2005 het die veiligheid in die hele land verbeter. As deel van 'n moeilike vredesproses het die AUC (regse paramilitêrs) as 'n formele organisasie opgehou om te funksioneer, en in 2012 het die regering en die FARC vredesonderhandelinge begin om die 50-jarige burgeroorlog een keer te beëindig. en vir almal. Colombia is in herstel met 'n vinnig verbeterende ekonomie. Die beëindiging van die konflik, ongelykheid in rykdom en die heropbou van die nasie is 'n paar probleme wat die land in die gesig staar. In Oktober 2016 ontvang President Santos die Nobelprys vir Vrede vir sy pogings om die land se vyf dekades van burgeroorlog tot 'n einde te bring.

Praat

Die amptelike taal van Colombia is Spaans. Sommige inheemse stamme in landelike gebiede praat steeds hul eie tale, hoewel byna alle mense uit die stamme tweetalig in hul eie taal en Spaans sal wees.

As u onlangs Spaans geleer het, is dit 'n verligting om te weet dat die Bogotá-dialek duidelik en maklik verstaanbaar is. Die Spaanse wissel wel van Cartagena tot Bogotá tot Cali. Oor die algemeen word die Spaanse aan die kus vinniger gepraat, en Spaans van Medellín het sy eie eienaardighede. In stede soos Medellín en Cali is die dialek Spaans die voseo vorm. Dit beteken dat in plaas van die bekende persoon se voornaamwoord tú, vos word eerder gebruik. Alhoewel tú word ook deur almal verstaan, vos is 'n meer vriendelike stem terwyl tú is gereserveer vir intieme kringe. Die Spaanse wat langs die Karibiese kus gepraat word, is soortgelyk aan die dialekte waarin gepraat word Kuba, Puerto Rico en die Dominikaanse Republiek.

'N Hele paar Colombiaanse ken ten minste 'n paar basiese frases in Engels, want Engels word op skool geleer en Hollywood-films is meestal Engels met Spaanse onderskrifte. Vir die grootste deel moet u egter beslis belê om die basiese beginsels van Spaans te leer, want daar sal baie situasies wees waar niemand Engels kan praat nie.

Dit is meer waarskynlik dat Colombiaanse mense uit meer gegoede agtergronde Engels geleer het, en die meerderheid hooggeplaastes, bestuurders en hooggeplaaste regeringsamptenare in Colombia praat 'n ordentlike vlak van Engels. 'N Engelse kreool soortgelyk aan Jamaikaanse patois word gepraat deur die Jamaikaanse diaspora in die Karibiese eilandgroep van San Andrés en Providencia.

Gaan in

Visums

Paspoorthouers van die volgende lande het nie 'n visum nodig om Colombia te betree as die doel van die besoek tot 90 dae toerisme is nie (tensy anders vermeld): Andorra, Argentinië, Australië, Oostenryk, Azerbeidjan, Bahamas, Barbados, België, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnië en Herzegovina, Brasilië, Brunei, Bulgarye, Kanada, Chili, Costa Rica, Kroasië, Ciprus, Tsjeggiese Republiek, Denemarke, Dominica, Dominikaanse Republiek, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estland, Fidji, Finland, Frankryk, Georgië, Duitsland, Griekeland, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hongkong (180 dae), Hongarye, Ysland, Indonesië, Ierland, Israel, Italië, Jamaika, Japan, Kazakstan, Republiek van Korea, Letland, Liechtenstein, Litaue, Luxemburg, Maleisië, Malta, Marshall-eilande, Mexiko, Mikronesië, Monaco, Mongolië, Montenegro, Nederland, Nieu-Seeland, Noorweë, Palau, Panama, Papoea-Nieu-Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Filippyne, Pole, Portugal, Katar, Roemenië, Rusland, Saint Kitts en Nevis, Sint Lucia, Saint Vincent en die Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serwië, Singapoer, Slowakye, Slowenië, Salomonseilande, Spanje, Suriname, Swede, Switserland, Taiwan, Trinidad en Tobago, Turkye, Verenigde Arabiese Emirate, Verenigde Koninkryk, Verenigde State van Amerika, Uruguay, Vatikaanstad en Venezuela.

