Cali travel guide

Best time to visit

There is little climate variation during the year, average temperatures stay around 25°C. It is hot and humid at midday but a strong breeze that blows up in the afternoon makes the evenings cool and pleasant. Rain can come at more or less any time but Cali is shielded from the heavy rainfalls of the Pacific coast by the Cordillera Occidental.

Safety

In the early 1990s Cali achieved international notoriety through the success of its drug cartel. Known as the ‘Gentlemen of Cali’, thanks to their high society background, the Rodríguez Orejuela brothers and their associate José Santacruz Londoño profited from Pablo Escobar’s war with the government, rising to supersede his Medellín organization. But in 1995, six of the seven heads were arrested and in 2006 the Rodríguez Orejuela brothers were extradited to the United States, effectively bringing and end to the era of the narco-trafficking cartel in Colombia. Although still associated with drug and anti-drug operations, the atmosphere in Cali is quite relaxed. Violent crime is still a problem in the city’s barrios but less of a threat in more affluent areas. However, carry your passport (or photocopy) at all times and be prepared for police checks. At night, do not walk east or south of Calle 15 and Carrera 10. Do not change money on the street in any circumstances and avoid all people who approach, offering to sell. Take advice on where and where not to go.

Getting around

The centre of the city is comparatively small – most places of interest to the visitor are within comfortable walking distance. Transport by bus or taxi is tedious because of the density of the traffic. Cali’s taxis have meters and can be flagged in the street, or ordered by telephone. Radio taxis include Taxi Libre (T4444444) and Taxis Valcali (T4430000) . Local buses cost US$0.85.

Ins and outs

Alfonso Bonilla Aragón airport is 20 km to the northeast of Cali. The best way to the city is by minibus, which you will find at the far end of the pick-up road outside arrivals. They will take you to the bus terminal (ground floor), on the edge of the centre, every 10 minutes from 0500 to 2100. It takes approximately 30 minutes, US$2.50. From here taxis are relatively cheap to any destination in the city. Alternatively, take a taxi from the airport, US$25, 30 minutes. The minibuses to the airport, marked ‘Aeropuerto’, leave from the second floor of the bus terminal. There are direct flights to Cali from Mexico, Panama and several cities in the USA. The bus terminal (C 30N, No 2AN-29) is a 25-minute walk from the centre following the river along Avenida 2N.

Air

Alfonso Bonilla Aragón airport, 20 km from city, T4422624, has banks, including Banco Popular, and ATMs near domestic departures/ arrivals. The Telecom office with international telephone facilities, is near international departures, as is the tax-exemption office. Internet is available. Frequent services to Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Ipiales and other Colombian cities with Satena and Avianca. International flights to Miami, New York, Ecuador and Panama.

Airline offices

AeroRepública, C 26N, No 6N-16, Aires, Av 6N, No 20-73, T6604777. American, Hotel Intercontinental, Av Colombia, No 2-72. COPA, Centro Comercial Chipichape L 210, T6652399. Avianca, Av 8N, No 24AN-07, T6882900 or Cra 6, No 11-42, T8816408. Iberia, Av 5CN, No 23DN-37, T6602250. Satena, C 8, No 5-19, T8857709. TAME, Cra 4, No 12-41. For Cali–Quito flights. Varig, Av 6N, No 17-92, T6672610.

Bus

The bus terminal is at C 30N, No 2AN-29, 25 mins’ walk from the centre following the river along Av 2N and about 10 mins from Barrio Granada Bus information at http://www.terminalcali.com. Hotel information available, left luggage US$1.20 per item for 12 hrs, good food at terminal. Casa de cambio (cash only), banks and ATMs. Showers on 2nd level (US$0.40). There are plenty of local buses between the bus station and the centre, which charge US$0.40. Taxi from centre to bus station, US$1.50.

