Helpful Things To Know Before Visiting Colombia
Colombia NOT Columbia
Duh. Start with the fact you found this post, so you already know it’s Colombia, not Columbia. But, you will see T-shirts at all the souvenir stands to remind you. We didn’t know that people didn’t know but, maybe it’s a thing?
Also, we are apologizing for improper accenting and anglicized spelling throughout this blog.
Tips for Your First Trip to Colombia
We absolutely loved Colombia, as our first trip to South America, it stood out a bit among our travels for a few reasons. For reference, we visited Cartagena, Medellín, and Bogotá. You know we are planners – we put some work into this one – but you can never know what you don’t know! We wanted to help prepare you for things we wish we would have known. Things we thought would be helpful to share for your trip and make it amazing.
You can also refer to a Colombian Tourism Guide for questions.
The Language Barrier
We’ve been to quite a few countries where the number of English speakers were abundant enough that we really didn’t struggle. Colombia’s primary language is Spanish. I speak a little Spanish, but not quite enough. Unless you are fluent, you will need to use Google Translate a lot. Luckily, those in the service industry communicate via the Translate app, they are very familiar and comfortable with it.
In Cartagena, they speak very fast, they also shorten words. This makes it even more difficult to understand and respond without help. Since this was our first stop, we didn’t recognize this was a regional difference.
In Medellín, it was a lot easier. They use a slower vernacular, and I could actually pick words out enough to understand what many people were saying (even if I couldn’t recall the right words to respond).
We really thought in Bogotá, because of it’s size and metropolitan feel, English would be more common. The service (hotel and restaurant) industry was more English-friendly, but we still struggled.
Keep your Google Translate handy, and you will get through. This is certainly nothing to distract you from going or enjoying the experience. We found drivers and tour guides that were fluent in English and were a big help. A good tip is to download/make the the Translate app available off-line.
We did also find spending time on Duolingo helped with the basics of conversation and we could muddle through simple conversations and be respectful with the please, thank you, and greetings.
Side Note on Pronunciation
Just a small difference from the Spanish that we are accustomed to in the US, the ll (double L) is pronounced like a “j” rather than a “y”. So phonetically, Medellín is /məˈdɛljən/ or MEH-de-jeen. Likewise, even Calle (street) is Cah-jay.
Also, the “n” in Cartagena is not an ñ so it is not Carta-hey-nya, like we hear in the US. It is more like Carta-henna.
We are sure there are many other differences but these are the ones that were the most obvious to us.
How to Get Around – Driving, Rideshare and Traffic
From the Airport
Hire an Uber. Do this before leaving the airport, as there are scammers and fake taxi drivers all waiting outside. Taxis are generally fine, but make sure that you have an agreed to fare up front and definitely get into the taxi line and do not allow the freelancers to talk you into going through them.
We found that Uber was much cheaper and was a guaranteed fare. Once you get to your hotel, the desk may be able to give you the best advice or arrange a taxi if that is preferred.
Hire a Driver
Once you get in the rideshare or cab, if you like the driver, ask if they do private tours. Most do and you can hire them for the day to take you wherever you want to go. They will be happy to wait while you enjoy your tour or attraction and be there to take you to your next stop when you are ready.
This saves you worrying about how to get to some of the more distant sightseeing spots or spending too much on touristy group tours, and as a bonus, they can give you local insight.
Traffic
Also, like in many foreign countries, roadway lanes are just a suggestion and not an absolute. To me this feels almost comforting after traveling in Southeast Asia. I would say Colombian drivers somewhere between London drivers and Bali drivers. They are busy and there are lots of drivers, they are aggressive but not rude or mean, and they will swerve in and out like nobody’s business.
There are scooters that weave in and out of traffic, but not to the extent of Southeast Asia. You get the little beep-beep of a horn to remind you they are there or that it’s your turn to go, but it’s not the hostile road rage-y horns you see in the USA cities.
Yes, it is safe, but if you have never experienced it before, just take a deep breath and trust in your driver. In most cases, cities like this have way less traffic accidents than the US, and you are absolutely going to be ok.
How to Get Around in Colombia – Traveling Between Cities
Colombia is huge. Bigger than you think it is. Do not try to get everywhere on one trip unless you have a month to work through it all. It varies and can easily be broken into chunks between coastal, mountains, cities, and Amazon region. There are coffee regions, and islands, there are jungle cruises and mountains to hike. It’s a very diverse country with so much culture to experience, do not try to rush it.
