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I want to take my novia from Cali on vacation outside Colombia. Of the following countries that allow Clombians without a visa which do you recomend?

Please rank them in order of interest and cost once I am there.

Costa Rica

El Salvador

Panama

Peru

Ecuador

... in response to What is best place to take novia on vaca..., posted by elcolombiano on Aug 31, 2003

Aruba is the best place to take your girlfriend.....

she doesn't need a visa for travel to aruba, just the pasport and also it is very pretty..

... in response to Check that visa requirement! (n/t), posted by cancunhound on Sep 1, 2003

Unless things have changed since 1999, a Colombiana DOES NOT need a visa to enter Aruba, just a valid passport.  A COlombiana traveling alone could be denied entry if they suspect she is just going there to work.  But they wiil not hassle your girlfriend if she is with you on vacation.

... in response to Re: Check that visa requirement! (n/t), posted by beenthere on Sep 2, 2003

http://www.suntravel.com.co/paises_visa.htm

Check with your local consulate before traveling, these requirements are changing all the time - recently obviously more restrictive for Colombian passport holders.

It is no fun to land in a country with your gal and be refused entry!

... in response to Try this link first, posted by cancunhound on Sep 2, 2003


I received the following email today from Cathay Pacific Cyber Traveler ENews.

NEWS AND UPDATES:

IMPORTANT VISA CHANGES

If you do not already know, effective August 2, 2003 the U.S. Government suspended the Travel Without Visa program. The suspension affects travel to and through U.S. Please be sure to read more about this before you travel. Information about the programs and their suspension can be obtained through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's web page at

www.dhs.gov

and the U.S. State Department's web page at

http://travel.state.gov.

... in response to What is best place to take novia on vaca..., posted by elcolombiano on Aug 31, 2003

I took my wife to Aruba before she got her visa and we want to go back again.  Here are fotos.

http://www.stevegaines.net/

Our hotel ran about $50 per night.  We stayed at Mills Resort across the street from the $100 per night high rise hotels.

Steve

... in response to None of the above, posted by DallasSteve2 on Sep 1, 2003

title it with the name of our recently released police chief, I've got a question for you

... in response to None of the above, posted by DallasSteve2 on Sep 1, 2003

Nice pics Steve.  That's a good recommedation - if he can get there cheap.  The dutch airlines used to run a deal where you can basically island hop also for next to nothing, take a gal shopping in colonial Curacao will definitely win some brownie points!  I do believe visa is in order now for Colombians for the antilles.

... in response to What is best place to take novia on vaca..., posted by elcolombiano on Aug 31, 2003

Panama is very interesting and relatively safe.  Huge difference in Panama between a very modern capial city and the countryside. Costa Rica has an economy entirely oriented to tourism and is over-run with people from the US and Canada.  Still, its beautiful and probably a bit more varied than Panama.  Both equal overall from a cost standpoint.  Nix El Salvador unless you can speak Spanish well and your novia misses the crime of Colombia.  I can't comment on Ecuador or Peru.

... in response to What is best place to take novia on vaca..., posted by elcolombiano on Aug 31, 2003

I would say Costa Rica hands down, given the cost of yours and her air ticket.  Shoot me an email and I can give you a name of a great secluded lodge on the Pacific.  CR does need a visa for her, so probably the most economical and hastle free would be Panama, hit the islands in the Caribbean.  El Salvador?  Kind of neat if you want to see how one can go about eliminating an entire rain forest.

... in response to What is best place to take novia on vaca..., posted by elcolombiano on Aug 31, 2003

I prefer beach resorts on vacation so I'm taking my novia to Cancun in late september.  She lives in Guadalajara, so
no problema traveling.  I gave her the option af any beach she wanted, Acapulco, Puerta Vallarta, etc.  With no hesitation she picked Cancun.  I've been there a few times, but this will be the first trip with a beautiful mexicana.
A1A

... in response to What is best place to take novia on vaca..., posted by elcolombiano on Aug 31, 2003

Depends what you're looking for.

Costa Rica - wildlife, flora, fauna
Panama - shopping
Peru - archeology
El Salvador & Ecuador - not much there.

If I were you I'd go to the Caribbean, probably St.Vicent, St kitts etc. Great beaches and perfect place for a romance.

... in response to Re: What is best place to take novia on ..., posted by Cold Warrior on Aug 31, 2003

I am on a budget. What abour Cartagena and its surrounding area.

