General Info

[Pixelpirata]

I will stay in Colombia for 6 months and I cot of living /time for daily transportation is an big issue. Medellin offers much culture, but what about cities like Tulúa, Pereira, Manizales, Cartago.

I speak deesecnt spanish and can manage in a smaller city.

It might become boring, but thi might well occur when getting out of money in an expensive metropol!

Anyone with experience?

[AddictedToWomen]

Hi,

I am contemplating my first visit to Colombia in December.

The trip will be about one week and I only want to go to one city. Should I go to Bogota, Cartagena or Medelin?

I speak passable spanish and am used to travelling in latinamerica.

The key criterias are easy access to beautiful women, something to see and do when not chasing women, price is less of an issue.

Junior

For one week, you might not get too bored in ctg, as long as you like beaches and old fortresses. Otherwise I'd strike it. Bog would be my favorite: med's got a decent botero museum iirc, but apart from that doesn't inspire me.

[Andy1974]

Hi,

I am staying in Rio de Janerio in December and was thinking of taking a few days in Colombia also, does anyone know the best and cheapest way to travel between the two?

I lookd at some flights but they are VERy VERy expensive, perhaps I am lookng at the wrong sites

Many thanks in advance

Andy

[Junior]

Hi,

I am contemplating my first visit to Colombia in December.

The trip will be about one week and I only want to go to one city. Should I go to Bogota, Cartagena or Medelin?

I speak passable spanish and am used to travelling in latinamerica.

The key criterias are easy access to beautiful women, something to see and do when not chasing women, price is less of an issue.

Junior

[Artful]

I'm sure I read somewhere, possibly on this board, that there were now direct flights from Bogota to Singapore. Now I can't find it. Can anyone possibly confirm this for me?

[Mel365]

Do you have a phone number for the bank in Miami? When I phoned the miami number the call was transferred to Medellin.

Thanks,

Mel

[AddictedToWomen]

4.you will have to clear customs, they will put your bags through a quick x-ray,kind of a joke really.

half the time i get the full manual search as well. they're friendly enough -- they're looking for money or the import of high-value items for resale -- but you do need to allow time for it.

and of course, only ever open one case at a time regardless of how many people want to help speed you on your way.

[Latin Bound]

I am interested in buying an apartment in medellin. I understand there is some paperwork that should be done so if I ever sell the apartment I can send the money back to the USA. Is anyone familiar with this?

Thanks,

Mel

Yes, you can send it back. One suggestion I could, call bancolombia. There is a branch here in miami. Of course, keep in mind that they would want your business. Personally, I avoid dealing with them as much as I can, but to clarify all aspects of the real estate transaction between the countries would be a good source of information for you.

[Hanskanns]

there'll be avianca people waving you over to get your boarding pass for national connections, once you get the boarding pass you'll board a bus

As far as I remember, there are only three counters for Avianca..so either one has to hope that baggage came early and customs check was quick or that few people connect to other Avianca flights (unlikely..)..

Hassle is that if one misses his connecting flight one has to carry the baggage to the national terminal (instead of dropping right there) and hit the over-crowded Avianca office.

In that case please don't behave like an American douchebag..courtesy gets you far..

[Mel365]

I am interested in buying an apartment in medellin. I understand there is some paperwork that should be done so if I ever sell the apartment I can send the money back to the USA. Is anyone familiar with this?

Thanks,

Mel

[Tom Power]

The Toronto-Bogota-Medellin route is better than flying through USA, CR you only have to deal with the immigration for Colombia. I Know many people that make the connecting flights and I know a few people who have missed it, an 8pm arrival is tight for a 9:40 flight. I go to Cartagena but I prefer to spend the night in Bogota because there's LOTs to do. I usually buy my ticket from travelocity and I always have a hard time getting a connecting flight first thing in the morning it usually only allows me a 5pm next day flight to Ctg so when I arrive in Bogota I go to the avianca counter and change it to first thing in the morning always seats available, so if you miss the connection getting on the next morning flight won't be a problem.

Guaranteed the flight will have tons of Paisas on it who are making the exact same connection just follow them they'll be the ones rushing past you in the passport control line at el dorado for people with connecting flights once you pass passport then you get your bag right there at the bag carrousel there'll be avianca people waving you over to get your boarding pass for national connections, once you get the boarding pass you'll board a bus that runs across the tarmak to the Puerto Aereo National Terminal and catch your MDE flight there. The one downside to this is that frequently your luggage doesn't make the tight connection you may have to go back to the MDE airport the next day to get it.

