Health
Use bottled or purified water, including for brushing teeth; choose busy, hygienic restaurants and cooked-to-order food in rural areas. Mosquito-borne risks include dengue, Zika, chikungunya, malaria and yellow fever, especially in lower-elevation tropical/rural zones; use repellent and covered clothing. Bogotá and Andean areas can involve altitude, cool nights and strong sun; Caribbean/Amazon/Orinoco areas can be hot, humid and flood-affected. Carry travel insurance and use 123 for emergencies.
Vaccinations
Consult a doctor or travel clinic at least a month before travel. Be current on routine vaccines, including MMR, polio, flu, varicella, Tdap and COVID-19. CDC recommends Hepatitis A for unvaccinated travelers, Hepatitis B for many travelers, typhoid for most travelers, and malaria prevention medicine for some areas below 1,700 m, not Bogotá, Cartagena or Medellín. Yellow fever advice is itinerary-sensitive: CDC recommends it for many travelers but not for Bogotá, San Andrés/Providencia or areas above 2,300 m; CDC currently lists a yellow-fever vaccine certificate requirement for arriving travelers age 1+, while Colombia tourism notes certificates may be requested for Amazon/Orinoco, jungle Caribbean areas, parks or domestic flights. Confirm with a clinic, airline and embassy.
eSIM / connectivity
eSIM is practical in major cities if your phone is unlocked and eSIM-compatible. Local networks include Claro, Movistar, Tigo and WOM; Movistar Colombia advertises prepaid and postpaid eSIM activation online/app or in experience centers. Availability for visitors, ID checks and activation flow can vary, so confirm with the carrier before relying on arrival-day setup. Airport/city physical SIMs and international travel eSIMs remain common backups; coverage is thinner in remote jungle, mountain and island areas.
Health/vaccine info is reference only, not medical advice — consult a doctor or travel clinic; defer to CDC/WHO and official sources (as of 2026-06-20).