... in response to Re: Re: What is best place to take novia..., posted by elcolombiano on Sep 1, 2003

OK,
Since we opened it up to Colombia there are some pretty good choices.Colombia will be cheaper than most any place but the real undeveloped countries.St.Kit,St. John,very expensive,as is most of the caribean,with the exception of:

San Andres.Colombian Caribean island about 300 miles north of Caretegena.$100 a night will get you a 5 star hotel,Sunrise or Aquarium.You might get a package deal that includes meals also for near that price if you work through the right travel agent.There are lots of other hotels.I'm sure you can get something very nice for $50,and something decent for maybe $30.I saw some cute small hotels near the beach,not too expensive I don't think.No dumpy areas,it all looked pretty nice.And any hotel in the main town is no more than a mile from the beach,its small.Its a big Colombian tourist destination.They don't pay big bucks to stay somewhere.San Andres has nice beaches and alot of water sport activity.Other than that there's not much to do but shop,its a duty free port,very good prices.Colombians load up when there on vacation.

Providencia,near San Andres,20 miniute plane ride or there is a boat I think.Very quiet,not much there,we stayed at the best hotel for $40,but no hot water.Nice beaches but mosquitos at dusk that eat you alive.If you really want to get away from the crowd.Too basic for me.

Cartegena,Great historical city.The walled old city  looks like the french quarter with narrow streets.Take the buggy ride at night.Lots of history,interesting forts and defence related facilties from the old days.The main beach at Bocogrande is kind of dirty and overrun with the most aggresive vendors.There are tours to nearby islands,supposed to be nice,I didn't do it.Like San Andres,and about anywhere in Colombia,$100 gets you a hotel that would be $300-$500 on St.John.If you want to spend $30 you can get a decent place.

Santa Marta,I haven't been there yet.My friend went on his honeymoon.They stayed at a hotel that would rival those $500 St.John hotels,like 2 acre beautifull pool.$100 for 2 including 3 meals a day and drinks,including alcohol.I think they got 3 free ones at happy hour each day.Other hotels would be cheaper,but you probably need to spend $50 to stay in he beach area,cheaper in the city of Santa Marta a few miles away.Just a very nice beach vacation,if you like sun and sand at a reasonable(relative to what you get) price.
All of these places are considered safe,but I would not stray from the main tourist areas.And you are still in Colombia,no visa needed for her.What I liked about these Colombian destinations is being able to go absolutely first class for what I thought was pretty reasonable cost.And you can get by alot cheaper if you want.
If you want to leave Colombia I would recommend,(from heresay)Margarita Island Venizuella.Someone posted about it here in the last 10 days or so.

Pete

... in response to OK , if we are going to consider Colombi..., posted by Pete E on Sep 1, 2003

"What I liked about these Colombian destinations is being able to go absolutely first class for what I thought was pretty reasonable cost."

That pretty much sums it up - and tack on not alot of other tourists.  The beach at Santa Marta is nothing to rave about - there's alot of coal/shipping going on - but just north in Tayrona it's gorgeous.  I'm sure I'll return if possible.

... in response to Re: OK , if we are going to consider Col..., posted by cancunhound on Sep 1, 2003

Sounds like the best deal for the money is to stay in Colombia. You can go first class for relatively cheap.

... in response to Re: Re: OK , if we are going to consider..., posted by elcolombiano on Sep 1, 2003

In my opinion the two best hassle-free beach destinations in Colombia are Isla Providencia (spectacular ocean) and Capurgana, great accomodations, food and jungle trails if you want to hike. Ocean rougher than Providencia ie. there are waves. NO Cartagena style venders at either one and both much nicer (and safer) than Santa Marta/Taganga/Parque Tayrona.

... in response to Re: Re: OK , if we are going to consider..., posted by elcolombiano on Sep 1, 2003

Here's a great site with current prices:
http://www.suntravel.com.co/index.htm
That's a travel agency out of Medellin but the prices pretty much check with Cali agencies.  If you've got "pelotas", head for Leticia - that would be a great place to kick back with your novia IMHO, and see some pink dolfines and stuff (so far I've been banned from Leticia - my wife's circle says gringo=no there, I'm working on it, I bet it's OK).

... in response to In Colombia options:, posted by cancunhound on Sep 1, 2003

A friend of mine went there with his calena wife about six months ago. The hard part for him (overweight) was an all day jungle trek but no "bad guy" dangers. It's a routine tourist destination for the adventurous and those traveling down river by riverboat. It was even featured a couple of years ago in a St. Louis Post Dispatch travel artical of all things.