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Mosquito & Tick Bites

Try to prevent mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves, long pants, hats and shoes (rather than sandals). Bring along a good insect repellent, preferably one containing DEET, which should be applied to exposed skin and clothing, but not to eyes, mouth, cuts, wounds or irritated skin. Use sparingly though – neurologic toxicity has been reported from DEET, but is extremely rare.

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FOLK REMEDIES

Problem Treatment

altitude sickness gingko

jet lag melatonin

mosquito bite prevention oil of eucalyptus, soybean oil

motion sickness ginger

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Insect repellents containing certain botanical products, including oil of eucalyptus and soybean oil, are effective but last only 1½ to two hours. DEET-containing repellents are preferable for areas where there is a high risk of malaria or yellow fever. Products based on citronella are not effective. For additional protection, you can apply permethrin to clothing, shoes, tents and bed nets, but not directly to your skin.

Don’t sleep with the window open unless there is a screen. Use a bed net when available or at least a mosquito coil. Repellent-impregnated wristbands are not effective.

To protect yourself from tick bites, follow the same precautions as for mosquitoes, except that boots are preferable to shoes, with pants tucked in. Be sure to perform a thorough tick check at the end of each day. Ticks should be removed with tweezers, grasping them firmly by the head. Insect repellents based on botanical products, described above, have not been adequately studied for insects other than mosquitoes and cannot be recommended to prevent tick bites.

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Water

Tap water in Bogotá and other big cities is safe to drink, but if you’re pregnant or want to be more careful, use bottled water instead. In very remote areas, boil water for one minute to purify. At altitudes greater than 2000m (6500ft), boil for three minutes. Another option is to disinfect water with iodine pills.

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Language

CONTENTS

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COLOMBIAN SPANISH

PRONUNCIATION

GENDER & PLURALS

ACCOMMODATIONS

CONVERSATION & ESSENTIALS

DIRECTIONS

HEALTH

LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES

NUMBERS

SHOPPING & SERVICES

TIME & DATES

TRANSPORT

TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN

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Colombia’s official language is Spanish and, apart from some remote indigenous groups, all inhabitants speak it. On San Andrés and, particularly, Providencia, Creole English is widely used. Many indigenous groups use their native languages. There are about 65 indigenous languages and nearly 300 dialects spoken in the country.

English speakers can be found in large urban centers, but it’s certainly not a widely spoken or commonly understood language, even though it’s taught as a mandatory second language in the public school system. Once you leave urban areas, Spanish will virtually be the only medium of communication. You’ll probably manage to travel without knowing a word of Spanish, but you’ll miss out on a good part of the pleasure of meeting people, and your experience of the country will be limited.

Spanish is quite an easy language to learn and, as a bonus, it’s useful in most other Latin American countries as well. It’s well worth making some effort to learn at least the essentials before setting off. Colombians will offer much encouragement, so there’s no need to feel self-conscious about vocabulary, grammar or pronunciation. To help you on your way, grab a copy of Lonely Planet’s compact Latin American Spanish Phrasebook. Another good resource is the University of Chicago Spanish-English, English-Spanish Dictionary. For a thorough glossary of Colombian slang, check out Francisco Celis Albán’s Diccionario de Colombiano Actual.

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COLOMBIAN SPANISH

The Spanish spoken in Colombia is generally clear and easy to understand. There are regional variations, but these won’t