Colombia Travel Guide - Travel Insights and Tips

The capital city of Colombia is Bogota. It is the third highest capital in South America, and is home to a bustling creative scene. Wander the cobblestones, explore the colonial architecture, and enjoy the stunning street art.

1.139 million km². It is actually twice the size of France and although the country’s bus system is improving, traveling around is best done by internal flights.

+57. If you are calling Bogota, simply add the area code 601 after the country code followed by the phone number.

Colombia uses the Colombian peso. Although ATMs and cards are pretty common in cities, you are going to need cash in rural areas. If you are in the Amazonas region, bank branches can be hours away, so make sure to withdraw enough cash while you are still in the city.

El Dorado International Airport in Bogota is Colombia’s main airport. Situated 12 kilometers from the city center, it is also one of the busiest and biggest airports in South America. CODE: BOG CLOSEST CITY: BOGOTA

If you are traveling as a US citizen, you can visit or work in Colombia for up to 90 days without a visa. For other nationalities, we recommend checking the travel advisories or inquiring about visa requirements at the Colombian embassy in your country.

The official language of Colombia is Spanish. Although Latin and South American Spanish can sound different to European Spanish, much of it is transferable, and knowing the basics can go a long way.

If you only want to remember one emergency number in Colombia, it is 123. This will get you to all the emergency services. The police-specific number is 112. For the fire department, call 119, and dial 132 for the ambulance service.

Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world behind Brazil. With world class marine parks, rainforests, mountains, and beaches, it is a paradise for nature lovers.