Colombia travel calls for a lot of excitement for the tourists willing to explore the territory of Colombia. Lying south to Panama, Colombia is known for housing two coastlines: the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

Therefore, tourists from different parts of the world travel to Colombia to explore the majestic beauty of the land.

Talking about traveling in Colombia, it goes without mention that Colombia possesses an expansive network of roadways, airways and railways. The airports in Colombia have been certified as “highly safe”. Moreover, the metro system adds delight to traveling in Colombia. Therefore, due to the presence of a number of roadways, airways and railways, reaching Colombia is very easy.

Besides, the traveling at Colombia includes a vivid tour throughout the length and breadth of the nation. The nation is known for housing the Caribbean lowlands, the Andean Highlands, Colombian Amazon, the Eastern plains, San Andres and Providencia and the Pacific Lowlands. These regions contain a number of elements that allures the tourist to travel to Colombia.

Among the some of the destinations that form an indelible part of the Colombia travel are as follows:

• Barranquilla
• Bogota
• Medellin
• Cartagena
• Manizales
• Cali
• Leticia
• Santa Marta etc.

These towns and cities are known to house some of the world’s famous carnivals and events. These destinations in Colombia enable the tourists to relax and enjoy amidst the majesty of Mother Nature. The ideal time for visiting Colombia is either between December and March or July and August.

Colombia Visa

Colombia Visa is required by people of all nationals except the one from Britain, Australia, USA, Japan, Canada and other European countries for traveling to Colombia for tourism purpose for a period of 180 days. But this list excludes nationals from Hungary, Latvia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland, Poland and Estonia.

Apart from the above mentioned nations, there are many other countries such as:

Uruguay and Paraguay which do not require visa of Colombia for tourism purpose for a period of 180 days.

To obtain the Colombian visa, one needs to have a valid passport for the next 6 months. The whole procedure of obtaining visa would take 5 days for a British national while in all other cases it can take the time of 10 to 15 days.

The visa for Colombia remains valid for 3 months though a lot depends on the purpose of visit and the nationality of the visitor. On arrival to Colombia, the visitor is offered a visitor’s permit and at times is also granted an extension of 15 days to this period.

To apply for the Colombia Visa, you need to have the following documents:

• Two completed application forms
• Valid passport with at least one blank page to affix the visa. In case of business visa, two such pages would be required
• Onward or return tickets
• Fee, payable by cash, cheque or postal order
• Three recent passport-size photographs
• Address Proof
• Proof of sufficient funds to cover stay such as latest bank statements
• A letter of responsibility from company in Colombia is required in case of business visas.
• Photocopies of all the above listed documents.

The application for the visa of Colombia is submitted to the Consulate or in his absence in the Consular section at the Colombian Embassy. Majority of the applicants would be required to submit documents from relevant organizations or ministry in Colombia and the same of the country to which the applicant belongs to. Some applicants have also to face interview before being issued a Colombia visa.

Colombia Tourism

Colombia tourism includes a variety of important places in Colombia that are a major source of attraction to the tourists of Colombia.

Colombia is now one of the favorite tourist hangouts. One can easily visit Colombia through airways or waterways as it is connected to the rest of the world through these two modes of transport. Moreover, the Colombian roads are so well developed, that if one needs to travel within this Latin American nation, he would not face any problem.

Tourism in Colombia flourishes mainly during the dry season i.e., from December to March and July to August. It is during these months that one can enjoy the real beauty of this region. Moreover, the temperate climate of the nation adds more fervor to the fun of touring in Colombia.

Another reason for the boom in the Colombia tourism is the fact that it offers everything under one roof. One can enjoy the beaches as well as the plateaus, rain forests as well as the mountain ranges.

Colombia Attractions

At Colombia, one should not miss to visit the following places:
Bogota: Apart from being the capital city, it comprises of many historical monuments that are worth a visit. One should check out the Gold Museum, churches such as Iglesia de Santa Clara and Iglesia de San Ignacio, places such as Bolivar Square, etc.

Cartagenas de Indias: It is one of the most beautiful cities of Colombia known for its exquisite beaches. Apart from beaches one can visit the palaces, forts, churches, museums, etc.

Ziapiquira: One must check out the underground Salt Cathedral constructed in the year 1995 inside the tunnel of a salt mine which is known for its architectural brilliance.

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta: One of the tallest coastal mountain ranges, the place is known for its long coast lines and sandy beaches.

Cerro de Monserrate: Visitors must check out the church of the Fallen Christ sited there. The church is known to have holy powers and people believe that at this place the wishes get fulfilled. Visitors must also visit the flea market at Mercado de las Pulgas.

Colombia Tourist Offices

Colombia tourist offices are the government departments that look after matters related to travel and tourism in Colombia. They provide various information on specific areas and locations in this Latin American nation. The information includes the sightseeing details, accommodation details, transport related details, etc.

Since the main function of these tourist offices in Colombia is to deliver information on travel and tour, they are also known as Tourist Information Centers. They offer every kind of travel assistance to their visitors. Generally these tourist offices at Colombia are situated at airports, roadway depots, sea ports, government embassies, etc.

The tourist offices of Colombia are scattered all across the country so as to offer service to tourists in all the regions. Most of them are located in the prime regions of tourism in Colombia. Following is a list of two major Colombia tourist offices where one can call up and take a prior appointment and then visit these offices:

Instituto Distrital de Cultura y Turismo
Carrera 8, N260 9-83 Bogota-341
Phone: +57-327-4900

Colombia Tourism, Bogota
Phone: +57 (0)1 212 6315

Other than the above some other countries also have their tourist information centers in Colombia. Theses are as follows:

New Zealand Consulate, Bogota
+57 (0)310 230 7795.

Canadian Embassy, Bogota
+57 (0)1 657 9800

Honorary Consul of Ireland, Bogota
+57 (0)1 446 6114.

Australian Consulate, Bogota
+57 (0)1 530 1046.

British Embassy, Bogota
+57 (0)1 326 8300.

United States Embassy, Bogota
+57 (0)1 315 0811.