Updated September 6, 2023
You've decided to go to Colombia—great choice!—and now you have questions. We've got answers. With some local advice, we've created this guide to Colombia FAQs. It covers everything from travel safety, to visa requirements, to transportation, and beyond.
The Colombian visa process is easy to navigate, especially for Americans. If you’re traveling to Colombia as an American tourist, you don’t have to apply for a visa in advance. When you land, show your passport and a valid return ticket, and you’ll receive a standard tourist visa. This is good for 90 days.
Let’s dispel the rumors now—Colombia is safe to visit. It's actually one of Latin America’s safest places to visit! Even big-city Bogota has a violent crime rate lower than that of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Staying safe in Colombia is also easy for solo and female travelers.
If you already have up-to-date routine vaccinations, like chickenpox and polio, you’re halfway there. The CDC also recommends that all travelers to Colombia get vaccinated against hepatitis A and typhoid before visiting. Depending on where you’re traveling in Colombia, talk to your doctor about vaccinations against hepatitis B, rabies, malaria, and yellow fever.
Colombia’s major cities are known for the high quality of their tap water. However, consuming tap water in the countryside can be a bit of a different situation.
To travel in a sustainable way, invest in a reusable water bottle with a filter. That way, you won't be buying plastic bottles during your entire trip.
You can definitely use taxis in Colombia. However, keep in mind that they will likely be a more expensive form of transportation. Your driver might not speak English. And, as a non-local, you might get overcharged—so definitely negotiate the price before getting in the car.
Locals tell us that public transportation is also an affordable and safe option for Colombia tourism.
In big cities like Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena you shouldn't have a problem using your credit card.
However, it's a good idea to carry cash. Locals tell us that you’ll need cash if you use taxis, grab a snack, or buy a small souvenir. They say it’s generally best to withdraw cash from ATMs in banks, hotels, or at the airport.
Americans will find that the dollar (USD) is especially strong against the Colombian peso (COL). To put that in perspective, you can get a good lunch in Colombia for less than $5.00 USD.
Most Colombians don’t tip in casual restaurants unless the service is out-of-this-world good. If it is, they may leave behind $1,000 COP to $2,000 COP (that’s fifty cents to a dollar). At nicer restaurants, a 10% tip is a good idea. Some high-end places will automatically add a 15% tip to your bill.
The weather you’ll experience in Colombia can vary wildly depending on where you go. Off the Caribbean coast, the Rosario Islands have generally hot weather with occasional rain, whereas the northern rainforest stays wet and warm year-round. Bogota and Medellin, on the other hand, are located in the Andes and have extremely mild climates (58° to 72°F).
Eating traditional foods is one of the best parts of Colombia. Try staples like arepas (crispy, fluffy maize dumplings often filled with meat or cheese) or feasts like bandeja paisa (a platter of rice, beans, three kinds of meat, fried eggs, ripe plantain, and avocado).
Local tip: For a unique and delicious snack, try chocolate con queso (cheese dipped in hot chocolate).
With over half a million coffee farms scattered throughout the country, coffee is an essential Colombian highlight. Home to “The Coffee Triangle,” each of Colombia’s coffee farms produces phenomenal beans, all with their own distinct characteristics and flavor profiles—so spend your week in Colombia by drinking as much as possible.
It’s quite easy to navigate Colombia’s cities using nothing but public transportation. Medellin’s famed metro system is currently Colombia’s only available metro. However, each major city has its own well-organized buses and colectivo (small private buses often used by locals).
Offering excellent quality of care—often at a fraction of the price it would be in the United States—Colombia’s medical tourism industry is already attracting tens of thousands of people a year to its private and state-owned clinics.
Colombia’s capital and largest city, Bogota is nestled in the Andes a whopping 8,500 feet above sea level. With its mix of colonial Spanish architecture and modern skyscrapers, Bogota boasts a plethora of incredible things to do, including museums, clubs, restaurants, and live music scenes.
Forget Pablo Escobar—Medellin is very safe and 100% worth the trip. Surrounded by the stunning peaks of the Andes, Medellin is home to over a dozen universities, a wealth of public art, and a thriving infrastructure, this “City of Eternal Spring” averages an ideal 72.5° Fahrenheit year-round.
The quintessential Caribbean paradise, Cartagena boasts miles of picturesque beaches and islands lined with stunning resorts and electrifying nightclubs. Fill your Cartagena itinerary with walks through the cobblestone streets, breathtaking churches, and flower-covered balconies.
Outside of resorts and other locations frequented by tourists, English isn’t widely spoken in Colombia. However, Colombia is known for its travel safety and openness to foreigners, so travelers can get by in Colombia with minimal Spanish.
However, knowing a few phrases can make a difference.
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