LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOK INFORMATION
Getting Started
Colombia is a surprisingly easy place to get your travel needs squared away. Not long after stepping off the plane you'll have changed money, booked into your hotel, checked your email and downed a tinto (coffee) or two. You may also start wondering about the war going on somewhere in the country. Bogotans would rather ignore this fact, but it's a good idea to ask about the security situation in other parts of the country, as it does change.
Probably the most important thing you can do before coming to Colombia, besides reading as much as you can about the country, is to brush up on your español. There are very few English speakers in Colombia. Even people important to you - hotel receptionists, tour guides and travel agents - will probably only speak Spanish. Bring a phrasebook and memorize a few polite greetings and enough of the basics to find a hotel.
Traveling outside the main cities can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be. There is a range of accommodations suiting everyone, from cheapskates to high rollers. Food is good, plentiful and cheap. Transportation is reasonably efficient, main roads are well-maintained and serviced frequently by air-conditioned buses. There's also a range of activities for every age and taste, from candle-lit dinners in romantic Cartagena to hard-core alpine trekking in Parque Nacional El Cocuy. Flexibility is crucial, but making hotel reservations is also a good idea, especially for the first couple of nights after you arrive. Always check the security situation if you plan to visit very remote regions, which are likely to be sensitive military or rebel-held areas.
DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT...
- Maximum-protection sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
- A light rain jacket and sweater/fleece jacket for Bogota and the mountains
- A decent change of clothing and a pair of nice shoes for clubbing
- A mask, snorkel and swimsuit for beach trips
- Some paperback books in English (poor availability in Colombia)
- Photocopying all your important documents, including credit cards, traveler's checks and your passport (take a set with you and leave a set at home)
- Labeling your valuables (camera, MP3 player, mobile phone) in case something goes astray
- Checking your passport for validity (make sure it's good for at least six more months)
- A small flashlight (for Tierradentro tombs and dodgy electricity supplies)
IS IT SAFE?
At the time of research, security in Colombia was improving, and all the areas mentioned in this guide were being frequented by travelers. If you didn't know anything about Colombia and just popped in for a tour of the main sights, you would have no idea that a war was being fought elsewhere in the country, which is mostly an indication of the level of security in the cities and on the main roads. That said, the situation is still unpredictable and it's best to confirm the level of security in all areas you wish to visit. Your first point of contact is the Internet where you can search through recent news results related to the areas you plan to visit. (Search for specific cities and departments rather than just 'Colombia'). Other good sources of information are tour agencies, guesthouses, the Thorn Tree page on the Lonely Planet website and your country's government travel advisory (though these advisories can often be overly cautious).
Once on the ground, continue to ask around for the latest security information. However, bear in mind that locals are likely to be ill informed and their information based on rumors and stories about places they themselves have never been. The fighting with Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) gets relatively little media attention, so a lot of information that locals have might be based on incidents that occurred 10 or more years ago. In this case, travelers and guesthouse owners will probably have the freshest information.
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