Fun fact#674
Colombia has two oceans
Colombia is the only South American country with coastlines on both the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Colombia
The only South American country with two oceans, and a river that turns red for a few months a year.
8 entries · 4 stories, 4 fun facts
Colombia at a glance
The practical numbers, before the stories.
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Currency
- Colombian peso (COP)
- Official language
- Spanish; indigenous languages co-official in their territories
- Climate
- Determined by altitude rather than season - hot on both coasts, spring-like in Medellín, cool in Bogotá at 2,640 m.
- Best time to go
- December–March and July–August
- Time zone
- UTC−5, no daylight saving
- Driving side
- Right
- Plugs and voltage
- Type A / B, 110 V
Worth knowing: The only South American country with coastline on both the Caribbean and the Pacific.
Planning a trip to Colombia
The decisions that determine whether the trip works, whichever country you are going to.
Colombia is the only country in South America with coastline on both the Caribbean and the Pacific. Caño Cristales turns red for part of the year because of an aquatic plant, mixing with green moss and yellow sand to produce something that photographs badly and looks unreal in person.
Every Sunday, Bogotá closes more than 100 kilometres of road to cars and hundreds of thousands of people cycle and skate through the city. The entries here also include the coffee farmer who shows you what a hand-picked kilo earns him and then what a cup costs in London, and does not seem angry about it.
Entries from Colombia
Fun fact#675
Colombia grows most of the world's emeralds
Colombian mines have long supplied the majority of the world's fine emeralds, prized for their deep green.
Fun fact#677
Bogota closes streets on Sundays
Ciclovia shuts over 100 kilometres of road to cars every Sunday, and hundreds of thousands of people cycle and skate.
Fun fact#680
Colombia has a river of five colours
An aquatic plant turns Cano Cristales red for a few months a year, mixing with green moss and yellow sand.
Story#767
Cartagena heat
We walked the walls at three in the afternoon like idiots. At seven, the same walls were full of people, music and lemonade sellers, and we understood the schedule.
Story#771
Coffee farm arithmetic
The farmer showed us how much a hand-picked kilo earns him and then what a cup costs in London. He wasn't angry about it, which somehow made it worse.
Story#775
Sunday cycling
A hundred kilometres of road closed to cars. Families, racers, a man with a parrot on his handlebars, and free bike repair stands every few kilometres.
Story#777
The lost city trek
Four days, seven river crossings and 1,200 mossy steps at the end. The guide's family had lived there for generations and he gave the tour partly in his own language.
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