Colombia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 546

5

TransMilenio, runs along the river, and also passes through
the centre and along the Av Quinta (Av 5). It costs COP$1500
per ride; you need to buy a swipecard.
By taxi Some outlying attractions are best reached by
inexpensive taxi. Always take a taxi at night. Try Taxi Libre
( T 2 444 4444) or Taxi Libre Aeropuerto ( T 2 555 5555).

Chocolatino Av 8N, at 17N. Marvel at the elaborate cake
slices in their chilled counter, order à la carte (mains
around COP$26,000) or enjoy a better class of set lunch
(from COP$15,000) at this minimalist café. Also does
brunch at weekends. Daily 11am-11pm.
Crepes y Wa es Av. 6AN No. 24A-70. Everyone's
favourite crêpe and wa e joint, serving a predictably
good array of sweet and savoury offerings and ice creams.
Wa es from COP$6000. Mon-Sat 11.30am-8pm, Sun
11.30am-5pm.
Ì Litany C 15AN No. 9N-35 T 2 661 3736, W restaurante
litany.com. Flavour-starved foodies should make a beeline
for this acclaimed Lebanese restaurant, which serves up
mouthwatering platters featuring tabouli , falafel, vine
leaves (COP$25,000) and top-notch shawarma (around
COP$20,000). Better still, you can BYO alcohol for no charge.
Closed Fri & Sun night.
Mister Wings Cra 34 No. 4-12 Esq W misterwings.com.
True to its name, this joint serves several styles of wings
(we dare you to try the endiabladas ), ribs, heaped platters
of nachos with all the works, slabs of steak and jalapeño
cheese sticks - enough to make anyone homesick for the
US. You're guaranteed not to leave hungry. Wings from
COP$11,800. Daily noon-11pm.
El Solar C 15N No. 9-62. Imagine a large courtyard filled
with greenery. Now imagine some of the best seafood
pasta and wild mushroom risotto appearing before you,
with a tall, frothy glass of limonada de coco to wash it
down with. This is it. Mains from COP$18,000. Mon-Sat
noon-11pm.

ACCOMMODATION
Cali's backpacker hostels are concentrated in two clusters,
one around the Granada neighbourhood with good access to
nightlife on Avenida 6N and the restaurants around Avenida
8N, and the other in the characterful (but slightly less secure
at night) colonial neighbourhood of San Antonio.
Iguana Av 9N No. 22N-46 T 2 660 8937, W iguana.com
.co. A friendly, Swiss-run youth hostel with all the vital
backpacker facilities spread over two houses: garden
barbecues, plus loads of information on the region and
free salsa lessons for t hose with tw o left feet . A short walk
from Granada. Dorms COP$17,000 , doubles COP$45,000
Jardin Azul Cra 24A No. 2A-59 T 2 556 8380, W jardin
azul.com. A wonderfully friendly guesthouse in a quiet
neighbourhood a short ride from the centre on the Mio.
The bilingual proprietress is super-helpful, and the large,
bright rooms and small swimming pool make this a great
place to unwind after the heat of the city. Brea kfast
included. Wi-fi access patchy. Doubles COP$100,000
Jovita's Hostel Cra 5 No. 4-56 T 2 893 8342, W jovitas
hostel.com. If you're serious about your dance moves,
then this salsa school/hostel/yoga centre is for you. The
attractive be-hammocked common areas make up for the
lack of windows in several rooms. If you don't wish to be
stacked into t he three-tier ed bunkb eds, opt for a private
room. Dorms COP$16,000 , doubles COP$40,000
Pelican Larry C 23N No. 8N-12 T 2 392 1407. The big
beds, DVD room and twice-weekly barbecues at this
fabulous location in Granada make this hostel popular
with younger backpac kers who are i in Cali to party. Dorms
COP$22,000 , doubles COP$66,000
Tostaky Cra 10 No. 1-76 T 2 893 0651, W tostakycali
.com. There's a refined atmosphere at this French-run
hostel in San Antonio, which probably has something to
do with the coffee bar complete with chess sets in the front
room. Guest kitchen f for self-catere rs is a bonus. Dorms
COP$17,000 , doubles COP$40,000

DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
Much of the late-night action is just beyond the city limits.
Cover charges, where they exist, are usually converted into
drinks vouchers. The clubs around Avenida 6N are liveliest
at the weekends. Single male travellers should find them-
selves a mixed group to go out with or risk being refused
entry. For up-to-date information about what's hot and
what's on, see W rumbascali.com.
Ì Changó Vía Cavasa Km2, Juanchito W chango.com
.co. Named after the African god of virility and leisure,
infamous Changó overlooks the Río Cauca at the entrance
to Juanchito. Skilled salsa dancers regularly fill its two
dancefloors, and the clientele are less forgiving of gringos
with two left feet than at some other places. Taxi around
COP$17,000.
Kukaramakara C 28N No. 2bis-97 W kukaramakara
.com. There's rock, pop and electronica at this large, rowdy
disco, but the live bands, who usually blast out salsa, are
the biggest draw. Cover COP$12,000. Thurs-Sat.
Lulu C 16N No. 8-42 W www.luludisco.com. You better be
coming here to dance rather than to just lounge around
looking gorgeous, as there's practically nowhere to sit
down. Gay-friendly and fun.

EATING
Café Macondo Cra 6 No. 3-03 T 2 893 1570, W macondo
cafe.blogspot.com. This cosy café with a jazz and blues
soundtrack offers sandwiches, salads and burgers (from
COP$10,000) plus delicious carrot mu ns with an oozy
mora centre (COP$2500) and a decent list of coffees and
stronger tipples. Free film screenings every day bar Sat.
Mon-Thurs 11.30am-11pm, Fri & Sat 11.30am-11pm,
Sun 4.30-11pm.