Introducing Colombia
Colombia’s back. After decades of civil conflict, Colombia is now safe to visit and travelers are discovering what they’ve been missing. The diversity of the country may astonish you. Modern cities with skyscrapers and nightclubs? Check. Gorgeous Caribbean beaches? Check. Jungle walks and Amazon safaris? Check. Colonial cities, archaeological ruins, high-mountain trekking, whalewatching, coffee plantations, scuba diving, surfing, the list goes on.
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No wonder the ‘magic realism’ style of Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez emerged from here – there is a dreamlike quality to Colombia. Here at the equator, with the sun forever overhead, the fecund earth beneath your feet, heart-stopping vistas in every direction and the warmth of the locals putting you at ease – you may find it difficult to leave.
Colombian culture, like the country’s weather, varies by altitude. The essence of Colombia resides in the mountains in the alpine cities of Bogotá, Medellín and Cali, and the smaller cities of the Zona Cafetera. This is the industrial heartland of the country. Geographical isolation has kept the accent relatively unaffected by outside influence; Spanish here is precise and easy to understand. The infrastructure in the mountain region is good, the water drinkable, the roads well maintained. In the heat of the Caribbean coast, life is slower, and the culture more laid-back. The accent is the unhurried drawl of the Caribbean basin, and the infrastructure, unfortunately, is still in need of some attention.
In darker days people used to say, ‘if only it weren’t for the violence and drugs, Colombia would be paradise.’ Well the drugs may still be here but the violence is gone, at least for now, and it is, indeed, paradise. It is an easy country to fall in love with, and many travelers do. It could well become your favorite country in South America.
Travel Alert: Travelers should exercise vigilance at all times due to the level of violent crime. Although kidnapping and homicide rates in urban areas have dropped in recent years, they remain high. Check out Safe Travel or the Thorn Tree travel forum for advice from travelers.
Last updated: Mar 10, 2010
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
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Colombia
Our Top Picks For Colombia
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1 Bogotá
Cosmopolitan metropolis with splendid museums, bustling markets and scintillating nightlife
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2 Villa de Leyva
Laid-back colonial-era town preserved in its entirety, plus good hiking and biking opportunities in the surrounding hills
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3 Ciudad Perdida
Straight out of an Indiana Jones film, a three-day hike to the pre-Columbian ‘Lost City’ is Colombia’s ultimate adventure trek
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4 Providencia
Lush, volcanic island offering tranquil waters, deserted beaches, and excellent dive sites
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5 Parque Nacional Tayrona
A beautiful stretch of Colombian Caribbean coast, graced with deep bays and white sand beaches
Fast Facts about Colombia
- Number of 'u's in country's name
none
- Population
46 million
- Head of state
President Alvaro Uribe
- He said it
All human beings have three lives: public, private, and secret - Gabriel García Márquez
- Famous for
Gabriel García Márquez, Shakira, salsa, cumbia, Betty La Fea (the original Ugly Betty), FARC, Fernando Botero, coffee, a certain white powder, three kinds of passionfruit...
- A bit of Colombian slang...
guayabo - hangover, chulo - cool, hacer la tarea - to have sex (literally, to do homework), hacerse el gringo - to feign ignorance (literally, to act like an American), tombo - police officer
Related Groups
Our favourite Colombia Blogs (beta)
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Photo Essay: The Colorful Streets of Cartagena: Part II
Blog: GoBackpacking - 29 July 2010
More vibrant photos from the streets of Old Cartagena.--------- Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog. Membership includes 12 lessons, community forum, audio interviews, and a blog.
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Where flash floods are routine
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 27 July 2010
In Barranquilla you have to seriously reevaluate your plans when it rains. Or as a friend nonchalantly told me: “Unlike other cities where rain means 'don't forget the umbrella,' here in Barranquilla it means don't leave home.” Arroyos. The word means "stream," or at least that's what I thought when I arrived here on Colombia's Caribbean coast. But people kept mentioning how these arroyos pop up any time it rains, how big they get, how they have their own names, how they can carry off buses, how they kill people.
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Photo Essay: The Colorful Streets of Cartagena
Blog: GoBackpacking - 22 July 2010
Cartagena's charming colonial architecture helped it earn UNESCO World Heritage status. --------- Join Travel Blog Success today and learn to build a better travel blog. Membership includes 12 lessons, community forum, audio interviews, and a blog.
