They have a nice zoo

To explore I would say you need a car though

There are buses too

I went for a few days twice. I liked it much more when I visited the second time because I didn't stay in the center. The best way to explore around Pereira is probably a motorbike. There are some nice Colombian clothing brands which manufacture there and have outlets. Not sure if they are really cheaper there.

Hey, if you don’t have any plans this Saturday and you’re in Medellin, there’s an event I’m hosting with a DJ from here. There will be Rock & Electronic music, lots of locals are confirmed to come. It is located in laureles by the UPB university, there will be food offered as well, come and enjoy!

Here is the instagram of the place:
https://www.instagram.com/818district?igsh=MWl4bHpzZjhzOThscQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Does anyone know if there is a time limit within which you have to enter Colombia after a visa has been issued? I'm not finding anything on the topic googling.

Which visa?

Digital nomad

No, you just need to register visa within 15 days after enter

Perfect. Thanks 🙏

Hi! Who's in Medellin right now? 🎉 Would love to meet some more peeps!

I’m at the spot I sent this week

Yes, I just arrived in Medellín too. We can organize a meeting 😉

Ah heck I missed this! Sorry!!

Hey!! Who's in Medellin right now?

👋

Hello good people, wanted to ask for an advice here. I was trying for last 40 days to apply for Visa M as a father of Colombian national. It was complete nightmare, they were just adding more and more documents and in the end they just rejected me. During that time, my time to stay in Colombia expired. Basically i am 10 days overstayed right now. I heard about Salvo conducto that is allowing me to stay in Colombia until i dont sort out my VISA issues but when i want to Migracion Colombia for that, they told me i need to some Administrativo proceso whatever and i cant book the time for that because it is always filled lol. So now i wanted to ask if someone had similar experience and what have you done? I am honestly thinking just to exit the country and pay the overstaying fee and since this is new year, just to try to return to country? But i wouldnt feel comfortable getting fucked on my way back because as i mentioned, i just got a new born.
I called some agency to help me with my case but they said the option is to do some study visa, but i feel like probably exiting country would be best option (i have two passports as well so i dont know would they know if i return with other passport)

I wouldn’t sweat it. It’s not a big deal to overstay in Colombia. Just go to migration before you want to leave the country, pay the (reasonable) fine, and you’re good.

Hello Gruja, Congrats on becoming a father! 😊 I just talked to a buddy who overstayed for years and paid a fine. It was all settled by a lawyer. I wouldn't trust it until he will actually leave and come back. Maybe he got the lawyer from trusted friends. Happy to ask him if you DM me.
I wouldn't do it but I know at least 2 foreigners who got married and it was an easy way to stay. Now your situation with the overstay is different.

i couldn't get married because these idiots from notaria rejected my papers i brought from Serbia with words i need to translate them in Colombia (impossible feat) lol altough they were officialy translated and approved with apostile stamp. So that was out of the door on first week when i returned lol

I hold an M visa as dad of a Colombian. Despite what others are saying, I would be extremely (!) careful with overstaying.

Immigration officers have wide discretionary power to reject your entry into the country, for whatever reason (even if they don’t). But long term you don’t want to stain your visa record imo. Perhaps a future administration will change the interpretation of the rules resulting in issues in the future.

Are you on a normal PIP (tourism) stamp right now?

yeah i cant get that number for two weeks literally

Because the queue is full? Lunchtime around 12ish should be good (that’s when we got in before)

that's why i overstayed pretty much

Sucks though, sorry to hear that

i did it on my own and i gave them everything they asked me but they added on 3 or 4 instances new document for me to send them, not the ones from the filling, just completely separate documents

We used it before and could pick a slot. But probably no more were available. Where are you, medellin?

Anyone know a good sports massage place in Medellin please?

Went on a hike through el salado in envigado Medellín

Anyone know how to purchase cellphone package online? Tried with Claro and Tigo and they all require a CC, CE or NIT number, which I don’t have as a traveller

You have to go to any Claro shop with your passport and they can give you a prepaid sim card (I did it this week). I don't know if you can get a normal package as a foreigner.

That’s what I did in the past, but now they only sell big packages in the shop (100k/month for 80gb)

Not online, but I bought a sim card from Exito physical store, still using it for almost 2 years...
You can register your account online with foreign passport and add your phone's IMEI 👌

Paying 20k COP monthly for a 10gb traffic. My partner did the same several months ago after endless problems with Tigo

But a physical card as well, but all card payments are being refused

You need to register, or they will block your IMEI after a set amount of days

Who’s in Bogota and wants to grab a coffee or drinks? ✌🏻

Anyone in Santa Marta atm wanna meet up for coffee or drinks? Hmu 🤗

Hey, by any chance did anyone try to rent a car in Colombia with a Debit card? With which company?

this looks fun!

