Packing list for Colombia, travel insurance for Colombia, and taking your belongings

What to bring to Colombia: highlighted

Highlighted items:

• Documents: passport with 6 months validity, copies.
• Money: cash in Colombian pesos (COP) for the first few days. Debit card with worldwide coverage.
• Care: high factor sunscreen – you are at altitude here and/or close to the equator, so you burn faster than you think. Lip balm with SPF (yes, your lips can burn too).
• Outdoor and handy items: sunglasses and possibly a cap or hat.
• Clothing: light clothing for the warm regions (coast and the Amazon), a jacket or warm sweater for Bogotá and Medellín.
• Shoes: good walking shoes for the jungle, mountains or Lost City Trek, sandals or flip-flops for the beach.
• Medicines and travel pharmacy: a small first aid kit with plasters, painkillers, anti-diarrhea and ORS (dehydration is a thing). Mosquito repellent with DEET or picaridin. Safety: money belt and dummy wallet.
• Technique and equipment: world plug type A/B (like the US).

What else can you bring:

• Reusable water bottle with filter, then tap water is just a little safer.
• Rain gear for the rainy season.
• Your dance moves.

What knowledge is useful when you go to Colombia?

• Spanish.
• Knowledge of the history, customs and culture.

Are there mosquitoes in Colombia?

• Mosquitoes are present on the coast, in the Amazon and in other tropical areas.
• They can transmit diseases, so protection is important, especially in the rainy season.

Are there sand flies in Colombia?

• Sand flies are present in various parts of Colombia and they can transmit leishmaniasis.
• You are only safe in the provinces of Bogotá D.C., San Andrés Islands and Atlántico.

Can you buy DEET, or other anti-mosquito products, in Colombia?

• You may be able to find it in major cities in supermarkets and pharmacies, but often in lower concentrations and at a higher price.
• So it’s best to bring your own favorite drug.

Where can you get food and drinks in Colombia?

• Supermarkets: Éxito, Carulla (more expensive), D1 (budget), Olímpica.
• Street food: empanadas, arepas, jugo natural – cheap and often surprisingly tasty. Be careful with hygiene at unofficial stalls.
• Local markets: perfect for delicious fruit and fresh vegetables.

Can you buy a joint or weed in Colombia, or take it with you to Colombia?

• Marijuana is partly legal in Colombia and technically decriminalized to a few grams for personal use and a few plants at home, but this is not an invitation.
• Open use is not appreciated, especially in more conservative areas. The rules can also change at any time.
• Bringing cannabis into the country is definitely not allowed, and you can be severely punished for it.