Even with this little hassle it still beats any other route because overnighting in San Jose, Mexico City or Miami ain't gonna offer the FUN that Bogota can.

Remember, we're all in this together.

Tom Power

[Manizales911]

can't answer all your queries, but in theory you cannot be sold a connecting flight if there is not enough time to do exactly that.

maybe in theory but when i book my flights from jfk or bos to mzl the first flight on the list of choices for the bog to mzl leg of the journey only has a 50 minute layover. i challenge anyone to pull that off with more than a 50% success rate.

[Manizales911]

I'm going to ask what may seem to be a dumb question yet for the the forums I'm about to ask this on (so you'll which names I use on which forums) several monger sites.

I've RTFF and I've neevr seen this asked/answered, so here goes.

I live in Toronto and I've always flown to MDE by way of SJO, I did this because it breaks up my flight and Toronto to SJO is pretty cheap and a direct flight.

What I'm now considering is the more conventional approach and that's to fly Air Canada direct to BOG then on a codeshare you take Avaianaca to MDE. Here's what concerns me and hence the reason for my question. I understand that BOG airport recently underwent a much needed expansion and have added another terminal. My flight from Toronto arrives at one terminal, yet I fly to MDE out of another. I have no idea if these terminals are right beside each other nor do I know if you have to clear customs after you pick up your bags, and I don't know if you have to re-check in.

So my questions are:

1) Can anyone tell me about their experiences taking this Air Canada/Avianaca code share?

2) Are the terminals in Bogota right beside each other?

3) Will I have enough time in 2 hours to de-plane from Air Canada, get my bags and re-check in at the other terminal for the Avianaca leg?

4) Do I need to clear customs and have my bags searched, I ask again because of time constraints

5) Am I better off saying fuck it, fly into BOG, get a hotel and some companionship and fly to MDE the next day.

First person to tell me to RTFF gets mooned. I've tried to look for many of these answers in the past and I'm ready to book a February flight while it's selling cheap now.

Gracias

1. No, I am from the U.S.

2. They aren't but the shuttle system is pretty efficient.

3. 2 hours is enough but not a lot of wiggle room.

4.You will have to clear customs, they will put your bags through a quick x-ray,kind of a joke really.

5. That's up to you. I do an overnight in BOG sometimes to save a few bucks on the airfare and blow it on a hotel room and a girl. Nothing wrong with that.

Have fun.

[Speedyg50]

Can't answer all your queries, but in theory you cannot be sold a connecting flight if there is not enough time to do exactly that.

Like most countries, Colombia has immigration and customs at port of entry. It's unlikely your bags will be searched.

Avianca flies to MDE, so you will then need transport from Rionegro down the hill which takes about 1.5 hours and I don't recommend it at night.

Suggest you consider flying to EOH instead which is right in Medellin. Avianca don't fly there from BOG, but Satena do. Good luck.

[Tweeners]

I'm going to ask what may seem to be a dumb question yet for the the forums I'm about to ask this on (so you'll which names I use on which forums) several monger sites.

I've RTFF and I've neevr seen this asked/answered, so here goes.

I live in Toronto and I've always flown to MDE by way of SJO, I did this because it breaks up my flight and Toronto to SJO is pretty cheap and a direct flight.

What I'm now considering is the more conventional approach and that's to fly Air Canada direct to BOG then on a codeshare you take Avaianaca to MDE. Here's what concerns me and hence the reason for my question. I understand that BOG airport recently underwent a much needed expansion and have added another terminal. My flight from Toronto arrives at one terminal, yet I fly to MDE out of another. I have no idea if these terminals are right beside each other nor do I know if you have to clear customs after you pick up your bags, and I don't know if you have to re-check in.

So my questions are:

1) Can anyone tell me about their experiences taking this Air Canada/Avianaca code share?

2) Are the terminals in Bogota right beside each other?

3) Will I have enough time in 2 hours to de-plane from Air Canada, get my bags and re-check in at the other terminal for the Avianaca leg?

4) Do I need to clear customs and have my bags searched, I ask again because of time constraints

5) Am I better off saying fuck it, fly into BOG, get a hotel and some companionship and fly to MDE the next day.

First person to tell me to RTFF gets mooned. I've tried to look for many of these answers in the past and I'm ready to book a February flight while it's selling cheap now.

Gracias