YourBogota emerged from a happy hour conversation between two friends living in Bogota. We were shocked by some of the advice that popular websites and travel guides seemed to be giving to tourists visiting Bogota. We felt that the Bogota we know and love was being kept under wraps! YourBogota is our attempt to expose the best of Bogota all at once. On this site you will find our top picks in restaurants, night life, and the day to day. Que lo disfruten!
Situated right above the equator, Bogota doesn’t really have seasons. The average temperature is around 65F (18C) during the day and 45F (7C) at night. The driest months tend to be January and July and the wettest April and October. Nevertheless, it could rain at any time, but it usually won't last long. It's wise to always pack an umbrella, regardless of how the sky looks when you set out. Dressing in layers is also advisable, since direct sun can be very hot (75F), but when it is cloudy and windy it can get chilly (50F). You will usually be fine in a t-shirt, jeans, and a light jacket. Remember that Bogota has a high altitude, so sunlight is strong. A moisturizer with at least 15 SPF is a good idea.
Bogota is a large city, and acts like one. People do not often walk down the street while talking on fancy telephones, and do not display expensive electronics on the street or on public transportation. Be aware of the neighborhoods you’re in and if the street you are on is lightly trafficked. Don’t forget that there is a huge disparity between rich and poor. Read the section about taxis for more information about taxi safety.
Be aware that burundanga is a drug that is sometimes used by criminals. It can be added to cigarettes, drinks, or blown in the face. Once it enters the body the victim will do whatever they are told, and once they come to, they will not remember what happened. Never read something for someone on the street (no matter how well dressed they are), and of course do not accept drinks or cigarettes from people you don’t know. If you live in Bogota and you have a maid, make sure you go OFTEN over the very common phone scam with them. Thieves call your house when you are not there and try to convince your maid that they are with you and that she needs to take everything out of the house (all you jewelery, money and electronics) for any good reason they find at the time. Sadly, many maids have fallen for that trick, resulting on many thousand of dollars lost. Sit down with them and make sure you have very strong rules about anyone showing up unexpected to your place.
The exchange between Colombian pesos and the American dollar usually stays around 1,800 CPO to 1.00 USD. To do the exchange between Colombian pesos and American dollars, take the Colombian price, chop off three zeros then divide by two. To get a sense of how much most things will cost, let's say that an average ride from the airport to most common destinations is usually about $25.000 ($12.50). Most martinis cost $20.000 ($10.00), and a nice dinner out with wine usually comes to about $80.000 ($40.00) per person. Find a cash machine is very easy in Bogota. There are several. If possible, use a cash machine located inside a shopping mall or a buisness. They are usually safer.
We recommend that you bring your debit and credit cards, and use one of the many ATM's everywhere to get pesos. It's always better to try to walk around with the least amount of money on you. Maybe just change about $40 US at the airport for the taxi. Also, very important, make sure you keep your luggage tag as they will ask for them when you exit the airport. From experience, they won't let you out until you show it to then! If you make a trip to the bank, just know that for security, you are not allowed to talk on a cell phone inside the bank.
Bogota is a city of 8 million people. It is quite homogeneous compared to most large North American or European cities. The city is made up of people of European and indigenous descent. There is also a small percentage of people of African descent. There are sharp economic and racial divides, which are often accepted rather than challenged. Bogotanos are growing more and more comfortable with dealing with foreigners, but it is still relatively new for many. Also, be prepared to interact with almost everybody in Spanish as a very small percentage of the population speak English. Keep in mind that time is very relative here and if you interact with local people, most likely, you will be waiting for a while on your own. Also, know that personal space is not a concept that exists here, so don’t worry, you will have people cutting lines and you will have someone very close to you at the cash machine when you withdraw money. On the other hand, colombians are known to be very welcoming and very warm (hugging and kissing hello, even when you first meet). They will ask you questions and they genuinely want to know about your country. Don't be afraid to interact with them they are not trying to sell you anything, they are just very curious.
