At the beginning of planning this gap year adventure, Tim and I decided to write on a Google sheet every country that we wanted to visit, rank them from 1-3 then cross reference our rankings to decide which places we wanted to prioritize. Not Type A of us at all. Turns out, Colombia wasn’t on either of our lists. So naturally we ended up spending almost the entire month of November here. One thing I've learned over these past 6 months is that as much as you plan ahead, things just will never totally go to plan. The second is that the places that weren’t even on your radar will end up completely surprising you, and in this case stealing your heart. Maybe it’s because we had few expectations or had really not done any research, but Colombia ended up being our favorite country so far.
Colombia is incredibly diverse. It has both the Pacific and Caribbean coastline, mountain ranges, deserts, the Amazon rainforest and national parks. You can be relaxing on a beach in the Caribbean one day and trekking through the rainforest the next. It’s a country where you can be extremely well-fed for $3 a meal, party with cowboys in small country towns, help harvest the coffee that you drink in your morning Starbucks and even dine in some of the World’s Best restaurants and bars. There truly is something for everyone.
For us, the experience was especially incredible because it really brought us out of our comfort zones. We got to visit places that were unlike any that we’ve seen before. We stretched ourselves to take buses instead of flying from place to place, which is a necessity to get from one small town to the next, and ultimately ended up looking forward to those long and beautiful journeys. We met tons of other travelers from around the world on a similar beaten path and spent many memorable days and nights together. And we fully immersed ourselves into a place where defaulting to English really didn’t get you far, unlike most other places in the world. (Tip: Google Translate is your friend).
So! We really encourage Colombia to be your next trip. To enjoy some of the best Colombia has to offer, see our 3-week itinerary below.
Bogota (2 Days)
Bogota is the capital city of Colombia and by far the largest with around 8 million people. Because it’s the capital most direct flights will route here, so it’s a very typical place to start your journey around the country. Since it is so large, crime is higher in this city so definitely adhere to the guidelines above. It’s an interesting place to acclimate and get your feet underneath you, but there isn’t really much to see so spending 1-2 days here really is enough time.
Where to Stay: There are two popular neighborhoods - La Candelaria and Chapinero. La Candelaria is an older charming neighborhood and is the best place to center yourself to be around the most popular tourist destinations. Chapinero is the trendier part of town with nicer hotels and restaurants. I’d choose one or the other depending on what you value more. We ended up staying in La Candelaria but wished we had chosen Chapinero.
JW Marriott (Chapinero)
Things to Do:
Visit the fruit market. We did this AirBnB experience and it was by far our favorite activity in Bogota. We got to taste over 25 different fruits, most of which we’d never had before and our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about the diversity of the country's produce. It was actually an awesome way to start out our time there because we learned what fruits to look for that we really enjoyed during the rest of our trip.
Eat Ajiaco soup at La Puerta Falsa. Delicious potato and chicken soup with avocado corn and crema
Ride the funicular. Sadly this was closed when we were there but others said it was really worthwhile for a beautiful view over the city
Visit the gold museum. Spaniards flocked to Colombia for the gold and a ton of it was found in this area.
How to Get There: Bogota is the major hub in Colombia. There are direct flights from LA, Houston, Dallas, New York, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando and Washington DC.
Salento (4 Days)
Now you get to head to the countryside and one of our favorite places in Colombia. Salento is a little town nestled in the Andes mountains. It’s known for its colorful houses, coffee plantations and being home to the Cocora Valley which has the world's tallest waxy palm trees. The vibe is super laid back and the people are incredibly kind. While there are a few activities to keep yourself entertained, 3-4 days here is enough to tick things off the list and explore the town, and most importantly unwind!
Where to Stay: Not to toot my own horn, but I’m fairly certain that I found the absolute best place to stay in Salento. It’s just a 5 minute walk outside of the main town but you feel like you’re completely secluded in the mountains. The hotel has a beautiful cliffside spa, excellent dining and a cute lodge. You can either stay in a private cabin villa or in a room in the main hotel. Rooms start around $70. We were in the private villa with jacuzzi which was around $140 a night and we had a huge King room with a large private balcony including its own hot tub. I highly recommend it! Details below:
Things to Do:
Cocora Valley: The definite highlight and main attraction of Salento, this valley has the tallest wax palms in the world. They can grow up to 200 feet tall! And they are abundant in this valley. The best way to get there is by Willy Jeep which is an adventure in itself. Head to the town square and you’ll see the Jeeps lined up to take you to the park. If you’re lucky (IMO) you get to stand on the back the whole way which is about a 20 minute drive through the mountains. The best way to see the valley is to hike. You can either do the longer route which is about 6 miles or the shorter internal route that is around 2 miles. Either way, you’ll get to see these incredible palms.
