Guide to Cali

But for tourists or those organizing Incentives, the city is especially known for its surroundings and the myriad things to see, as well as being the capital of “rumba,” the street party, the dance and salsa.” Los caleños, the inhabitants of Cali, have developed a playful and hedonistic culture, in harmony with the natural landscape and country life. It is said that in Cali feet are not used for walking, but only for dancing …… and in Cali in August the World Salsa Festival takes place, featuring over 5000 dancers from dance schools around the world.
Located at 1003 m, between the Central and Western Andes Mountain Ranges, it enjoys a pleasant climate that has earned it the nickname of “city of eternal spring.” The climate is tropical-equatorial and the temperature ranges between 26°C and 34°C. The lows are almost never below 19°C. The dry season goes from December to March and from July to August. The rains occur from April to June.
Founded in 1536 during the colonial period, it has lost much of its ancient heritage over the years to make way for a modern city, but in Cali you come – besides for business because it is well equipped for events – also for the “movida” and music. Here the chivas were born, a very colorful bus without windows where Colombians and tourists board to party. On board there is music and percussionists who play throughout the route. The Chiva stops in squares and in front of hotels to pick up locals and tourists and then head to the salsa nightclubs in the most characteristic neighborhoods of the city.
The historic center includes various churches built in different styles: Iglesia de la Merced; the church and cloister of the Clarisse, Iglesia de San Francisco, and Iglesia de San Antonio, built on a hill with a beautiful panoramic view of the city. The most typical neighborhood is SAN ANTONIO. For shopping, the commercial centers CHIPICHAPE, UNICENTRO, JARDIN PLAZA should be visited.
On Sundays, the caleños (the inhabitants of Cali) all move to the countryside to bathe in the various rivers surrounding the city, especially the Rio Pance. At night they are all devoted to the worship of dance and in nearby Juanchito, (on the outskirts of Cali) the humble local venues of the mulatto area have today become true “dancehalls” very popular with tourists and locals.
Airport. Cali’s airport – Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport (CLO) – is located in the municipality of Palmira, 5 minutes north of the city. It is the second busiest airport in Colombia for passenger traffic and the fourth for cargo traffic. You can also get to Cali by car via the Pan-American highway. The journey takes 8/10 hours because you have to cross the Central Mountain Range. An important tunnel is under construction that will save a lot of time. The city is easy to get around thanks to an extensive transportation network: 43 thousand public service vehicles, including taxis, buses, busetas (small buses), and colectivos.