Pasto, Colombia 🇨🇴 Gringo's Guide
Boutique "hidden gem" city in the middle of nowhere Colombia!
I'm going to make no bones about it:
Pasto, Colombia is one of my favorite places in the world.Â
I don't live there right now, and have never lived there long-term, but I may consider permanently basing there at some point in the future, because this place has a lot going for it.Â
I also want to give a special shoutout to my friends at Streetmotion, Pasto's best motorbike shop, for helping me to write this article.
If you're a motorbike nut like I am and find yourself in Pasto, stop by — you will love it there!
Pasto, Colombia 🇨🇴
Population:
Just under 400,000 souls live within Pasto's city limits, with maybe another 80,000 or so people living within striking distance of the city.Â
Weather:Â
Pasto's climate is very similar to that of many other Latin American cities in tierra frÃa, such as Quito, Tunja and, of course, Bogotá. It's average elevation is less than 100 meters of that of Bogotá, so this is no surprise.Â
Some people feel that the climate in Pasto is the same as that of Bogotá/Quito etc., others feel that it's colder, others a bit warmer.Â
The truth is that the temperatures here are very similar to those other places.
However, Pasto gets slightly less rain on average. On the other hand, it tends to be a bit windier in Pasto, and the humidity is a tad higher, which definitely makes it feel cooler.Â
For those of you who really like the heat, Pasto's climate may be a deal-breaker, especially for long-term stays. Others find this climate to be ideal.Â
As always, be extremely careful about that sun in the middle of the day. The high elevation pushes you that much closer to those solar rays and the cooler temperatures make you underestimate just how strong they are.Â
Why Visit Pasto?
It's a bit of a "time warp" experience because it's such a traditional place
Incredible human warmth and solidarity
Absolutely no "gringo pricing" here
Fantastic blend of cultures
If you like the bohemian type of women, you have found your paradise here!
The best carnival ever
Getting to Pasto, Colombia 🇨🇴
As I hinted at before, Pasto is more than a bit out of the way, unfortunately. In fact, this is the only major downside to Pasto, getting there or getting out when you need to.Â
This is a place to fly to, if at all possible, for many reasons.Â
If you're already in Cartagena, Bogotá, MedellÃn or Cali, you're in luck, because you can get a direct flight there.Â
The bad news is that flights to Pasto's airport, even from these four destinations, are strangely expensive.
You can expect to pay the same amount of money to fly to Pasto from these places as you could to fly all the way to Miami, which is 3-4x the distance, and has you crossing an international border. Unless you are really strapped for cash, however, I would recommend it.Â
The airport is actually located just west of the town of ChachagüÃ, which is quite a ways from Pasto itself. You will have to either take a bus for $10,000 COP or just over $2 USD. More likely, hop into a taxi for $40,000 COP or just over $8 USD.
If you do decide to go by land, it's not undoable, but there are two big downsides to the trip…
Firstly, it's going to take at least 20 hours to get there from Bogotá or MedellÃn, or at least 12 hours from Cali. You may want to break up the trip from those first two cities and stay a bit in Cali.Â
The roads range from excellent to pretty decent. However, the area from Popayán to the border of Nariño (the "department" where Pasto is located) takes you through Lower Cauca, which is, in most people's opinion, the absolute worst shithole in the whole country!Â
If you are going by private transportation, plan to do this stretch during daylight hours, and do not deviate from the Panamerican Highway.Â
Best Neighborhoods in Pasto 🇨🇴
The most upscale place in Pasto is the area surrounding Avenida de los Estudiantes.
This is where the affluent people in the city live, and people who have the money go to hang out and party.Â
If you choose to stay here, you will be walking distance from a whole slew of great upscale clubs and restaurants. It's not cheap, though.
I was shocked to find out that many of the apartments in this area are worth $200,000 USD or more!
Apparently, people have been flocking to this area during the pandemic, probably getting away from the bigger cities, and this has driven prices way up.Â
In general, anywhere north of the downtown area is nice. Specifically, north of the Plaza de Nariño is nice…
Downtown Pasto is decent, and has been improving steadily over the past decade or so, since the first time I visited. You can save money by staying there, and it's still convenient and you will have access to lots of fun stuff.Â
In general, the further south you go in Pasto, the more sketch it gets.
Also, these southern areas are much more out of the way, and they really don't have much in the way of nightlife or anything fun to do, so there's really no point staying there.Â
Places to Stay in Pasto 🇨🇴
The last time I was in Pasto, I stayed in this Airbnb, which is highly recommended, especially for the price.
It cost us a grand total of $25 USD a night, and it was a full-scale apartment. It sports two-bedrooms and a full kitchen and is in an amazing location, about a five-minute walk from the Panamerican highway and another three minutes or so to Av. de los Estudiantes.
This place is under $600 USD a month if you book for a whole month.Â
In fact, the most expensive monthly Airbnb available right now is still only $707 USD.