Shop around town: The town's main street is lined with artisan shops selling everything from ponchos to jewelry. This was actually the best shopping we did in Colombia both based on price and what was on offer. They sell a ton of crystals in various shapes or pieces of jewelry which was my favorite thing to shop for.
Horseback riding: Pick a tour and explore the area on horseback. We heard this one was incredible.
Just relax! This is a great place to sit in nature, sip some incredible coffee and just unwind listening to the parakeets chirping around.
How to Get There:
From Bogota you can either take a bus or a flight to Armenia. From Armenia it’s another short bus ride or taxi ride to Salento. We chose to fly, which was around $60 per ticket on Avianca and then our hotel arranged a cab from the airport which was around $20. The bus is the cheaper option around $16 per ticket but it is over 8 hours and we didn’t want to waste a day. I’d recommend searching Rome2Rio for the best options. We found them to be the most reliable resource for the bus schedules which can be hard to navigate.
Jardin (4 Days)
Now! You’re on to our undisputed favorite place in Colombia. Jardin is another small town in the Andes mountain region but is harder to get to and much more untouched by tourism. We were told they really didn’t start getting tourists until around 5 years ago because of how the cartel used to control this valley. But not anymore. This area is also known for coffee plantations and farming and I genuinely think it's the greenest place I’ve ever seen in my life. The town has a lively town square and we were lucky enough to be there on a holiday weekend (we are told there are a lot of them!) so there was a festival and fun nightlife happening over the weekend. The best way to get around is actually by TukTuk which is an exhilarating way to get up a large mountain!
Where to Stay: On a coffee plantation!! There are obviously places to stay in town, but we decided to stay a bit outside of town on a functioning coffee plantation and I wouldn’t recommend doing it any other way. We had the most adorable cabin on a hillside overlooking the town right on the coffee plants and the banana trees and were awoken each morning to the sound of birds chirping. The views were incredible. Our hosts delivered homemade breakfast every morning with coffee grown on the land we were staying on and the walk into town was through the most beautiful plants and flowers. It was definitely a bit of a trek into town (around a 30 minute walk) but we always looked forward to it and then took an inexpensive TukTuk back after. We left feeling rejuvenated and excited to return one day
Our AirBnB on a coffee plantation
Things to Do:
Visit a coffee plantation
Cave of splendor
Eat and drink around town
Sit in the town square and enjoy the ambiance
How to Get There: Well, here’s the fun part! The only way to get to Jardin is by bus and it isn’t the easiest bus ride, but honestly it was fun! From Salento you need to catch a bus to Riosucio and then there are buses from Riosucio to Jardin. The stretch from Salento to Riosucio is comfortable enough, you’re on a small bus with no bathrooms but there are nice enough seats and paved roads. The bus ride from Riosucio is where it gets interesting. You can either catch a normal bus or a Chiva bus which are really unique regional open air colorful buses. The road is completely unpaved and what should take 45 minutes can take around 4-5 hours because of road conditions and the slow pace of the bus. Just sit back and enjoy the novel ride! And wear a jacket if you're on the Chiva bus, you are sitting outside.
Medellin (6 Days)
After many days in the country, you’ll be excited to get back to city life and Medellin is the best place to experience it in all of Colombia. This city has a storied past entrenched in the drug cartel, paramilitary control and poverty. But it is in the process of rising from the ashes and solidifying a new and forward thinking identity. This is the place to be for young, entrepreneurial Colombians and foreigners alike who have made Medellin
their home base for co-working and living in brand new, modern high rise buildings. There are tons of delicious and unique restaurants, a great nightlife and excellent day trips just right outside the city. You’ll definitely want to spend at least 5 days here to see it all!
Where to Stay: The most hip neighborhood to stay in is El Poblado specifically around Parque El Poblado. For a quieter, but nicer area you could also check out Laureles. But I would recommend Poblado for access to restaurants and bars and the overall vibe.
Nido Sky - A new apartment complex right in the middle of El Poblado. All the units are Airbnbs and the apartment building has a rooftop gym and pool / jacuzzi
Things to Do:
Comuna 13 Tour: Comuna 13 used to be one of the most impoverished areas of Medellin. Since the removal of paramilitary forces the neighborhood has had a renaissance focused mostly around the hip hop and graffiti movement. It’s now one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in Medellin and a must visit. I’d recommend going with a guide - we booked through this Airbnb experience and our tour guide was born and raised in Communa 13. We loved it!
Free Walking Tour: Since this is a great way to learn about the city's history and future, I’d recommend doing this on one of your first days! We loved the Real City Tours company
Guatapé And La Piedra Del Peñol: Guatape is a colorful town outside of Medellin situated on many rivers and lakes. On the way, you reach La Piedra Del Penol, a massive rock that you can climb 740 steps up to reach the top and enjoy the view. Take a bus to Guatape from the North bus station and get off on the stop before at La Piedra Del Penol. Then hail a TukTuk to take you into Guatape where you can explore and buy your bus ticket back for that afternoon
Ride the funicular & ride the metro. They are very proud of their metro system and keep it impeccably clean
How to Get There: From Jardin the bus ride to Medellin is fairly easy. You can take a Rapido Ochoa directly from Jardin to Medellin. Buy your tickets in advance just right off the town square.
