- Important points
- Choosing wings
- Hotel or apartment
- Transport subtleties
- Nightingales are not fed with fables
- Useful details
- The perfect trip to Colombia
South America is a very interesting and exotic region. Here flows the Amazon with piranhas, the gray peaks of the Andes soar into the sky, over which the condors soar, and on the shores of the Atlantic there are the most gorgeous beaches with white sand and emerald palm trees in the bounty style. However, there are enough natural emeralds here, and therefore travels to Colombia always have a precious color: not a single admirer of semi-precious crystals will refuse to buy the pebble of their dreams.
Important points
- To travel to Colombia, a resident of the Russian Federation will only need a valid passport if the purpose of his trip is tourism, and the period of stay in the country does not exceed 90 days.
- It is best to buy precious stones and jewelry with them in jewelry stores. Firstly, they give a check, which customs officers have the right to demand to present when leaving the country. In addition, this way you will be able to avoid trouble with dishonest local scammers.
- Colombia remains one of the most unsafe countries for independent travelers, and therefore travel to the province without an accredited guide should be avoided. You should not walk around the city at night and accept gifts from strangers.
Choosing wings
Russia and Colombia are not connected by direct flights, but with transfers you can get here on the wings of various air carriers:
- The most convenient flights with a single connection in Paris or Amsterdam are traditionally offered by Air France and KLM. You will have to spend at least 16 hours in the sky, and pay at least $ 1000 for a ticket.
- A flight with the Spanish airline Iberia via Madrid is a little cheaper, but even in this case, ticket prices look very impressive.
If you plan your trip to Colombia in advance, you can significantly reduce costs by taking advantage of the offers of European companies for special flight prices.
Hotel or apartment
Colombian hotels offer a wide variety of comfort levels and prices, respectively. If you are used to staying in comfortable and expensive hotels, choose the ones included in the country's official hotel association. They have a classification corresponding to the European one, but the rooms in them are sold at cheaper prices when it comes to the capital. For example, a night in the "five" in Bogota will cost an average of $ 70. At the same time, guests are guaranteed an airport transfer, the opportunity to use the wellness and fitness centers, free Wi-Fi and several restaurants serving local and international cuisine.
"Treshkas" are quite affordable at all and for a day in such a hotel in the capital of Colombia you will have to pay from $ 20 to $ 40.
At beach resorts, prices are much higher, and it will no longer be possible to rent a room in a 5 * hotel in Cartagena for that kind of money. "Five" here offer their services for $ 120 -150 per day, and a night in a hotel with three stars on the facade in the beach area will cost no less than $ 40 -60 $.
It is not recommended for tourists to rent apartments and private apartments in Colombia. In this case, no one can guarantee the safety of guests.
Transport subtleties
Whether or not to rent a car in Colombia is a controversial issue. Many independent travelers took advantage of the service offered by the rental offices and were quite happy with their trip. The roads in the main part of Colombia are very good, the price of one gallon of gasoline is about $ 3.50, and the gas stations are many and they are conveniently located. It should be borne in mind that there are many toll road sections in the country, the fare on which ranges from $ 3 to $ 6. The main reason for police attention and getting a fine is speeding, and traffic police turn a blind eye to violations in the form of not wearing a seat belt or talking on the phone while driving.
When using a taxi, try to call the car from the hotel, avoiding "catching" it on the street. If you have to stop the car in the city, choose the one that has taxi identification marks and ask to turn on the meter. The fare for each 10 km is approximately $ 5.
A taxi from the airport to the center of Bogota will cost about $ 15. You can get from Cartagena airport to the city by bus for $ 0.50. The same amount will have to pay for one trip on city buses in Colombia.
It is convenient to travel between the cities of the country on the planes of local airlines. The cost of a ticket from the capital to Cartagena and back is approximately $ 130. The flight duration is just over 1.5 hours.
Nightingales are not fed with fables
Colombian cuisine will delight guests of the country with a fairly diverse menu, which includes dishes from meat and rice, potatoes and seafood. Traditional coffee is represented here by the famous Colombian varieties, and hot chocolate is able to awaken the most tender feelings even in the brutal macho.
You can have an inexpensive snack in a café for locals for just a couple of dollars. Street vendors will offer you a solid portion of fried fish or grilled chicken with potatoes for this money. An excellent option for a hearty and inexpensive meal is a set lunch served in local cafes from 12 to 15 hours daily. The price of a three-course set will be $ 3 -5 $.
Lunch at a restaurant in a tourist destination will cost $ 10-15 for a couple, and the average bill for two for a dinner with wine and seafood will range from $ 25 to $ 40.
Useful details
- Sharks are common in Colombia's coastal waters, so it is important to pay attention to the warnings of rescuers in swimming areas. Wild, unequipped beaches on the Pacific coast are also a serious hazard due to strong currents. Do not neglect your own safety and rest only where there are rescue stations.
- If you plan to use your rental car to travel around Colombia, bring your GPS navigator. The signage system in the outback leaves much to be desired.
The perfect trip to Colombia
The country is located in the zone of equatorial and subequatorial climate, and the air temperature in its flat part depends little on the season. In summer and winter, thermometers show about + 30 ° C at beach resorts and the swimming season is open all year round. The water on the Caribbean coast warms up to + 25 ° С, and in the Pacific Ocean, cool currents usually reduce its temperature to + 20 ° С.
Going on excursions to the Cordillera, take comfortable shoes and warm clothes with you. In the mountains, even in summer, it is quite cool, and nighttime thermometer readings reach only + 12 ° C in July, and + 5 ° C in December.
Fans of folklore holidays strive to fly to Colombia on the eve of Lent, when the brightest event of the year takes place in the city of Barranquilla. The Carnival in Colombia has been declared by UNESCO a masterpiece of the intangible heritage of mankind, and the holiday ranks third in the world ranking of its own kind, second only to the colorful processions in Rio and New Orleans. Every year, up to 40,000 dancers, musicians and folklore groups come to the Carnival in Colombia, and columns of smart people fill all the streets and squares of Barranquilla.
