29 Travel Tips You Need to Know Before Coming to Colombia

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Updated: · by Frank Spitzer

29 Travel Tips You Need to Know Before Coming to Colombia

By Frank Spitzer, Founder of Pelecanus · Updated May 2026
Boat ladies Colombia
Boat ladies Colombia
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29 essential tips for visiting Colombia — from currency and tipping through Spanish phrases, transport, accommodations, weather, food, and safety. This is the comprehensive first-visit briefing.

I am Frank Spitzer, founder of Pelecanus Travel (RNT 51402, IAGTO member, Bogotá-based since 2017). We arrange pre-trip Colombia briefings. Send me a message to start planning.

Bogota Travel Guide | Expert Insights & Tips
Itinerary to have a Real Colombian Experience – Colombian Travel Guide

Preparing for Your Trip

2026 entry requirements: what changed and what didn’t

Check-Mig remains mandatory in 2026 for every air traveller entering OR leaving Colombia. Complete the form between 72 hours and 1 hour before your flight. It is FREE at the official site apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co. Multiple lookalike sites charge USD 50+ for what is a free process — ignore them. Airlines can and do deny boarding to passengers without a completed Check-Mig confirmation (Migración Colombia).

Passport rules. Most nationalities (EU, US, Canada, UK, Switzerland, Australia, Japan and most of Latin America) receive a 90-day PT (permiso de turismo) stamp on arrival, extendable to 180 days per calendar year. Passports should be valid for the full length of stay. The Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores maintains the definitive nationality list.

Yellow Fever certificate. Colombia requires proof of Yellow Fever vaccination for entry to Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Parque Tayrona, and the Amazon region (Leticia and river routes) — not for entering Colombia in general, but park entry can be refused without the WHO yellow card. The vaccine takes 10 days to become effective; the certificate is valid for life. Refer to CDC guidelines.

What has NOT changed: no arrival tax on tourists, no mandatory travel insurance requirement, no COVID-era vaccination checks (all dropped in 2023). The DIAN customs declaration is filled inside the aircraft or on arrival — standard.

Essential Preparations

  1. Passport Validity: Ensure your passport is valid for your travel period.
  2. Bank Notifications: Contact your bank to enable ATM withdrawals in Colombia.
  3. Clothing and Equipment: Pack according to your activities. Note: Larger shoe sizes (over size 44) are hard to find in Colombia.
  4. Check-Mig Form: Complete the Check-Mig form required by the Colombian government for all travelers entering or leaving the country. This form must be filled out within 72 hours prior to your trip. For more information and to complete the form, visit Migración Colombia’s Check-Mig.

Health and Safety

  1. Vaccinations: Stay updated with necessary vaccinations. Refer to CDC’s guidelines for Colombia for detailed medical advice.
  2. Mosquitos: The best protection is prevention. Wear long trousers and long sleeve shirts and use repellent.

Security in Colombia

Staying Safe

  • Colombia has significantly improved in safety. Police and military presence is strong, especially in tourist areas.
  • Exercise caution with valuables and prefer carrying document copies.
  • Don’t wear expensive watches, jewellery or show of with your lates I-phone model.
Is Colombia Safe Today? | Honest Safety Guide

Cultural Insights and Etiquette

Understanding Colombian Culture

  • Colombians are welcoming but sensitive about their history. Avoid topics like Pablo Escobar or drugs.
  • Discussing football, local cuisine, and cultural heritage is appreciated.

Financial Matters

Currency and Transactions

  1. Currency: The Colombian Peso (COP) is the only accepted currency.
  2. ATMs: Widely available, but withdrawals have limits (usually COP 700,000 or about USD 250).
  3. Credit Cards: Accepted in most hotels, supermarkets, and shopping malls.
  4. Currency Exchange: Possible at airports but expect lower exchange rates and fingerprinting.

Tipping in Colombia

  • Tipping is customary (about 10%) in restaurants. Always check your bill to avoid double tipping.

Hotel IVA exemption for foreigners — save 19%

You are exempt from Colombia’s 19% IVA (VAT) on hotel accommodation if you enter as a tourist and hold a PT stamp (or PIP-3, PIP-5, PIP-6, PIP-10 permits, or TP-7/11/12 visas). The exemption applies automatically at check-in when you show your passport with the PT stamp received on arrival (Nexo Legal).

