1

Hello Welcome to Colombia

According with your answers:

The best guide tour is Lonely planet has many facts about the places in South America.

Bogotá to Popayán = 10 hour by bus the tickets you can see in Expreso Bolivariano - www.bolivariano.com.co -
costs 40 dollars ( 80000 pesos).
= by plane is 50 mins there 2 daily flights Bogota- Popayán, you can see in www.avianca.com
the tickets costs 200 dollars ( 400000 pesos)

The sim card is easy get costs 2.5 dollar ( 5000 pesos) Claro card is most expensive but is the best network, Movistar is better. There a a simcard Uff costs 7.5 dollars ( 15000 pesos) but you have 60 mins and internet service.

If you want go to Sucre you can search in www.despegar.com, there are not direct flights from Bogotá to Sucre, you must go to La paz and there flight to Sucre.

When you stay in Popayán, I can help you showing you the city and suggest you cheapers hotels.

Send me a message.

Good Journey, Mánuel.

.

2

What airlines do you recommend to get from Bogota to Sucre, Bolivia (perhaps with Aercon, Amazoa or Aerosur) or at least into Salta, Argentina?

There aren't direct flights from Bogotá to Sucre. The best way would be to purchase two different tickets: 1) from Bogotá to La Paz 2) from La Paz to Sucre. If you want and have the time, you could go overland from La Paz to Sucre too.
Avianca is the only airline with direct flights from Bogotá to La Paz. If you don't bother to change planes along the route TACA (changing planes in Lima) could be another option.
Once in La Paz, you can take a flight to Sucre with a domestic Bolivian airline (e.g.: with Aerocon)

BTW, AFAIK, Aerosur doesn't exist/fly anymore.

3

for best info on Bogota, I recommend the Michelin Guide. Nothing on where to stay but excellent info on monuments, sights etc

4

Hello,

1) For me, the LP is the less accurate and I prefer the Footprint (very useful) or the Bradt. I bought the 3 for the preparation but use only the Footprint and the Bradt when I was there (November 1 to November 26)

2) For Villa de Leiva, the best option is to use the TransMilenio until Portal del Norte where you will catch a bus to Tunja (where you will take another one to Villa de Leiva. You need to leave the station (Portal del Norte) on the direction of Exito (shopping chain).
It takes around to three hours to Tunja. Less than hour from there to Villa de Leiva.

3) I was using a Claro SIM Card. The best place to find one is into mall or some shops (including supermarkets). Good connections but I had some problems for SMS (I don't use a Smartphone)

4) Where in Bogota? La Candelaria or other localisation as Chapinero?

Michel

5

In regard to guidebooks.

I find Lonely Planet the best all round guide book. BUT you asked in relation to sightseeing and colonial monuments. I think Frommers is the best for this, then maybe Footprint, I have have never seen a Michelin guide so do not know about this.

6

You guys are pretty cool, especially after getting reading some feedback on a separate Bolivia thread I posted. Those guys get angry quick! Ha. You guys are nice. Thanks.

1. As for that sightseeing guide, ideally for me would be a DK Eyewitness book. It basically separates the city into neighborhoods and numerically lists the sightseeing attractions along with an explanation of their importance. Which of the many guides you guys recommended is most comparable to this?

2. Do you think Villa de Leva will be fun for New Years? Do you think I will have difficulty finding an affordable and clean room? How long does it take to see all the important things (monuments) in Villa de Leva?

3. "The (Popayan) tickets costs 200 dollars." Is this 1-way or round trip?

4. Speaking of Popayan, yes, I need a clean and affordable place to sleep for a couple of nights. How do we speak more directly, perhaps skype?

5. As for that SIM card, I am only interested if the service provider includes Internet access. Which of those providers provide this?

6. Last but definitely not least is the subject of Sucre. Have you guys been? I have not. However, I have visited many Latin American great colonial gems: Cuzco, Quito, Buenos Aires (although different obviously), Ouro Preto, Rio de Janeiro (different again), Salvador in Brazil (again different), Cartagena, Guanajuato, etc. Do you personally think Sucre ranks among these places I have been to in regard to being a 'must-see' colonial destination? I only ask because I looked up Avianca Airlines and saw that the price is $754USD 1-way on a random Wednesday afternoon 1 month from now from Bogota to Santa Cruz (not even to Sucre)! Wow. Sucre is truly a difficult place to reach. Hence I am reconsidering going there unless I get some strong feedback (ultimately opinions) saying that Sucre truly ranks among South America's greatest sightseeing destinations rather than more of a place to visit ‘only if you are already in the area’. Regardless of the money involved, what do you think in regard to going out of your way to see Sucre?

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If you're a budget traveler, LP guidebooks usually cater to those best.

I loved the Cranky Croc hostel in Bogota in Candelaria. Check the reviews online. We were booked elsewhere, but switched after hearing many positive reviews while traveling around Colombia and did not regret it.