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Colombia Holidays, Flights & Travel Guide
Colombia travel guide - Colombia
holidays, holiday packages & Colombia hotels.
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Colombia Holidays, Colombia Holiday
Packages Overview
It is lamentable that Colombia,
crowning the continent of South America, is one of the least
desirable tourist destinations. This is because it has earned a
reputation for violent civil unrest and is seen as a hotbed of
criminal 'bounty' kidnappers, drug overlords and gangsters. As a
consequence of this, both the US State Department and British
Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against travel to Colombia.
This means that only the most intrepid travellers and tourists
venture forth into what is undoubtedly the most diverse destination
in South America. It is a fusion of shabby, colourful towns,
Caribbean and Pacific coasts, Andean valleys, Amazonian jungle, and
wide plains. There are in fact many tourists
that do still travel to the capital, Bogota or to the legendary
resort town of Cartagena and the duty-free offshore island province
of San Andres. Most visitors enjoy a fascinating, exciting and
trouble-free experience and usually make the trip as part of an
organised package tour. The fortunes of modern
Colombia had their foundations laid in the coffee plantations, but
the onset of political violence and civil war in the 1950s
effectively cauterised the industry. The exception to this can be
found in the pretty hilly Quindio province, where many former
farmers have turned their traditional red-tile roofed homesteads
into good quality bed and breakfast establishments, set among
exotic gardens and rows of leafy coffee bushes.
Urban Colombia centres on Bogota, home to about 20 percent
of the country's inhabitants. This ancient city was the
pre-Columbian capital of the Chibcha Indians and remains a blend of
old and new, teeming with Spanish colonial buildings and plazas
alongside modern skyscrapers. Beggars rub shoulders in the streets
with smartly dressed business people, while mule trains wind their
way through the traffic jams. A major drawcard
for tourists is the Spanish colonial port of Cartagena with its
spectacular walled old town, a medieval wonderland of palaces,
monasteries, plazas and overhanging balconies. To the south of the
town are Colombia's major seaside holiday resorts with excellent
beaches and scuba diving opportunities. The
country's equatorial rainforests clothe the river valleys, riddled
with magnificent airplants, vines, creepers and brilliant flowers
and birds. The Los Katios National Park in Choco contains hundreds
of species of plant and animal life that have yet to be listed. The
country's jungles also shelter wondrous archaeological treasures,
like the ancient city of La Cuida Perdida and the monuments, tombs
and burial mounds at San Augustin and Tierrodentro.
Colombia is a gem of a destination that as yet has to be
explored by modern travellers as it slowly struggles to shed its
unpalatable reputation to reveal its unique
beauty.
Tourist Offices - Colombia Tourism, Bogota: +57 (0)1 212
6315 or www.turismocolombia.com
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Entry Requirements
for Colombia Holidays & Colombia Travel
All tourists visiting Colombia must hold
valid passports, tickets and documents for onward or return travel,
and sufficient funds to cover their stay. Those who plan to visit
coffee plantations must apply to 'Vegetable Sanitary Control' at
the airport on arrival, or to a Columbian consulate or embassy in
advance. All foreigners entering for the first time holding a
temporary or ordinary visa must report to the Bureau of Foreigners
of Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad (DAS) in Bogota within
48 hours, with five passport photos and all papers. In other cities
visitors must report to the Mayor's
office.
- For Australians -
Australians must have a valid passport and do not
require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days.
- New Zealanders require a passport, but no visa is
necessary for a touristic stay of up to 90 days.
- US nationals must have a valid passport but do not
require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days.
- US nationals must have a valid passport but do not
require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days.
- British citizens must have a valid passport but do not
require a visa for touristic stays of up to 90 days.
Colombia Holidays - Currency of Colombia
The unit of currency is the Colombian Peso (COP),
which is divided into 100 centavos. Banks have no fixed policy on
exchanging cash and travellers cheques. Some provide the service,
some not, and different banks can differ on this from day to day.
Generally foreign exchange is only offered in the early morning.
Cash can be exchanged at casas de cambio, or
money exchange bureaux, located in cities and border towns. US
Dollars are preferred for both cash and travellers cheque
exchanges. Travellers cheques are difficult to exchange outside of
Bogota. Visitors are warned to beware of fake US Dollars, which are
printed in Colombia. Credit cards, especially Visa, are becoming
more widely accepted and are welcome at top hotels and restaurants,
travel agents and car rental agencies. In the main towns and cities
ATMs are becoming more prevalent, but cards should be used with
caution for security reasons.
Colombia
Telephone Access Codes and Communications
The international dialling code for
Colombia is +57. The outgoing code depends on which network is used
to dial out on (e.g. 005 for Orbitel), which is followed by the
relevant country code (e.g. 00544 for the United Kingdom). The area
code for Bogota is 1, but the access code to make a call within the
country from another area also depends on what network is used
(e.g. (05)1 for Orbitel or (09)1 for Telecom). The country has
cellular telephone operators with GSM networks. Mobile phone
companies have active roaming agreements with many international
network operators. Colombia, particularly Bogota, is well connected
to the Internet with dozens of Internet cafes throughout the city,
some doubling as bars.
Colombia
Duty Free Allowances & Restrictions
Travellers to Colombia over 18 years do not
have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 50g of tobacco;
perfume for personal use; and 2 bottles of alcohol per
passenger.
Colombia
Holidays & Packages- Tipping Information
Tipping is common and expected for most services.
Waiters in restaurants should receive 10-15% of the bill if it has
not automatically been added. Porters expect around US$0.50 per
bag. It is not obligatory to tip taxi drivers, but 10% is
appreciated. Hotels usually add a service charge of 16% to the
bill.
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