I just came back from a brilliant weekend visit to Cali, my first time in the lovely southern Colombian city. I am thoroughly converted to Cali’s charms, and can’t wait to go back. But for now, to satisfy those urges, and encourage you to visit too, here’s a Top 5 list of what you have to do on a trip to Cali…
1. Work those hips! Dance salsa…
No trip to Cali is complete without taking a turn on the dancefloor to the sounds of Cali’s most famous export – salsa! Any hostel worth its salt in Cali will offer a free 1 hour salsa class with an expert local dancer, so loosen up your hips and dive in! I was pretty rubbish by local standards, but it’s great fun, and a uniquely Cali-style experience. Then, come sundown, brush off your smartest shirt and head out on the town to put your moves in action – I visited a brilliant little salsa bar called El Rincon, and, whilst my skills were the subject of some laughter from my companions, spinning around a packed dancefloor to the tunes of Willie Colon and Hector Levoe will go down as one of my top Colombian experiences.
2. Be a kid again – visit the Zoo…
The Cali Zoo is one of the best in Latin America, and this reputation is clearly deserved. Keep an eye on the blog for a more detailed post on the Zoo coming up, but let me just say that the Cali Zoo is everything a good one should be: educational, interactive, and heavily focused on the conservation of Colombia’s incredibly diverse selection of wildlife. And for just 20.000 COP with a free hot-dog, drink and ice-cream, you’ll feel like a kid again….which is rarely a bad thing!
3. Take a walking tour (remember the sunscreen)
Again, most hostels will offer this service, and it’s a great way to see the best parts of Cali. The old-town of San Antonio has some beautiful churches and historic buildings, all located reasonably close together. A personal favourite was the church of San Antonio on the hillside of a pretty park, boasting a stunning view over the city. Just don’t forget a hat and some sunscreen – this isn’t Bogota, it’s hot here!
4. Eat!
Normally I wouldn’t be in favour of gluttony, but I’ll make an exception for Cali: the city boasts some delicious local snacks and treats, all available on the street for an eye-wateringly good price! Grab some empanaditas, marranitos, pandebono and aborrajado, and wash them down with a lulada or a glass of champus. Cali boasts some of Colombia’s most lip-smacking snack food.
5. Spend a Sunday at the Rio Pance
For a real local experience in Cali, head 40 minutes out of the city centre on a Sunday to the Rio Pance, a gorgeous river, boasting clean, fresh water, perfect for swimming in. This is what calenos do, and if you go there, you’ll be joined by hundreds of local people, all enjoying a BBQ, a beer and some welcome respite from the Cali heat. Cali folk are delightful company and as friendly as they come, so it’s a great chance to enjoy a real local tradition, and chat with some fun people. Again, remember the sunscreen…the redness of my shoulders can attest to this!
If you have any questions about visiting Cali, or any more recommendations, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at See Colombia Travel.
Chris
Diseño Web en Cali on
Muy rico el Shampus y una empanada en el rio, felicitaciones amigo por el post.
adriana on
me parece muy importante que muchas de las personas que vienen a visitar a nuestro hermoso país se enamore de las maravillosas ciudades que aquí se encuentran, que muchas personas que nos visitan por primera vez hablen de lo que aprendieron y conocieron eso demuestra que no solamente basta con escuchar sino que hay venir hasta estas hermosas ciudades para compartir y vivir cada una de estas experiencias.