A Digital Nomad Guide to Cali

Cali Visa

Citizens of some countries need to present a visa to enter as tourists, which can be obtained at the Colombian consulates.

People with passports from the following countries don’t need a visa to enter and stay temporarily as tourists: Albania, Germany, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Former Yugoslav Republic and Macedonia, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Bhutan, Canada, Czech (Republic), Chile, Cyprus, Korea (Republic of), Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United States of America, Estonia, Fiji, Philippines, Finland, France, Georgia, Grenada, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Iceland, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands , Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, New Zealand, Netherlands, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru , Poloni a, Portugal, Qatar, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Dominican Republic, Romania, Russia (Federation of), Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, Saint Marino, Saint Lucia, Holy See, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Serbia , Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela. Holders of Hong-Kong passports – SARG China, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Taiwan-China, Nicaraguan nationals who prove that they are natives of the Autonomous Region of the North Caribbean Coast and the Autonomous Region of the Caribbean Coast South.

Nationals of Cambodia, India, Nicaragua, Myanmar, the People’s Republic of China, Thailand and Vietnam can enter Colombia and remain temporarily in the national territory without a visa and provided that they prove:

• Be holders of a residence permit from a State of the Schengen Area or the United States of America.
• Be holders of the Schengen visa or the visa of the United States of America with a minimum validity of 180 days at the time of entry into the national territory.
• For Nicaraguan nationals, this permit also applies if they prove that they are Canadian visa holders or have a Canadian residence permit.

People with passports from the following countries require a visa to enter Colombian territory: Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Benin, Belarus, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Egypt , Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lesotho, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Mauritius , Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Thailand, Tanzania, Tajikistan, East Timor, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

If the traveler’s reasons for entering the country are study or work, he must apply for a visa or permit at the Colombian consulate accredited in his/her country of origin.

Before traveling, it is recommended to consult with the closest consular or diplomatic agent, the procedures and requirements demanded by Colombian laws in each case, since the information may change.

Culture and Food in Cali

Cali will surprise you with its exquisite food. The gastronomic area is located in the Granada neighborhood, although if you go on a budget I do not recommend it so much. Another traditional place to eat in Cali and more favorable for your pocket, is the Alameda Gallery, a popular and simple place with a gastronomic offer focused on seafood. In the same way, throughout the city, there is a varied offer of typical restaurants as well as national and international food at a very good price.

The most popular recommended dishes are: Sancocho de gallina, pork chop, Arroz arroz atollado, empanadas, aborrajado valluno, pandebono, pandeyucas, marranitas, manjarblanco, lulada, champús and cholado. Champús are my favorite ones. It is an acidic drink, made from pineapple and lulos pulp, which is not completely whipped, so it contains pieces of fruit.

Among the best places to eat is El Escudo Del Quijote (Calle 4 Oeste no 3-46). Her cook, María Claudia Zarama, cooks from the heart. Here you can enjoy a beer with green bananas stuffed with pork rinds and chili with yogurt from the Andean farm. Also, grilled octopus with native potatoes and smoked trout tortellini.

Platillos Voladores (Av 3 norte no 7-19) has that identification with the tastes, secrets and techniques of Cali. Among those recommended is the “asofrinada” shrimp soup with coconut, coastal cheese and pasta shells. Also, the fillet covered in chontaduro sauce and chili jam.

Antigua Contemporanea (Carrera 10 Calle 2 corner, San Antonio) has an exotic decoration shop where you can dive among oriental sculptures, small bridges, huge fountains and Buddhas. The restaurant, behind, has a mix of Asian, African and European design in a colonial style house with a beautiful garden. Here I recommend you to try the fresh salmon from the house.

Pura Casta (Calle 16a no 123-00, Pance) is possibly the best meat restaurant in town. It is one of the most acclaimed restaurants in Cali, with 27 years of serving the best cuts of meat. In the background, behind the grill, Manuel Orbes directs the barbecue.

Authentic and deep flavors of these lands are served in the wooden dishes at Domingo Mercado de Vereda (Calle 4 Oeste no 50). I recommend you try the spiced chicken and the pork belly in pastrami that will surprise you the most.

If what you prefer is a rich Colombian coffee with the traditional pandebono, you can go to KUTY Panaderías (Calle 27N Avenida 6).

Bon Appetit!

Cali Nightlife

The party air is mostly felt on Sixth Avenue (Sexta Avenida). Here you will find many bars and clubs to dance salsa, merengue, cumbia, tropical music and bachata. But Cali is a city that has options for everyone, those who like rock, pop and electronic music will also find places to have a good time. Some of the more traditional nightclubs are: Living Night Club, La Topa Tolondra, Eliptica Club, Son Caribe Club, and La Pérgola Clandestina.

