Colombia is one of the most amazing places to visit with your friends and family. The richness of culture and cuisine is one of a kind when compared to other regions.
And having to visit such a mesmerizing place is something many of us dream of. However, with the positive sides comes many negative aspects that we often forget to keep in mind because of the excitement of visiting a new place. And surely, visiting Colombia feels surreal.
If you are going on a trip for the first time in that country, make sure you have at least some tricks and tips in your pocket. Read this article as we go through seven essential tips to get the best out of your Colombia trip.
1. Select Your Region and Season Carefully
The contrast in climate between Colombia’s Andean as well as coastal regions is particularly stark: while Bogotá is located in the moist, tropical highlands which can become cold at night, the Caribbean, as well as the Pacific cities, are oppressively hot during summer.
Domestic bus and airline costs can significantly increase throughout the months of December and January, as well as during the week of Easter. International tickets to Colombia are often less expensive at the end of January.
Hence, we recommend that you choose the time and region properly when you are visiting Colombia.
Many people often carry accessories and dress depending on which part of Columbia they visit. For instance, if you live in some of the swankiest tourist-friendly neighbourhoods in Bogota, you may not need to worry much as everything is available within easy reach. But that is not the case for every destination.
So, before you pack up for Colombia, check out where you want to specifically go in Colombia and, most importantly, during which season.
2. Make Use of The Rental Hostels Available
There will always be a place to lodge that is reasonably priced in Colombia thanks to the expanding hostel system.
Common amenities include free WiFi, a basic meal, kitchen usage, laundry service, bicycle rental, or book exchange, which is perfect for someone who likes to travel alone.
There are business cards all over the cities in different areas in Colombia, say it’s airports or hotels for hostels. You can browse these business cards, choose your upcoming destination in Colombia, as well as request that the hostel that you want to make a reservation for you.
Most hostels throughout Colombia also print piles of business cards which they distribute across the cities, making it easier and cheaper for tourists.
3. Research Bus Prices
In Colombia, buses are a primary mode of long and short-distance public transportation. It’s a great idea to compare prices, comfort levels, and options on numerous routes at the kiosks of different firms before you go for the ride.
Among the many buses that you will see, the smaller minibuses (also called “Kia”) are frequently faster and less crowded, but more affordable.
4. Have Local Food
The majority of Colombians eat lunch and snacks at different times throughout the day, which often means that there are discounts on those local lunch meals and snacks, and if you follow this and take advantage of the discounted meals of the day, you’ll save a ton of money.
A lot of towns have a Galera, which is a cheap marketplace in Colombia, with a mesa larga, which is a dining area with little kitchens where one can have a fresh meal for a very good price.
During the evening time, street sellers in Colombia sell burgers, pizza, hot dogs, empanadas, and delectable arepas, among other foods. And hence, when you dine in Colombia, you will be saving a lot on food, as food is really cheap and comes in larger portions.
5. Drink Local Beverages
Who doesn’t like to drink? And when in Colombia, it is an absolute must! You can look out for the neighbourhood estanco, which is effectively an off-license area where you will get served chilled beer at just supermarket prices.
And if you’re looking for a social (and much less expensive) alternative to pubs in Colombia, the neighborhood estanco draws an enthusiastic local audience, particularly on the weekends, making them excellent places to practice your Spanish but also meet new people.
If you love drinking, look for clubs and bars that provide various drink packages in larger cities like Medellin.
6. Keep Festivals in Mind
Festival celebrations with Colombians might be the pinnacle of any trip because they enjoy them so much. However, traveling during major holidays, such as Easter or Christmas (Semana Santa), can be bad and is best avoided.
Because during these particular holidays, you might see a lot of local crimes increasing, such as theft, and there might be significant overcrowding because of the holiday itself.
Beware of the various “Puentes” or “Lunes festivos” or bank holidays, when everything closes, and buses are crowded. Hence, we recommend visiting Colombia when there aren’t any major holidays going on.
7. Select Regional Tour Companies
There are no organized tour companies in Colombia who will be able to guide you, except for some operators that you will find in Colombia who can provide guidance on a variety of adventure sports.
You’ll get to see more of Colombia every once in a while, using the assistance of local tour firms who specialize in trips, which can only be possible when you land in Colombia, as reaching out to them in advance may not necessarily work.
However, in case you do not find any local tour guides, you can do your own research as well on where you can tour in Colombia, for which, of course, you might have to know a little bit of Spanish.
Conclusion
Overall, Colombia is an amazing place for traveling and you should definitely go on a trip to Colombia with your loved ones. We hope that the points we mentioned above will help you greatly in making the most of your trip to Colombia. The key is to create an amazing itinerary and plan every detail accordingly, such as finding a nice place to stay in every location.
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