Burgers van die volgende lande kan met hul nasionale ID-kaart inskryf: Argentinië, Bolivia, Brasilië, Chili, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay en Venezuela.

Kanadese wederkerigheidsfooi Vanaf 1 Mei 2019 sal die Colombiaanse regering die toegangsbelasting vir Kanadese reisigers verwyder.

Kanadese burgers wat normale paspoorte het, moet 'n wederkerigheidsfooi van 160,000 Colombiaanse pesos betaal by hul aankoms, behalwe vir toeriste jonger as 14 of ouer as 79, of diegene wie se eindbestemming is San Andrés, Providencia en Santa Catalina.

Colombiaanse owerhede sal paspoorte van bogenoemde lande afstem om toestemming te gee om maksimum 30 tot 90 dae te bly. Immigrasiebeamptes op enige van die internasionale lughawens in die land sal u gewoonlik die tydsduur van u reis vra, wat u 'n besliste aantal dae sal gee wat u kan dek, wat u tot 90 kan verleng deur na 'n kantoor vir immigrasie-dienste te gaan.

Verleng u verblyf

U kan aansoek doen om 'n verlenging van 90 dae vir u verblyf by 'n Asuntos Migratorios-kantoor in sommige van die groot stede, wat ongeveer US $ 40 kos. U benodig twee eksemplare van die hoofblad van u paspoort, twee eksemplare van die bladsy met die toegangsstempel, twee kopieë van 'n kaartjie wat die land uit is en vier foto's. Die prosedure duur 'n geruime tyd en sluit die neem van u vingerafdrukke in. Vir besoekers kan die maksimum verblyftyd in 1 jaar nie langer as 6 maande wees nie.

Met die vliegtuig

Daar is gereelde internasionale vlugte na groot stede, insluitend Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Pereira en San Andrés-eilande sowel as na ander kleiner stede in die grense met Venezuela, Ecuador, Panamá en Brasilië.

Daar is daaglikse direkte vlugte na en van die VS, Kanada, Mexiko, Costa Rica, Panama, Spanje, Frankryk en Suid-Amerika.

Pasop daarvoor Medellín is die enigste Colombiaanse stad wat deur twee lughawens bedien word: Internasionale en langafstand binnelandse vlugte gaan na José María Córdova Internasionale lughawe (MDE ^IATA) terwyl streeksvlugte en ander binnelandse vlugte aankom Olaya Herrera lughawe (EOH ^IATA).

Bogotá het twee lughawe-terminale: Puente Aéreo en El Dorado. Buiten die lughawe moet u let op ondernemende mans wat u sal help om u tasse in 'n taxi of motor te lig en dan betaling te verwag. Dit is die beste om alle aanbiedinge van hulp beleefd te weier, tensy u van 'n taxibestuurder af gaan huur.

Huurmotors word gereguleer, redelik geprys en veilig vanaf die lughawens. Die taxi-rit vanaf die lughawe na die sentrale sakegebied in Bogotá duur ongeveer 20 minute.

Met die motor

• Tik vanaf Venezuela by die San Cristóbal-Cúcuta of Maracaibo-Maicao slaag.
• Tik vanaf Ecuador by die Tulcán-Ipiales (Rumichaca) slaag.
• Belangrik: daar kom geen groot paaie uit drie buurlande nie: Panamá, Brasilië en Peru. Daar is glad nie paaie vanaf Panamá nie, en daar is klein paaie tussen Colombia en Peru of Brasilië, maar dit lei nie na groot stede of streke nie.

Per boot

Tik vanaf Panama per seilboot. Seilbote vertrek gereeld vanaf Portobelo, Panama, op 5 nagtelike reise na Cartagena, Colombia. Daar word 3 dae bestee aan die verkenning van die San Blas eilandparadys. Die pryse wissel van $ 550 tot $ 700, met die mees gerekende bote wat vooraf aanlyn bespreek word.

Gaan vanaf Panama deur die Puerto Obaldia-Capurganá slaag. Van Capurganá, neem nog 'n bootrit na Turbo, waar busse u na Medellín en Montería neem.

