After visiting Europe, Africa, Asia and Fareast asia. This time to choose Latin America.
Latin America is the least tourist attraction due to economic instability and security issues. But yes, we choose best of the destinations among all to have good outing with safety. Therefore, we choose three best locations;
1. Bogota (Columbia)
2. Lima (Peru)
3. Cancun (Mexico)
For 10 days from 2nd December – 11 December 2023. Amazingly, this turnout to be one of finest outing for us. Lets explore some key things from Inka ancient culture.
We research on booking plane tickets from Toronto and found AVIANCA is the cheapest with bagpack option. We choose Avianca from Toronto > Bogota > Lima.
Upon return, we choose LATAM airlines as we got very good deal and itinerary was Lima > Cancun > Toronto. Air cananda/Air Transat/WestJet were little expensive options.
People of these countries are generally very friendly and give so much respect to tourist. Most of local persons trying learn English so they like to talk to English speaking foreigners and also try help them as much as they can.
Language Barrier
The most issue we saw is communication in all areas. Official language of the most of south American countries are Spanish, so if you know a few Spanish words or sentences, it will be more convenient for your trip to communicate. We mostly used google translator for communication and before leaving we learn few basics of Spanish as well.
At the Airport
After landing at Bogota airport, there was a surprise for us that Columbian Govt recently starts charging reciprocity tax ($87). As we had no option so we paid through credit card. Airport was overall very nice and clean with old building look. If you are Columbian, there is a big line for you but as Canadian, we had very short line with 4 people ahead of us.
Claro is very famous telecom in south America. Its good to buy sim from the airport after crossing the arrival gate, there is coffee shop who are also providing sim. They have different packages. We took 7 days package with 10 GB Data in 50K Peso (Approx $20).
Currency
Better bring USD because exchange of USD is has best rates than anyother currency. You can exchange the money from airport or anywhere outside. Although, currency is very de-valued but very much controlled by Government (1 USD is approximately 3900 PESO).
When to visit, Weather of Bogota
Bogota has very moderate weather. Nov-Dec are the best time to visit as temperature stays between 8 degree to 30.
Food
There are almost all of an international chains in bogota like Mcdonalds, Pizza hut, burger king etc. There are very less options of halal food. We opt vegetarian option and tried many local vegie foods a well i.e. burrito etc
Stay
We did some research before going to bogota and found the area which is more secured. We selected Chapinaro which is 25 KM away from the airport. We choose Airbnb having security guard who make sure to register every guest comes in. It was good building having multiple apartments costs us approximately $90 with 2 sizeable bedrooms with living and kitchen.
Places
Grocery/Super market
In Chapinaro, there is big grocery store called “Carulla Country” where you will find everything with fresh juices. I would recommend to drink their local juices i.e mango, passion fruit, orange, Lucuma etc.
Mall/shopping
You can do shopping in one of bogota biggest mall “centro commercial” in stanta fe. It has all brands with local ones and you will also find good shops to eat.
Local Places
Monseratte is one of the best sight-seen of bogota. A cable car take you to hill-top where there is 500 year old church. A complete sight of bogoto from top. Amazing Place and must go.
Plaza de bolivar
This is the area where you will find all important places like supreme court, parliament etc. People comes to see the area. Good thing to visit.
Salt Cathedral
Amazing place to visit where you will find solid salt rocks and everything is made with salt. Must go place.
Entertainment & night life
There are lots of bars/clubs in chapinaro area. Due to limitation of time, we haven’t visited much, except one very good club cocoa blunt but avoided to stay late out of house so it was very short entertaining experience.
Transportation
Uber is the best medium for travelling, it doesn’t require you to explain in Spanish about destination. Choose cash as payment option.
At the Airport
It was smooth immigration process. Officer just asked where are you going to live and when returning back. Airport is not very big but old style double story building. Internet on airport is slow but we manage to book UBER to our destination. Don’t use local taxi or hire-car from the airport, it would cost much. We manage to drop in $25 to Mirafloor (30 KM from the airport). UBER is not allowed to come within arrival area so you have to walk about 2 min from where UBER will come.
We didn’t buy SIM from the airport, it cost about $50 so we decided to take from local market which costs us $25. CLARO, BITel are famous so we took 1 week activated SIM with 10 GB data and unlimited calls of BITel.
About Machu Pechu
In order to reach Machu Pechu from lima. consists of four different levels. First, you have to take aeroplane to cusco. Then you must reserve seat in train which is roughly 2-3 hours and then you have to take bus which is roughly 30 mins and lastly by walk (easy track). Machu pechu is on height so tour is always depend upon the weather. If weather permits then you can visit otherwise they cancel your booking. There are many tours planner available, you can use either one. Below one is recognized;
https://www.machupicchureservations.org/
Currency
Again, USD has more worth & better conversion rate. Overall exchange rates are controlled so not much difference from airport to local market. (1 USB is approx. 3.7 Peruvian Sol).
