1 141 748 sq. km of variety

COLOMBIA

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Being close to the equator, Colombia has a climate that remains relatively stable throughout the year, but it changes depending on the altitude we’re at. The temperature drops approximately 6ºC for each 1000 meters ascended. At sea level the temperature is close to 30ºC.

The mountainous system of the Andes confers to the country a topographical variety that ranges from humid forests to moors and perpetual snow. What we can certainly underline is that October and November are the best months to hike through the Amazon thanks to the heavy rains.

GLACIAL < 6ºC

BLEAK UPLAND 6ºC - 12ºC

COLD 12ºC – 17ºC

MEDIUM 17ºC - 24ºC

WARM > 24ºC

> 4 000 M

3 000 M

2 000 M

1 000 M

0 M

EXCHANGE RATE

COLOMBIAN PESO COLOMBIAN PESO

= 0.0003 = 3.334

= 0.001 = 904.0

= 0.0002 = 2.974

= 0.006 = 166.0

= 0.0004 = 2,248

EURO

USA DOLLAR

BRAZILIAN REAL

MEXICAN PESO

CANADIAN DOLLAR

WEATHER

Who lives here

How things work

What you’ll need to get in and out

How to move around

Must-sees...

… And must-tastes

How much is…

Travel tips

What if I get ill?

Be careful with...

Where can I exchange my money?

Who to turn to…

Must-take pics

Discounts for your trip

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAR2018

Source: Spot Reuters

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_ Colombia has almost 48 million inhabitants, 51% of which are women and 49% are men, according to the last population survey.

_ The main religion in Colombia is Catholicism, but there are other minority religions.

_ The country is divided into 32 departments and the capital, Bogotá.

_ The official language in Colombia is Spanish, but more than 60 indigenous languages are spoken in the country.

_ The form of governance in Colombia is a presidential democratic system, with Juan Manuel Santos in charge.

_The legal tender in Colombia is the Colombian peso (symbol: $, ISO: COP).

_ The GDP amounts to 292 100 million dollars.

_ The annual inflation rate is 5.75%.

_ The unemployment rate is at 10.6%.

WHO LIVES HERE

we could perfectly imagine ourselves like this in Colombia. This country stands out for its coffee exploitations but it also has many other attractions that will delight those who visit it. Are you ready to explore the country where Gabriel García Márquez was born? Maybe then you will understand why it’s such a magical place.

WALKING BETWEEN COFFEE PLANTATIONS,

Jeep Willys, typical transportation in the Coffee Triangle

HOW THINGS WORK

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48 MILLIONINHABITANTS

WANT TO JOIN US?

51% 49%

BOGOTÁ7,6 million

MEDELLÍN2,5 million

CALI2 million

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO GET IN AND OUT

HOW TO MOVE AROUND

BY PLANE

BY CAR

BY TAXI

BY BOAT

BY BUS

_ A visa is not required if you want to get in the country as a tourist, but if the reason for the trip is not tourism, your will have to consult with the embassy or the consulate of Colombia in your country.

_ The maximum amount of money that a foreigner can take into the country is 10,000 US dollars for each trip without declaring it, on the 180 days that it is allowed to stay as a tourist. Trying to enter the country with a higher amount will be considered as money laundering and this is punished with penalties of imprisonment.

Colombia has an effective airlines system and a reliable network of domestic flights. The most popular airlines are Avianca, Copa and LAN, which also have international flights. Satena, for its part, provides service to farther national destinations. Viva Colombia is a low cost airline recently created, and it offers cheap flights to several national destinations

_ Check here all Colombian airports.

In this country, there is an important marine traffic, principally made up of cargoes that accept passengers.

_ Regular passenger ships are the cheapest way of going to Capurganá and of travelling between San Andrés and Providencia.

_ Rivers are the only routes in a great part of the Chocó, and the Amazon.

_ The bus network is well organised and it reaches the smallest towns.

_ The colectivos are a mix between a bus and a taxi. Normally, they are big cars (sometimes even 4x4 cars or minibuses) that make short or medium distance routes. They leave as soon as they are full, without following a timetable, and they are a reasonably priced option if you are in a hurry.

_ Travelling by bus is usually cheap. On average, one hour of travel in an air-conditioned bus is about COP 6,000. You always have to bargain (except on holiday periods); you can get discounts up to 33%.

It is easy to move around with your own car because, even though there are still some security problems in some remote regions, the main risks are reckless drivers and the bad condition of some roads.

_ If you suffer a car accident, you should under no circumstances move it. Just wait until the traffic police arrives. If you don’t do it, you could be charged with the accident, even if it hasn’t been your fault.