La Tiendita (Carrera 4 # 2 Oeste-2) is a small place with five spaces, between a terrace and three internal rooms. The predominant music is Crossover. You can also enjoy a wide variety of food and spirits.

Among the bars, try Bourbon St. Pub, Rock City Bar, El Viejo Barril, Dublin Bar Rock, and Punto Baré.

In Sagsa (Calle 15 Norte n ° 9 – 16) you will find a dance floor where you can dance salsa, vallenato, merengue, reggaeton and electronica, among other rhythms.

Cali is one of the world’s best places to dance salsa. You can’t miss MalaMaña Salsa Bar, Cimarrón, El Rincón de Heberth, and Casa Latina.

Things to do in Cali

The first activity you can do in Cali is to walk and look at the buildings in its historic center. You can visit the Plazoleta de San Francisco, the church and archaeological museum of La Merced, the famous Calle de la Escopeta, Plaza de Caicedo, National Palace, Poets Park, Jorge Isaacs Theater, La Ermita Church, Coltabaco Building and the Ortiz Bridge. Most of these sites have been declared a National Monument, due to their great historical and architectural value.

You can also visit Boulevard del Río which has a series of cat sculptures. Located on the banks of the left bank of the river, is the famous River Cat, which is a giant sculpture of a cat that has become an icon of the city. It measures 3,50 meters high, 3,40 meters wide and weighs 3 tons. The sculpture is accompanied by 15 other figures of cats distributed in this walk, which were made by different artists.

In the plaza Jairo Varela you will find a giant trumpet, in which if you stand under his cones you can hear the best-known salsa songs from Jairo. Jairo Varela is the greatest exponent of salsa, who, despite not having been born in this city, developed his entire musical career there. The area is also full of cafes and restaurants to rest after a day of walking.

The Cerro de Cristo Rey is located on the road to the sea and was inaugurated in 1953. From there you will have the opportunity to see one of the best panoramic views of the city. It has a large image of Christ with a height of 26 meters. Once up the hill, in addition to the monument there is a chapel, a restaurant, a parking lot and various stalls of crafts and traditional food.

The Cerro de las Tres Cruces can be climbed on foot. There are several points to climb but it is recommended to do it from the entrance of the Bataclan ecological park and preferably on Sunday because it is safer. On Sundays a lot of people go there to work out. The journey on foot is approximately half an hour and the distance is 1,5 kilometers. You can also go up in private transport.

Located on the hill of the same name, Mirador de Sebastián de Belalcázar is a place to observe the city from above. On weekends you will find musicians and artists.

San Antonio neighborhood, located in the west of the city, is an area that is characterized by its colorful houses of colonial architecture with windows and wooden balconies and an art deco design from the 30s. The chapel of San Antonio is one of the architectural jewels of the city. It is located in the middle of a square, with a terrace with panoramic views. I recommend going at sunset to observe the colors of the sky and enjoy the breeze. If you go on the weekend, you can enjoy the shows of storytellers who delight visitors with their stories between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm. In the neighborhood there are also many cafes, bars and restaurants serving traditional and international food.

La Loma de la Cruz, located on the hill of the same name on 5th Street between Carreras 14 and 16, is an artisan park in which there is a complete exhibition and sale of handicrafts from both, Colombian and Latin American artists. It has 3 squares, in which in addition to the sale of handicrafts, you can enjoy workshops and cultural, musical, folkloric and children’s presentations. It is an ideal place to visit with the family.

If you are in Cali between December 25 and 30, you can go to the Cali Fair. With activities such as bullfights, gastronomic fairs, salsa festivals, international concerts with the greatest exponents of this rhythm, a parade of classic cars, among other things, the fair attracts a large number of tourists every year eager to know one of the most important musical events in the world.

You can also leave the city to get to know Dapa, in the municipality of Yumbo, about 45 minutes from the city of Cali. It offers beautiful landscapes to relax, a pleasant climate and a variety of restaurants. Among the activities that can be done in Dapa are horse riding, bird watching and children’s games.

To change the weather, 30 minutes from Cali is Km 18 where there are several restaurants and hotels. Here you can drink the famous hot panela water with cheese, since compared to the capital it is quite cold. Km 18 is one of the most visited sites by locals on Friday and Saturday nights.

If you like to enjoy nature, I recommend San Cipriano. It is a nature reserve with several trails and two waterfalls that are part of a spectacular river with crystal clear water. San Cipriano Nature Reserve is located in the Córdoba sector, three hours away from Cali by car. It has 8.564 hectares and approximately 3 kilometers of conservation areas. To get there, once in the access sector, you must take a transport called “brujitas”. It is a rudimentary transport, since they are tables with wheels dragged by a motorcycle, in which they take you through the rails of the train. Day trips depart from Cali that include transportation, food, entrance, guide and walk.

