Overview
Hot, fast and unpretentious, Cali lives for salsa. The warm valley city has a thumping nightlife, a big Afro-Colombian culture and an unfiltered energy you won’t find in the more polished hubs. Solo travellers come to dance — beginner classes and social clubs make it easy to dive straight in.
Top things to do
Barrio San Antonio
The prettiest neighbourhood — a hilltop church, bohemian cafés and viewpoints over the city.
Cristo Rey
A 26-metre Christ statue on a ridge with panoramic views across the Cauca Valley.
Gato del Río
Hernando Tejada’s giant riverside cat sculpture, ringed by a parade of decorated companions.
Beginner salsa class
Cali’s dance schools run drop-in classes for solo travellers — the fastest way into the city’s soul.
Live salsa in Juanchito
Spend a night in the salsatecas where the city actually dances until dawn.
Day-trip to San Cipriano
Ride a improvised motorbike-rail trolley to a jungle river you can float down on a tube.
3-day sample itinerary
- 1
San Antonio & sunset
Wander the old quarter, climb to Cristo Rey for sunset.
- 2
Salsa immersion
Afternoon class, then live salsa at night.
- 3
River day-trip
San Cipriano jungle and tubing.