Popayán Services

Money & Costs

TOURISM OFFICE

The Oficina de Turismo Popayán is located on a side street, two blocks from Parque Caldas, across rom Santo Domingo church (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 2:30-6:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-noon, 2-5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Carrera 5 4-68, Tel: 09-2-824-2251 / 311-307-2299, E-mail: oficinaturismopopayan@hotmail.com, Web: www.turismopopayan.com).

Director Carmen Leonor Acosta speaks English. For any maps you might need, go to the Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi (Monday-Friday, 8-11:15 a.m., 1:30-4 p.m. Calle 3 7-08). Permits for Parque Nacional Puracé and other national parks in Southern Colombia may be obtained from Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia Surandina (Monday-Friday 8-11:30 a.m., 2-4 p.m. Carrera 9 25N-06, Tel: 09-2-823-1279 / 823-1212, Web: www.parquesnacionales.gov.co).

MONEY

Bancolombia changes only American Express travelers cheques with a small commission; come with a photocopy of your passport's front pages and entry stamp. Its ATM handles Mastercard, Visa, Amex and Cirrus (Monday-Friday 8-11:30 a.m., 2-4:30 p.m. Carrera 6 4-49, on Parque Caldas.) Santander can also do travelers cheques, and its ATM does Visa, Mastercard, Plus, Cirrus and other networks (Monday-Thursday 8-11:30 a.m., 2-4 p.m., Friday 8-11:30 a.m., 2-4:30 p.m. Carrera 6 5-52). Other banks near Parque Caldas include AV Villas and BBVA. Western Union/Giros y Finanzas is in the Centro Comercial Colonial (Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 2-6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Calle 3 and Carrera 7, Suite 208). MoneyGram/Cambiamos can be found in the Centro Comercial Rodrival (Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Carrera 7 and Calle 6, Local 9).

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Telecom charges from $0.50 and up per minute for international calls (Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-noon, 2-5:30 p.m. Carrera 4 and Calle 3). STE Telecolom offers cheaper international services, $0.30 per minute to the U.S. and $0.60 to the U.K.; it also has internet at $0.80 per hour, local phone services and prepaid phone cards (Calle 5 7-11). For inexpensive internet, head over to Carrera 5, where several businesses charge $0.60 per hour: Diseño y Estructura Jorge Velásquez y Asociados (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Carrera 5 3-21) and Intercopias (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 2-7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Carrera 5 3-31), which also has Skype. You can send that postcard to Aunt Jane from Correos de Colombia/Apostal at Calle 4 2-56 (Monday-Friday 8-11 a.m., 2-5 p.m.).

MEDICAL

Popayán has two public hospitals: Hospital Nivel II Susana López de Valencia (Calle 15 17A-196, Tel: 09-2-821-1721) and Hospital Universitario San José (Carrera 6 N-142, Tel: 09-2-823-4508). The tourism office says there are English-speaking doctors at the Clínica La Estancia, which has emergency services and specialists (Calle 15N 2-256, Tel: 09-2-823-3950 / 823-9553, E-mail: info@clinestancia.com, Web: www.clinestancia.com). Pharmacies, or droguerías, are very common, about one every block.

CAMERA

For your camera and needs, most shops are located on Carrera 7 or Calle 5 in the center of town. Compact flash cards can be difficult to find; try Foto Morillo, which has five outlets (Main store: Monday-Saturday 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Carrera 7 4-80, on Parque Caldas, Tel: 09-2-8240355).