Colombia do not miss places.

I think San Agustin is a lovely place, full of pre Colombian stone statues in a beautiful green landscape.

Hi Kiwipaisa (and others),

Thanks very much for your top places to visit in this beautiful country. I´m currently in Medellin and would love to try out Arboletes....it sounds great! I have met a few others in the hostel who would like to try it out aswell but we have a few questions.

1. How long does it take to get to?

2. Is it better to go to Monteria, try and stay there and do it in a day trip? (If we do have to stay there, can anyone recommend somewhere to stay there?).

3. Is there budget accommodation at Arboletes?

4. Do you think or have you heard about any subversive activity in the area?

5. Is it difficult to get up to Cartagena from there?

Thanks to anyone who can help us with these questions.

Kind Regards,
Niall

NYC_Girl_115: Thanks for the info and recommendation about Mompós. To get there the way you've described from Cartagena is one thing. Does anyone have current details on coming from Santa Marta to El Banco, and approaching from the other side?

Also, what's the likely availability of finding a cargo boat or something heading back down the Río Magdalena towards the coast as an alternative return? Am mapping a month-long itinerary that will take me through pages of the novels of Gabriel García Márquez. This really needs to be part of the field study research if it's still possible and not something that anyone would highly discourage.

you should go to the tairona national park between cartagena and santa marta. it's a paradise on earth with hidden beaches and coves in the jungle.. and it's safe to go there.

Just an update for my fellow travellers, Finca Villa Maria, ably recommended by Kelvin at the Black Sheep, has been under new management for a few months. And it's now pretty poor and well over-priced at 70,000COP per night (now including two meals, not three). I went after arranging through six or more phone calls two days in advance. When I arrived just after dark, no one was expecting me. There was no welcome to speak of, no entertainment, just a hastily thrown together meal of tough, cheap meat and cold chips. I was left to my own devices for the rest of the evening and when I asked about the services on offer the next morning they replied 'you can do what you like' and disappeared. It's a great shame. You expect the food on a finca to be delicious, farm-fresh fare. It's not. Not a fruit or vegetable in sight! The coffee farm is still operational and you can take a lack-lustre tour of the processing plant if you like.

It's saving grace is its beautiful location (complete with three native parrots!) and the superb friendliness of the local butcher who ferried me to the finca from the local town on the back of his delivery bike.

There are hundreds of beautiful eco-farms in Colombia that would make excellent alternatives. There are lots of options in the coffee region, but if you are looking for backpacker-style lodgings in the area, try Coffee Town hostel in Santa Rosa de Cabal or La Serrana ecofarm in Salento. Sadly, Finca Villa Maria isn't what it used to be.