After launching my Panama website, PTY Life, over five years ago I am ready to expand, and the next city is Bogotá, Colombia! Visit my new website Bogotivo.com for the best places to eat, drink, party, and sleep in Colombia’s cool capital city.
After returning to Panama City after another countless trip to Bogotá, this has become a destination that I’m loving more and more as I dig deeper. It isn’t a city most people click with when they visit Colombia, as Cartagena and Medellín tend to be the favorites (I’ll admit that I didn’t love it after my first visit). Bogotá is often described as a harsh city, and it seems that way at first glance. It can feel cold, gritty, and overwhelming with a population of over 8 million people! However, Bogotá is a city with secrets to be discovered.
My new website Bogotivo (bogotivo.com) is my insider guide on the best places to eat, drink, party, and sleep in Bogotá, Colombia. The name Bogotivo is a combination of the words Bogotá and the Spanish word Nativo (native) because I want visitors to feel like a native when they visit Bogotá and for locals to discover new things to love about their own city like I have done with PTY Life. But don’t worry! I will still mostly be based in Panama and writing articles for PTY Life while making frequent trips to Bogotá to scout out content for new articles.
So why would I launch a blog in Colombia while still living in Panama? There are a couple reasons this makes sense.
Easily Accessible From Panama City
From Panama City, Bogotá is just a little over an hour flight. You can either fly from the main Tocumen International Airport using Copa or Avianca for around $250 round-trip or it’s super cheap to fly on the budget airlines Wingo or Viva Colombia from the Panama Pacifico Airport for as low as $120 round-trip making it a favorite getaway for Panamanians. So as a resident or visitor to Panama City, Bogotá can be a quick and affordable getaway to combine with your stay.
A Change Of Climate
In Panama City, there are two seasons: hot and humid without rain and then hot and humid with rain. I love living in a city that’s hot all year, but sometimes I need a break from it. In Bogotá, it’s jacket weather all year with the temperature averaging High 68°F (20°C) / Low 46°F (8°C). While I wouldn’t want to live in this climate year-round, it’s definitely a nice change.
The Gastronomic Scene
Bogotá offers an innovative food scene and they even have an entire neighborhood dedicated just to eating (Zona G or Gastronomic Zone). I love to eat and Bogotá is a city where you could try a different restaurant every day and still not get to them all. I also find that eating out at a high-end restaurant in Bogotá can often be about half the price as I would spend in Panama City.
Unique Places To Shop
Bogotá is an incredibly hip and edgy city where you’ll that the locals like to express themselves with what they are wearing. And where are they getting all of these cool clothes? Possibly from an emerging scene of their own local independent designers. In Bogotá, you can find one of a kind items to bring back home and I find that the prices are very reasonable for the quality you are getting.
The Nightlife
Bogotá has massive nightclubs, rooftop bars, speakeasies, music, concerts, breweries, cocktail bars, and more. For anyone that likes to spend a weekend out late at night, this is an amazing destination. Plus a night out at Andrés Carne de Res is something to add to your bucket list.
Not Touristy (Yet)
As Colombia has gotten safer over the years, it has caused a boom in tourism. Every time I visit Medellín I feel like see another few hostels that have opened and more foreigners walking around than ever. However, the rest of the world hasn’t realized how cool Bogotá is yet and tourism seems to be growing here at a much slower pace (and I like it that way).
Visit Bogotivo.com
If you’re ready to plan a trip to Bogotá, visit Bogotivo.com for the best places to stay, cool coffee shops to visit, nightlife spots, unique tours, and more! You can also follow @Bogotivo on Instagram or Facebook for the latest updates.
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