Minca (3 Days)
Now that you’ve had your city fix, back to some incredibly beautiful jungles. Minca is a small town outside of Santa Marta, a larger beach city on the Caribbean side of the country. We decided to skip Santa Marta and go straight to Minca, but we’ve heard Santa Marta is worth a day or two if you have the time. Minca is located high up in the Sierra Nevada mountains above Santa Marta in some of the most dense and wonderful jungles. For this part of the trip, I recommend picking a place where you can just enjoy nature, relax and rewind. There’s not a ton to do, but if you pick the right hostel you will have an amazing few days.
Where to Stay: The ONLY place to stay in my opinion is Masaya Casas Viejas. It is a hostel located deep in the jungle on a coffee farm with an incredible view out into the valley. The best part - a gorgeous infinity pool that’s perfect to relax in after a long hike or maybe a long night. The private rooms were gorgeous and nicer than a lot of hotels that we have stayed at, the food is delicious and the staff makes your stay very fun! There are always activities or live music at night and you meet a ton of incredible people. I highly recommend to book this at least a few weeks in advance!
Things to Do:
Waterfall hike
Tour of the coffee plantation
Bird watching at sunrise
Hang out by the pool and relax
How to Get There: Fly from Medellin to Santa Marta. If you booked through Masaya Casas Viejas, they can arrange transportation from the airport. You can also grab any taxi that will bring you to Minca town and then you can take a motorbike taxi up to your accommodations, which is a wild ride!
Cartagena (5 Days)
Round out your time in Colombia in their most well known city. Cartagena sits on the Caribbean so the weather is always nice (sometimes very hot!). It has an awesome tropical, colonial feel with vibrant buildings painted in yellows and pinks and blues. It has more charm than Medellin, but is a little more touristy. It's a great place to relax and enjoy the end of your time.
Where to Stay: The best place to stay in Cartagena is the old walled city where most of the tourist attractions, shopping, restaurants and bars are located. The walls, once used to protect the city from attacks by sea, are now open to walk on which is a nice stroll at sunset.
Apartment in the Historic Center - This was an awesome apartment in a very safe building that had 2 pools, a gym and a rooftop spa. Highly recommend it!
Things to Do:
Day trip to the Rosario Islands: These islands are right off the coast of Cartagena and are a great place for snorkeling, scuba diving, beach relaxing or even staying overnight at a resort. If you just walk around the walled city, tons of companies will approach you with offers to go via boat for a day tour!
Walk around and enjoy the colonial architecture
Eat and drink - The best food is at Carmen Colombia where we had an excellent tasting menu with unique pairings. The best bar is Alquimico. It is three stories and each level is a new theme with different cocktails culminating at the animal-themed rooftop. The food carries throughout but is really quite delicious and all vegan!
How to Get There: Take your last bus from Santa Marta to Cartagena. We actually ended up going with a shuttle service called Berlinastur which was recommended by our hostel and it was a great experience. The shuttle was a Mercedes sprinter van and it had more comfortable amenities like plugs, wifi and movies playing.
Our memories in Colombia will last a lifetime. We can’t imagine not having visited here and think back on it as some of our fondest memories and best adventures. Hope you can do the same!
Disclaimer: Subjectively, Colombia is a dangerous country. While the famous drug cartel leader is no longer in power, the government and economy are still very fragile. And while they are a proud country looking to get out of the shadows of their shady past, there is still a significant percentage of the population living in poverty and the situation with the influx of Venezuelan refugees is making things worse. This means that the iPhone that you carry around with you could feed a family for months if they can pawn it. So petty crime which can escalate to very dangerous situations is definitely common. That being said, Colombians have a saying that roughly translates to “Don’t give papaya”. It doesn’t really make sense, but what it means is don’t give anyone the opportunity. Be cautious and courteous and you will be fine. We adhered to this and felt very safe during our time in Colombia, including on long bus trips. Here are a few tips for staying safe:
Never leave your phone out on a table at a restaurant
Invest in travel clothing that has hidden zippered pockets (like this Patagonia jacket or these travel pants). Keep your valuables in these zippered pockets
Wear a fanny pack that sits closer to your body versus a longer cross body purse
If you wear a backpack, wear it on your front vs. your back
Only pull out cash at ATMs that are attached to banks which have security guards
When you pull out cash, divide it between pockets and your bags and in bigger cities go straight home if you’re carrying around a lot
In the bigger cities, take Ubers to get around. Avoid walking around alone at night
Don’t take night buses. Every person that we met who took a night bus had something stolen from them while they slept
Komentáře