$450-550 seems to be an average to stay in an Airbnb per month in Pasto.Â
Just keep in mind that, if you want to be in Pasto during Carnival, you will have to pay at least twice this amount for around two weeks or so — it's SO worth it, though.Â
With hotels, however, you can get a lot more basic and cheaper accommodations, and also a lot more fancy accommodations, with the expected amenities.Â
For absolute ballers who want to go all-out on a fancy hotel in Pasto, the Hotel V1501 is the place.
This will put you right on Av. de los Estudiantes, and, in fact, the hotel's bar, lounge and restaurant are hot spots for the locals. This means that, every night, you have the choice of just staying on the property, and the Pasto scene will come to you.Â
Of course, this means you will be spending $2000 USD a month or more on accommodations alone, depending on the time of year.Â
Typical Cost of Living in Pasto, Colombia 🇨🇴
This place can be exceptionally cheap — depending on where you stay and how fancy it is.
Here’s a breakdown of the cost of living in this wonderful city:
Airbnb Apartment in Best Area: $500
Hotel in Best Area: $1,200-2,000
Grocery Store: $150
Eating Out / Delivery: $250
Gym: $15
BJJ / MMA: $30
Partying / Dating / Social: $300
Cell Data: $12
How Safe is Pasto?
Pasto is a pretty safe city by most standards, but it still has its share of ghetto if you go far enough south!Â
The locals, called Pastusos, are very community-minded and do not tolerate crime within their city. Because of this, rates of street crime are pretty low there, although bad things can still go down if you don't take sensible precautions.
True story:
Somebody tried to rob my girlfriend and me while we were attending a parade during carnival. A group of guys threw flour in our faces and one of them tried to pick my pocket. The locals quickly reacted and grabbed the pickpocket, forcibly detaining him until the police arrived. I found the two credit cards the thief had managed to lift out of my (zippered) pocket on the ground next to him.Â
Based on that experience, I can say you are safer in Pasto than you are in pretty much anywhere else in LatAm!Â
Dating Scene in Pasto 🇨🇴
There are lots of positives — and a few negatives — when dating in Pasto.Â
The big positive is that, unlike many other Latin American cities, you are likely to be the only foreigner here.
Even during Carnival, when the city fills up with tourists, it's mostly Ecuadorans and other Colombians. The fact that it's so off-the-radar is, in my opinion, part of this city's charm and beauty.Â
Speaking of beauty, you may hear other Colombians joke about women in Pasto being ugly. From my experience, this is far from the truth. The truth is, you are not likely to find the typical silicone-infused mamacitas you would find all over Cali or MedellÃn, for example.
But once again, I don't see this at all as a bad thing!Â
Women in Pasto are unique!
They don't look like clones of each other, and you can find a lot of variety here in Pasto. I also found people in general in Pasto to be among the most intelligent and cultured people in Colombia, and in all of Latin America in general.Â
As with anything, your own mileage may vary.Â
I've written here about many Colombian cities now, and talked about how easy it is to meet people in many different Colombian towns and cities. Pasto is absolutely not the exception to the rule here.
This is yet another place in Colombia where the ice almost breaks itself and strangers quickly turn into friends.Â
I would, however, recommend you read up on Pasto and its culture and history, and Colombia in general, before plunging into the Pasto dating scene. The women here are educated and well-spoken and they will expect the same from you. Your chances may be reduced on the dating market here if you don't have good conversation skills.
On the other hand, as a gringo who knows something and genuinely cares about the city and its traditions, local women are likely to be blown away by your respect for their culture.Â
Nightlife in Pasto, Colombia 🇨🇴
Pasto, despite being this quaint traditional town way up in the mountains, knows how to party!
I'm also happy to report that, over the years, Pasto's nightlife has improved tremendously, and is only getting better, even as I write this!
Here are some of my top picks for Pasto in 2023:
Vanguardia: a very popular gourmet restaurant that stays open for parties most nights after dinner.
Figo: similar to Vanguardia, an Italian joint that gets poppin' in the basement after you finish your dessert! Â
Absalon: the city's top spot to get your rock n' roll on, and maybe meet that rocker lady of your dreams.
Terraza Bar: which is more of a bottle-service VIP type of joint, which brings in live acts on the weekends. Many of the locals find Terraza too pretentious for their tastes, but obviously many more love it there despite the high prices. This place sometimes packs to the gills.
15-37: Pasto's largest-capacity night spot. It serves as a disco, an upscale cocktail bar, and a live performance spot on occasion as well. Â
BJJ / MMA in Pasto
Good news for people who like to train:
There is a legit MMA dojo in Pasto!Â
In Galeras BJJ, they offer different packages depending on how often you want to go in.