As u van Brasilië, is daar weekliks bote vanaf Manaus aan Tabatinga/Leticia deur die Amasone-rivier. Dit neem ongeveer ses dae om van Manaus af te gaan en net drie dae om terug te kom (die rede vir die verskil is die stroom van die rivier). Daar is ook weeklikse motorbote wat duurder is, maar die reis binne minder as twee dae aflê. Sodra u in Leticia daaglikse binnelandse vlugte na verskeie stede neem, insluitend Bogotá.

'N Redelike aantal cruise skepe dagbesoeke aflê (gewoonlik by Cartagena), veral gedurende koeler maande in Noord-Amerika.

Met die bus

Van Venezuela

Daar is verbindings vanaf die hoofterminaal van Caracas na die meeste stede in Colombia. Vanaf die hoofterminaal, Maracaibo (Venezuela), kan u busse vind wat na die stede (Cartagena, Baranquilla, Santa Marta) aan die kus ry. Die grens by Maicao bied 'n betreklik maklike, reguit toegang tot Colombia vanuit Venezuela.

U kan ook vanuit Venezuela via die besige mense binnekom San Cristóbal aan Cúcuta roete, wat deur die grensdorp van San Antonio del Táchira.

Die grens kan 'n bietjie moeite of selfs gevaarlik wees, veral in die nag. Vra plaaslike inwoners.

Van Ecuador

Dit is baie eenvoudig om Colombia vanuit Ecuador binne te gaan. Reis na Tulcán, waar u 'n taxi na die grens kan kry. Kry u uitgangstempels by die immigrasie-kantore en neem nog 'n taxi na Ipiales. Van daar af kan jy verder reis na Cali, Bogotá, ensovoorts.

Van Panama

U kan nie per bus vanaf Panama na Colombia ry nie - die Darien Gap begin by Yaviza, waar die Interamericana opraak. Oorweeg dit eerder om die bootoorgang te gebruik. Daar is dikwels seiljagte wat u tussen Colombia en Panama sal vervoer en 'n draai kan maak in die pragtige San Blas-eilande.

Lugdiens met vlugte tussen die twee lande is Avianca, COPA en LAN.

Kry rond

Met die vliegtuig

As gevolg van die afwesigheid van spoorwegverbindings en die hoë berge wat baie van die groot stede van mekaar skei, is lugreise gewild en wydverspreid onder diegene wat dit kan bekostig, en mededinging is erg. Bogotá-Medellin was die 30ste besigste passasierslugroete in 2018 met byna vier miljoen passasiers wat gevlieg is, en daar is geen aanduiding dat die 239 km-roete binnekort na ander modusse sou beweeg nie. Die belangrikste binnelandse vervoerondernemings in Colombia is:

• Avianca (vernaamste Colombiaanse nasionale lugdiens)
• VivaColombia (die goedkoop, Ryanair-agtige lugdiens).
• Wingo 'n filiaalmerk 'lae tarief' van COPA Colombia werk as 'n aparte handelsmerk (voorheen AeroRepublica)
• LATAM Colombia (voorheen LAN Colombia en Aires)
• EasyFly (plaaslike lugdiens rondom Medellín, Bogotá en Bucaramanga)
• Satena (Servicio Aéreo a Territorios Nacionales) (bedryf deur die Colombiaanse lugmag om vervoer na afgeleë streke van Los Llanos, Amazona en die Stille Oseaan-kus vanaf Bogotá te voorsien)
• TAC (Transportes Aero Colombiana) handves lugdiens
• AEXPA (hoofsaaklik 'n huurdiens na en langs die Stille Oseaan-kus)

Hulle het almal goed versorgde vlote en gereelde diens na groot dorpe en stede in Colombia. Die aanlynbetalingsproses van sommige binnelandse lugdienste is ingewikkeld. Betalings kan op die lughawe of amptelike kaartjiekantore gedoen word.

Met die trein

Die Metro in Medellín en omgewing is die naaste aan 'n passasierstrein in Colombia. Daar is geen intercity-treine in die land nie. Daar is egter planne om dit te verander en die burgemeester van Bogotá vir die termyn 2020-2023 het haar veldtog op 'n platform van "Metro, Metro en meer Metro" aangebied en die bou van 'n metro en 'n plaaslike tramtrein is reeds aan die gang .

