If you’re a native Colombian, you might not tip in most situations, or you tip minimally. This is absolutely normal and I would not dare criticize anybody here for their tipping as it’s the way of the land. Foreigners, be they tourists […]
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Distances are magnified in Colombia due to terrain. The most populated part of the country is in the Andes mountains and while views are breathtaking, traveling between cities can get tricky. You have two options to travel within Colombia: by road or […]
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Even if you think you know Spanish well, some expressions you’ll hear whilst shopping in Colombia might leave you confused, as happened to me early on. Quiere cancelar (tu compra)?: That’s the one that really threw me for a loop. They don’t […]
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Americans generally know their federal acronyms: DOJ, FBI, CIA, IRS and what they represent, but what about the Colombian central government ones? Let’s go over a few you’ll see frequently… FAC : Fuerza Aérea Colombiana. The Colombian air force DIAN: Dirección de […]
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Real estate for sale or rent ads whether online (metrocuadrado.com, fincaraiz.com.co, etc.), in real estate agency windows or in newspapers and magazines will most likely be in Spanish and will use the measures and expressions found below. Canon (Cah-non): The monetary value […]
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Exchange rates on major currencies against the Colombian Peso (COP) are available online at various sites. Here are some quick links (links to Bloomberg or Google Finance) USD CAD EUR GBP AUD Please remember that these are mid-market rates so NOT what […]
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Except for a small list of countries, just about any visitor is granted a 90 day stay without requiring a visa. Don’t forget to fill out the online Check-Mig form before your trip and also before you leave Colombia: https://apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co/pre-registro/en
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Pharmacies in Colombia are typically small shops, and you can usually also get a toothbrush, a bottle of water or shampoo, not just medication, but it’s usually not going to be anything like a Walgreens or CVS! They’re everywhere! It’s not unusual to […]
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There’s a lot of apartment and townhouse closed communities in major Colombian cities, and a large number of units within them are owned by investors who rent them out to cover their mortgages and other costs while the property appreciates, not surprisingly! […]
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FACT: THERE’S NO SEASONS IN COLOMBIA The entire country is tropical (meaning between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn), so wherever you go the temperature range is consistent year round (“isothermal”) and that range only depends on the elevation of where you are. Temperatures are […]
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