_ We advise you against leaving your car in the street unattended. Usually, there are many informal security guards, but the best option is using secured public parking lots.

We recommend using only trustworthy agencies and companies that properly identify themselves and their drivers.

RoadVía Manizales- Bogotá

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MUST-SEES

... AND MUST-TASTES_ Sancochos. Chicken, cow or fish soup.

_ La bandeja paisa. This dish, traditional from Medellín, is made with different ingredients such as beans, rice, pork scratching, beef powder, chorizo, morcilla or yellow corn arepa.

_ Las arepas. Bread made of cornflour and stuffed with several foods.

_ El ajiaco. It’s a soup made of potatoes, corn, cream and capers, among other things.

_ El ceviche. This kind of seafood salad, with some spices that you won’t be able to identify, will leave you craving for more.

_ La carne a la llanera. Think about beef meat, roasted by the fire on a spike and marinated with salt and spices. Can’t you feel your mouth watering?

_ La changua. Soup for breakfast? Yes, an eggs and milk soup.

_ And for the most adventurous: fried ants, typical of some Colombian regions.

_Natural fruit juices. You will find them anywhere on the street, for about 3000 Colombian pesos.

_ La aguapanelita. It's a typical drink from Medellín, made of cheese and mazamorra (peeled and boiled corn).

1. The Amazon. Without any doubt, you cannot miss this place if you go to Colombia. Who hasn’t dreamed of being there?

2. Barranquilla. If you like carnival and if you are in Colombia in early March, this is your place. But if you can’t live this spectacle of joy and colour, you can also enjoy the multiple options the city offers.

3. Santa Marta. What is its main attractive? Choosing just one is really difficult, but we can tell you that this city, one of the most ancient ones of Colombia, can be proud of its natural parks and its old town.

4. Medellín. Considered the second most important city in Colombia, it is worldwide known for its colourful Festival of the Flowers and for many other attractions. 6

5. Luis Ángel Arango Library in Bogotá. This public library has become a worldwide model. Don’t you want to know why?

6. Cartagena. Famous for its beaches, this Colombian city offers a great variety of tourist attractions that range from cultural activities to its busy convention centres.

7. Rosario Islands. Located 35 km away from Cartagena, in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, this archipelago formed by 27 islands will make you discover the creatures living on the seabed. 8

8. Salento. You can access the Cocora Valley from this village located on the department of Quindío.

9. The coffee growing area of Cundinamarca. It is a huge forest, with coffee growing areas under its shadows.

10. A sunset at Cabo de la Vela. Do you want some relax? If the answer is yes, then you can’t miss this spectacular sunset.

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8 9Bandeja Paisa

Typical dish

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HOW MUCH IS…

TRAVEL TIPS

WHAT IF I GET ILL?

BE CAREFUL WITH...

_ A single ticket for the tube, bus or urban train: 1700 Colombian pesos

_ A coffee: 3000 Colombian pesos

_ A daily special at an average restaurant: 9000 Colombian pesos

_ A drink at a nightclub: 5000 Colombian pesos

_ A beer in a pub: 6000 Colombian pesos

_ A little of fuel: 3000 Colombian pesos

_ A ticket for the movies at the weekend: 13000 Colombian pesos

_ Getting into an emblematic museum: 5000 Colombian pesos

_ A newspaper: 1 500-2 000 Colombian pesos

_ A taxi from the airport to the centre of Bogotá (20 minutes ride, approx.): 125000 Colombian pesos

_ The most important holidays are: New Year (1st January), Epiphany (6th January), San José (24th March), Palm Sunday (13th April), Easter (17, 18 and 20th April), Labor Day (1st May), Corpus Christi (23rd June), Sacred Heart (30th June), Independence Day (20th July), Assumption of the Virgin Mary (18th August), Columbus Day (13th October), All Saints Day (1st November), Day of the Immaculate Conception (8th December) and Christmas Day (25th December).

_ Tap water is only drinkable in Bogotá and in the principal cities of the country. In general, we recommend you to drink bottled water.

_ You can haggle in informal shops and markets, street stalls, taxis without taximeter and long-distance buses.

_ Tipping is not mandatory, but if you think that the service has been very good, it would be appropriate to leave some.

_ There are no obligatory vaccines but it is advised to have the yellow fever vaccine, given that it’s mandatory to enter most of the natural parks and if you want to travel to Brazil from this country.

_ In the jungle areas we recommend drinking bottled water, using cotton clothes that cover most of the body and applying insect repellent on the exposed skin.

