Colombia

Join us on a journey through Colombia with our helpful travel guide. Discover Colombia's diverse weather patterns and learn the perfect time to visit this beautiful country. Explore how to navigate the transportation system to reach your destinations easily. Learn about top cities like Bogotá and Cartagena along with must-see attractions throughout the country. Try delicious Colombian dishes and uncover hidden spots that most tourists miss, making your trip truly special.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

The Caribbean Coast (Cartagena, Santa Marta) is best visited from December to April when rainfall is minimal and sunshine abundant. Temperatures typically range from 30-32°C/86-89°F, making this the ideal period for beach activities and outdoor exploration.

The Andean Region (Bogotá, Medellín) enjoys comfortable temperatures between 15-25°C/59-77°F throughout the year. The driest periods are December-March and July-August, offering clear skies and optimal conditions for sightseeing.

The Pacific Coast (Chocó) has somewhat drier weather from January to March in this generally rainy region. For whale watching, plan your visit between July and October.

The Amazon Region experiences reduced rainfall from July to November, making jungle treks more accessible and comfortable with slightly lower humidity levels.

The Eastern Plains (Los Llanos) has its dry season from December to March, when wildlife concentrates around limited water sources, creating better opportunities for animal viewing.

Note: Colombia doesn't have typhoons but does experience regional variations in dry and rainy seasons throughout the year.

How to Get to Colombia

Colombia connects to the world through several international airports across different regions. El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá is the country's largest, offering flights from major global cities.

Travelers heading to Medellín use José María Córdova International Airport. Visitors to the coastal city of Cartagena arrive at Rafael Núñez International Airport.

If you're planning to visit the beaches and jungle areas near Santa Marta, you'll fly into Simón Bolívar International Airport.

Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport serves Cali, while Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport serves Barranquilla.

Each airport provides access to different Colombian experiences, whether you're interested in mountains, beaches, colonial architecture, or city life.

How to Get Around

When you venture through Colombia, the journey becomes part of your story. Buses rumble between cities and towns, carrying locals and travelers alike on seats that cost just a few dollars. Along popular routes, colectivos–small minivans packed with character–zip past slower vehicles, getting you there in half the time.

For those crossing this geographically diverse country, planes save days of travel. A morning flight can transport you from the cool mountain air of Bogotá to the warm Caribbean coast before lunchtime. If island adventures call, ferries cut through blue waters toward San Andrés, with passengers watching for dolphins from the deck.

Cities pulse with transportation options:

• -In Bogotá, red buses navigate busy streets while the TransMilenio system carries thousands in dedicated lanes.
• -Medellín's metro carries riders up mountains via cable cars, offering views locals never tire of.
• -Yellow taxis crowd city centers, while ride apps connect travelers to drivers with a few taps.
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In smaller towns, life moves differently. Motorcycle taxis weave through narrow streets, and colorful tuk-tuks putter along carrying groceries and giggly children. These journeys reveal Colombia in ways no guidebook can capture, through conversations with drivers, shared snacks with fellow passengers, and unexpected detours.

For reliable intercity trips, consider booking with Marsol Transportes or Unitransco, whose drivers know these roads by heart.

Food Scene

In Medellín, families gather around tables laden with bandeja paisa—plates piled high with colorful beans, rice, three different meats, and sweet plantains that melt in your mouth. Throughout Colombia, morning routines begin with arepas from corner vendors, the smell of corn cakes cooking on griddles drawing sleepy residents from their homes.

Paloquemao Market in Bogotá comes alive at dawn when farmers stack pyramids of fruits you've never seen before. You'll spot locals pointing at specific avocados they want, while someone hands you a sample of warm buñuelo. In Cartagena's Getsemaní district, evening brings neighbors out to sidewalk tables where the aroma of frying food mixes with laughter.

Regional Specialties:

• Caribbean Coast: Fishermen deliver the morning catch directly to pots of seafood cazuela, while women stir coconut rice in blackened pans.
• Antioquia: Sunday family tables feature steaming bowls of mondongo soup alongside glasses of milky mazamorra corn drink.
• Santander: Locals casually snack on hormiga culona (toasted ants) with beer, considering them as normal as potato chips.

