Cali, Colombia

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Cali is one of the three big cities in Colombia (Bogota and Medellin are the other two). It's most famous for it's love of salsa music: it's one of the best places in South America (and the world) to dance Salsa. It's at a lower altitude (1000 m) and therefore warmer than Medellin or Bogota. Luckily, evening breezes will cool you off in time for the parties. Average temperature is 24 degrees Celsius. Bogota is chilly, Medellin is springtime, Cali is tropical, Cartagena is hot.

Cali is not particularly pretty in any "colonial" sense. In the middle of the city runs the Rio Cali. In the south, around Plaza de Caycedo is the historic part of the city. there are a lot of hostels in the north near Ave. 6th. To the north-east is Juanchito, the salsa district. Granada is a trendy gastronomical sector of the city with trendy restaurants, pubs and lounges. A place to visit on the weekends with lots of beautiful people and places.

Elevation: 1000 meters. | Editing history.

Places to stay:

cheap:

Guest House Iguana (4 comments) Avenida 9 N # 22N-46, close to Avenida Sexta Tel: 660 89 37 Tel: 313 768 60 24 Website: www.iguana.com.co Email: iguana_cali at yahoo dot com Cheapest night: 7 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
A great hostal run by a Swiss . It's in a converted villa in a safe area. They will store your luggage, there are salsa classes and a motorcycle parking. Singles with bathroom are 35000 COP (US$15 ), doubles 46000 COP.

Calidad House (0 comments) Calle 17N No 9AN-30 Tel: 661 2338 Cheapest night: 7 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
Calidad House, Calle 17N & Avenida 9A No.39 - Opened in 1993 by English/Colombian couple (David & Emma), This hostel is a popular hangout for backpackers. Prices range from 17,000 COP for dorm beds to 35,000 COP for a private double room. Internet, kitchen, barbeque, cable TV, 100 DVDs, washing machine, hot water (coming soon), free coffee, free towels, hammocks, 24hr reception, walking distance to South America´s best zoo (Lonely Planet) and to Colombia´s famous outdoor shopping center Chipichape, two minutes walk to Cali´s famous nightlife ¨Avenida Sexta¨ with all its pubs, discotecs & restaurants. Salsa classes, theraputic massage, and Spanish language lessons all available on premises. Periodically two free tickets (a COP56,000 value) are available in the members section for one of Colombia´s best football teams Deportivo Cali.

Cafe Tostaky (4 comments) Carrera 10 # 1-76 Tel: (572)8930651 Tel: 300 355 1650 Website: http://www.cafetostaky.blogspot.com Email: cafetostaky at gmail dot com Cheapest night: 10 US$/night. Private rooms available.
A nice new hostel run by a French and Colombian couple. Kitchen, laundry, internet etc. Single rooms are 20,000 pesos, doubles 30,000.

dragonfly (9 comments) ave 9nte 21n-30 santa monica residecial Tel: 2 400 4200 Tel: 0057 316 5544187 Email: dragonflycali at gmail dot com Email: ptj1uk at yahoo dot co dot uk Private rooms available.
Big friendly house with private rooms,swimming pool, internet,wifi, local calls, laundry all free. From 425.000 pesos to 525.000 a month or nightly 25.000 to 45.000, 10 seconds walk from Iguana hostal, 2 minutes from calidad house.

Hostal Santa Rita (0 comments) Avenida 3 Oeste # 7 - 131 Website: http://www.hostalsantarita.com/ Email: info at hostalsantarita dot com Private rooms available.
Cheap private rooms in a neo-colonial building.

Casa Blanca Hostel (2 comments) Avenida 6 bis, Calle 26n, #57, Santa Monico Residencial Tel: +57 2 396 38 49 Tel: +57 2 668 99 86 Website: www.casablancahostel.com Website: Email: booking at casablancahostel dot com Email: mike at casablancahostel dot com Cheapest night: 9 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
Located smack in the middle of the cool new city center of Cali - the sector Santa Monica - you find Casa Blanca Hostel. It's a big newly renovated house in two stories, run by a Danish - Colombian couplethat speak English, Spanish and Danish. They have dorms and private double rooms, wifi, a workout room, a shared kitchen and optional breakfast. Private rooms are 30,000 pesos, dorm beds are 17,000 pesos (ask for long term discounts).

Kaffee Erde (2 comments) Av 4 Norte #4N-79 Centenario Tel: 301 400 09 14 Tel: 2 661 5475 Website: http://www.hosteltrail.com/kaffeeerde/ Email: kaffeeerde at hosteltrail dot com Email: dojoseva at hotmail dot com Cheapest night: 6 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
A nice hostel a short 2 minute walk from the new Centenario Mall (quiet/safe area) and a 10-15 minute walk from Avenida Sexta and the Granada area. There are 7 beds in dorms for 15000 pesos per night and a room with a double bed for 30000. Discounted weekly and monthly rates are available. There's a cafe in front of the hostel and a shared kitchen. The hostel is owned and run by a mother and a daughter who live there. They make everyone who arrives feel at home and very welcome (they don't speak English, but ask for Matt if you need someone who does). Claudia, the daughter also gives free salsa lessons. No hot water (not a big deal in Cali) or laundry service.

The Pelican Larry Hostel (1 comments) calle23norte#8n-12,santa monica residencial Tel: 2 3968659 Tel: cel.315 7706 770 Website: www.pelicanlarrycali.com Email: gunty at pelicanlarrycali dot com Cheapest night: 7 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
The Pelican Larry is located in the nice neighbourhood of Santa Monica Residencial,in Cali, close to the party area. It offer the usual facilities, hot showers, and weekly Spanish classes.