What to do at check-in: present your passport with the entry stamp. The hotel is legally required to invoice you without IVA. If the front-desk clerk isn’t familiar with the exemption, ask for the manager and reference DIAN concept guidance on servicios hoteleros a extranjeros no residentes. Every Bogotá and Cartagena hotel we book already applies this by default.

VAT refund on eligible purchases. Beyond hotels, foreigners can request a VAT refund on non-hotel taxable purchases when leaving Colombia through the DIAN counter at international airports and land crossings. Minimum purchase per receipt: 3 UVT (approximately COP 141,000 in 2026). Maximum total refund per traveller: 200 UVT (~COP 9,400,000). Keep original invoices, arrive at the airport 30–45 minutes early to process (DIAN).

Shopping and Apparel

Fashion and Shopping

  • Colombia’s fashion industry offers quality designs at affordable prices, but size availability may be limited.

Visa and Entry Requirements

Visa Information

Customs Regulations

Entry and Duty-Free Allowances

  • Travelers can bring items like 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 250g of tobacco, 2 liters of alcohol, and gifts up to $1,500 without duty.
  • For bringing in over $10,000, fill out form 530. Some services for foreigners are VAT-exempt.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Understanding Colombia’s Climate

  • Colombia’s weather varies by region, with both rainy and dry seasons. Plan your visit accordingly. Check out our weather guide for a better understanding.

Language and Communication

Language in Colombia

Public Safety Organizations

Police and Emergency Services

  • The national emergency number is 123.
  • Police and army are part of the Ministry of Defense, ensuring safety.

Emergency contacts by category

  • National emergency: 123 (police, fire, medical — nationwide)
  • Anti-narcotics tip line: 165
  • Cruz Roja (Red Cross): 132
  • Transit accidents: 127
  • Tourist Police (Policía de Turismo, Bogotá): +57 601 337 4413 (English-speaking officers)
  • Migración Colombia hotline: +57 601 596 0500
  • DIAN (customs / VAT): +57 601 546 1400
  • Your embassy — save the number BEFORE you fly. Most embassies are in Bogotá (Zona Rosa / Chicó).

Save these to your phone before landing. On our itineraries, Pelecanus clients get a full WhatsApp on-call channel with Frank plus the local driver’s number for the specific city they are in.

Colombian Cuisine

Food and Drinks

  • Colombian cuisine is diverse, with arepas as a national dish. Beer is favored over wine.
Everything about Food in Colombia – Colombian Travel Guide

Public Holidays

Navigating Colombian Holidays

  • Colombia has 18 public holidays, often leading to crowded tourist spots and higher hotel prices.

2026 holiday calendar highlights + the new Chiquinquirá holiday

How Ley Emiliani (Ley 51 of 1983) shapes travel dates. Whenever a Catholic holiday falls midweek, it’s moved to the following Monday to create a puente festivo (long weekend). This concentrates domestic tourism into predictable 3-day windows — Cartagena, Santa Marta, San Andrés and the Coffee Region fill up first and hotel prices spike 30–60%. Book at least 6 weeks ahead if you’re travelling on a puente.

NEW in 2026 — Law 2578 of 2026. President Petro sanctioned Law 2578 of 2026 on June 1, 2026, adding the Day of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá (patron saint of Colombia) as a new mandatory public holiday. Nominally observed July 9, in 2026 it moves under Ley Emiliani to Monday July 13, 2026. This creates a fresh 3-day puente in mid-July when the country previously had none between San Pedro (late June) and Independence (July 20). Expect higher hotel prices in Cartagena, Santa Marta and Chiquinquirá itself over the July 11–13 weekend (Colombia One).

Months without holidays in 2026: February and September. Both are excellent windows for lower prices and calmer sights — February for Cartagena (dry season) and September for Amazon low-season pricing.

Patience and Local Customs

Adjusting to Colombian Pace

  • Expect delays and slower traffic in cities. The average road speed is about 25 mph (40 km/h).

Nightlife and Party Culture

Enjoying Colombian Nightlife Safely

  • Stay vigilant at parties, watch your drinks, and use taxis or Uber for transportation.

