Off2 Colombia Blog - Colombia Travel Guide and Tips

Colombian cinema isn't exactly steeped in history like Brazilian, nor famous for its quality like Argentinian, nor popular with hipsters like Mexican. This undoubtedly is due to financing as well as the fact that when people go to watch a film about Colombia, they expect guns, violence, gangsters and drugs. Still, that doesn't mean there aren't some great films that have come out of the country, even if they're not always easy to find in your local cinema in Bogotá. Sure,...

Forget Juanes, forget Shakira and even put down your Carlos Vives album. Systema Solar There’s far more to Colombian music than just these artists and limiting yourself to just these is to do the independent music scene an injustice. While many may have heard of Bomba Estereo and ChocQuibTown from FIFA, or their various appearances on MTV Award shows, this is just scratching the surface of what’s on offer and, as these bands get bigger, it’s getting harder and harder to...

Every culture has its ticks. Being English I spend an inordinate amount of time sitting in a pub drinking beer and an even greater amount of time avoiding social awkwardness. I can't hug well and it takes me over two sentences to ask someone to move ('excuse me, terribly sorry to interupt. Would it be at all possible for you to just move ever so slightly to the left so that I can pass? Thank you kindly'). Even so, the things...

If you ask travelers what they think of the food in Colombia, you’ll most likely get a mixed response. Some claim Colombia’s cuisine is the perfect match of quantity and quality while others are put off by the lack of nuance. For sure, refined, delicate gastronomy isn’t Colombia’s strong point but natural, big and unprocessed meals are.A lot also depends on where you go. People can stay in a city like Bogotá for weeks without hitting the right restaurants in Colombia,...

It's no secret that Latinos know how to party, and Colombians are no exceptions. Whether they're swigging from a bottle of Aguardiente, shaking their hips to salsa or merely singing really loud in public, the urge to let loose is rarely actually kept inside. This love of a good time extends to the country's calender, which is full of opportunities to drink and dance; sometimes these opportunities are known as festivals. Colombia's festivals are world-famous, and well worth planning your entire...