From San Cipriano you can travel 17 kilometers more to Buenaventura and take the boats to the beaches of the Colombian Pacific. In the beaches of Juanchaco and Ladrilleros you can enjoy the sea and the sun.

Best Time to Visit Cali

One aspect of Colombia that surprises foreigners is the uniformity of its climate throughout the year. This is because the country is located in the equatorial zone, so the hours at which the sun rises or night falls do not change so much, and the four seasons are not experienced as in most countries in the world. The climate of Colombia consists of dry seasons, which go from December to January and from July to August, and rainy seasons, from April to May and from October to November.

Cali has the tropical savanna climate. It is hot every month, both in the dry and wet seasons. The average annual temperature in Cali is 20,5 °C and the precipitation is 3.298 mm. Cali has a significant amount of rain during the year with an average humidity above 80%. July is the month where it rains the least, May the hottest and November the one with the most rain and the least hot. However, during the year, average temperatures vary only by 0,7 °C.

Prepare your luggage with summer clothes and raincoats!

Cali for Families

If you move with children to Cali, you will have two main concerns: their safety and education. Being a cheap city, the expenses to consider are mainly those of imported products that you want for them, private health insurance and the bilingual or international school.

As in other cities on the continent, your children must be supervised at all times when they leave their home. It is convenient to live in secure gated communities where they will have the freedom to walk the streets alone. However, they can also play with their new friends at their houses as social invitations are common.

State education is in Spanish and does not have a good level. Being one of the largest cities in the country, Cali also has bilingual and international schools in different languages, although especially in English. Although they will be more isolated in a sector of society, they will receive a first-rate education.

Living in Cali

Cali Transportation

Cali offers the possibility of moving easily with its transportation system. Keep in mind that Colombian cities are not 100% safe, so it is always advisable to move from one place to another one with legal or verified means of transport.

The MIO is a means of transport made up mostly of buses, which operates within the city through already established routes. It is without a doubt the most efficient form of transportation in Cali. It currently has 8 different routes that cover most of the city and its vehicles look quite new. The cost of a single trip costs about half a dollar. I recommend you, if you are going to use this system, to first study the map of the city and familiarize yourself with the routes and the different areas. To enter the stations or board a bus on the street, you must have a MIO card recharged with the value of the ticket. The system allows you to integrate with other buses that enter all neighborhoods or integrate your trip with the MIO CABLE that covers the hillside area or other places that are difficult to access.

There is always the option of taking a taxi, which is an easy way to make short trips within the city. The taxis in Cali are yellow and they have a taximeter machine that tells you how much you need to pay for the journey. The taxi meter starts at 4.800 Colombian pesos (1.25 USD). It is possible to approach them on the street but it is not recommended. It is safer to call the company that coordinates them and you will receive a verification code, the driver’s name and the license plate of the vehicle that will pick you up at your destination.

For longer journeys, the land transport terminal is located in the north of the city and brings together the best inter-municipal transport companies and more than 3.500 buses. Some companies even provide transportation service to other countries such as Ecuador and Peru to connect with other international destinations.

The remodeled Alfonso Bonilla Aragón international airport is located outside of Cali about 30 minutes from the city center, it has important well-known airlines such as Avianca, Latam, American Airlines, Copa and the new low-cost airline Viva Colombia that offers cheap national and international flights. It is a pretty small airport with not much to do in. Close your suitcases well with padlocks because every so often one arrives open and with half of the belongings and it is difficult to make claims.

Fitness and Health

Colombians are sports lovers and you can find a wide variety of activities from trekking to mountain biking. However, if you prefer to stay within the city, you will also find a large number of well-equipped gyms.

Spinning Center Gym (48-177, Av. Joaquín Borrero Sinisterra # 48-1, Cali) is a network of gyms that provide exercise services, machines, tapes and weights among other things. It also has exclusive services for medical consultation, sports doctor and nutrition.

Fitness Point Cali is a Gym where customer service is the priority. There you will find suitable facilities to attend the area of ​​bodybuilding, Functional and CrossFit.

Fitness Point (Carrera 85A # 14-11 Pisos 2 Y 3 B, Cali) has group classes of various exercise activities, physiotherapy and other services. It also has a cafeteria, lockers and private parking.

Fitness24Seven (Av. 6a # 24 Norte – 41, Cali) is an important national network of gyms with three locations in the city of Cali. They provide various services ranging from weight machines to personal training with an instructor. They also have group routines.

BODYTECH (Cale 5 # 69-9, Cali) is a great network of gyms located nationwide that has infrastructure, machines, and especially specialized personnel for the athlete.

Thomas Gym (Local 78, Carrera 56 # 18A-80, Cali) is a physical conditioning center that offers a variety of services such as TRX classes, crossfit, aerobics, rumba, spinning, abdomen, Pilates, jump, among others.