_ Hospitals clinics in big cities such as Bogotá and Medellín are acceptable; some of them are even well equipped. Medical assistance in rural areas is much more unpredictable and much more deficient.

_ We recommend travelling to Colombia with an international health insurance with good coverage because private medical assistance can be quite costly.

_ Rural areas, because in some cases they are very dangerous. In big cities and tourist destinations, however, some thefts and assaults may occur, but big crimes are not common.

_ Using mobile phones too much or taking out your wallet on the street, particularly in little visited places.

_ Going for a walk on lonely places.

_ Taking taxis on the street. In some cities, especially in Bogotá, fake taxi drivers do the “millionaire drive” or “express kidnapping”, an extortion method in which they kidnap people for hours to extort and rob them. To prevent these things from happening, the Colombian police recommends taking a photo of the taxi with your mobile phone before getting in and sending it to a friend or sending the taxi information.

_ Computer-related crimes (e.g. card duplicating or electronic theft of your credit card number) are frequent all over the country, but more specially in the centres of consumption of the big cities.

_ Check the major risk zones at this Tripadvisor thread.

_ Seismic movements and volcanic activity, as well as floods and land movements during the rain season in some parts of the country. Before going anywhere, we recommend you to check the Colombian Civil Defence website.

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_ I need to call from outside Colombia: do it by dialling the prefix: +57

_ I have an emergency: National emergency number: 123. In this phone number they can put you through to the police. I want to call the National Police: call 112.

_ I have witnessed a disaster: Colombian Civil Defence: 4292800.

_ I need to contact Red Cross: call 4376300. If I need to check something online:

Colombian National Police website.

WHO TO TURN TO...

WHERE CAN I EXCHANGE MY CURRENCY?

Upon your arrival to Colombia, you can exchange your money to Colombian pesos at any of the 108 branches that Global Exchange has in the country. Check our Colombian website for more information

1.El Dorado International Airport - 26 Street 103B-9, Ed. Terminal T1 + T2 Adosada - 111051 Bogotá (Bogotá, D.C.)

2.Shopping Mall branch Street 93 - Street 15 with street 93-60 110221 Bogotá (Bogotá, D.C.)

3.José María Córdova International Airport - Valle de Sajonia 054047 Medellín (Antioquia)

4.Olaya Herrera International Airport - Street 65 A # 13 - 157 050013 Medellín (Antioquia)

5.Rafael Núñez International Airport - Street 70A - 130002 Cartagena (Bolívar)

6.Church street branch - Street 4 #35-61 - 130001 Cartagena (Bolívar)

7.School street branch - Street 6 #34-107 - 130001 Cartagena (Bolívar)

8.Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport - Street 10a, Soledad 083006 Barranquilla (Atlántico)

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MUST TAKE PICS

CartagenaCoastal city

Cristo Rey sculptureCali

Caño CristalesRiver at Serranía de la Macarena.

SilleterosFestival of the Flowers Medellín

Tayrona ParkMagdalena

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DISCOUNTS

CODE: AU15TRAVEL

Australia 15% discount

CODE: BR15TRAVEL

Brazil 15% discount

CODE: CO15TRAVEL

Colombia 15% discount

CODE: CR15TRAVEL

Costa Rica 15% discount

CODE: DK15TRAVEL

Denmark 15% discount

CODE: EC15TRAVEL

Ecuador 15% discount

CODE: ES15TRAVEL

Spain 15% discount

CODE: GT15TRAVEL

Guatemala 15% discount

CODE: JM15TRAVEL

Jamaica 15% discount

for your tripYour currency exchange at the airport with a discount

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CODE: JO15TRAVEL

Jordan 15% discount

CODE: MA15TRAVEL

Morocco 15% discount

CODE: MX15TRAVEL

Mexico 15% discount

CODE: NI15TRAVEL

Nicaragua 15% discount

CODE: PY15TRAVEL

Paraguay 15% discount

CODE: RD15TRAVEL

Dominican Republic 15% discount

CODE: CH15TRAVEL

Switzerland 15% discount

CODE: TT15TRAVEL

Trinidad and Tobago 15% discount

CODE: UY15TRAVEL

Uruguay 15% discount

www.global-exchange.com

Travel money services

Print this voucher page and show it at our currency exchange branches.

We are present at the airports of these 18 countries.

ONLINE CODE: ESBLOGIf you are in Spain and you make your currency exchange online we will discount 5€ and take it wherever you need. Go to www.globalexchange.es/en and enter the code ESBLOG when completing your order.

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