Hidden Gems

San Cipriano

Deep in the rainforests near Buenaventura, the village of San Cipriano waits for those willing to venture off Colombia's well-traveled paths. This Afro-Colombian community lives alongside a river so clear that swimmers can see every stone and pebble resting on its bottom.

The river tells different stories depending on when you arrive. Between January and February and July and August, the water runs clearer with less rainfall. On quiet weekdays, you might have the entire swimming hole to yourself, while weekends bring local families who know exactly where to find the best spots.

Getting there becomes the first chapter of your story. Locals have crafted "brujitas" — wooden platforms powered by motorcycles that carry passengers along old railroad tracks through the forest. The contraption might look homemade, but the experience of gliding between green walls of vegetation creates memories that last. From Buenaventura, a 30-minute taxi ride takes you to Córdoba, where the brujitas begin their journeys. If coming from Cali, buses make the 2.5-hour trip to Córdoba regularly.

The forest paths lead to places with fitting names:

-At Charco Oscuro ("Dark Pool"), rocks rise high enough for those brave enough to jump.

-La Ventiada offers natural formations where the current creates water slides shaped by centuries of flow.

After swimming, small riverside kitchens serve fish caught that morning alongside coconut rice, the flavors somehow tasting better with wet hair and tired muscles from a day in the water.

Scenic Routes

Colombia's bus routes reveal the country's chapters one kilometer at a time. From mountain roads that climb into clouds to valleys where coffee grows, these journeys show travelers Colombia beyond tourist hotspots.

• Bogota to Cali: The path slopes down from the cool heights of the Andes, where people don jackets, to the warm valleys where they sport t-shirts. Buses wind past forests where mist hangs between trees and plantations where coffee cherries ripen. December through March offers the clearest mountain views when clouds part to reveal valleys below. Travelers who choose window seats feel the temperature rise as the altitude drops.

• Medellin to Guatape: The massive El Peñol rock appears on the horizon like a monument from another world. Nearby, lakeside houses painted in primary colors reflect in the water. April and May bring rain that turns the countryside a deeper green, and weekday travel means quieter roads and viewpoints. The buses stop at lookouts where travelers capture photos of the rock and water.

• Cali to Popayan: Sugar cane fields stretch toward mountains as buses travel through the Cauca Valley. The journey ends in Popayan, where whitewashed colonial buildings line the streets. October and November rains leave the valley fresh and green. Morning light casts long shadows across fields, making the landscape come alive for those looking out bus windows.

• Armenia to Salento: The road passes through the heart of coffee country, where farmers tend to plants on steep hillsides and wax palms stand tall against blue skies. January and February bring coffee festivals where travelers can learn how beans become beverages. Local Willys jeeps connect with buses, taking travelers deeper into the countryside.

• Bogota to Villa de Leyva: City buildings give way to open highlands as buses climb mountain passes with hairpin turns. Historic towns appear along the route, their buildings telling stories from colonial times. In March and April, wildflowers color the mountain slopes. Buses with large windows frame these changing scenes like moving paintings.

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Events, Festivals and Local Markets

Every December, Feria de Cali fills the streets with music and movement. Dancers compete in salsa competitions where feet move faster than eyes can follow. Parades wind through neighborhoods, and live music plays late into the night, all celebrating Colombia's rich Afro-Caribbean roots.

In February, Barranquilla comes alive with the UNESCO-recognized Carnaval de Barranquilla. Performers in handmade costumes dance through the streets while spectators cheer during the Battle of Flowers parade. The city becomes an open-air theater of tradition and joy.

When April arrives, music echoes through Valledupar during the Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata. Accordion players compete as crowds gather to hear folk songs that tell stories of love and rural life. Cultural exhibitions reveal the heart behind this beloved musical tradition.

January brings the Feria de Manizales to the mountain city of Manizales. Coffee competitions showcase beans grown in nearby hills, bullfighting events draw passionate crowds, and a new Queen of Coffee is crowned against the backdrop of green Andean mountains.

Best Places to Visit

1. Cartagena

On Colombia's Caribbean coast, Cartagena tells stories through its colors. The Old Town stands protected by centuries-old walls, where narrow cobblestone streets lead to unexpected discoveries. Buildings painted in blues, yellows, and reds contrast against the clear sky, while flowering plants cascade from wooden balconies.

