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Voykit pocket guide · Colombia
Choachí
Go for a half-day or full day from Bogotá: the mountain road and hot springs are the draw. One night if you want the full thermal bath and Swiss food experience.
Choachí is a small town east of Bogotá, at 1,923 m, noticeably warmer than the capital. The main reason to visit is the scenic mountain road that leaves from downtown Bogotá, avoiding the traffic to the north and west. The town itself is quiet, with a clean main plaza, but the real attractions are the hot springs at Termales Santa Mónica and the Swiss restaurant Restaurante Suizo.
- Country
- Colombia
- Best months
- Dec–Mar, Jul–Aug
- Avoid
- Apr–May, Oct–Nov (rainy)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- COP
- Money
- Currency is the Colombian peso (COP, $). Cards work in hotels, malls and many restaurants; cash is needed for small shops, markets and rural areas.
- Daily spend
- Budget COP$70,000–100,000 excl. bed · Mid COP$100,000–180,000 excl. bed · High COP$180,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro (best coverage), Movistar and Tigo SIMs in malls and at airports; passport required and IMEI registration may apply for longer stays — check.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance, fire 123
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 110–120 V · 60 Hz · US-style plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% propina voluntaria offered on the bill.; Guides: COP 20,000–50,000 per person per day.; Taxis: Round up.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Bogotá and Medellín; drink bottled on the coast and in rural areas.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin in most places; bring tissues for bus stations.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus Bogotá–Choachí, one way | COP$7,000 |
| Sunday entry to Termales Santa Mónica | COP$20,000 |
| Meal at Restaurante Suizo | COP$25,000–45,000 |
| Coffee in town | COP$2,000–4,000 |
| Taxi from town to hot springs | COP$10,000–15,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BOG · El Dorado International Airport
- About 1.5 h by car; take a taxi or bus to the bus station on Av. Calle 6 at Av. Caracas.
Typical fares
- Bus Bogotá–Choachí
- COP$7,000, about 1 h (check)
- Taxi town centre → hot springs
- COP$10,000–15,000 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking covers the town. A taxi to the hot springs is needed for most tourists.
See and do
Known for
- Scenic mountain road from Bogotá
- Termales Santa Mónica hot springs
- Restaurante Suizo (Swiss food)
- Milder weather than Bogotá
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bogotá | Bus from Av. Calle 6 at Av. Caracas, about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Zipaquirá | Bus to Bogotá, then bus to Zipaquirá, about 2 h total | About 2.5 h |
| La Calera | Bus to Bogotá, then bus to La Calera, about 1.5 h total | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- Walking distance to the plaza, restaurants and bars.
- Termales Santa Mónica
- 5-min drive from town; hotel and restaurant on site.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-see-ahs |
| How much? | ¿Cuánto?KWAN-toh |
| Where is the bus stop? | ¿Dónde está la parada de bus?DOHN-deh es-TAH lah pah-RAH-dah deh boos |
| I would like to eat | Quisiera comerkee-SYEH-rah koh-MEHR |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, cheek kiss between women and mixed pairs; avoid: Launching into requests without a greeting
- Politeness: 'Con gusto', 'a la orden'; avoid: Blunt commands
- Topics: Coffee, football, food; avoid: Escobar jokes, drug talk
- Showing valuables: Keep phones away; avoid: 'Dar papaya'
Scams and watch-outs
- The road has large potholes; drive carefully or take the bus.
- Buses to Choachí do NOT leave from the main Bogotá bus terminal: go to Av. Calle 6 at Av. Caracas.
- Sunday entry to Termales Santa Mónica is COP$20,000 (check).
- Restaurante Suizo is open 11AM–4:30PM; plan accordingly.
Choachí is generally safe for tourists. The main risks are road conditions (potholes) and petty theft in Bogotá before boarding the bus.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Choachí yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Scenic mountain road from Bogotá
- Termales Santa Mónica hot springs
- Restaurante Suizo (Swiss food)
- Milder weather than Bogotá
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Choachí, revision 5241542 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5241542
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Choachí
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance, fire123
Most embassies are in Bogotá. The US embassy is at Carrera 45 #24B-27, Bogotá.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/choachi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.