Recommend June 2014 - (Page 48)

General information Getting There Getting Around By Air: Bogota is served by daily nonstop flights from North American cities such as New York, Atlanta, Miami and Toronto; additionally, there are also nonstop flights to Armenia, Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena and Medellin. Avianca (866-998-3357) is Colombia's main airline, serving more than 40 destinations throughout the Americas, including flights from Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Miami and New York to Barranquilla, Bogota, Cali and Medellin. U.S. airlines serving Colombia are American Airlines (800-433-7300), Delta Air Lines (800-221-1212), JetBlue (800538-2583), Spirit (800-772-7117), and United Airlines (800-864-8331). By Air: Airlines offering domestic services are Avianca to 21 cities; Copa Airlines to 11 cities; Easyfly to 15 locations; LAN serving 22 cities; and Satena with a network of 39 locations. Accommodations: There are lodgings for every budget and taste throughout Colombia, from luxury, to up-scale, mid-market to hostelhopper. International hotel chains and upscale luxury hotels tend to be present in the major cities and resort areas. Cartagena has enjoyed an elegant boom in converting colonial quarters into world-class boutique hotels, and more recently the same movement has moved into Bogota. The beach resorts, such as Santa Marta and San Andres, offer a wide range of options, from simple beachfront surf camps to large allinclusive resorts. Colombia has relatively few wilderness lodges. emeralds colombia icons As the world leader in emerald production, Colombia supplies approximately 60 percent of the earth's output; renowned for their high quality and clarity, Colombian emeralds are highly sought after. There's an Emerald Museum in Bogota, on the 23rd floor of Edificio Avianca; it's actually more of an exhibition room that has a reproduction of an emerald mine that shows how the gemstones are formed. From there, one moves right into the sales showroom. Bogota's main emerald shopping center is in and around Carrera 6 between Calle 12 and Calle 13 in the Centro Internacional; at least 90 outlets cater specifically to the emerald-buying market. Additionally, there's an emerald traders street-market on the corner of Avenida Jimenez and Carrera 7. Cartagena de Indias. FAST FACTs When to Go: The range of climate and scenery is one of Colombia's best assets, yet, like many countries, Colombia is experiencing a blurring of the seasons and unpredictable, atypical weather patterns. Generally speaking, however, Colombia's summer, from December to March, and mid-June to mid-August tend to be the best times to visit, with the exception of the northern plains where the wet season is very long Official language: Spanish Entry Documents: Valid passport for tourist stays of 60 days Credit Cards: Widely accepted at hotels, restaurants and shops; Visa is the most commonly accepted, followed by Mastercard and less frequently American Express. Country telephone Code: 57 Time Zone: Same as the U.S. Eastern Standard Time (GMT-5); Daylight savings is not observed 12 june 2014 Electric current: 110 volts/60 AC Money Matters: Local currency: Colombian peso (C$). There are ATM's at major city airports and in major cities. Most ATMs limit withdrawals to C$300,000 (about $160) per usage; however, most banks permit two or three withdrawals each day. Information Please: ProExport Colombia: (305) 374-3144; colombia.travel C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend June 2014

Editor’s Notes
Hotel Desk: Seattle’s The Edgewater Rocks
Tour Talk: Apple Leisure Group
Caribbean Weddings: Choices, Romance & More Choices
Honeymoon Havens for all Sorts of Lovebirds
Nuptials at Sea
Wild Honeymoons!
Latin America for Lovers
Colombia Travel Guide
A Fairy Tale Honeymoon
All-Inclusive Powerhouses
Iberostar Playa Mita
Let’s Get Hitched!
Romantic Retreats
Unforgettable Honeymoons a World Away

Recommend June 2014