What You Should Know Before Visiting Colombia

Though it should be pretty evident to you by now, Colombia is one of my favourite destinations. It’s part the culture and the people, part the beautiful landscapes and part the affordability.

Now that I’ve given you a bit of a rundown on most of the places I’ve visited in Colombia -some in more detail than others - I thought I’d share some tips and suggestions with you to answer a lot of the questions I get in my DMs.

If you’re looking for an itinerary, you won’t find it here but there are plenty of blogs you’ll find on the Internet that easily help you in that area! The itineraries I put together for myself take hours and hours of research and are tailored to my preferences.

However, sometimes once I’m on the trip I may for example realize there’s too much on a certain day or not enough on another. Hence the reason why I shy away from them most of the time.

Let’s begin with the things you should know before you head to Colombia.

The juxtaposition of old and new in Cartagena.

Visa for Canadians

If you’re Canadian you’re going to have to factor in an additional $190,000-$210,000 COP. The price changed the last time I went but essentially I would say budget approximately $80 CAD for this.

I always pay this using my credit card so that I can save my cash for other things.

SIM cards in Colombia

Phone plans in Colombia are pretty affordable. You can get about 2GB of data and unlimited social (Facebook, What’s App, Twitter) for a pretty good price. The prices keep changing but I would say the phone plan will cost you less than $150,000 COP.

I think it’s worth investing in a phone plan as then you can order Ubers and use google maps as you please. You can always find a way to get by (like downloading google maps offline) but having a phone plans means less planning on your end is required.

I found that Claro had the best deals and reception. Just be warned that chances are the person you’re buying the plan with does not speak English so make sure you go prepared with some lines on what you are looking for translated into Spanish.

Also be warned that Snapchat and Instagram are not included in the unlimited social so try to use those when you’re on wifi more than when using your data. I ran out of my 1GB of data on the second trip because I kept posting stories on Instagram.

Necessity of Spanish

Though there are a lot of people who speak English around you, you will likely encounter a situation where people cannot understand you.

Salento was a town in Colombia where I found the least amount of locals that spoke English. My Spanish really came in handy here.

If you’re like me, you can use your background in English and French plus the foundation of the language you received from two Spanish courses in university along with visiting a Spanish speaking country at least once a year to get by.

For the rest of you, there’s google translate. Download Spanish offline and you’re good to go! I use it to for the words I don’t know and swear by it!

San Andres Entrance Fee

We found out as we were boarding to get onto the flight to San Andres that to have to pay an additional fee to visit.

This will cost you an additional $38 USD. (The cost in 2018)

Side note: San Andres is a beautiful Caribbean island that is fairly close to Nicaragua but belongs to Colombia. More people speak English in San Andres than anywhere else I have visited in Colombia so there isn’t as much of a language barrier there.
It’s a beautiful, small island to visit. I probably won’t return because it felt too much like other Caribbean islands I have visited.

Places I’ve visited

- Medellin

- Jardin (can visit from Medellin)

- Salento

- Bogotá

- Cartagena

- Isla Baru (can visit from Cartagena)

I have written about most of these places in my previous blog posts and have also talked about them in my Instagram highlights (@mahreendasoo) as well. Please refer to them if you need more info.

This is probably one of the most memorable days in my life. My first time riding a horse and exploring the Colombian countryside. Our tour ended up taking longer than we had anticipated and we had to ride our horses in the night. There were fireflie… — This is probably one of the most memorable days in my life. My first time riding a horse and exploring the Colombian countryside. Our tour ended up taking longer than we had anticipated and we had to ride our horses in the night. There were fireflies in the sky and I had to put all my trust in the horse to get me back home safely. Our guide Diego was great. It was truly a day to remember.

But beyond that I don’t have much information for you about other destinations in Colombia. However, I’ve put together a list for you of places I have not visited but have heard are worth exploring.

- Santa Marta

- Minca

- Tayrona National Park

- The Lost City Trek (Ciudad Perdida)

- Barranquilla for Carnival

- Jericho (can visit from Medellin)

San Andres is beautiful. It’s fairly small and relaxed.

And now for the most commonly asked questions

Is it a good place for Solo travel?

Yes. You will come across a lot of people travelling solo. Colombia is a wonderful place to meet new people. I found the locals, ex pats and tourists alike to be pretty nice.

It was during this trip in 2018 that I decided I needed to return to Medellin one day for an extended period of time. And yes, I considered doing that on my own. Now I would likely do it with my partner.

I think if you’re doing solo travel maybe spend more time in places like Medellin, Salento and the areas surrounding Santa Marta.