K TARANTANTIN HOUSE HOSTEL (0 comments) Calle 5ta # 1-66 B/San Antonio Tel: (057) 2 - 8935150 Tel: +057 3012893406 Website: www.myspace.com/khostel Email: khostel at gmail dot com Email: cynthipi at gmail dot com Cheapest night: 8 US$/night. Dorm beds available. Private rooms available.
Is a small house, but comfortable and rlly nice hostel in an wonderfull white house. There is a city tour service, Spanish lessons and Salsa clases. The homely atmosphere makes you feel loved and welcome in this city. dorms wiht bathroom are $15 COP (US$8 ) per night and also avalaible rooms for rent in case you decide to stay long. with a special price which includes meals, laundry, toilet, and clean service in a private bedroom.

midrange:

Casa San Antonio (0 comments) Carrera 4C Oeste #2A-68B Apt.101C Barrio San Antonio Tel: home 680-2327 Tel: cell 312-852-4331 Website: Email: arthurbrode at aol dot com Email: cell 316-428-8293 Private rooms available.
Casa San Antonio is small Studio Apartment (with internet,kitchen) intended for budget travelers. It is next to the San Antonio Park/Church. In the Historical/Art district of Cali.Just a one minute walk away from the "Cafe Toasky".

Casa Toscano (0 comments) Calle 4 Norte # 1N - 41 Tel: 6603459 Website: http://www.casatoscano.com Email: reservas at casatoscano dot com Email: casa dot toscano at hotmail dot com Private rooms available.
Nice place, comfortable rooms and suites. Close to malls and airport. Internet wifi

Things to do:

Party.

Low Scale partying -Avenida Sexta is the modern party district, All scale partying - Juanchito is the place to go for salsa, but only gets rocking after midnight. Taxis to Juanchito are about 10,000 COP. In the south of Cali, around Calle 5 there's a party zone as well. Whereas in Medellin partying means drinking, in Cali partying means dancing - so put on your dancing shoes! Up scale partying - Barrio Granada where you can find some of the best cuisine in Cali and some really cool lounge bars and pubs as well. And you can find some pretty cool lounge bars/Clubs/Restaurants at Parque del Perro in Barrio San Fernando

In December, like everywhere in Colombia, Cali has more parties than ever. The Feria de Cali is a huge, multi-day party in December that starts of with a cavalcade - a horse parade where some of the riders are dressed up as Spaniards or criollos. They ride through the strech designated for the cavalcade drinking aguardiente and joking with their friends while people gather on the sidewalks to watch them. Night Clubs

* Jala Jala Cl 10A 36A-154 Menga Antigua Via Yumbo
* Praga Autopista Cali-Yumbo
* Lolas Carrera 36 10 - 20 Acopi
* Kukaramakara Calle 28N # 2 bis - 97
* Real People Ave 3 norte salida a Yumbo sector Sameco
* Blues Brothers Calle 6A No 21-40
* Alterno(alternative rock) Avenida Vasquez Cobo con 24
* Chango for Salsa(in Juanchito) safe, cross over type of music, and it is cool

In the South of Cali check out the Bar scene at "Plaza Adventura"across the street from Jardin Plaza Mall and "Palmetto Plaza" Mall for more Bars. Learn Spanish

A lot of people enjoy partying in Cali, but what do you during the day? Improve your Spanish! To find a teacher, you can ask around at the hostels, or go with an official program at one of the universities.

Universidad Santiago de Cali (http://www.usc.edu.co) has Spanish courses for foreigners, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7pm to 8:40pm.

Most travelers seem to go to the language center of Universidad Javeriana (http://www.puj.edu.co/departamento/idiomas/efe.html). They charge depending on the class size, about 10 to 15000 COP per hour, and you have to take the entire course (64 hours).

ISSO - International Student Services Org (http://www.estudiosexterior.com) offers private classes ("Spanish for life") for US$ 15/hour and semi private lessons for US$220 a month. They have centers in Cali, Medellin and Bogota and also offer their program in Barranquilla. www.estudiosexterior.com. They will offer you with a student's visa if you stay for more than 6 months.

Getting around & transportation:

Bus to Bogota is 12 hours, Medellin is 9 hours, Pasto is also 9 hours. In Cali itself, taxis and buses are plentiful.

The Rodrigo Bonilla Aragon - (Palmaseca) airport is 20 km from the city. You can take a taxi (COP 50,000) but a colectivo is just as fast (about half an hour) and much cheaper (COP 4000) that will take you to the bus terminal where you can catch a cab in the city.

To take a colectivo, go down to the doors where passengers arriving on national flights leave the airport (opposite end from international flights) - there is always a colectivo waiting. These arrive every fifteen minutes up to about nine or nine-thirty at night and go to the bus terminal in Cali.

The bus terminal is in north Cali just a few blocks from Chipichape. You can walk to the bus terminal from the center - just follow the river along Av 2N, or take a bus or taxi (US$ 2).

Buses to go to Bogota (US$ 22, 12 hours), Medellin (US$ 13, 9 hours - if you take the 10:00am bus you get to see the countryside) and Pasto (US$ 12, 9 hours). The Pasto buses can drop you off in Popayan.

Travelguides:

Some other hotels: Other places to stay

Motorcycle and ATV rentals in Cali: For the adventurer at heart

Farallones de Cali: The Farallones de Cali are a beautiful mountain range around surrounding Cali. The highest peak is 4.100 msnm (13.448 ft). There is a Natural Park (El Topacio) with a waterfall you can visit during a day trip.

List of Museums in Cali and Valle del Cauca: This website has an interesting list of museums of Cali and Valle del Cauca. If you are interested in knowing more about the history and the culture that the region has to offer check it out.

 

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tobaria (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jul 28, 2009, 16:38: A very nice place to stay is Hotel Casa Toscano. http://www.casatoscano.com Is not expensive at all. 0 funny, 0 helpful.

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