Met die motor

Ry is aan die regterkant van die pad. Die meeste motors het standaarduitsendings. Die vloot van Colombia bestaan ​​hoofsaaklik uit motors met 4-silinder enjins wat van Europese en Japannese vervaardig is.

Buitelandse besoekers mag ry as hulle 'n internasionale bestuurslisensie toon ('n veeltalige bekragtigingskaart uitgereik deur motor- en bestuursklubs regoor die wêreld).

Versekering is goedkoop en verpligtend.

Die spoedbeperking in woongebiede is 30 km / h (19 mph), en in stedelike gebiede is dit 60 km / h (37 mph). Daar is 'n nasionale spoedbeperking van 80 km / h (50 mph).

Die land het 'n goed onderhoude netwerk van paaie wat alle groot stede in die Andes-gebiede verbind en dié in die Karibiese kus. In die reënseisoen (November tot Februarie) kom daar gereeld grondverskuiwings op paaie en paaie voor. Kleiner grondverskuiwings kan paaie tot een baan verminder, wat aansienlike agterstewe veroorsaak; groter grondverskuiwings is miskien dae lank 'n pad vir verkeer. Daar is baie toloorgange; die fooi is ongeveer US $ 3,00. Daar is ook baie grondpaaie van wisselende gehalte. Internasionale landreis is slegs moontlik na Ecuador en Venezuela.

Met die bus

Busreise is wydverspreid en het verskillende kwaliteitsvlakke. Langafstandreise kos selde meer as US $ 55 (enkele reis). By die verkryging van kaartjies vir die bus is die plaaslike gebruik dat die passasier na die terminale kom en 'n kaartjie koop vir die volgende beskikbare bus wat na die gewenste bestemming gaan. Afhangend van die maatskappy of terminale, is dit selfs onmoontlik om 'n kaartjie meer as 'n paar uur voor die tyd te koop! Daarom is dit aan te beveel om ten minste te weet wanneer 'n spesifieke diens binne 'n dag begin en eindig. Langafstand-busreise is gewoonlik baie stadig omdat hoofweë tweespoorpaaie is met baie vragmotorverkeer. Baie roetes kronkel hoog in die berge (3000 m) en reissiekte kan kombineer met hoogtesiekte. Vir enige afstand langer as 5 uur, wil u dalk die vliegreis bespreek.

Afstand en reistyd vanaf Bogotá:

Bestemming	Afstand (km)	Tyd (h)
Armenië	296	8
Barranquilla	985	20
Bucaramanga	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

Sommige van die belangrikste ondernemings wat roetes bied na die noorde van Bogotá en Medellin na die Karibiese kus en die gebiede tussen die twee stede:

• Expreso Brasilia, tolvry: 1 8000 51 8001. Bel T 50 en Movistar telefone # 501 of # 502 (Jul 2015 opgedateer)
• Copetran, ☏ 57 7 644-81-67 (Bucaramanga), tolvry: 1 8000 114 164. # 567 of # 568 van Claro-selfone (Jul 2015 opgedateer)
• Berlinas del Fonce. Reis tussen Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Santa Marta en wys tussenin (Jul 2015 opgedateer)
• Rapido Ochoa, ☏ 57 4 444-88-88. Reis van Medellin en Bogotá na Arboletes, Barracajermeca, Monteria, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Tolu en punte tussenin in verskeie roetekombinasies (Jul 2015 opgedateer)

Ander maatskappye wat na verskeie stede en dorpe in die suidelike deel van die land, suid van Bogotá en Medellin, en die gebiede tussen twee stede gaan; en af ​​na die Ecuadoriaanse grens:

• Expreso Bolivariano, ☏ 57 1 424-90-90 (Bogotá-nommer). Bied uitgebreide roetes vanaf Bogotá en Medellin na Manizales, Armenië, Medellin, Calia, Ipiales, Popayan en na ander plekke suid. Hulle bied ook internasionale dienste tot in Peru. (Jul 2015 opgedateer)
• ^{[dooie skakel]}Expreso Palmira, ☏ 57 321 890-35-97 (vanaf selfoon), tolvry: 1 8000 936-662. (Jul 2015 opgedateer)
• Fronteras - Kontinentale bus. (Jul 2015 opgedateer)
• Saammotor. (Jul 2015 opgedateer)

