Colombia

Written By Leila Hughes

Colombia will forever have the number one place in my heart. I have loved there, cried there, laughed to tears there, healed there, while I lived there. You read me correctly, lived there, and this is why I will have a lot of difficulty writing because my enthusiasm about Colombia is way greater than my writing skills. The country, its people, its landscapes, its diversity, its culture, its colors, its fruits, … I could go on forever.

I visited the country three times. The two first times it was only a matter of weeks, but every time I came home to Belgium I could not think about anything else than going back.

So in 2022 I decided to leave everything behind, take my backpack and take off to Colombia.

Colombia has its past, but it has made significant strides in recent years to enhance safety and tourism. Visitors are increasingly discovering its charm, from the vibrant street art in Bogotá to the well-preserved colonial architecture in cities like Cartagena or Santa Marta. With warm and welcoming locals who are eager to share their country's beauty, Colombia is emerging as a must-visit destination for those seeking adventure, culture, and natural wonders. That said, a major part of the country still has it’s own charm, and by this I mean that the tourist industry has not taken over too too much, yet.

Useful information:

Currency :

COP Colombian pesos. 1 euro = 4,490 pesos at the time of writing. Use XE for real time conversion.

Maximum stay :

90 days or 3 months. Tip if you want to stay longer :

  1. Take a bus to Ipiales (last Colombian city before Ecuador). You will have to take a taxi to the border between Colombia and Ecuador. Once you have crossed the border, take another taxi to Tulcàn. From there, you either choose to spend some time in Ecuador, or go back to Colombia and renew your 90 days.

  2. Take a flight to anywhere outside of Colombia

Capital City: Bogotà

Entry requirements for Colombia:

Valid passport + proof that you’ll be leaving the territory on time.

*This may change for residents outside of Europe, Australia, and certain Asian countries*

Cost of living in Colombia:

In the overall, Colombia is a cheap country to visit. The only costly element will probably be the return flight there.

Transportation in Colombia:

[Uber DOES NOT] exist in Colombia, or it does but it’s forbidden. Taxis are everywhere and very cheap so use them but do not forget to ask for the price before you start the ride.

The country is very big, if you have some time I would recommend taking a bus from one place to another (beware that it can take up to 15+ hours !). But the Colombian buses are very comfortable and in that way you get to see the landscapes that you would have missed if taking the plane.

  • Long ride bus companies : Bolivariano, Expresso Brasilia.

  • Airlines : Avianca, Latam, Viva Colombia

Food in Colombia:

The Colombians like deep fried food, but it is not always “just fried”, and you can find a lot of vegan and vegetarian places especially in bigger cities. You can get some delicious pescado frito (fried fish) with coconut rice (typical from the Caribbean coast), bandeja paisa including red beans, pork, chicharron, white rice, minced meat, egg, arepa avocado and sauces (very filling but worth the try!), Ajiaco which is a chicken broth soup (typical of Bogota or colder places), Arepa which are cornmeal cakes, sometimes stuffed with either meat or cheese (the latter one is so yummy)

Music in Colombia: 

In Colombia, music is not merely an art form but a profound passion that accompany every citizen throughout the day. It is part of the country’s identity and a source of great pride. It is a reflection of the nation's extraordinary cultural, regional, and ancestral diversity, intertwined with its diverse geography. Colombian music is a harmonious fusion of Spanish and European musical influences, indigenous melodies and African heritage. Some of the most well-known forms of Colombian music are:

Related articles below

Leila Hughes
Previous

Santa Marta
Next

Bogotà