You can also try Gym Pro (Carrera 30 ### 7-22, Cali) and Atletic Fitness Gym (Carrera 66 # 2c46, Cali), both with modern machinery and adequate facilities.

Cali People

The culture of Valle del Cauca is the result of a long history, many changes and a special mix between the races and customs of the pre-Hispanic indigenous people, African slaves, Spanish settlers and immigrants from other Colombian departments.

Since colonial times, an identity of its own was formed among the inhabitants of the territory, regardless of their origins. Valle del Cauca has taken on customs typical of other departments, brought by immigrants from Antioquia, Tolima and Nariño.

Salsa, both as music and dance, is the most notorious cultural representation of this region. There they live a true passion for salsa, which springs from the moment they learn to walk. Caleños are classified as the best salsa dancers and Cali is known as the Salsa Capital of the World.

The food, the rivers, the sauce, the climate… There are many reasons that make Caleños smile every day. Despite the daily problems of living in a city that is growing more and more, the capital of Valle del Cauca is, without a doubt, a city full of happiness. In addition, the cultural mix from which the people of Cali are the result generates a greater predisposition to receive other cultures. Here you will notice that most people smile at you and fill you with joy. However, be careful because just as there are good people there are also hitmen and thieves that you should be careful of. Always have your belongings in a good grip and be careful with small motorcycles with two passengers.

Equally, they tend to be confident but live in the culture of magical realism that is so much talked about. The attachment to live in community and family is stronger than in other regions of the country and you will see that they usually visit the family every week as well as their friends. Community Life is extremely important to them. However, they welcome newcomers with open arms and it is not difficult to join a new group.

In addition to being happy, Cali people love to party, dance and nightlife; therefore prepare to sleep little, work less and enjoy more.

Cali Insurance and Medical Care

Colombia is known in Latin America for providing good health care at a relatively affordable price. It has more than a thousand hospitals and clinics. They provide more than 53.000 hospital beds and perform more than 772.000 surgical procedures. The country’s hospitals can be divided into public and private, with 68% public hospitals and 32% private.

When ranked against all countries in the world for its health care, Colombia ranks as impressive 22nd in a World Health Organization (WHO) ranking. However, the public system has many shortcomings and it is recommended to pay for a private plan.

Although the best hospitals are in Bogotá, the recommended hospitals in Cali are: Clínica Centri Imbanco (Carrera 38 N. 5A-100), Clínica De Occidente (Calle 18 no 534), Clínica Fundación (Valle de Lili Carrera 98 N. 18 -49).

In 1993, Colombia ratified a new constitution that made health a basic human right for both Colombians and foreigners. This provides three types of health coverage:

• El Sistema de Selección de Beneficiarios para Programas Sociales (SISBEN): This is free medical care that is subsidized by the government and is only available to very poor Colombians.
• Entidades Promotoras de Salud (EPS): The EPS is mandatory for all residents.
• Prepaid Medicine: To take advantage of the private health system or to be able to pay for extras, it is recommended to take out private insurance.

Therefore, medical care in Colombia is only free for residents who need it the most, everyone else must pay the national system and decide if they want private insurance.

The EPS, which must be paid by both Colombians and residents, has a monthly premium of 12.5% ​​of a person’s gross monthly income. If you have no Colombian income, the cost of using EPS is that percentage of the minimum wage, which equates to around 36 USD per month. For employees of a Colombian company, the company must pay 2/3 of the premium, while employees are responsible for 1/3.

EPS only provides individuals with the most basic health care services, and it is recommended that supplemental private insurance be purchased as well. However, many private plans require you to have EPS to purchase the private plan. Private plans range from 150 to 350 USD, and the cost depends on many factors, including age and health.

Make sure you are fully covered by reading our full Digital Nomad Travel Insurance guide.

Jobs in Cali

The average salary in Colombia is 237 USD per month therefore it is not a popular destination to find a job. In addition, most of the international companies that you can apply to from abroad are located in Bogotá and Cali is not usually an option.

However, speaking English bilingual can guarantee a salary of more than three times the average. Likewise, the Colombian service sector is constantly in need of bilingual or English-speaking workers. From hostels to B2C and B2B, employment options are wide.

Some of Colombia’s more cosmopolitan cities like Medellín, Cali and Bogotá are now becoming tech startup hubs. Although if you are a developer it will always be more convenient to work remotely from Cali to employers from other countries.

However, the most popular job among foreigners in Cali is teaching English. Private and international schools are the ones that pay the best and also working for them is relatively easy to get a working visa.

There are a host of job websites containing a range of Spanish and English speaking jobs in the area like Computrabajo (a leading job portal in Latin America in Spanish), Indeed (it has some bilingual jobs and it alerts you when new opportunities arise by email), XPATJobs (it offers useful tips on adapting your CV to suit what employers are looking for).

Check out our Digital Nomads Jobs Postings to find the best jobs available for Digital Nomads.