Traveling to Colombia

Thanks Dapip. This is helpful. And yes it's about $3kWhen you say "try to hire someone...." do you mean a tour guide or someone who is just your assigned escort and driver throughout your entire stay?

 

It's not uncommon in Colombia for people to drive you around for the whole day. You pay a flat rate and you have yourself car and driver.

Also, there's a new airline in Colombia and it is doing a lot of promos, so prices are very competitive right now.

https://www.ultraair.com/home/search

 

Uber also exist in Medellin, and I found them alot better than the local taxi drivers.

 

We returned from Medellin on Saturday and we had an amazing time, except for the issues departing from Medellin. We were lucky enough that we didn't have issues driving around, since my brother was willing to take us anywhere we wanted to go, and also, one of his sisters in law lend us her car for a 3 day trip to Jerico.

I'm very mad at AA and the Medellin airport, because other than our departure trip, we had a magnificent experience and everything was delightful. The weather was awesome, the city is beautiful and full of trees and exotic birds, and there are many hidden treasures in there and around. I fully recommend visiting Jerico (about 3 hours away) and enjoy a typical coffee growing town with nice views and warm people. And the food... OMG... I gained 2 kilos.

I don't know if this is typical from Medellin or Colombia, but all of our flights (and most of our relatives' that went there to meet us) were delayed, and sadly, my wife's return flight was cancelled. She had to book a ticket to Bogota (delayed too. surprise!) and then she had to take a plane today to Miami.

My two cents:

1. Arrive not 3 but 4, maybe 5 hours early and be prepared to wait and wait and wait. The check in process is very slow and inefficient (all airlines, but Avianca was the worst), and I could not do it online, since I was traveling with minors. Also, the trip from Medellin to the airport is a nightmare on the weekends; add another hour to your leave time if you are going on a Friday or Saturday.

2. Keep checking your flight and if possible, re-book through Bogota, even if it takes longer.

3. You are required to take a COVID test within 24 hours of your trip. Luckily there is a place at the airport, convenient, fast and cheap (Col$95.000). It is at the lower level, almost at the end of the parking lot, and it takes just 40 minutes to get your results, although it may take a while to get tested if there's a lot of people in line (you may as well add another hour to your trip to the airport).

4. You are required to fill your information at checkmig to enter Colombia and to leave (yes, you have to do it twice). It is not difficult, but is better to do it from a laptop. Here is the page:
https://apps.migracioncolombia.gov.co/pre-registro/public/preregistro.jsf

5. My wife was able to do a retina scan that made it a lot faster to go through immigration, but I'm not sure if it can be done with minors or foreigners (doubt it), but check if you can do it, because it really saves time.

I hope this helps. Enjoy your trip.

 

yeah sounds spot on. That covid shit is the most annoying part, there have been times at bogota airport I’ve seen people cry at front the gate guard because they don’t understand the process.

also flying in Colombia is not pleasant, there was one instance where a fight broke out in the airplane because one guy was “touching” someone’s else’s “culo”.

besides that the online apps for all airlines pretty much suck except latam which is mediocre at best

 

More grievances to disclose:

1. My wife decided to have her 2nd covid test (required since her initial test was now over 24 hours) at Medellin, which was great, since the test results in Bogota take about 2 hours, or maybe longer.

2. What is with the airport security at El Dorado? They seem to change policies about what you can take on the plane on a whim and the security personnel (stationed at the plane gate) don't even know for sure what is allowed or not. Last time my wife went to Colombia, they allowed passengers to take coffee beans in your carry on but not ground coffee, but for this trip, they changed the policy to no packages over 650 grams (odd number), regardless of the estate. They also forbid you from carrying bottled water into the plane, even if the items were purchased after the security check (extremely odd). For contrast, we were able to carry a bunch of things (food, coffee, water, drinks) at Medellin, and nobody said anything at the gate.

3. What is with the food in Avianca? I understand giving you a standard package to save time and money, but no drink options besides water or coffee? Then, if you're trying to save time and money, why have a box with cookies and water, and later a sandwich in a plastic box? Inefficient, rude, polluting.

