Popayán Services

Tourism Office

The Oficina de Turismo Popayán is located on a side street, two blocks from Parque Caldas, across from 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: 824-2251 / 311-307-2299, E-mail: oficinaturismopopayan@hotmail.com, URL: www.turismopopayan.com).

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: 823-1279 / 823-1212, URL: www.parquesnacionales.gov.co).

Money

Most banks are open Monday-Friday 8-11:30 a.m., 2-4 p.m. Many ATMs take Visa, Mastercard, Plus and Cirrus cards. 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 also handles AmEx cards (Carrera 6, 4-49, on Parque Caldas.) Santander can also do travelers cheques (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 (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

Many phone and internet places are closed on Sunday. For international as well as local and national calls, go to Telecom (Carrera 4 and Calle 3) or STE Telecolom (Calle 5, 7-11), which is cheaper. For inexpensive internet, head over to Carrera 5: Diseño y Estructura Jorge Velásquez y Asociados (Carrera 5, 3-21) and Intercopias (Carrera 5, 3-31), which also has Skype. You can send that postcard to Aunt Jane from Correos de Colombia 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: 821-1721) and Hospital Universitario San José (Carrera 6, N-142. Tel: 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: 823-3950/823-9553, E-mail: info@clinestancia.com, URL: 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, including on Parque Caldas (Carrera 7 4-80. Tel: 824-0355).