For three days a week, they charge 100,000 (around $20 USD). They charge 150,000 (or around $30 USD) for six-day-a-week access.Â
Carnival in Pasto, Colombia 🇨🇴
This is absolutely my favorite carnival of all time, full stop!Â
Pro-tip:
The main days are actually January 3rd through the 7th, but the whole thing actually runs from December 28th to January 10th every year.Â
Final rehearsals for the events start on the 28th, along with free concerts all over the city.
Each day, a different style of music is featured, through January 2nd.Â
January 3rd is "carnavalito" day, with a children's and adolescent's parade. This is also the day the different singing, chanting and dancing musical groups called "comparsas" have their big competition. The top two competitors are included in the Great Parade on January 6th.Â
January 4th is the theme day, where there's a special parade with historical and cultural themes.Â
The carnival's official name is actually "Black and White" carnival, and January is "black" day. There is no parade this day, but tons of live music in the city's two main plazas.Â
The whole carnival season, people throw powder and spray foam at each other, but the level of this goes into hyper mode on January 6th, "white" day. In addition, the Great Parade takes place, which is mainly about the floats people have worked all year on:Â
After that, things start to wind down, but there are things like gastronomical festivals, sometimes held out of town.
When we were in town they had a trout festival at the Laguna de la Cocha, mentioned further down in this article.
What Else is There to Do in Pasto?
Surprisingly, this small city packs a punch with regards to tourism…
La Laguna de la Cocha
This is the most common paseo people go on starting from Pasto. Without traffic, it's under a 30 minute drive. With traffic it can be three or four times that long, so plan ahead!Â
This place is known as the "Venice of Latin America" — and really is like a mini-Venice in the middle of nowhere.
They have a whole small town that lives right in the middle of the lagoon, and gets around by canoe on a system of canals. It is nothing short of gorgeous, and despite being touristic, it's not very expensive at all. Highly recommended for a day trip, especially a date day trip!
Las Lajas Cathedral
This cathedral regularly makes lists of the most gorgeous churches in the world, and, combined with the surrounding gorge, is truly breathtaking!
This place is really on the outskirts of Ipiales, and is almost a two-hour drive from Pasto, no matter how you slice it. It's definitely worth doing at least once, however.Â
The Galeras Volcano
If you've always wanted to get up close and personal with an active volcano, you have a chance to do it in Pasto!
The city of Pasto sits in the shadow of this beast, and excursions are available. Make sure your cardio is good before you go, as this is considered an expert-level trek up the hill and back down again.Â
Sometimes, this path is partially or completely closed, depending on the mood of the volcano. If you can't go on a given day, be patient. Whole excursions have been wiped out here by flare-ups from the volcano, so now they err on the side of caution.
How important is it to speak Spanish in Pasto?
You've probably already figured it out by now if you're still with me here. Spanish is very important in the city of Pasto.Â
Remember, you're going to a super-remote area here. And, while Pasto is a city, it's a smaller one. Combine that with the fact that, as was mentioned before, most tourists to Pasto are other Spanish-speakers.Â
Definitely get your Spanish as good as possible before venturing into Pasto.Â
P.S: How to *Actually* Learn Spanish.
How Long Should You Stay in Pasto?
One week to two months or more.
Let's break that down a bit further:Â
If you aren't good with Pasto's climate, probably a week is a good cutoff point before you go crazy. That will give you enough time to get to know the city and satisfy your curiosity.Â
If you like the climate and like it there, then it's definitely worth staying a month, two months or more.Â
If you don't mind being in such a remote location, it's not an unreasonable option to base in Pasto long-term. The Internet in Pasto is of good quality, as is infrastructure.
Also, the city is big enough to keep you entertained for a long time, and there are tons of things to do in the general area as well. Â
Other Notes…
The first time I ever visited Pasto, I stayed in a hotel, and the guy at the front desk didn't take any of my info and didn't charge me until I left. That level of trust is rare these days anywhere!
People in Pasto actually eat guinea pig (called cuy locally) as a staple of their diet. There are even chains of restaurants that specialize in this dish. The dish is popular all over southern Colombia and northern Ecuador.Â
The running joke about people in Pasto is that they are not too bright, although personally I think that the stereotype is totally false. But the ironic thing is that the Pastusos have embraced the jokes made about them, to the point where they actually have a yearly festival in Pasto where people get together and exchange these jokes!Â
The border with Ecuador is about two hours away from Pasto, and it's semi-porous. If you just want to do a day trip to the first few towns in Ecuador, you can just go across the border and back without even having to get in line!
Pasto, Colombia 🇨🇴 Overall
Pasto is a city that has really captured my heart in more ways than one.
It might just do the same for you. I do recognize that no place is ideal for everyone, though.Â
Avoid Pasto if:Â
You like the heat and don't like cooler climates
You like sleek modern places
You are really after the typical "Barbie" look of women in other parts of Colombia
Don't miss Pasto if:Â
You love a place with lots of culture and history
You love being up in the mountains
You like bohemian-looking girls
You hate the heat
You like old-school places where everybody still knows all their neighbors and everybody looks out for each other
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