Buzz
After spending over 2 months in Peru, Bolivia, and trekking in Chile, I had planned to visit El Calafate, Argentina to see the glaciers and explore Ushuaia - the southernmost city. However, obtaining an Argentine visa in a third country proved difficult, so I needed to change plans. I decided to explore Colombia instead, seeking warmth, beaches, and salsa dancing under the Caribbean sun.
Lost Paradise
With my plans set, I traveled from Puerto Natales to Santiago, Chile's capital, then flew to Lima and from there to Bogota, Colombia's capital. It was quite a long transit journey. Those traveling to South America from Europe should consider flying to Bogota as it offers the cheapest flights compared to neighboring countries, with options like Avianca and Iberia transiting through Madrid.
1. General Information about Colombia
Entry into Colombia
Travelers from 90 countries around the world are exempt from a visa when entering Colombia, unfortunately Vietnam is not on this list. However, Vietnamese citizens with multiple visas from Europe or the United States are allowed to enter Colombia and stay for up to 90 days without a Colombian visa.
However, because Vietnamese passports are still somewhat unfamiliar to this South American country, it may take a bit of time for them to be reviewed and understood before entry stamps are issued.
Currency Exchange: Is It Worth It?
Among South American countries, exchanging foreign currency to Colombian pesos is most favorable in Colombia. The best way is to use a Visa-branded Debit card to withdraw cash in Colombia.
Vietnamese debit cards do not incur fees when withdrawing cash at ATMs with the BBVA logo.
Transportation from El Dorado Airport, Bogota to the city center
2. When is the Best Time to Visit Colombia?
With an equatorial climate and diverse terrain ranging from cold, snow-covered Andean mountains to warm and humid coastal areas and the Amazon basin with heavy rainfall, it entirely depends on your preferences. However, the weather in Colombia is generally pleasant, with more rain in October and November. The best time to visit Colombia is during the summer from June to August.
As my Schengen visa is still valid, according to Colombia's regulations, I don't need to apply for their visa anymore. However, perhaps not many Vietnamese tourists visit Colombia, so the immigration process takes longer as Colombian customs officers warmly welcome travelers at various immigration gates, greeting each one and thoroughly checking passports, accompanying documents, and relevant paperwork. After nearly an hour, they stamp the entry and welcome to Colombia. Warm sunny days are awaiting ahead.
3. Main Destinations in Colombia
Bogota
The capital of Colombia with a population similar to Hanoi has an excellent inner-city bus system and a rapid bus transit (BRT). From Eldorado Airport, you can take the BRT M/K86 for 3,000 pesos and reach the city center. The dense BRT and local bus network ensure passengers can travel to any part of the city.
What's Bogota Like? On weekends, the city government partially bans vehicles on certain streets, allowing residents to ride bicycles, skateboards, or walk freely without worrying about other traffic. Bogota has the large Simon Bolivar Park and the Monseratte hill located near the city center where you can hike or take a cable car to enjoy panoramic views of the entire city.
Additionally, if you visit Bogota on a rainy day, you can explore the National History Museum, the Gold Museum, or even more interestingly, admire the paintings of Fernando Botero, known for his style of exaggerating forms. On sunny days with clear skies, take a stroll through La Candelaria to admire the colorful houses or walk up to Monseratte hill or sit in Plaza Bolivar, a great choice where you might even have the opportunity to take photos with the mounted police on horseback. Don't forget to prioritize a visit to the Mercado (market) to enjoy local food and immerse yourself in the local life. On average, you can have a delicious meal in Bogota for 8,000 - 18,000 pesos.
The History Museum in Bogota
Bogota is a city with a blend of wealth and poverty similar to any other city in the world. Wealthy neighborhoods like La Candelaria are adjacent to the poorest areas in the city center of Bogota. Wandering around these areas, if you're not careful, you might accidentally wander into an insecure neighborhood.
San Andres – Caribbean Island
The island was once disputed between Nicaragua and Colombia. On the map, it appears much closer to Nicaragua. San Andres was historically notorious for piracy and still has a reputation for it today. While flying to the island from the mainland is safe, traveling by sea is not highly recommended.
