Table of Contents
Introduction x
PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION 1
Chapter 1 Background Information 3
Geography 3, Climate 5, Natural history 6,
Conservation 20, History 23, The cocaine trade 31,
Government and politics 33, Economy 35, People 39,
Language 44, Religion 44, Education 45,
Social structure 45, Culture 47
Chapter 2 Practical Information 63
When to visit 63, Highlights 63, Tour operators 64,
Red tape 66, Getting there and away 68, Health 70,
Safety 81, Cruise passengers 86, Gay/lesbian rights 88,
What to take 89, Money 91, Budgeting 92,
Getting around 93, Accommodation 99, Eating and
drinking 100, Public holidays 102, Festivals 103,
Shopping 107, Photography 108, Media and
communications 108, Business 111, Buying property 113,
Cultural etiquette 113, Living in Colombia 115,
Travelling positively 115
PART TWO THE GUIDE 119
Chapter 3 Bogotá 120
History 121, Geography 122, Climate 123, Architecture
123, Getting there and around 123, Tourist information
129, Where to stay 130, Where to eat and drink 134,
Entertainment and nightlife 137, Shopping 140, Sport 141,
Other practicalities 141, What to see and do 143, Around
Bogotá 151
Chapter 4 North of Bogotá 156
History 156, Getting there and around 156, Boyacá 158,
Santander 177, Norte de Santander 191
Chapter 5 Los Llanos 198
History 198, The ecosystem of Los Llanos 199,
The road from Bogotá 200, Villavicencio 202,
Around Villavicencio 207
Chapter 6 San Andrés Archipelago 218
History 220, People 222, Language 222, Fauna and flora
223, Practicalities 225, Diving in the archipelago 225, Isla
San Andrés 230, San Luis 241, Isla Providencia 242, Isla
Santa Catalina 250
Chapter 7 Amazonia 252
History 254, Ecological concerns 255, People 256,
Leticia 257, Around Leticia 271, Exploring the Yavarí
River 277, Benjamin Constant 281, Parque Nacional
Cahuinari 282, Tabatinga 283, Santa Rosa 285
Chapter 8 The Southwest Interior 286
Valle del Cauca 286, Cali 288, Around Cali 296, Buga
298, Around Buga 300, Huila and Cauca 300, Neiva 301,
Around Neiva 302, Popayán 310, Around Popayán 315,
Nariño 316, Pasto 317, Around Pasto 319
Chapter 9 The Northwest Interior 323
Antioquia 323, Medellín 325, Around Medellín 342, Santa
Fé de Antioquia 350, Zona Cafetera (Eje Cafetero) 353,
Manizales 355, Around Manizales 360, Pereira 363,
Around Pereira 367, Armenia 371, Around Armenia 374
Chapter 10 The Pacific Coast 383
Flora and fauna 385, Getting there and around 386,
Practicalities 386, Bahía Solano 387, Playa Almejal 389,
Parque Nacional Ensenada de Utría 392, El Valle 393,
Buenaventura 394, Bahía Málaga 396, San Cipriano 397,
Nuquí 398
