Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [44]
All banks shown below give cash advances on Visa and/or MasterCard. Most banks have ATMs.
American Express (Map; 313 1146; Calle 85 No 20-32)
Bancolombia (Map; 342 1309; Carrera 8 No 13-17) Changes traveler’s checks. There is another branch on Carrera 3 No 18-19.
Citibank (Map; cnr Carrera 12A & Av 82, Zona Rosa)
Edificio Emerald Trade Center (Map; 236 6181; Av Jiménez No 5-43; 7:30am-7pm Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm Sat) There are several exchange offices here.
Titán Intercontinental (Map; 336 0549; Carrera 7 No 18-42) A casa de cambio; can also receive money from overseas.
Western Union (Map; 287 1265, 635 3560; Calle 28 No 13-22, local 28; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat) Can wire money.
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Post
Avianca City Center (Map; 342 7513; Carrera 7 No 16-36; 8am-6:30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat); Centro Internacional (Map; 342 6077; Carrera 10 No 26-53; 8am-6:30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat)
FedEx (Map; 291 0100; Carrera 7 No 16-50; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat)
Post office (Map; Carrera 7 No 27-54; 9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1:15pm Sat) Branch of Adpostal. The main office in La Candelaria (cnr Carrera 7 & Calle 13) was under renovation at last pass.
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Telephone & Fax
All over Bogotá, you’ll see locals holding up llamadas (calls) signs; they allow calls on their cell phones for around COP$250 per minute nationally. Otherwise, most internet cafes and numerous telephone centers offer national calls for the same rate, or from COP$300 to COP$600 per minute for international calls.
Telecom (Map; 561 1111; Calle 23 No 13-49; 7am-7pm) The main office is in the city center, but you can make long-distance calls and send faxes from branch offices throughout the city, including one in La Candelaria (cnr Carrera 8 & Calle 12).
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Tourist Information
Colombia’s energetic Instituto Distrital de Turismo (www.bogotaturismo.gov.co) is making visitors feel very welcome, with a series of PITs (Puntos de Información Turística) opening at key locations around Bogotá. Very friendly English-speaking staff at these centers give out excellent city maps, find hotels, double as guides, point you to Spanish instructors or call for bus times. A couple of PIT locations offer free walking tours (scheduled separately in English or Spanish). New PIT locations should appear in both airport terminals by the time you arrive.
Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia (Ecoturismo; Map; 353 2400, ext 138; www.parquesnacionales.gov.co, in Spanish; Carrera 10 No 20-34; 8am-4pm Mon-Fri) This central office has information on Colombia’s national parks and can help arrange accommodations at some. Also Click here.
PIT Centro Histórico (Map; 283 7115; cnr Carrera 8 & Calle 10; 8am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun) Facing Plaza de Bolívar, this location has frequent walking tours.
PIT Terminal de Transporte (Map; 295 4460; La Terminal, Transversal 66 No 35-11, módulo 5; 7am-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun) At the arrival hall of the main bus station.
PIT Unicentro Norte (Map; 612 1967; Avenida 15 No 123-30, piso 1; noon-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun)
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Travel Agencies
Aviatur (Map; 282 5662; www.aviatur.com; Calle 19 No 4-62; 8am-6:30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm Sat) Run by a French guy, the posh, well-organized Aviatur has fancily dressed staff who book tours to various destinations around the country, including some of the national parks that Aviatur leases from the government.
Destino Bogotá (Map; 753 4887; www.destinobogota.com; Av Chile No 12-65, oficina 405; 7:30am-6pm Mon-Fri) Offers many playful city and area tours. Haunted Bogotá? Party-bus club-hopping? Salsa lesson and club debut? Check. Plus more standard fare like a worthy Guatavita/Zipaquirá day trip. Most trips require minimum of two or four people; city tours start at COP$40,000 per person, day trips start at COP$110,000. English-speaking staff (and guides) sometimes lower rates.
Ecoguías (Map; 347 5736, 212 1423; www.ecogu