Transportation and Driving

Navigating Colombian Roads

  • Use official taxis or ride-sharing apps. Foreign driver’s licenses are valid for stays under 6 months.

Ride apps, taxis, and Pico y Placa in 2026

  • Uber: operational nationwide but in a legal grey zone; the standard courtesy is to sit in the front passenger seat so it looks like a friend giving you a ride.
  • InDriver, Didi, Cabify: fully operational, lower fares than Uber in most Colombian cities.
  • Yellow taxis: safe when booked via app (Tappsi, Easy Taxi, TaxRadar). Street hails are OK in bright daylight in touristic areas but avoid at night — the app track adds a safety layer.
  • Foreign driver’s licence: valid for stays under 6 months. Colombian traffic is dense, poorly signposted, and mountain roads challenge foreign drivers — we recommend hiring a private driver-guide for inter-city trips.
  • Pico y Placa: license-plate driving restrictions in Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. This mostly affects private vehicles — taxis and rideshares are exempt. If you rent a car, verify the daily rotation with the rental company before driving.
  • Toll roads: many inter-city routes have peajes. Cash accepted; ETag electronic pass on some corridors. Cartagena–Barranquilla, Bogotá–Villavicencio, and Medellín–Bogotá all have multiple tolls.

Plan Your Colombia Trip with Pelecanus

We design pre-trip Colombia briefings. RNT 51402 · IAGTO · Bogotá-based.

Plan My Trip WhatsApp Frank

More Colombia Travel Tips

Travel to Colombia with Pelecanus

Would you like to visit Colombia? As a local tour operator based in Colombia, we can help you plan a personalized itinerary that includes Colombia and other destinations across Colombia.

Cartagena old town drone view
Tourists traveling by willys jeep in Salamina Colombia

Contact us via WhatsApp or write to us at info@pelecanus.com.co to start planning.

Contact Pelecanus | WhatsApp +57 300 752 4553

FAQ

Is this relevant for first-time visitors?

Yes — essential preparation that improves the trip.

Do I need a guide?

Recommended for cultural depth and logistics. Pelecanus provides bilingual guides for all clients.

How much does it cost?

Single-city trips: $40-150/day. Multi-region: $200-500/day depending on accommodation and activities.

When is the best season?

Dry seasons (December-March, June-August) preferred. Specific timing varies by region.

Is Colombia safe for tourists?

Yes — major cities have full police presence. Standard urban precautions apply.

How do I plan with Pelecanus?

Send a message via /en/about-us-contact/ or WhatsApp Frank at +57 321 214 6210.

How does Pelecanus support pre-trip planning?

Beyond building the itinerary, we do a pre-arrival WhatsApp briefing the week before you fly: packing list tailored to your regions (Andes vs Caribbean vs Amazon differ a lot), the exact Check-Mig walkthrough, driver contact details and licence-plate numbers, hotel PT-stamp check-in note in Spanish for the front desk, plus the emergency contact card. Once you land, Frank is on WhatsApp for the full trip.

Related planning reads: Colombia weather & climate · Colombia travel cost · Is Colombia safe · Medical advice for Colombia · Colombia holidays calendar. To start planning, send me a message.

References

About the Author

Frank Spitzer, Founder of Pelecanus

I’m Frank Spitzer — Swiss-born, Bogotá-resident since 2015, founder of Pelecanus. From first inquiry through return flight, you deal with me personally — not a handoff team. I’ve driven across 30 of Colombia’s 32 departments to inspect roads, hotels, guides and routes myself, and documented it in 400+ first-hand videos on the COLOMBIAFRANK YouTube channel. Before a destination goes into a trip, I’ve been there, often more than once, and I’ve slept in the bed I’d recommend. That field scouting sits on top of a 20-year background in finance, an MBA from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, and a First-Lieutenant commission in the Swiss Army. I work in German, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, which is why luxury, golf, eco and wildlife travellers from Switzerland, Germany, the US and Latin America trust us to build trips that feel custom — not catalogued. Pelecanus operates under Colombian RNT 51402 and is an active IAGTO member.

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Plan Your Colombia Trip with Pelecanus

Pelecanus is Colombia's Swiss-managed tour operator (IAGTO member, RNT 51402, Bogotá since 2017). Continue planning with these hubs:

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