When to visit, Weather of Lima
Weather in December usually moderate from 15-30 degrees. But lima is at bench of pacific so humidity level is very high. It mostly cloudy but no rain over 200 days a year
Food
Like bogota, you will find all international food chains. Again, there is less community of muslims so wont find any halal food. Economy of Peru mostly import based so their local products are very less. So we tried local fruits and vegetables.
Stay
Mirfloor is the paradise for tourists and best area to live, it is downtown and very crowdy. It is very secured as well if compare to suburbs of Mirafloor. You will find lots of activities till late night. Very very lively. We booked our AirBnb near kennedy park from where almost everything is on walking distance. It was very well maintained apartment which costs us $60 per night.
Places
Grocery/Super market
You can find grocery store in almost every corner from where you can take daily use things.
Mall/shopping
About 20 min walking distance from our Airbnb, there is big mall of lima ‘Larcomar’. You will find all brands and very good area to hang around and shopping. There is also local market named ‘indian market’ from where you can find souveiners and their local products. Remember, there is always room of negotiation. So do it.
Local Places
If you lover of paragliding, then ‘park del amor’ is your place. It’s a beautiful place to see the sunset in pacific ocean and just hang around. As park is build on rocks so there are stairs who will take you to the Malecon (Beach). Malecon is overall clean and water was not very cold. People were taking sunbath and swimming. Government provide lifeguards in day time but they don’t allow people to go near water at night time.
Plaza Mayor de Lima
This is the area where you will find all important places like supreme court, parliament etc. People comes to see the area. Good thing to visit. Besides the plaza de mayor, we also visited catacombs which is adjacent to san fransisco church. There is ticket of sol 20 each person and they have multiple people who take you as group who understand English. Must visit place. There are more than 25000 skulls and bones are preserved from last 500 years.
Dancing fountain
If you are in lima, circuito magico del agua is must visit place. There is water show 3 times in evening. Ticket is very cheap (15 Sol) and you enter in park. This dancing fountain is largest in south America. About 20 min drive from the Mirafloor.
Entertainment & night life
If you like party at night then lima should be your destination, Mirafloor area is packed with bars/clubs and people do party whole night in the area. Berlin street and Jose Galvez street is full of bars/clubs and you can go in any of the club. Some clubs have some fee especially on weekend. We see people were celebrating events as well in groups. Spanish music is very famous across globe so you will find true glimpse of those.
There is another concept of dancing buses in south America. People hire a bus for any event i.e. birthday which has either live music or recorded and that bus just move across the streets while people dancing/partying. Lima is very lively city.
Transportation
Likewise bogota, Uber is the best medium for travelling around, it doesn’t require you to explain in Spanish about destination. Choose cash as payment option.
At the Airport
We took LATAM airways from Lima to Cancun. LATAM is very well maintained airlines as compare to Avianca. From cancun we got package to WestJet from Cancun > Toronto.
It was smooth immigration process. Officer just asked where are you going to live and when returning back. Airport is not very big but very well maintained. Most People in Cancun knows English so you wont find a problem in communication. As we didn’t have long stay in cancun so we activated our roaming which costs us less than buying local sim.
Overall situation of cancun is very safe and its tourist paradise which is not far and relatively less expensive if compare to US/Canada.
Currency
1 USD is roughly 16 peso. We converted some from the airport.
When to visit, Weather of Cancun
Weather of cancun is moderate so you can visit anytime of the year. Jul/Aug are mostly rainy season.
Food
There is no issue of food at all. You can find all varieties of food including halal. We choose one Iranian restaurant near HOTEL Zone area at the end of Cancun.
Stay
There are very big resorts/hotels across all cancun. You should choose Hotel zone area to live as it has big markets and shops. May be little expensive but worth a living.
Places
Canun is known for its shallow water and if you love swimming/bathing then cancun is your destination.
If you have time then Chichen Itza is a must go place. This is one of recent wonder of the world and about 90 minutes drive from cancun.
Transportation
Likewise other cities, we prefer to choose UBER. Uber is not allowed to pick you from airport due to local taxi’s monopoly. They will charge 100 $ minimum to drop you at destination.
We took local taxi to just drop us at central de abasto which cost us $20 and from there we booked UBER which cost $20 to our destination at HOTEL Zone.
UBER is allowed to drop you at airport so on way back, we booked UBER.
Recommendation
• Buy SIM card, its not very expensive but will help you to move around, talk to people and UBER.
• Try avoid go out after 10 PM especially in no-go area. For example, santa fe in bogota and burranco in lima.
• Street robberies are common so if possible then bring some low quality phone and always have some cash in pocket (we carry 100USD).
• Try their local juices, those are very healthy and you can find it very easily.
• Learn some basics of Spanish before going, just to interact people.
• You should try Columbian Cigars, juan de velde Coffee, Sea food chavez.
• People are very friendly, try interact them. You will find lots of experiences/stories.
• Better bring USD or Euro along