Colombia Tourist Traps

  Courtyard on First Floor of the Museum
by TooTallFinn24
 
  • Courtyard on First Floor of the Museum
      Courtyard on First Floor of the Museum
    by TooTallFinn24
  • Colorful but artificial
      Colorful but artificial
    by Assenczo
  • before my first sip, all smiles
      before my first sip, all smiles
    by richiecdisc
  • El Envigadeño is a local favorite!
      El Envigadeño is a local favorite!
    by krstknight
  •   Tourist Traps
    by elsadran
 

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

a country devoid of traditional tourist traps

by richiecdisc

One good thing about Colombia being shunned for so long by mass tourism is that it is blissfully devoid of any real tourist traps. Sure, some places can get very crowded during high season but generally speaking the crowds are largely Colombian. While the Gringo Trail is making strong inroads in the country and Taganga in particular is very much packed primarily with them, it still doesn't reek quite as strongly as other such places and prices are not of the gorging variety you might expect when locals are very much in the minority. I can't say I'd go back there and I made a point not to stay there overnight but it was a pretty enough town worth scoping out for a few hours.One thing to be on the lookout for is the added tax and gratuity that is levied on all bills in higher end restaurants. This applies to Colombians as well as foreigners so again it's not really a tourist trap but...

Tip Photo
Alcatraz tour torture

by heatherinsb

My son and I went on the boat Alcatraz to go to Playa Blanca. It was horrible. It was slow and hot and it took us about 4 hours to get to the beach. When we got to the beach it was crowded and full of painful coral rocks. Try a more direct route if you want to see the beach or go to another island. The locals were quite happy and thought they had arrived at paradise.

Alcatraz tour torture

by heatherinsb

My son and I went on the boat Alcatraz to go to Playa Blanca. It was horrible. It was slow and hot and it took us about 4 hours to get to the beach. When we got to the beach it was crowded and full of painful coral rocks. Try a more direct route if you want to see the beach or go to another island. The locals were quite happy and thought they had arrived at paradise.

beach vendors

by riocopa

beaches of Cartagena,endless vendors selling everyting from beads,massages,beach chairs cold drinks and even girls ! ,and the i believe the beaches stay empty because of this,its non stop as soon as you setfoot outside the sanctuary of the hotel, even if you have bought 1 of everything the vendors sell and wear it strolling along the beaches you still cannot stop them from trying to sell you the same thing again hotel pool is the alternative

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Emeralds... Everybody asks if...

by depresno

Emeralds... Everybody asks if you want it. I am not very interested so I dont know wheres the best place to buy them. But they are supposed to be of good quality, but like anywhere else, be careful of all the hustlers. 'Everybody's' got a cousin on the factory down there.

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In Cartagena de Indias:The...

by flyingpig

In Cartagena de Indias:The hostel Casa Vienna makes a lot of noise on the Net but is located in a filthy back street of a not so nice suburb of Cartagena. If you can spend above of US$50 a night, avoid that place! As for Internet access, there are quite a few Internet Cafes everywhere in Cartagena, for instance in Boca Grande not so far from the Caribe hotel.

Ok...more an advice than a...

by Ossi.P

Ok...more an advice than a trap.While flying within Colombia take absolutely nothing with you in your hand luggage that might be used for a kidnapping. Even small paper-scissors. You'll have to pack them in your check-in luggage or throw them away... and mostly they control it at pre-boarding...so that you have no chance to pack something in your check-in luggage any more...

Cartagena de Indias: I never...

by jmbredeck

Cartagena de Indias: I never knew I had so many friends in Cartagena until I visited it for the first time last week (June 2001.) We couldn't leave our hotel without three or four (or more) vendors shouting to us, 'Hola, amigo . . .!!!' Beware: They are all selling overpriced tours, trinkets, massages, sunglasses, hats and tips that you are not interested in and are better off avoiding. If you DO make the mistake of sitting down with one of these 'guides'(they approach you in all of the cafes and restaurants)and accept any of their advice you'll later be obligated to reimburse them for their bus fare, give them some money for dinner for them (and the three kids they claim they are supporting) etc. By the time you are done you are no further ahead and you may possibly have been suckered into a rip-off that must date back centuries. On the other hand, if you're intrigued by thier line and...

My friend and I enjoyed San...

by thelukey

My friend and I enjoyed San Agustin (known for its archeological findings), but it is definitely no place to get a feel for Colombia culture. As the town seems to have no other source of income than tourism, hotel owners and tour guides tend to be uncomfortably aggressive.

Don´t buy precious stones on...

by claudioc

Don´t buy precious stones on the street. You might be buying a coke bottle glass...

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Questions and Answers

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Q:  Hola Travelers - I'm planning a three week trip to Colombia. What is the cheapest way to fly from Bogota to Cali, from Cali to... 

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A: bookmarking 

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