In this blog post, I am going to share with you a lit of things you should consider bringing to Colombia. I have been here on and off for years, I’ve travelled most of the country by Motorcycle. I have gotten into many situations here that the average tourist does not, including living through strict lockdowns. So please read below and if you have any questions, drop me a line on the contact form and i’ll answer your questions free of charge.

Item # 1 : Digital Copies of your ID and Travel Documents

Something I’ve learned here is that Digital Copies in this country are taken a bit more seriously than in the USA. This is due to a bit of a more relaxed culture and of course, a more understanding culture due to the difficulties the average person faces here. In many scenarios (but of course not all) a copy of your Passport will serve in place of the real thing. This wont work in immigration, but if you need ID in a pinch, its a good thing to have a copy of. Additionally, take a photo of your drivers license and keep a digital copy of all hotel and insurance documents needed.

Item #2: Download the following useful apps

Uber and Ubereats do not work in all cities. But they do currently work in Medellin. So if you’re going there, I find Uber Eats to be a good delivery option. Food delivery apps are great when you dont want to leave the house late at night. Or risk finding a cab. A good substitute for Uber Eats that Ive found to work in most cities is Rappi. But be sure that you set your address and phone number correctly as you will usually get a follow up call. There are also many taxi apps in this country so Cabify and Didi are great Uber alternatives

Item #3: Full download of the Spanish language translation in the Google Translate app.

So this is a bit of a hidden option. In Google Translate, you can download the full translation of spanish. THis will not only save you data fees but it will so work when internet is spotty.

Item #4: Cold Weather Items, but don’t worry too much about it

I mention these as #4 because in Colombia, I can go from 90 degree F heat to seeing snow in 3 hours. The changes in elevation really do make for quick changes in climate possible. Something to note however, is that clothing is really easy and cheap to buy in this country, so if you’re on a collectivo up a volcano, there is a huge chance you’ll be able to stop and buy a $3 scarf or $5 set of gloves. And there will most likely be places to get some Agua con Panella.

If you’re going to be here, among my list of must haves are:

• Gloves
• Rain Suit — also known here as Impermeables and are sold at ever gas station for like $4. A must have on moto.
• Scarf – Can buy a cool one in any cold place for #2.5
• Light and heavy jacket – I usually wear a wind breaker under my heavy jacket. You can buy a synthetic down “puffy” jacket for $8 at any local market.
• Extra sets of wool socks

Item #5 – A French Press

You can get a pound of gourmet coffee here for $3 in any store. And nothing will spoil your stay at an Airbnb more than a broken coffee maker. In my experience in airbnb’s, about 20% of the stuff is broken in any one time. So bring your own french press or buy one for 5 bucks at Excito

Item #6 – Extension Cord

Colombia does not have the same electrical codes as USA. That means sometimes in a room, you’ll only have one power outlet. So bring an extension cord if you want to set your computer up at the dinner table or on the couch.

Item #7 – Pants

Unless you’re at the beach, shorts and flipflops are kind of gross. You will stick out like a gringo. So unless you want to be seen as a gringo or easy target, put on a nice pear of jeans.

Item #8 – Any Electronics you may need, you don’t want to buy them here

All of these imports from asia are about 35% more expensive than the USA. That GoPro thats $350 in the states is over $600 here. So make the purchase before you go. But keep it reasonable, you dont want to carry too much at any time. Another example is the iPhone 12 pro max. that phone is $1200 in the states and $2k here.

Item #8 – USD Cash Bills, paper money

The truth is, USD is not accepted at most places, but people will want it. So you can either exchange it, sell it, or whatever. And its good to have before you go in case your ATM locks you out.

Item #9 – Contact your bank and tell them you’re leaving the country

Most credit cards will have this setting on the online portal. Make the setting before you go to let your bank know youre leaving the USA.

Item #10 – Get a local sim, but make sure you keep your USA number accessible.

Why is it important to keep your USA number accessible? That is because many applications, banks, paypal, etc, require 2FA. 2FA is two factory authentication where they’ll send a number to your phone. So if you swap out your sim, keep your USA sim handy so you can still get texts when needed.

Bonus Item – Compliments

Hear me out on this one. In my opinion, the #1 way to accomplish anything in any place is through compliments. You see, this isn’t really a country of “small talk” like, say, Florida USA. So an unexpected compliment about the beauty of the country, its people, its food, will really go a long way. You will make friends if you do this. Sometimes, too many friends. But if youre stopping in on some hillside house and you begin to compliment how beautiful their view is, especially coming from a gringo, this goes far.