Luckily, flights in country are really cheap (by USA standards). There are flights between Bogotá, Cartagena, and Medellín just about every hour. A quick one or two-hour flight makes a much easier trip than driving (plus there are checkpoints on the roads between cities which you really do not want to take unless you are fluent in Spanish).
What to Eat – Dining in Colombia
Colombian food is amazing, do not be shy about trying everything. Full of flavor and spices, but they are not a country that makes things too hot to enjoy.
Colombia is a country that values it’s food and quality, and the enjoyment of the meal. As such, it is one of those countries where you will have to request the check, they will not automatically bring it to you like they do in the USA.
The Street Food culture is strong. Street vendors are safe, look for the ones with the frying and cooking done in front of you rather than the carts where it is pre-made and sitting under a heater. Fritas, or fried food, are everywhere and really good. People will order and hang out in front of the cart using sauces and eating instead of just walking away and eating on the go.
Coffee is obviously a big deal! Whether you go to the coffee growing region, tour a farm, or just spend time in the many cafes, definitely enjoy as much as you can.
Likewise with fresh produce, seafood and meat. Eat local and experience the specialties of each region.
What to Wear in Colombia – Packing and Style
We researched what to pack. We struggled because it was hot and humid in Cartagena, “Eternal Spring” in Medellin, and cool and rainy in the mountainous areas of Bogotá. Packing was a struggle, and we went with many layered options. Tank tops, Sundresses, cardigans, shorts, joggers, jeans, and a combination of long and short sleeve shirts.
And most of the social media and blogs we found on Colombia said that Cartagena was beach style (but not swimsuits) appropriate everywhere. Bogota was much dressier, that no one wore sandals or flip flops but they love boots! Medellín listed fashion as being very important but jeans and a leather jacket were common.
One blogger quoted her mother, from Bogotá, saying (English translation), ‘Better dead than plain”. We giggled at this because we are not dressy, primped up girls but when in Bogota…
And we still couldn’t quite get it together.
What We Actually Found
We found that Cartagena had an amazing vibe and feel. Definitely laid back, but still touristy. But a lot of tight, little, cut-out dresses! However, I felt quite at home there in my shorts, tanks, and sundresses. I also felt cute most of the time.
Medellín was difficult because it was unseasonably cool (according to our driver). So we were a little underprepared – the climate was nearly identical to Bogota while we were there in November. We stuck to jeans and short sleeves with a very light rain jacket during the day, although we didn’t use it much.
By the time we got to Bogotá I was over my entire wardrobe. And everywhere we went there was a wide range of styles. People dressed in trendy outfits, but we also saw jeans and t-shirts, shorts, joggers, etc. People really did do their own style. So, the fancier stuff we bought was pretty unnecessary after our one Michelin-level dinner.
Cash or Credit Cards
Along these same lines, many small places would rather you use cash. We went through a lot of cash. Do not assume everyone takes a credit card, and be prepared that if they do, they will pass the 5% service fee on to the top of your total. However, the majority of restaurants took credit cards.
Tipping is not needed, but always appreciated. Often, they will ask if you would like to include the standard 10% gratuity, and if they don’t, you can ask them to add it onto the bill. Many places won’t automatically assume you want it. So, if you are from a tipping culture and experienced excellent service, they do appreciate the gesture. If you are not called to do so, you will not be judged.
ATMs were fairly easy to find but the limits were low, the most we saw was $600,000 COP which was roughly $150 USD. While that went far for food, entry fees, and incidentals, our private drivers all required cash. Each “full day” was between $450,000 – $600,000 COP before meals and admissions.
In Medellin, You Can Take a Certain Tour, but Don’t Try to Talk to Locals About It
If you’ve seen a certain show centered around the rise and fall most wanted man in the world in the 90s, you will absolutely want to take a tour in Medellin. We loved it and found it fascinating from a true crime perspective. However, most Colombians consider this a very black mark and terrible time that they do not want to acknowledge, talk about, or hear about.
Pablo Escobar was beloved in the poverty-stricken areas and you can go see many tributes to him. However, for the rest of the country, he was a terrible human being and his crimes crushed them as a society. They do not want to hear about some tourist excited about it so be sensitive.
Safety
As relevant side note for Colombia, they have worked hard to clean up the country’s reputation. It is beautiful and they have a lot of pride in being Colombian. However, stick to the tourist areas if you are alone, hire a local tour guide, and take reasonable efforts to keep yourself safe. This is still a foreign country, they still have a large drug trade and cartel issues; even though it’s not as violent and prevalent as it used to be, it does still exist.
