Colombia has been a recent favorite for western travelers. It’s very budget-friendly, the people are very nice, and the country offers a lot for you to see great sights.
Colombia is located in South America, yet it’s hard to believe that it is only a 3-hour flight from Bogota to Miami. The dark days of Pablo Escobar have long been over and it’s incredible to see how a country has turned the tables in the last 2-3 decades.
How I Got There
As usual whenever I travel, I either take a United flight or search for the cheapest flight on kayak.com. I wrote an article about how I stick to flying on United as much as possible to cash out big with my miles.
For this trip, I flew to Bogotá from Houston on a United flight using my miles.
This is going to be very hard for me to choose, so plz don’t hold against me, but here we go: Below are my top 3 highlights of Colombia.
1. El Peñol and Guatapé (Medellín)
It took about an hour to get to Guatape from Medellin. I went there with some Couchsurfers that I met, and I also went with another American staying at the same hostel.
We took the local buses (and saved a ton of money), stopped by downtown Guatapé, and took some nice photos. We budgeted an entire day for this trip.
El Peñol and Guatapé (Medellín)
American Friend
El Peñol and Guatapé (Medellín)
2. La Cuidad Perdida/The Lost City Tour – Santa Marta
This was a 3 night/4 day hiking trip that I booked through TripAdvisor. The tour guides did a really good job of making sure we were fed well, had access to hot water, and slept comfortably in bunk beds. Way to keep the gringos gringos.
By the way, this hike will be featured on my hiking blog that I will be posting in the near future.
La Cuidad Perdida/The Lost City Tour – Santa Marta
Hike - La Cuidad Perdida/The Lost City Tour – Santa Marta
La Cuidad Perdida/The Lost City Tour – Santa Marta
3. Salsa Dancing in Cali
Asking me to choose the 3rd and final spot on my favorites list on this blog post is like asking me if I prefer Dim Sum or Ramen. So. Don’t @ me.
Salsa Dancing in Cali
I went out on a Friday night with some local Couchsurfers, and literally every single person at the club knew how to dance and dance well. I was amazed… these people are naturals and I had a great time. Also, I took plenty of salsa dancing lessons in San Francisco to maybe match their level of dancing? But yeah. It’s literally in their blood.
I really liked Cali, I think it’s very underrated.
Honorable Mentions
Barrio San Antonio in Cali. At the time, I was living in California and couldn’t resist the urge to come up with this Instagram caption here.
I’m not a huge fan of Colombian food, but Bandeja Paisa is very good.
Colombian Food
Where I Stayed
Bogotá – I stayed at an Airbnb. Staying by Parque de la 93 was a great central location. There were the park, walkable to many bars and restaurants.
If I could go back, I think I would stay in La Candelaria in the south, but Parque de la 93 was a great place to stay for first time.
By the way, I wrote a separate article on How I Choose Where I Stay when I Travel.
If I Had More Time, I Would Have…
Closing Remarks
Is Colombia dangerous? Did I get robbed? No, and no. Colombia is now a fairly safe place. I had, what I like to call, common sense (don’t be alone at night in a dark alley, etc.) and I was fine.
I think Colombia tourism has really turned the corner. People from all over the world love visiting different parts of Colombia. Yes, the women are beautiful (because I know you have been wondering).
No, I was not impressed by the food. But yes, I absolutely loved my time in Colombia.