Is it safe to travel there Solo as a female?

Yes. I have considered moving to Medellin before and this would mean that I would have moved alone.
So yes, I do feel it is safe to travel there as a female. Hostels are great places to make new friends.

They being said, you should always be aware of your surroundings as well as your level of comfort being alone in foreign destinations.

The two of us travelled to Colombia together twice and we felt safe.

What cities should I visit?

Think about what kind of a vacation you’re looking for. If you’re looking for more of a beach vacation, go for Cartagena or San Andres.

If you’re thinking of mountains and lots of greenery consider Medellin and Salento.

Horseback riding in Jardin which is approximately three hours from Medellin.

If you want to truly experience a big city, choose Bogotá or Medellin.

If you’re thinking of of a more rugged adventure, look into Santa Marta where you can go to Tayrona National Park.

How should I travel between cities?

Air. Domestic flights are cheap and convenient enough that if you can, I would always suggest to fly.

I haven’t taken busses in between places so I can’t speak to that.

Outside of air we tended to either book private transfers, book excursions, take uber or a taxi (in Cartagena).

The only place we took public transit was in Medellin and that was their subway system and the cable cars.

What’s the food like over there?

There are a lot of options in the bigger cities like Medellin, Bogotá and Cartagena.

Here is an example of a very typical Colombian meal in Isla Baru.

We were a little more limited in Isla Baru and Salento where we had more fried fish, rice and plantain.

If you’re a picky eater, do some research and choose some restaurants in advance that you’d like to try!

I love anything that is Maracuya flavoured!!

Should I covert in Canada or once I’m in Colombia?

I always converted in Canada. I found I got a better rate and I made my money last by using credit for bigger purchases and where it’s accepted.

I also bring USD with me in case I want to convert more.

We loved this coffee shop in the quaint town of Jardin. Surprisingly even they accepted credit.

Note: Some excursions will let you pay in Colombian pesos or USD but it almost always ends up being cheaper to pay in the local currency.

How much cash should I bring?

Think about what you want to do, if you want to shop, if the places you’re going to accept credit and if you’re prepaying for excursions or paying for them once you get there.

Then build your budget accordingly. I would say try to bring at least $400-$500 Canadian with you converted into Colombian Pesos.

Can I use my credit card there?

A lot of restaurants do accept credit. I found my Amex was accepted in quite a few places.
However cash is king, especially when you’re purchasing souvenirs and keepsakes from random stores.

I was surprised to find that this hostel didn’t have electricity during the day but they still found a way to accept credit cards!

Can I bring my expensive camera equipment? Can I wear fancy jewellery?

Ask yourself how attached you are to these things and then make your decision. I personally only take my phone and I don’t wear my expensive jewellery. I just don’t want to draw attention to myself.

Regardless of what you bring I would still advise you to be aware of your surroundings and don’t leave things lying around.

How should I dress?

This is really up to you. I would say take into account what areas of Colombia you’re visiting, what activities you are going to be partaking in and pack accordingly.

Outfits really vary in Colombia. This is one of the few times I didn’t wear pants on my trip.

I found that the women in Colombia tend to wear jeans and pants a lot so I don’t usually wear shorts in Colombia but that’s just a preference thing on my end.

I always suggest bringing a windbreaker or light jacket of some sort and athletic wear as well.

Colombia is great for the adventurous traveler, especially if you’re visiting more than Cartagena.

In a place like Cartagena, I find locals and tourists alike dressed up more. I saw more designer bags here and in Bogota.

Is it a good place to travel with my family?

You could but I personally wouldn’t (but who knows I might change my mind). A lot of what is great about Colombia lies in the adventure, meeting other millennials and the nightlife.

However, some families are more adventurous than others.

How much does an average trip cost?

This will be largely dependent on your airfare (both international and domestic), your accommodations and how you choose to spend your vacation.

This was the first hotel I stayed at in Colombia ever. It was the Marriot by the airport. At the time we didn’t know what to expect of Colombia so we booked a hotel we could reach by airport shuttle. However the hotel room here was far more expensiv… — This was the first hotel I stayed at in Colombia ever. It was the Marriot by the airport. At the time we didn’t know what to expect of Colombia so we booked a hotel we could reach by airport shuttle. However the hotel room here was far more expensive than anywhere else we stayed. If you want to stay on track with you’re budget, opt for Airbnb’s, cheaper hotels that are not brand name or hostels.

I’ve paid between $1200-$1600 each trip all in.

Would you visit again?

I think you already know the answer to this question. Yes. I have developed a love so deep for this country that I can’t quite understand myself. So yes, I would go back. In a heartbeat.