FAQs/Preguntas frecuentes

Question

What dates should I travel?

Answer

We recommend landing in Cartagena, Colombia on Thursday, June 11th to account for any flight issues that airlines might have.

Question

When should I book my flight?

Answer

Flights are really expensive to Cartagena if you book to far in advance or to close to the date. We recommend checking each month on flight prices through Google Flights to get some ideas. In the 6 years I have been flying to Colombia, I have never paid over $700 for a round trip flight and that was only during Christmas season. Please take that into consideration when looking at flight prices.

Question

Where should I fly out of?

Answer

Wherever you decide to fly out of, make sure your final destination is Cartagena, Colombia (Rafael Núñez International Airport). Here are some airports we have had great experiences with flying out of: - Indianapolis, Indiana - Columbus, Ohio - Detroit, Michigan -Chicago, Illinois I know some of us are coming from smaller cities and you are absolutely fine to flu out of anywhere you like. We have flown out of Fort Wayne before. But, with smaller airports comes more layovers and longer flight times. If that is something that you are not interested in experiencing, please look for bigger airports.

Question

What should my flight look like?

Answer

Flight times should never be over 12 hours long. The best flight times are around 8-9 hours with 1 layover. We have had good experiences with American Airlines, Spirit, Delta, and United Airlines.

Question

What should I have ready at the airport?

Answer

-Passport that is not expired and has correct first and last name on it. - Address of where you are staying in Colombia. (They will ask you in Colombia at immigration. Have it ready written in your phone notes or something.) *****Check Mig Document. THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN TRAVELING TO OTHER COUNTRIES. 24 hours before you leave the USA, you will get an email that your CheckMig document is ready to fill out. You must fill it out with all of your flight information and submit it. Then download your submitted document/confirmation email and show it at immigration when you land in Colombia. They will not let you in the country with you it.

Question

How can I get from the airport to my hotel?

Answer

Answer pending...

Question

Where should I stay?

Answer

Under the travel section of our website will be hotels linked that we recommend you staying at. Sometimes Airbnbs can be cheaper if you have a larger group. We will put a map up of good areas to stay in. If you are traveling alone or with one other person and are interested in joining a group of our friends in an Airbnb, please reach out and we will get you with people.

Question

Do people in Colombia speak English?

Answer

Mostly no. You may come across some citizens that speak English but it is very rare. Please be very aware that you are going to another country and English is not their first language. You will go places and have people that are unable to speak to you in English majority of the time. I know, for some, this can be an uncomfortable experience. But, the people of Colombia are extremely nice and welcoming. I will attach some common phrases at the bottom of this page to use. Cartagena is known to be a touristy spot so the people there are used to this.

Question

Will I be able to use my phone in Colombia?

Answer

If you do not pay for a daily phone service plan though your provider ($10 a day through verizon) you will not be able to use your phone unless you are under wifi. Please call you phone provider before you leave to get this set up. You will have wifi at your hotel, restaurants, airbnb, airport, etc but if you are just walking out in public you will be unable to call and text. If you have never been to Colombia, I recommend getting the phone plan for a couple of days to be able to contact us if you need something.

Question

How do I pay for things/exchange money?

Answer

You are able to exchange money at the airports or withdraw money from ATMs at the airports in Colombia. Whenever we are there, we use our credit cards for most things for the ease of it. Please contact your credit card company to make sure there are not foreign transaction fees and to let them know that you will be traveling to another country. We do recommend exchanging some money ahead of time because not everywhere takes card but majority of places do.

Question

What is the weather like?

Answer

HOT. Temperatures average 85-90 degrees each day but with the real feel, over 100 degrees. Please keep that in mind when packing clothes. The humidity is extremely hot.

Question

Can I drink the water?

Answer

For those of us who are traveling from outside the country, please be wary about drinking tap water. Anytime you travel internationally to any country, it is not recommended to drink from the sinks because all countries have different chemicals in the water that we are not used to. When you go to restaurants, most water is served in bottles so that is safe to drink.

Question

Who should I contact with questions?

Answer

Luis and I are more than happy to be a direct contact but with everything going on, we might not always be able to answer phone or text right away. If you are in need of assistance while in Colombia, please also feel free to reach out to Mariana (Luis's sister). Taylor #- 260-797-2345 Luis #- 260-409-9294 Mariana #- +57 (317)-887-0175 (please note that if you don't use the +57 in front of her number, you will call someone different than Mariana)

Question

What things should I know about Colombia, being from the United States?

Answer

1. Colombian weddings have a dress code to follow that will be posted at a later time. 2. The receptions also go a lot later than USA weddings ending around 1am 3. There are a lot of people that will try to sell you things on the streets. NOTHING is free. Do not take anything from anyone or they will want paid for it. If someone offers to sing for you, massage you, etc and you allow them to, they will expect money. 4. Cartagena is like visiting Chicago, we are tourists and have potential to be pickpocketted. Please do not keep your wallet or phone in your back pocket. Do not put your belongings down somewhere. 5. Tipping is not expected at all. 6. If you go out to eat, you need to call over a waitress when you are ready. They do not wait on you the same way they do in the US. 7. Try traditional dishes like all types of arepas, bandeja paisa, chicharon, and cocktail de camarones. 8. Colombia is the coffee capital of the world!! Take some home, try some everywhere!! 9. Do not hail a taxi, instead use rideshare apps like uber or order taxi's on your phone. If you do get a taxi on the street, ask for price before using the taxi. If you do not understand the money, go on google and type in "Colombian Peso to USD" and there will be a calculator. 10. Imagine yourself in Florida, there are a lot of mosquitos. Please travel with bug spray and sunscreen. 11. Please look at this link if you are still worried about your travel: https://www.cartagenaexplorer.com/cartagena-safety-tips/

Question

I want to stay longer than the wedding, where should I stay?

Answer

If you are extending your trip like multiple people have mentioned to us. Please feel free to reach out to Taylor or Luis with travel recommendations. Luis was born and raised in Colombia and Taylor has had the opportunity to travel across the country with Luis and his family. We have a lot of beautiful spots to see if you need ideas.