Fast Facts

American Express -- American Express offices are located in Bogotá at Calle 85, no. 20-32 (tel. 1/593-4949).

Business Hours -- Business hours vary significantly between urban and rural areas. In urban areas, businesses and banks are generally open between 8am and noon and then again between 2 and 6pm. In Bogotá, banks are supposedly open all day between 8am and 4pm. Stores are generally open between 9am to 5pm, while department stores and large supermarkets generally stay open until around 9pm. In the countryside, businesses and stores are generally open fewer hours and don't necessarily stick to their posted schedules. Also, many businesses close down or reduce their hours on Sundays and holidays.

Electricity -- Electric outlets accept U.S.-type plugs. Electricity in Colombia runs at 110 volts, so transformers are not necessary for tourists from the U.S. If you are planning to use anything with a three-prong plug, bring an adapter, as some establishments only have two-prong outlets.

Embassies -- In Bogotá: United States: Calle 22, Bis. 47-51 (tel. 1/315-0811); Canada: Carrera 7 no. 115-33, Piso 14 (tel. 1/657-9800); Australia (consulate): Carrera 18 no. 90-38 (tel. 1/636-5247 or 530-1047); United Kingdom: Carrera 9 no. 76-49, Piso 9 (tel. 1/326-8300 or 317-6423 for visa information).

Emergencies -- In Bogotá, the police emergency number is 112. Another emergency number that works throughout the country is 123. Other good emergency numbers to know: the Security Police (DAS; tel. 153/0180-0091-9622); the Tourist Police (tel. 1/337-4413 or 243-1175); and the police station in Bogotá (tel. 156).

Hospitals -- Some of the best hospitals in Bogotá are Clínica Marly, Calle 50, no. 9-67 (tel. 1/570-4424, 572-5011, or 343-6600); Fundación Santa Fe, Calle 119, no. 9-02 (tel. 1/629-0766 or 629-0477); and Clínica El Bosque, Calle 134, no. 12-55 (tel. 1/274-0577, 274-5445, or 649-9300).

Internet Access -- You're never far from a cybercafe in Bogotá and other major urban centers. Small towns will also generally have at least one Internet cafe. In rural areas, Internet access is hard to come by. Connections are generally fast and cheap. Expect to pay about COL$1,500 to COL$2,500 (US75¢-$1.50/38p-75p) per hour.

Liquor Laws -- The legal drinking age in Colombia is 18, though laws are lenient. In urban areas such as Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, and Cali, you may be asked to show ID to get into upscale bars and clubs. There are no laws against drinking in public, so if you are low on funds, feel free to open up a bottle of aguardiente in the nearby park or plaza.

Maps -- Maps of Colombia and Bogotá can usually be found in tourist offices, though it's not uncommon for the tourist office to run out of maps. In Bogotá, you can also find high-quality maps in a La Pan Americana (www.panamericanaeditorial.com/almacenes) and most hotels.

Newspapers & Magazines -- National and local newspapers and magazines can be found in all cities and most towns. In Bogotá, look for El Tiempo and El Espectador; in Medellín look for El Mundo and El Colombiano; and in Cartagena, you'll find El Universal. Semana is the most popular weekly magazine. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, English-language publications in Colombia.

Post Offices & Mail -- The postal system in Colombia is relatively efficient in large cities, though the same can't be said for rural area. Servientrega, DHL, FedEx, and DePrisa are available in Colombia for local and international shipping services, as is Avianca Airlines. While mail within Colombia is cheap, sending items abroad is extremely expensive.

Restrooms -- Bathroom quality varies. Expensive hotels, restaurants, and shops generally have clean facilities and toilette paper. As long as you're polite, restaurant, hotel, and store owners won't mind if you use their facilities. It's a good idea to bring your own toilet paper and hand-sanitizer wherever you go, as budget establishments rarely have these items.

Safety -- Colombia is still far from being among the safest countries in the world. Much of the rural countryside is still tightly controlled by armed groups and is thus inaccessible to tourists. Travelers are advised to stick to well-touristed areas and keep up to date with the ever-changing political situation to avoid problems. But if you take adequate precautions, you're more likely to have a run-in with common street thieves than with guerilla or paramilitary factions.

That being said, theft is a major problem in Colombia, particularly in cities. Never accept anything (cigarettes, drinks, papers, food, and the like) from strangers, as it could be laced with Burundanga, an odorless, colorless chemical that makes you lose your will, while the thief and his accomplice take you around the city, maxing out your debit card at every ATM in sight. At night, always call a taxi (instead of hailing one on the street), as this crime has been known to occur in taxis.

Many travelers who come to Colombia do so because of the wide-variety of drugs available. While you will probably see many locals smoking marijuana, getting high off of inhalants, and even smoking crack on the streets, I strongly advise you against buying or doing drugs in Colombia. You can easily be set up by the "seller," who then turns you in to the "police," who then extorts significant sums of money from you.

If someone approaches you claiming to be a police officer and asks for your documents, go to the nearest police station; never give your money or documents to someone claiming to be an undercover officer.

Women traveling alone may want to dress modestly to avoid unwanted attention from men. Colombia is still very much a "macho" country, and many men will think that a woman traveling alone, particularly one dressed provocatively, is fair game. As an extra precaution, women should call for a taxi rather than hailing it on the street; rapes by taxi drivers have been reported. (Though I have to admit, as a woman traveling alone, I have hailed taxis on the street throughout the country and always without incident.)

Most tourists travel through Colombia without any threats to their safety. To minimize your risk of being robbed, don't use flashy clothes or jewelry, stay away from city centers at night, and keep your guard up, just like you would anywhere else.

Smoking -- Colombians smoke less than Europeans but more than Americans. Most restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, bars, clubs and other establishments have a no-smoking policy or a separate smoker's section. Make sure to ask if smoking is allowed before lighting up.

Taxes -- There is a 10% tax on hotel rooms, and a 16% tax on food.

Telephone & Fax -- The best place to make calls and send faxes is in Internet cafes. Public phones are confusing (with instructions in Spanish). There are many vendors on the street offering minutes to cellphones and landlines for COL$200 to COL$400 (US10¢-US20¢/5p-10p) per minute.

Time Zone -- All of Colombia is 5 hours behind Greenwich mean time. Colombia does not observe daylight saving time.

Tipping -- In midrange and expensive restaurants, there is usually a 10% tip included in the bill. It's not common to tip in budget restaurants or in taxis, so there's no need to do so unless you're feeling generous.

Water -- City water is usually safe to drink, but in nonurban areas it's best to stick to bottled water.