December to April brings consistent sunshine, when visitors can wander the historic center without carrying umbrellas or seeking shelter from sudden downpours. The heat slows the pace, encouraging afternoon breaks in shaded courtyards.

At sunset, people gather at Café del Mar atop the city walls to mark the day's end with music and drinks. In Plaza Bolívar, dancers move to salsa rhythms under the stars. For a taste of local life, the food markets in Getsemaní fill with morning shoppers, where vendors call out their offerings and the air carries the scent of fresh fruit and frying arepas.

How to get to Cartagena

• -Direct international flights to Rafael Núñez International Airport
• -Domestic flights from major Colombian cities
• -Luxury cruise ships that dock at the port of Cartagena

2. Santa Marta

Since 1525, Santa Marta has watched the Caribbean Sea from Colombia's northern coast. The oldest city in the country stands as a doorway to both history and nature, with Tayrona National Park's wilderness just beyond its borders.

The December to March calendar pages mark the most comfortable days to visit. During these months, the thermometer hovers around 28°C (82°F), and rain clouds rarely gather. These conditions create ideal days for both city walks and forest hikes.

Weekends bring the Malecón to life as musicians and dancers perform along the waterfront. Morning light bathes the city's historic center, where tour guides share stories that reach back centuries. At Marina Santa Marta, sailors prepare their boats for weekly demonstrations, white sails stark against the blue horizon.

How to get to Santa Marta

• -Flights to Simón Bolívar International Airport
• -Bus services from major Colombian cities
• -Private shuttle transfers from Cartagena (4-hour drive)
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3. Isla Grande

Among the Rosario Islands, Isla Grande stands largest but remains small enough to explore on foot. No cars disturb the peace here, just paths winding between coconut palms and simple wooden buildings. The island runs on solar power and collected rainwater, connecting visitors directly to the natural cycles.

Between December and April, boat rides to the island cut through calm waters. These months also bring the clearest underwater visibility, turning snorkeling trips into journeys through an underwater world of coral formations and darting fish.

As darkness falls, guides lead small groups to lagoons where movement in the water creates blue-green light from bioluminescent plankton. During daylight hours, local fishermen share generations of knowledge, showing how to cast nets and lines using techniques passed down through families.

How to get to Isla Grande

• -Boat transfer from Cartagena's La Bodeguita pier (approximately 1 hour)
• -Private speedboat charters from Cartagena
• -Helicopter service for luxury travelers (limited availability)
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4. Rosario Islands

Twenty-seven islands made of coral form the scattered pattern of the Rosario Islands in the Caribbean Sea. White sand beaches curve around clear waters, and below the surface, fish dart through protected reefs. Some islands host small communities while others offer only day visits.

From December through April, the sea lies calm enough for small boats to navigate between islands. The sun shines consistently, warming the shallow waters around the beaches and illuminating the underwater world for snorkelers.

Tour boats circle the islands daily, allowing visitors to see several landscapes in one journey. On Isla San Martín de Pajarales, the Oceanario staff introduce visitors to dolphins and sharks while explaining why these waters need protection. As afternoon turns to evening on several islands, tables appear on the beach, soon filled with freshly caught fish, coconut rice, and plantains.

How to get to the Rosario Islands

• -Day trips and overnight boats from Cartagena
• -Private yacht charters from Cartagena's marina
• -Packages through hotels that include transportation
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Tips for Traveling in Colombia

VISA & ENTRY

• Most tourists get 90-day visa-free entry
• Need a passport valid for 6+ months
• Return ticket may be required

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

• Greet with a handshake or cheek kiss
• "Buenas" is a versatile greeting
• Colombians appreciate basic Spanish phrases
• Punctuality is flexible; arrive 15 minutes late socially

MONEY MATTERS

• Currency: Colombian Peso (COP)
• Credit cards are widely accepted in cities
• Carry small bills for markets/taxis
• Notify the bank of travel plans
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HEALTH & SAFETY

• Emergency: 123
• Yellow fever vaccine is recommended
• Travel insurance essential
• Drink bottled water
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TRANSPORTATION

• Uber is available in major cities
• TransMilenio in Bogotá
• Licensed taxis from official stands
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