Busetas (Velotax and others) charge 50% more than buses but save time; taxi-colectivos are about 2½ times bus prices and even quicker. To Popayán, US$9, 2½-3 hrs, also colectivos, US$9. To Pasto, US$11, 8-9 hrs. To Ipiales (direct), US$22, 12 hrs; to San Agustín, 9 hrs, US$14-16. To Cartago, 3½ hrs, US$4. To Armenia, US$9. To Ibagué, US$8, 6-7 hrs. To Manizales, US$15, 7 hrs. To Medellín, US$22, 8-10 hrs. To Bogotá, 10-15 hrs, by Magdalena, T6687504 (recommended), US$31 (sit on the left of the bus). To Buenaventura, 3 hrs with Expreso Palmira, US$8.

Car rental

Hertz, Av Colombia No 2-72 (Hotel Intercontinental), T8920437, also office at airport, T6663283. Colombia Rent a Car, Av 8, No 16N-50, Of 1. National, C 5, No 39-36, T5244432, aiport, T6663016.

Taxi

Ensure that meters are used. Prices are posted in the window: minimum fare is US$2. On Sun and holidays and at night an extra charge is made.

Orientation

Cali is bounded on the west by the Cordillera and to the east by the marshy plains of the Río Cauca. Through the centre of the city runs the Río Cali, a tributary of the Cauca, with grass and exotic trees on its banks. North of the river, all streets have the suffix ‘N’, and Carreras become Avenidas. The city extends southwards 15 km from the Río Cali. Near the southern end a new area is building up around Carrera 100 with the large Unicentro shopping mall and the residential community of Ciudad Jardín.

Banks

Davivienda, C 11, No 8-03 (Centro) or Av 6N, No 22-08 (norte). Banco de Bogotá, Cra 4, No 11-55 (centro) or Av 8N, No 20N-67. Bancolombia, Cra 5, No 10-79 (centro) or C15N, No 6N-56. Citibank, Av 5N, No 23AN-49. HSBC, Av 6N, No 25N-11. Banco Agrario, C11, No 5-28. Many other banks and ATMs in main commercial areas. Casas de Cambio Cambiamos, Av 5N, No 23DN-40. Giros y Financias (Western Union), Av 6N, No 30N-67. Casa de Cambios Titán, C 11, No 4-42.

Cultural centres

Alianza Colombo Francesa, Av 6N, No 21-34, T6613431. Centro Cultural Colombo- Americano, C 13N, No 8-45, T687 58 00. All give language classes, show films and have other events, enquire for programme. Centro Cultural de Cali, Cra 5, No 6-05, T8858851. Centro Cultural Comfandi, C 8, No 6-45, T3340000.

Embassies and consulates

France, Av 3N, No 18N-24, Of 405, T883 5904. Germany, C 1B, No 66B-29, Barrio El Refugio, T323 8402. Switzerland, Av 4N, No 3-33, T661 4927 (same building as Pensión Stein). UK, C 22N, No 6-42, Of 401, Edif Centro Granada, T667 7725, britishcali@ uniweb.net.co.

Immigration

DAS office Av 3AN, No 50-20, T 6643809/10.

Internet

Unimegas, Av 6, No 17A-57, T6603853. Has Skype and head- phones. Cosmonet, Av 6N, No 17N-65, T6535228. Skype and headphones, scanning and photocopying, as well as international calls.

Laundry

Lavaprisa, Av 8N, No 12-08.

Media

2 local daily newspapers are La Nación and El País.

Medical services

Cíinica del Occidente, C 18N, No 5-34. Centro Médico Imbanaco, Cra 38A, No 5A-100. Clínica Fundación Valle de Lili, Cra 98, No 18-49. Clínica Oftalmológica de Cali, C 26N, No 6N-46. Optician Optica Alemana, Av 6N, No 21N-51.

Post office

Adpostal, for national service, C 10, No 6-25; Deprisa, for international service, C 9, No 4-45.

Telecom

C 10, No 6-25.