01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Visa · United States passport
No visa needed · up to 90 daysSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗SIM and eSIM
Claro has the widest coverage of the main networks, which matters outside the cities.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
Book rides with established taxi firms.Book rides with established taxi firms.Hail a city taxi from your phone.Hail a city taxi from your phone.Find long-distance bus routes and rough fares.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 3 of 5: Both cash and cards are in common use, so carry some of each.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Colombia
Colombian Peso · $ · COP
A tip added to the bill may go to the owner, so locals often skip it and hand the server cash.
If an ATM offers its own exchange rate on a foreign card, decline it and let your home bank convert.
Where nothing has a price label, agree the price before buying.
With street vendors, aim for about 10-15% below the asking price.
Collect Colombian Peso in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Mon, 16 Nov 2026 · Independence of Cartagena Independencia de Cartagena
Tue, 8 Dec 2026 · Immaculate Conception La Inmaculada Concepción
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Navidad
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day Año Nuevo
Mon, 11 Jan 2027 · Epiphany Día de los Reyes Magos
Mon, 22 Mar 2027 · Saint Joseph's Day Día de San José
Thu, 25 Mar 2027 · Maundy Thursday Jueves Santo
Fri, 26 Mar 2027 · Good Friday Viernes Santo
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Labour Day Primero de Mayo
Mon, 10 May 2027 · Ascension Day Ascensión del señor
Mon, 31 May 2027 · Corpus Christi
Mon, 7 Jun 2027 · Sacred Heart Sagrado Corazón
Mon, 5 Jul 2027 · Saint Peter and Saint Paul San Pedro y San Pablo
Mon, 12 Jul 2027 · Our Lady of Chiquinquirá Day Día de la Virgen de Chiquinquirá
Tue, 20 Jul 2027 · Declaration of Independence Declaracion de la Independencia de Colombia
Sat, 7 Aug 2027 · Battle of Boyacá Batalla de Boyacá
Mon, 16 Aug 2027 · Assumption of Mary La Asunción
Mon, 18 Oct 2027 · Columbus Day Día de la Raza
Mon, 1 Nov 2027 · All Saints’ Day Dia de los Santos
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Colombia say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
Travel warning for some regions
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Some regions differ, see the official page.
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Reconsider travel
Calm
Caution
Serious ●
Don’t go
Level 3 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 30 Mar 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 30 Mar 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
Advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country
Some regions differ, see the official page.
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 15 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 15 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Fake police checking your cash
Never hand over money; ask them to walk you to the nearest police post (CAI).
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Dating-app lures
Meet matches only in busy public places; never go to a stranger's lodging or invite them.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Drugged food, drinks or flyers
Keep your drink in sight and refuse anything strangers offer, even a leaflet.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Routine shots plus yellow fever for most trips; malaria in some areas; altitude sickness in Bogotá.
Vaccinations
Be current on routine shots; CDC advises yellow fever vaccine for nearly all travellers, with exceptions for some itineraries.
Malaria
In some regionsAltitude
Altitude sickness can affect visitors in Bogotá and highland parts of Cundinamarca, Boyacá, Nariño and Antioquia.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $457.4 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $8,562Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | crude petroleum, coal, gold, coffee, refined petroleum (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 53.4 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 74.9 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 63.6%, Protestant 17.2% (Evangelical 16.7%, Adventist 0.3%, other Protestant 0.2%), Jehovah's Witness 0.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 0.1%, other 0.3%, believer, 0.2%. agnostic 1%, atheist 1%, none 14.2%, unspecified 1.8% (2023 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2023 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 1,138,910 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlandsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains (Llanos)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +57Source: libphonenumber · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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