Yet another destination reopened its borders for international tourism. Colombia lifted one of Latin America’s longest lockdowns, scrapping most restrictions after being under quarantine for over five months.
The inauguration of the first two flights is on September 19th from Cartagena with the arrival of the airline Spirit coming from Fort Lauderdale, and the departure of the Colombian airline Viva Air to Miami. In addition, as of September 21st, flights will be restored from Mexico and the Dominican Republic among other countries.
As part of the first reactivation phase, the Colombian international airports that will restart its operations gradually in addition to the Rafael Núñez in Cartagena, will be Alfonso Bonilla Aragón in Cali, José María Córdova in Rionegro (which serves Medellín) and El Dorado in Bogotá.
“This is a key step for the country to move towards the reactivation of the tourism industry in a safe, regulated and coordinated way. The recovery of international air connectivity was one of the strategic actions that we established in ProColombia. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have worked with airlines to coordinate their return and develop promotional plans to boost their sales. With strict protocols that guarantee the safety of travelers, we hope that nearby countries will visit our destinations with confidence and have the best experiences,” explained Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia.
Several airports reopened, buses started traveling between cities nationwide, while restaurants, gyms, and hotels welcomed or were preparing to welcome travelers.
There are strict safety measures in the country, such as limiting the numbers of people at establishments or churches.
Beaches in Cartagena have not yet been opened. Tourists are allowed to travel to the island of San Andres only if they present a negative coronavirus test result.
Covid-19 Requirements
Travelers arriving in Colombia must present a negative result of a PCR test for Covid-19 taken no longer than 96 hours before the stipulated time of travel and whoever has symptoms associated with Covid-19 will not be allowed to get on board.
In order to make easier the immigration process, passengers must fill the online form CheckMig between 1 and 24 hours prior to flight departure and should wear a face mask in airplanes and airports.
Within Colombian air terminals, the minimum distance of 2 meters must be respected; on the arrival of a flight, the use of conveyor belts will be maximized; and the access to the airport terminal must be done 3 hours before the international flight.
Some measures on airplanes are:
- on short flights, toilets should not be used;
- if the flight is less than two hours, the cabin crew will not perform service on board;
- on medium and long flights (more than 2 hours) it is recommended to have available several face masks and replace them throughout the flight;
- passengers must remain in their assigned seats at all times.
Where to Visit
Colombia is the only country in South America with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Cartegena
Cartagena, located on Colombia’s northern coast and facing the Caribbean Sea, is the most visited city in the country by tourists.
The city has basically two main parts where tourists go: the walled colonial city, which is truly amazing and has many fancy restaurants, clubs and hotels; and a long strip of hotel towers and condos fronting onto the beach, known as Bocagrande. It is also nice to visit the exclusive neighborhood of Castillogrande, filled with recently built condos, places to jog, and a quiet beach to soak up some sun.
Bogota
With a population of about 8.8 million people, Bogota sits approximately 2640m (8,660 feet) above sea level in the Colombian Andes region.
tBogotá is a city of contrasts, and as such it offers a unique experience to its visitors. Prepare to find a hectic balance between the new and the old; the peaceful and the frantic. Encounter century-old plazas and churches shadowed by towering skyscrapers.
Bogota experiences one of the most pleasant climates found in the world due to its location close to the equator and high altitude (2,650 meters or 8,660 feet). The city has very little temperature variations year-round and daytime highs are usually around 20°C (68°F) and nighttime lows are between 5-10°C (42-50°F).
Medellin
Are you thinking of Netflix’s Narcos and Pablo Escobar, cocaine, and crime? Once it was a dangerous city, in these days, Medellin is at the forefront of safety and urban rejuvenation. You will find nice parks, restaurants, and galleries around the city.
Cali
Being at around 1,000 meters above sea level it tends to have a warm midday and afternoon with nice Pacific Ocean breezes while nights are cool. Cali is today’s world capital of salsa, claiming that competitive distinction even over Colombia’s other vibrant big city party scenes, which keep the music going long into the late hours of the morning.
You can find people dancing in the streets and at salsa schools, you can learn how to dance.
The city is over 450 years old, so the architecture is one of the best things to see.
