Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [102]
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CÚCUTA
7 / pop 919,000 / elev 320m
For many visitors, the border town of Cúcuta is either their first or last impression of Colombia, and it isn’t a good one. Cúcuta is a hot, muggy, filthy, crime-ridden city; its most well-known attraction is the notoriously dodgy bus station. The only reason to come here is to cross the border to or from Venezuela. If you’re catching an early bus out of here, or arriving in the evening, consider staying in nearby Pamplona instead.
For travelers heading to Venezuela, the actual border crossing is at Puente Internacional, 12km south of Cúcuta on the Río Táchira. Be sure to change your Colombian pesos before leaving the country. If possible, stock up on US dollars, which are stronger and more welcomed than bolivares. You’ll find several moneychangers on the Colombian side of the bridge.
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Information
There are numerous banks with ATMs around Parque Santander.
The Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad (DAS) immigration post (where you have to get an exit/entry stamp in your passport) is just before the border at Puente Internacional, on the left side of the road going toward Venezuela. Remember to move your watch forward one hour when you cross. Once in Venezuela, pick up a tourist card – it’s issued directly by the DIEX office in San Antonio del Táchira, on Carrera 9 between Calles 6 and 7.
Bancafé (Calle 10)
Banco de Bogotá (Av 6)
Post office (Calle 8A) Adpostal; north of Parque Nacional.
Tourist office ( 571 3395; Calle 10 No 0-30; 8am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat) In the offices of Corporación Mixta de Promoción de Norte de Santander.
Venezuelan consulate ( 579 1954, 579 1951; Av Camilo Daza, Zona Industrial; 8am-noon & 1-4pm) Located on the road to the airport, about 3km north of the center. Take any local bus marked ‘Consulado’ from the bus terminal or from Calle 13 in the center. Get there early to avoid queuing for ages.
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Sights
Casa de la Cultura ( 571 6689; Calle 13 No 3-67; 8am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Fri), has a nice clock tower and temporary art exhibits. Banco de la República ( 575 0131; cnr Av Diagonal Santander & Calle 11; 8am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Fri) also stages temporary exhibitions in its Area Cultural.
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Sleeping
If you must stay overnight, avoid any hotel within six blocks of the bus station, a grimy red-light district unsafe at night.
Hotel Amaruc ( 571 7625; Av 5 No 9-73; r COP$50,000-70,000; ) The Amaruc overlooks the central square and all rooms come with TV, desk and phone.
Hotel Bolívar ( 576 0764; www.hotel-bolivar.com; Av Demetrio Mendoza; s/d incl breakfast COP$160,000/170,000; ) Located outside the city near the airport, this resortlike hotel has 127 luxurious rooms, gym, two swimming pools and a great restaurant.
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LOS LLANOS
As you head east away from Bogotá, the jagged, mountainous terrain soon drops and flattens out, revealing an endless sea of green grasslands.
This is Los Llanos, or the plains. This mammoth ecosystem is part of the Orinoco River Basin stretching from the foothills of the Colombian Andes to Venezuela, bounded by the Amazon Basin in the south. The Colombian Llanos covers 250,000 sq km, making up nearly a fifth of the country’s total area.
Sometimes called the Serengeti of South America, Los Llanos is teeming with wildlife. It harbors more than 100 species of mammals and more than 700 species of birds, about the same number of birds as found in the entire USA. According to the Nature Conservancy, Los Llanos is also home to some of the most endangered species on Earth including the Orinoco crocodile, the Orinoco turtle, giant armadillo, giant otter, black-and-chestnut eagle and several species of catfish.
The flat, grassy