Colombia is known all over the world, but not necessarily for good reasons. However, this beautiful tropical country is beginning to show it has so much more to offer than that, and slowly but surely it's becoming a very popular tourist destination. This being said there are definitely a few things you need to... know before you go!

1. Don't Ask For Brazilian Coffee.
Colombia and Brazil both produce good coffee, Colombia's is richer and more acidic and Brazil's has a smoother flavor. If you dislike Colombian coffee and prefer Brazilian coffee, don't ask for it, the chances that they even have it in Colombia are low and even if they do, asking for it would be offensive, you might as well go to Spain and say you prefer Italian olive oil then go to Italy and say you prefer "American" pizza and then go to America and tell everyone that you think basketball is stupid.

2. Don't Ask For Directions.
Yes, this one may seem odd but it seems that in Colombia, and indeed a lot of Latin countries if you ask someone how to get to a certain place, they would rather make up an answer than admit that they don't know where it is. You can overcome this by either asking 2 or 3 different people for the same directions to see if they give the same response or using the GPS on your phone. But. Be careful taking out your phone in public, because...

3. Don't Dar Papaya.
Dar papaya is a Colombian expression that translates "To Give Papaya", it basically means to give an opportunity.
Flashing your phone, or expensive watch, wallet or cash is basically showing people whether you are worth mugging or not. Simply put, if you don't show people you have a papaya, no one with try to rob it from you.

4. Don't Hail A Cab At Night.
Ok, so it's not as bad as the media makes you think, hailing a cab doesn't mean you're going to automatically get kidnapped or mugged, but why take the risk? especially if you're alone. If you need a cab use a Taxi app or ask the bar or hotel you're in to call one for you.

5. Don't Refuse A Shot.
Aguardiente or "Burning Water" is a strong local spirit that is taken as a shot. If someone offers you a shot they are generally not trying to get you drunk or take you on an all-night bar crawl.
Aguardiente is taken in a similar way as you would take a nip of whiskey from a hip flask or a brandy to calm your nerves. The offer of a shot is one of friendship, a "Come and warm yourself by the fire" type of gesture, and to refuse it may be taken as an offense, or at the very least, a cold shoulder.

6. Don't Rush.
Before you even get on the plane to Colombia, change your mindset!
In Colombia punctuality is flexible, and being half an hour late, isn't considered being late at all!
Don't plan your days to strict timetables because you are guaranteed to be let down, transport will be late and a guide may not be there when you planned. Relax! Make your timetable flexible, don't pack too much into each day and if someone is late, get a drink at a nearby bar while you wait, remember, you're on vacation!

7. Don't Forget The Suncream And A Brolly.
Two things you should always have on you are suncream and an umbrella. Colombia has a tropical climate and so it's prone to sudden rainstorms, always carry an umbrella or a waterproof jacket with you so you aren't caught out.
Despite having a tropical climate Colombia is actually colder than you may think especially if you are in the mountains instead of on the coast. This being said even if you are in the mountains and it is cooler, always put on suncream, being at higher altitudes means that even though it's cold the sun will still burn you.

8. Don't Eat The Thick Arepas.
Arepas are a type of local cornbread that is served virtually everywhere. However, you may notice that the ones served in the restaurants are thick and look like balls of dough and the locals tend to leave them on their plates untouched. This is because the thick ones are normally still raw inside and nowhere near as nice as the slightly burnt, thin, and crispy ones served in the stalls.

9. Don't Expect Them To Speak English.
Despite receiving a large number of English-speaking tourists, Colombia's English speaking proficiency is actually pretty low. Don't go there expecting people to understand you or to go out of their way to try to. You are visiting their country and therefore you should have to adapt, not them!

10. Don't Just Queue Up.
In shops or other areas where you see a queue and then other people hanging around, don't just stand in the queue, first ask, "Quien es el Ultimo?" "Who is the last?" the person who responds is the one who is in front of you in the queue, if someone else comes in and asks the same question, you respond "Soy yo" "I am" and so on and so on. This is generally done in places where it's not possible to form a long orderly queue.

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