Border crossings to avoid in Colombia

[Acropolis]

Anyone with travel experiance in SA can please enlighten me on which boarders to avoid for any reason. Please any info would be appreciated. Leaving to Colombia in Nov. '08 via plane from Miami (with bike of course).

Thanks in advance,

Greg

[Stretcher Monkey]

All of the border-crossings are currently safe and straightforward. Ipiales/Tulcan is my current favourite,

[gpothoven]

Originally Posted by Stretcher Monkey

All of the border-crossings are currently safe and straightforward. Ipiales/Tulcan is my current favourite,

There are 2 border crossings from Colombia to Ecuador I would stick with this recommendation. Lago Agrio, the other crossing on the Ecuador side is not the most pleasant town around. Not saying it's dangerous, but it is a border in jungle area, where there is guerrilla and drug traffic. You will surely travel through the area unmolested, but if I had to pick one I'd stick Ipiales-Tulcan.

Borders with Panama are sea and air, and I don't know anything about Colombia - Venezuela borders.

[Stretcher Monkey]

Originally Posted by gpothoven

There are 2 border crossings from Colombia to Ecuador I would stick with this recommendation. Lago Agrio, the other crossing on the Ecuador side is not the most pleasant town around.

I have to admit that this is the first I have heard of the Lago Agrio/San Miguel crossing. I think you would probably have to be quite brave to choose this route. Anyone here done it?

[eg9jc]

Hello everyone

Yea we just crossed at Tulcan into Colombia and it was easy, and it seeemd pretty safe.

We are heading into Venezuala next and just wondered if anyone had experiance for the coastal border crossing into Venezuala, the one that goes to Maracaibo. We have heard that it can be quite unsafe, has anyone crossed it recently?

Thanks

Jason

[Zigeuner53]

imported a moto that wouldnt start...we pushed it from port to the hostel here in Cartagena, took a foto of frame number and motor number, took fotos on camera to DIAN, and they imported it no problem...unseen. How about that for easy.

[kaiserkyhl]

Originally Posted by Zigeuner53

imported a moto that wouldnt start...we pushed it from port to the hostel here in Cartagena, took a foto of frame number and motor number, took fotos on camera to DIAN, and they imported it no problem...unseen. How about that for easy.

It sounds like you hit the right day with the right customs officer at the DIAN ;-) But the authorities are generally very friendly here in Colombia!