All major cities in Colombia have direct flights to San Andres island, with the cheapest being Vivaair (the budget airline with the strictest carry-on luggage regulations in the world). Except for island residents, domestic and international tourists must pay a tourism fee of about 105,000 pesos per person at the check-in counter before flying to the island.
Spending in San Andres is higher than on the mainland, with living expenses relatively expensive due to imported materials and goods from the US, Nicaragua, and neighboring regions. The average food cost is double or triple that of Bogota and Medellin, with the food quality not particularly outstanding.
Island Routes
What to Do in San Andres?
Scuba Diving in San Andres
Island Exploration:
Cartagena – The Walled City
From Cartagena's main airport to the city center, you can take the T102 bus or a taxi (11,000 – 13,000 pesos). However, you need a bus card to use the T102 bus.
Cartagena is a beautiful seaside port located on the Caribbean coast of Colombia – it's famous for being the starting point for the renowned 4-5 day San Blas tour, sailing from Colombia to Panama and vice versa.
In Cartagena, I spent all my time just:
The streets around the fortress walls
Cartagena Sunset
Colorful Murals on Houses
Explore the downtown square
Explore the historic district inside the walled city
Medellin
Medellin, once infamous as the world's most dangerous city due to drug cartel violence and the hometown of drug lord Escobar, has transformed. Nowadays, what you often hear about Medellin is that it's the birthplace of some of Colombia's most beautiful women.
Medellin boasts a metro system, cable cars, and extensive bus routes, making getting around very convenient. Nature lovers can take the cable car to Arvi Park in eastern Medellin, which somewhat resembles La Paz with houses built on hills and cable cars traversing everywhere.
Medellin has a couple of relatively safe neighborhoods; I've tried El Poblado and Laureles. Poblado is like Ho Chi Minh City's District 1, affluent with high spending and lively nightlife. Laureles is more laid-back and easier on the wallet.
Salento
Basically, not being a big city fan, I only spent a few days in Medellin before heading to Salento. From Medellin, I caught a bus at the southern bus terminal for around 47,000 pesos, and after a 7-hour ride, I arrived at the paradise of palm trees and coffee farms.
Farm Along the Way
Salento is renowned for visiting Valle de Cocora, so this spot appears on every postcard in the area. The route here is quite easy to navigate; you just need to head to the town square to buy a jeep ticket (6-8 people/jeep) for about 30 minutes' ride to the starting point of the journey.
Trekking Route to Valle de Cocora
Valley de Cocora
Additionally, Salento offers a plethora of other activities to experience, such as participating in meditation or yoga classes. Salento is also renowned for its coffee and has numerous coffee farms surrounding the town. A tour to learn about the process of growing clean cocoa costs about 10-15,000 pesos.
The Small Streets of Salento
Colombian food is delicious, and I particularly enjoy the trout dishes from local restaurants, especially in Salento and Cartagena.
The Town of Guatape
Guatape town bears a resemblance to Tam Dao in Vietnam. Tourists often come here for weekend getaways to escape the heat.
Guatape from Above
This town is famous for La Piedra rock tower with 780 steps and an entrance fee of 18,000 pesos. From here, you can admire the panoramic view of the lake area. If you have time and opportunity, you can rent a boat to sail on the lake and learn how to sail a sailboat here.
Downtown Guatape
Guatape was my final destination in Colombia before heading back to Europe for Christmas.
Colombia is a country full of vibrant colors and South American character - where you can enjoy lively summers on the beaches or embark on amazing trekking adventures. Pack your bags and come visit Colombia, I'm sure you'll love this country as much as I do.
Author: Nguyen Thanh Vinh
*This article is part of the Mytour Goglobal program
Mytour Goglobal is a blog writing program introducing beautiful destinations around the world, under the framework of the Mytour Go & Share program. This is a great opportunity to promote new and exciting travel destinations worldwide to everyone. For each qualified article, you will receive 1,200,000 VND and the chance to become a Contributor with Mytour. For more details about the program, visit: https://trv.lk/goglobal