Daar is talle ander busmaatskappye en bestuurdersvakbonde regoor die land wat meer plaaslik op verskillende afstande van 'n bepaalde stad of stad of binne 'n departement of tussen aangrensende departemente werk. Kyk of dra by tot die artikels van 'n spesifieke omgewing wat beskikbaar is. In die Amazonas, Los Llanos en in die afgeleë dele van die suidelike streke in die rigting van Leticia en die Stille Oseaan is die paaie beperk tot geen, so ook die busdienste. Daarbenewens het sommige van hierdie afgeleë gebiede veral die gebiede naby die grense met Venezuela, Panama en Ecuador; Amasone-reënwoud in die suidooste en in die rigting van die Stille Oseaan-kus is moontlik nog onveilig om na en om te reis as gevolg van voortdurende guerrilla-aktiwiteite. Doen navraag hiervoor voordat u gaan.

U kan meer inligting op RedBus.co wat die uiteenlopende aantal maatskappye vergelyk.

Met stedelike bus

Teen die begin van hierdie eeu het stedelike sentrums in Colombia 'n uiters doeltreffende en netjiese busvervoerstelsel ontwikkel wat na ander lande versprei. In Bogotá kan u die Transmilenio, in Medellín el Metroplus[1], in Cali el Mio, in Barranquilla Transmetro, in Bucaramanga Metrolínea, in Pereira die Megabús.

Dit word steeds aanbeveel dat u u besittings dophou en dat u nie waardevolle artikels, oortollige kontant (meer as $ 20 000 sigbare COP) of onnodige items dra nie. Moet nooit kos of drank van vreemdelinge aanvaar nie. Moenie met vreemdelinge by bushaltes of terminale praat nie. Dit is moontlik dat u by die polisie se kontrolepunte gestop kan word. 'N Rustige houding is die beste sleutel om ongerief te vermy.

Met die metro

Die enigste metrostelsel van Colombia is in Medellín, in die departement (deelstaat) Antioquia. Dit verbind die buitelandse voorstedelike dorpe met die barrios van Medellín - lyn A vertrek van La Estrella na Barrio Niquía, lyn B van Barrio San Antonio na Barrio San Javíer. Die metro-stelsel het ook twee kabellyne: Metrocable Line K vanaf Barrio Acevedo na Barrio Santo Domingo Savio en Metrocable Line J wat vertrek vanaf Barrio San Javier. Om met die kabelkarre te ry, is 'n unieke ervaring, aangesien passasiers met gondels die berg op reis. Die MetroCable het ses stasies en 'n uitbreiding van die Parque Arví-ekopark. Ride na Parque Arvi kos ongeveer US $ 4 (COP $ 3500). Daar bereik u na 'n reis van 20 minute in die gondelkarre 'n hoogte van 2500 meter bo seespieël.

Met die taxi

Die taxinetwerke in groot stede soos Bogotá is uitgebreid. Die pryse wissel baie tussen stede, byvoorbeeld Bogotá is relatief goedkoop terwyl Cartagena duur is. 'N (Heldergeel) taxirit oor Bogotá kan tot 'n dag duur, maar kos minder as US $ 15.

As u 'n taxi per telefoon bestel, gee die maatskappy u die taxi-registrasienommer. Dan sal die taxi op die gegewe adres wag. U moet hulle miskien 'n kode van drie of vier syfers gee wat aan u gegee is wanneer u die taxi bespreek. Gedurende die dag is sommige taxistaanplekke buite hotelle, kantoorgeboue en regeringskantore slegs gesertifiseerde bestuurders en maatskappye toegelaat, en u naam en besonderhede sal ook opneem as u op die taxi klim. Huurmotors van stad tot stad is maklik om te reël deur vooruit te skakel en die prys in te stem, dit is volgens die westerse standaarde steeds goedkoop en veilig en heel aangenaam.

