10 Things To Keep In Mind While Traveling To Colombia

No matter how well you prepare for a vacation, there’s always going to be something that you forget until it’s too late.

While there’s no way to safeguard against all problems that can occur during a vacation, there are many things for you to keep in mind that should help you avoid having a bad time on your vacation to Colombia.

The following provides 10 things for you to remember while traveling to Colombia that will make your vacation a more enjoyable one.

1. Take Copies of Passport

Losing a passport can make for a very frustrating time that will require you to go to your embassy in Colombia to obtain a replacement.

In order to avoid these frustrations and make sure that your vacation isn’t needlessly interrupted, it’s highly recommended that you take at least one copy of your passport along with you.

When you’re traveling to a country like Colombia, it’s important to understand that very little English is spoken in the country.

While Colombians are known to be very friendly to tourists, you likely won’t have a great time if you don’t know some basic Spanish and need to constantly inquire if a local speaks English.

You should at least brush up on some of the basics of Spanish like greetings and food-related words, the latter of which will allow you to read menus with ease.

3. Make Note of Monetary Conversion Before Trip

Before you go on a trip to Colombia, you should be aware of how monetary conversion works in the country.

Understanding the conversion rate from the U.S. to Colombia will allow you to avoid being surprised once you arrive in the country.

The monetary unit that’s used in Colombia is the peso. A single U.S. dollar is equivalent to around 3,400 pesos.

4. Money Transfer Should Be in Place

Whether you lose the cash that you have on hand or find that you need more money for your trip, there’s always a possibility that you will need to quickly transfer money to Colombia.

Before your trip begins, it’s recommended that a friend or family member is prepared to send a money transfer if necessary. If you take care of this issue before going on your trip, you should be able to quickly transfer money to Colombia without delay.

If you find that you don’t have enough money, a wonderful vacation can turn sour in an instant, which is why you should do what you can to avoid these issues.

5. Have Local Cash on Hand

In Colombia, cash is used far more than credit cards, which is something that you need to account for before you head out on your vacation.

While credit cards can be used in some high-end hotels and shops, having a substantial amount of cash on hand will allow you to easily pay for transportation and other aspects of your vacation without running into a problem.

6. Buy Tickets in Advance

If you’ve been creating an itinerary for your trip to Colombia and are planning on visiting numerous destinations that require tickets, it’s essential that you purchase these tickets well in advance of your vacation.

Doing so will allow you to avoid lines and should make your vacation hassle-free.

7. Take a Guidebook or Two

Likely the best tool that you can have with you on a vacation to a foreign country is a guidebook. A high-quality guidebook will usually contain key phrases in Spanish as well as maps and informative descriptions of most attractions throughout the country.

There are also several fantastic guidebook apps that you can download to your smartphone, which will allow you to avoid carrying around a heavy book during your travels.

8. Pack a Charger Adapter

If you’re taking your smartphone or tablet with you on your vacation, it’s important that you have a charger adapter with you if ever your devices run out of power.

While different countries will use different voltage amounts and plug sizes, having a charger adapter with you will help you account for these differences.

9. Take Snacks with You

Traveling to a foreign country can be a fun and exhilarating experience. However, finding the ideal restaurant multiple times per day can make for a frustrating vacation.

In order to cut down on the number of times you visit a restaurant or food cart during your trip, you should take some snacks with you that will tide you over between meals.

10. Bring Extra Set of Clothes with Your Carry-On Bag

If the airline that you travel on to Colombia happens to lose your luggage, you don’t want to be stuck having to purchase your entire wardrobe right when you get to your destination. To avoid this problem, bring another set of clothes with you in your carry-on bag.

With these tips and guidelines, you should be able to avoid most of the usual problems that can occur when traveling to a foreign country.