4. Finally, seems that American cancelled more than one flight, and that they have not been able to fix the plane or accommodate their stranded passengers. Seriously, if you are traveling to Medellin from the US, don't flight there directly; better go to Bogota and then take a flight to Rionegro, fewer headaches, even if you have to deal with the rude security at El Dorado.

 

1. I'm still confused on the covid test, some people tell me 72 hours before international and others tell me 24 hours, is this constantly changing?

2. The policy on throwing away food before boarding an international flight is stupid. This happened to me as well, with just a bottle of dasani water. These people really can't trust their internal security that they deem it so much a risk to bring in food bought in your own airport.

3. I avoid buying snacks at all cost on planes, not only its overpriced but it doesn't even fill you up. you better off just buying at the airport before flight and finishing the meal. (your even better off if you can eat before even traveling to airport)

4. Good advice on that one, I do one to mention the trip from Rionegro to Medellin the city is quite a drive, and annoying with all the tunnels. My cab driver was also under the influence when he drove me at 4am for the return flight to bogota el dorado.



The truth is, and i'm tying this to soccer related, Colombia is NOT ready to host major international arrivals if they were to ever host a world cup. For some reason in terms of business, customer service need alot of work. ALOT, and I"m not just referring to airlines and airport service, but restaurants and hotels too.

 

24 hours was the most recent CDC requirement.

Worst part is the lack of clarity. You are not allowing food or drink into the plane? Ok, state that on signs on the boarding areas, not just throw or take away some items some times, then let them go some others.

This was not food I ordered, since I think Avianca is no longer selling food to save themselves the hassle. And eating before getting to the airport, means fasting for about 8 hours (trip to rionegro, covid line, check in line, customs line, boarding area, plane trip) LOL.

Good point. I think that people in general is very friendly and they just need some training and tools to help their customers. I think that we lack infrastructure (bullet train from the airport to Medellin, a metro in Bogota, more terminals at the airports) and that a lot of the customer service issues are at the root a poor corporate culture, in a country where most people don't fight for their rights. It was incredible as a gringo to watch how poorly trained the front line employees are, and how they cannot really do much beyond a few basic task, because that's how the system is designed. IOW, I think most people there taking the hits, do really want to help you, but they don't know how and/or lack the knowledge or authority to take the appropriate steps.

 

I'll be in Colombia for the next month, I heard the US covid testing has paused. I hope so.

 

I almost got in 6 car accidents on Christmas going to buy presents....

Its great to see how happy it makes the kids but man everyone is such a terrible POS in the hoildays basically extorting parents over presents.

Especially since my nephews who are a bit older change their minds like 2 weeks before X-mas on which Marvel or DC toy they want. Found some cool people who helped make X-mas awesome but some wanted 10x what things cost in store.

I still can't believe that PS5s are impossible to get.

 

Ah man, don't tell me that, I was actually planning to start a donation run from my local community to donate clothes and pay shipping cost. But if the government going to try to tax some crazy 10k import tax, then maybe I should forget it..

 

When you ship things to Colombia, I think the issue is New vs Used. I remember reading about someone that tried to do what Tio Nicci is thinking, and they found that it was a procedural nightmare and that basically you'd be better off sending them money for them to buy things on their own.

 

I definitely don't trust sending money to the organization, I feel like a high risk of that being stolen can happen. With clothing, I think it's less risky.. At least in my head lol

but there is an impoverish camp that my fiance goes to and these people have nothing. Literally nothing. Clothing will help them a long way. Specially baby clothes

 

they made me take the tags off all the cloths I took because they said I would sell it. It's like nope just didn't have time to pack so went to the mall and bought new stuff to look good for my trip. I have never had that happen in another country.

my parents are going to barranquilla next week. I paid for an extra luggage so they can give away my kids old cloths

 

The issue is that it is a dishonest practice, like bait and switch, and it's happening a lot. For most of us $200 is not that big of a deal, but remember that the minimum MONTHLY wage in Colombia is about that.