Nice I'll be in town Mar 11. My friend and I are looking at startup ideas in that space, sounds like it'd be fun to meetup if you're still around.

Hey all! I’m in Roldanillo, down by Cali, now but might come up to Medellin or Santa Marta for the next week or so! I’m a software engineer from the US (Montana), thought I’d introduce myself 👋

I was in zarzal last month near Roldanillo seemed nice, how do you like it?

Hello everyone,
My collaborator and I are looking for a Spanish-speaking female influencer already active on social media, primarily on Instagram and, if possible, on YouTube, in the digital work and career change niche.

I’m in Rolda this week as well

qylnzmwoxfkq you here for paragliding?

Of course

Hello Florian, So with a Colombian audience or anything else?

Hey, with hispanohablante (Colombia, espana, Mexico, etc) !

Hey guys, I thought I’d share my experience in Colombia vs Brazil. I’m in Brazil now and here are some things I like better about it

- Less likely to be scammed by women, higher likelihood of meeting more normal girls who aren’t prepagas in disguise
- More liberal culture overall, more vibrant nightlife
- Less hawkers trying to sell you all kinds of crap
- Much better beaches

What I liked more about Colombia

- More developed tourist infrastructure/more reliable bus system
- Some very cool picturesque mountain towns
- Safer overall
- Spanish speaking, easier for me to converse and meet people because of this

Just some thoughts

Anybody in Cartagena and want to meet up for drinks?

I will be there next month. Right now I am at Medellin (until 8 of march) if anyone wants to meet up just tell me!

People in Medellin seemed very annoyed with tourists when I left (march 2024), very different attitude from my first visit in 2019

People are more cautious now with foreigners. But everyone is genuinely nice and very helpful if you are able to make a good impression or even try to speak the language

I speak lower intermediate Spanish, but of course people can tell I’m not a native speaker. I just noticed a big change from my first visit compared to my last one is all I’m saying

I see, sorry to hear that. I do see there is a shift, but not all. I tend to stay by laureles and sabaneta and I see people are more open, and even interested in foreigners

I stayed in laureles to near la 70 and noticed a big change there, interesting

If your visit is limited to Laureles or El Poblado, then of course some locals will get tired of foreigners. So many visitors that only come for the women with little respect for Colombian culture. Just go to Cali / Bogota / Bucaramanga / etc

I have been to all three and didn’t prefer any of them over Medellin

Hey folks, thinking of going to Colombia for a month in March. Want to stay by the beach, maybe do some diving and potentially surfing. Need good wifi, have a lot of calls 🥲
Any recs on where to go?

Anyone been to Santa Marta recently?

Hey Reed, I'm in SM right now ; what's up

Just thinking of trying it out next time instead of Medellin, do you recommend it?

Is this the most underrated city in the Colombian 🇨🇴 coast?

I was recently in Barranquilla, closing out the 3 Colombian Caribbean cities (the others being Santa Marta and Cartagena)

Barranquilla turns out to be both the BEST and WORST of the 3

Let me explain...

First of all, these 3 cities share a good deal in common:
- All mid-sized (Santa Marta being the smallest)
- Lots of sun and a legit hot weather during the day, okay during night
- Costeño accent and cuisine (with their delicious coconut rice)
- Not as green as Medellín or Bucaramanga

Here's where Barranquilla is different:

Barranquilla stands out from Santa Marta and Cartagena as a much more modern, well kept city

- Significantly cleaner streets, newer looking buildings
- Less bums and beggars
- Impressive diversity and quality of restaurants and bars
- Big, nicer, quality malls

It actually feels like a city, unlike Santa Marta, and it is cheaper and without the scamming culture of Cartagena

Much more liveable than the other 2 for longer stays

However, it is kind of like Bucaramanga in that there is basically zero exciting touristic activities in town

A few churches, the Shakira statue, zoo and many malls... and that's what there is to see. Because it's a port city, it also doesn't have beaches directly in the city like the other two do

For a 1-5 day holiday, either of the other two cities is MUCH better. Specially Santa Marta since you can go to Minca, Palomino, Mendihuaca, Tayrona etc

Breaking it down, my current coastal cities rating is the following:

Barranquilla: Best real city for basing up, worst for a short trip

Santa Marta: Best for adventure, real nature, jungle hikes, remote beaches, waterfall dives

Cartagena: Best for a more normie holiday, some historical sightseeing, clubbing, yachts, beach resorts etc

Do you agree? What did I miss?

Super useful info. Thanks.

can agree on barranquilla

Thanks for this

city itself is too small, too spread out, too many bums on the center

Gotcha. I was also thinking of trying pereira. Anyone with experience there?

I’ve visited, it’s a very small Medellin

Medellin I think is getting a little too popular now, not meaning to sound pretentious but it’s very different compared to my visit in 2019. I like to get a bit of a break from the gringo trail

😂