THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO COLOMBIA

Colombia, oh Colombia. Notorious for its narco history and considered unsafe by many. Colombia has been the country I wanted to visit the most in South America. That’s why I started my journey here. After reading this ultimate guide to Colombia you will understand why this country will not disappoint and wrongfully has a bad rep.

The jungle-covered land is full of incredible fruits to try, dreamy Caribbean beaches, too many mosquitos, and numerous dances to try to learn and fail in. I stepped on a foot or two! What surprised me the most about the country were the people. Colombians are always laughing, dancing, and one of the most welcoming people I have come across and most travellers will be left feeling nostalgic for months to come after leaving this energetic country.

Here is where I learned diving, swam with plankton, danced the nights away in salsa bars, hiked to a lost city in the jungle, played a throwing game that involves gunpowder, and developed an addiction to maracuja juice. I would trade it for my morning coffees any day. On second thought I take that back. Wondering what to do, and how much time to spend in Colombia? Read on and find out.

WHAT TO DO

The Ultimate Guide To Colombia: The Highlights.

Do you only want to cover the highlights of Colombia? Then head to Cartagena for trips to dreamy islands and a muddy volcano crater dip, Tayrona for Caribbean beaches, or Minca for a giant hammock in the jungle and hikes to waterfalls in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

More of a city person? Travel to Medellin for endless partying, and a day trip to Guatape; or Bogota for food tours and a hike up Monserrate. Or would you rather see the world’s tallest palm trees and visit coffee farms? Then Salento is the one for you.

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Adrenaline Junky or Adventurous?

Ever wanted to know what it feels like to dive with sharks? Then head to Malpelo Island (this does not come cheap), Providencia or San Andres. You don’t have your PADI yet? Then make your way to Taganga for a low-priced dive course.

Use Santa Marta as a gateway to trek to the Lost City and kitesurfing. Stay in the middle of the Caribbean Sea at the Casa en el Agua at the San Bernardo Islands.

Abejorral to sleep 20 metres above the ground at the Casa en el Aire. San Gil has the most to offer for thrill-seekers. The city often dubbed Colombia’s extreme sport capital has anything from paragliding, rafting, to mountain biking. Would you rather be in the middle of the jungle surrounded by nothing? Then head to Leticia for a visit to the Amazon.

Don’t Want To Be A Cliché Tourist?

Any ultimate guide to Colombia is incomplete without mentioning the country’s desert La Guajira for ATV rides, kite-surfing at Cabo de la Vela, and South America’s most Northern point the Punta Gallinas. Palomino or Rincón del mar for incredible Caribbean beaches.

Take a trip to Los Estoraques Park for weathered brownstone rock formations, the Serrania de la Macarena province of Meta to visit Caño Cristales, a five-coloured river. Jardín for colourful houses, and coffee plantations. Learn how to dance salsa in Cali, or hike to the Purace volcano crater from Popayán.

Festivals.

If you find yourself in Colombia during carnival, then head to Barranquilla for endless partying. There is a biennial performing arts festival held in Bogota before and during Easter, the Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro.

Dances To Learn.

Colombians love to dance and many hostels offer free dance lessons. The most prominent dance is salsa, but you should also try yourself in Bachata and Champeta

GOOD TO KNOW

How Much Time To Spend In Colombia.

I spent five weeks in Colombia, but you can easily spend two to three months here. To cover the highlights, four weeks is enough.

Where To Enter Colombia.

Border hopping into Colombia isn’t as straightforward as within the rest of South America unless you enter by plane. Colombia can be entered from Quito, Mindos, or Otavalo via Tulcan, Ecuador from where you can take a taxi to the border from where you need to take a bus or taxi to Ipiales to continue to Cali. Or take a boat from Iquitos, Peru to Leticia.

Panama and Colombia aren’t connected by road hence flying is your easiest option. The alternative is to travel by boat to Cartagena or San Andres. There are multi-day sailing trips from the San Blas Islands which can be reached from Panama City. The San Blas Island Boat Tours aren’t cheap and do not run daily. Another option is to fly from Panama City to Puerto Obaldia, Panama and take a boat to Capurgana from there.

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Best Time To Visit.

The recommended time of year is December to February when the country is the driest but also most expensive. Low season is from October to November when it rains the most and prices are lower. I went in October and although it rained most days from 3 pm it didn’t have much of an impact on my time in Colombia.

Safety.

The same advice as for any other South American country stands ‘no dar papaya’, meaning do not keep items unattended. Phones are often stolen out of pockets and even grabbed out of people’s hands. There are random police body searches on the streets at times and bag searches when crossing the border. Don’t be alarmed when you come across soldiers trekking through the jungle or walking the streets of Medellin, they are merely there to ensure the trails and streets continue to stay safe.

Transport.

Colombia is easy to travel by bus. Don’t be surprised if you have to stand on a crowded local bus for hours, or if you see someone travelling with a chicken. Keep anything valuable on your body when travelling by night bus since anyone can get on and off at random places. This is also the case for during the day which can cut your travel time down if you are willing to shout for the bus driver to pull over on the side of the road for you. There will also be street vendors hopping on and of the bus to sell snacks like roasted corn, fruits, and drinks. Long-distance buses tend to be extremely cold.

The country is also well connected by plane and fares are cheap even two days before travelling (not sure if this will still be the case past Covid-19). Uber is commonly used and there are designated areas for pick-ups at airports. You can also travel by boat from Panama or Peru into Colombia.

ATMs.

My go-to bank was Davivienda and Banco Caja Social. Their ATMs are prominent, and you can withdraw up to COP 700,000 for free.

Plugs.

The plug type used is Type A (North American).

Visa.

European, US, and Australian Nationals can enter Colombia for 90 days without a visa. Entry stamps will be granted upon arrival. Please check your immigration guidelines before entering the country. Airlines need you to be able to prove that you have either a bus or flight ticket out of the country.

Did I do a good job of sharing this ultimate guide to Colombia and my love for this country?

Now go ahead and explore! Try not to lose your towel.