Cali is the capital of salsa and the city does not let you forget it. Bars and dance schools fill the evenings with brass and congas, and by weekend nights even the taxi radios seem to be playing the same tune. It is a large city of over two million people in the Cauca valley, about 1,000 metres above sea level, with sugar-cane fields spreading out in every direction and the Western Cordillera standing as a blue wall to the west.
Founded in 1536 by the conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar, it became a trading hub on the route between the Pacific coast and the interior, and it grew rich on sugar. The old centre has a few colonial churches and a pleasant riverside, with a small park along the Cali river and, above town, the Cristo Rey statue on a hill that gives a view over the grid of streets. The city is warm all year, with afternoon showers in the wet months, so you can wear lighter gear than elsewhere in the Andes.
For riders it is a gateway. South of the city the Pan-American Highway runs across the flat valley before climbing toward Popayán, a route of fast tarmac, heavy lorry traffic and the occasional police checkpoint. Yumbo and Candelaria, the neighbouring towns, are industrial and agricultural, and the real scenery waits further on, where the mountains close in and the road starts to curve. Leave town early, before traffic builds, because Cali's roads can be busy and chaotic, with motorbikes weaving between lanes.
Everything a rider needs is here: fuel on every main road, workshops, parts for the major brands, and a huge range of food. Try a champús, a sweet drink made with corn, pineapple and lulo fruit, or a plate of sancocho, the hearty soup of the region. Keep the bike somewhere secure at night, as you would in any large city, and be cautious with phones and bags in crowded areas. A single night is a good minimum if you want to hear some salsa live.