Bogota has state-of-the-art medical equipment and well-trained doctors. After all, laser eye surgery technology was developed here and plastic surgery is more than common. Hopefully you will have a healthy stay in Bogota, but here's what you should know if you find that you're feeling a little under the weather.
Emergencies
In general, it is advisable to get health insurance when you travel.
Here are some emergency hospitals you can go to
Clinica De Country (www.clinicadelcountry.com/)
Address: Carrera 16 #82-57
Phone: 530-1720
Clinica De Marly (www.marly.com.co/)
Address: Calle 50 #9-67
Phone: 343-6600
Clinica Reina Sofia
Address: Carrera 31 #125A - 23
Phone: 625-2111
Fundacion Santa Fe (www.fsfb.org.co/)
Address: Calle 119 #7 – 75
Phone: 603-0303
Getting a cellphone with a plan as a foreigner can be very difficult. So, most people get pre-paid phone and add minutes (you can buy them everywhere) as they go. That way, the company does not really make a difference, but know that calling the same company as you have is twice as cheap as calling another one. So, make sure you talk to your friends before choosing your company, so you won't run out of minutes all the time. The good news is as soon as you have a SIM card and therefore a number, you can receive call on your phone for free at all time, even if you don't have minutes.
If you are getting a plan, here are the companies and you can go online to check their plans. A lot of things are cheaper here in Colombia, but phone services is NOT one of them. Most of their packages come with a limit of minutes that can be use all day long. There are no "Free night and week end" type of plans. The good thing is that now you keep your number even if you decide to change company. So, if you are not satisfied, no worries, just wait the end of your contract and change to another operator. The good thing is that according to a new law, they have to let you keep your number AND all phone come unlocked. It's the law, so always ask them to make sure.
Movistar:
www.movistar.com.co
Claro:
http://www.claro.com.co
Tigo:
www.tigo.com.co
Uff:
Those 3 companies offer TV, internet and home phone services. Although, most likely you will have a phone already installed in your apartment, you can call the company and ask them for their bundle special. Some have Internet/TV/Home phone services.
Direct TV: For TV service, we highly recommend them as they have a great range of channels and you can record and store your programs.
www.directv.com.co
ETB: We recommend this company for internet and phone service. You can chose different options and service has been relatively good.
www.etb.com.co
Claro: We would like to point out that a lot of us had very bad experiences with this last one. In general, it's always hard to have any of those company to give you a good service, but this one has been often beyond just regular bad service. Although, since Telmex has been absorbed by Claro, we could say it has been a little better. But we would still recommend Direct Tv for cable as they have more options.
http://www.claro.com.co
Check out this really interesting blog about Bogota from a profesional cook and food lover:
http://bogotaeatsanddrinks.com/
Yourbogota highlighted in www.organichobo.com. Check it out:
Yourbogota highlighted in www.turntablekitchen.com. Check it out:
http://www.turntablekitchen.com/2011/08/colombia-it-might-not-be-what-youve-heard/
An article about spending a weekend in Bogota, from the Candelaria all the way to Usaquen.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/t-magazine/23well-bogota-t.html?pagewanted=1
Bogota's Andres Carne de Res made the list!
http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/the-worlds-biggest-bar-crawl/?scp=2&sq=bogota&st=Search
New York Times Travel Guide
http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/travel/23surfacing.html
http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/travel/a-tourist-revival-in-the-heart-of-bogota.html?ref=travel&_r=0
USA Today Article about Bogota's changing personality
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-04-15-bogota-colombia_N.htm
An article about what to do if you have 36 hours in Bogota
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/travel/04hours.html
A few pages of a travel blog in the Québec virtual newspaper
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/voyage/bruno-blanchet/201003/18/01-4261983-drapeau-blanc.php
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/voyage/quebec/201003/25/01-4264338-danger.php
CNN article on Colombia
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/24/travel/colombia-10-things/index.html