Die meter in alle taxi's begin by COP $ 25 en styg dan oor afstand. Die nommer waarop dit aankom, stem ooreen met 'n tarief wat op die voorste sitplek van die kajuit vertoon sal word. Taxi- en buspryse styg op Sondae, openbare vakansiedae, vroegoggend en laataand. Daar is ook ekstra koste vir bagasie en om vooraf telefonies te bespreek.

Anders as baie ander lande, is dit nie gebruiklik om die taxibestuurder te tip nie. Dit hang van die individu af.

Baie taxi's word nie toegelaat om buite Bogotá te reis nie weens die beperkings op hul lisensies. U moet altyd reëlings tref om vooraf met die taxi buite Bogotá te reis.

Op sommige plekke (byvoorbeeld in Las Aguas in die Candelaria-distrik Bogotá), kan u 'n persoon vind wat optree as taxibestuurder - hulle sal u 'n taxi aanbied en u na 'n spesifieke taxi lei. Hulle ontvang dan 'n klein fooitjie van die bestuurder.

In groot stede het dit baie algemeen geraak om programme te gebruik om taxi's te groet. Tappsi en EasyTaxi blyk baie gewild te wees. Uber-diens is beskikbaar in Bogotá, Cartagena en Medellín.

Met die kabelkar

Since most of the Colombian population lives in the Andes, cable car systems are becoming popular for both commuting and tourist transportation. You can ride the ones in Manizales and Medellín, which are integrated in the Metro system, and the ones in rural small towns of Antioquia: Jardín, Jericó, Sopetrán and San Andrés de Cuerquia. Also enjoy the magnificent view of the new cable car above the Chicamocha river canyon in Santander.

Sien

Much of Colombia is in the Andes, which means there is very beautiful mountainous scenery to be found. On the other hand, there are also nice beaches to be found in the lowlands. The altitude of some peaks mean that snow can be seen even though they lie in the tropics.

Sport

Football (soccer) is Colombia's national sport, and the Colombia's national team is one of the stronger ones in the world, having produced several world-class players such as Carlos Valderrama, Iván Córdoba and James Rodríguez. Matches against Argentina in particular tend to draw a lot of attention from the locals.

Domestically, the top tier of Colombia's football league system is the Categoría Primera A, and Colombians also take their domestic rivalries very seriously.

Doen

There are a lot of things to do in Colombia, and you can find parties and celebrations wherever you go. Colombians especially love to dance, and if you don't know how, they'll happily teach you. 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 Bogotá 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.

Koop

Geld

Exchange rates for Colombian pesos As of January 2020: US$1 ≈ COP$3,300 €1 ≈ COP$3,700 UK£1 ≈ COP$4,300 Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available from 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).

Costs

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.

Inkopies

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.

Eet

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. For example, 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. Bogotá 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 Bogotá 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.

Lekkers

Bread and pastry is easily available from a neighborhood bakeries. Pastry is prevalent, both salty and sweet, including pandebono, pan de yuca, pastel gloria, en 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.

Die 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.

Drink

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.

Slaap

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.

Leer

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.

Werk

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.

Bly veilig

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 of Caquetá, which are very dangerous, active conflict zones. Other departments with significant rural violence include the Atlantic departments of Chocó, Cauca, en Valle del Cauca; eastern Meta, Vichada, en Arauca in the east; and all Amazonian departments except for 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, en 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.

Crime

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 Verenigde State, 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).

Drugs

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.

Bly gesond

Drink only bottled water 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 malaria, Yellow fever, en Dengue, and infection rates are similar to other lowland parts of Suid-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.

Malaria is a potential problem, so trips outside Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, en die Andean region warrant use of antimalarials, which can be bought very 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.

Respek

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 distrik. 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.

Verbind

Post

Colombia does not have a government-run post office system. However, the private firm 4-72 serves as Colombia's de facto 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

Carriers

It's simple enough to get a SIM card and even an unlocked phone at the international airport in Bogotá, 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

#	Departments
1	Bogotá en Cundinamarca
2	Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Nariño
3	Mobile phones
4	Antioquia, Chocó, Córdoba
5	Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, La Guajira, Magdalena, Suksesvol
6	Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío
7	Norte de Santander, Santander, Arauca
8	Boyacá, Tolima, Huila, San Andrés and 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 ten 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.