JustSomeFlyer

I currently have a cheap J fare booked for my significant other and I from USA to Bogota with a stay of 4 days in mid-May on DL. We are just wondering what Bogota is currently like (safety wise), if it is possible to COVID-19 testing for our return to the USA, and if there is anything to do as tourists (young professionals). Planning to stay at the JW as well.

ewoo

I was recently in Bogota for about 6 weeks, coming back to the U.S in mid-February. Colombia is currently experiencing a third peak of COVID cases which has led to reinstatement of some of the curfews and other restrictions that everyone thought would be history by now. Hopefully that will be gone by May.

Also be aware that there might *technically* still be a quarantine requirement for visitors. I don't believe most visitors adhere to it and many are not even aware of it. Hopefully that will also be over by May.

I love Bogota, but it's definitely a city where you need to keep your head on a swivel. Take Uber after dark. When walking during the day, try to keep your cell phone in your pocket as much as possible and take it out only when you reach your destination. Many thefts are quick swipe-and-runs (either on foot or moto) and they target people who are looking at their phone and not aware of their surroundings.

There's a very easy COVID testing center set up right outside the airport, although it could be challenging for non-Spanish speakers. But my guess is a hotel like JW could handle all the arrangements.

The JW is a great hotel with fantastic service.

ewoo

Bogota is probably stricter than anywhere else in the country right now:

couponhead

I just came from Bogota a few days ago. They are on a 4/3 lockdown schedule, which means that everything except essential businesses (grocery stores, pharmacies, etc) is closed from Saturday-Monday. People who live in Bogota and have non-essential jobs don't work these days. People are supposed to stay inside from Saturday-Monday, but going outside for exercise is allowed. Taxis are running. Delivery is allowed. The city has gone in and out of "ley seca" / dry law.

"Everything" is open from Tuesday-Friday.

All 7 days of the week, entry to large stores and malls is according to the last number of your passport or cedula. Even numbers can enter stores on odd-numbered days and odd numbers can enter stores on even-numbered days. (Yes, its the opposite of what you think it should be.)

Covid PCR tests are required to enter and leave the country. We were going different places on different days, so we wound up trying two different sources of tests.

1. Laboratorio Lorena Verjarano
- Has PCR test tents all over the city
- Charges 185,000 pesos (about $50) for a PCR test that is supposed to be returned in 24 hours
- In our case, they didn't return the test results in 24 hours. No email came and their online customer service couldn't find the test. We ended up having to trek back to the test location to get the staff there to find/print the result.
- The time that the sample was taken was not printed on the result. LATAM accepted the test but I later saw several people denied boarding on Wingo for having test results without the sample presentation time.

2. Controlar Salud
- Has only one location at Carrera 45A #94-91
- Charges 230,000 pesos (about $65) for a PCR test that is supposed to be returned within 2 hours.
- In our case, the test results were returned via email in about 3 hours.
- The test result had the time that the sample was taken, so no problem with acceptance by the airline.

In answer to your question about whether there is anything to do as tourists, the lively Bogota with lots of places to go out, etc. is not happening right now. You can walk around to look at murals and you can probably go hiking, but when you walk down the street, 2 out of 3 shops are closed even on open days, as many businesses can't afford to keep the doors open if they will only have half the customers. Bars and such are open on "open" days, but are practically empty.

SKYEG

How are things nowadays? Heading out next month

ewoo

I was there last month.

Masks are still prevalent everywhere, but most places seem to have lost interest in other elements of COVID theater: the temperature checks, the shoe sanitizations, the visitor logs. I didn't see that in any restaurant or store.

Pico y cedula is over and not coming back. The curfews are over.

It's a lot more normal than it was earlier in the year.

Brandinho1

I can confirm this. Was there a few weeks ago and will be me making a short trip next month.

Cthunder86

I’ll be there later next month as well. Good to hear this