After every country we visit, Vikram will write a post about our overall experiences and highlights there. Here’s the first one from Colombia!
Many of our friends and family were a little concerned when we told them we were starting our trip in Colombia. People we talked to recalled the dangerous history of Colombia, which until relatively recently struggled with civil war, drug-related violence, and kidnappings.
These concerns were valid even ten years ago, but as we learned on our trip, Colombia has turned a corner. With an improving economy and falling crime rate, Colombia is no longer much more dangerous than other common South American vacation destinations. While you have to take some common safety precautions and be aware of your surroundings, the same is true for much of the world. If you’re comfortable with the idea of visiting Buenos Aires, Colombia should be on your list of places to go. Within a few hours’ flight of the United States, there are beaches, mountains, idyllic rural retreats, bustling cities, and lively nightlife. Things are cheap (especially if you’re American, due to the increasing strength of the dollar), people are friendly, and you can experience a country on the rise.
Basics
Total days in the country: 18
Number of cities visited: 5 (Bogotá, Manizales, Palmira, Medellín, Cartagena)
Number of bus rides: 2
Number of plane rides: 2
Finances
Average daily cost per person: $41 USD (includes intra-country buses and flights)
Exchange rate: $1 USD = $3,278 COP (as of January 30, 2016)
Attractions
Favorite things we did:
- Medellín walking tour
- Coffee country
- Medellín cable car rides
- Snorkeling at the Rosario Islands
Better than expected: Mondongo (tripe soup).
Worse than expected: Playa Blanca—beautiful, but overcrowded with other beachgoers and hawkers.
One thing you “have” to do: The Medellín walking tour, to learn more about the city’s history.
Things you have to eat: Bandeja paisa, mondongo, arepas con queso, fresh juices (like lulo, which doesn’t exist in the U.S.), ceviche, and fried street food like buñuelos and empanadas.
Biggest challenge we faced: We thought we’d reserved bus tickets from Bogotá to Manizales before we left the U.S. Turns out “rechazada” means “rejected”, and we had to go to the bus station in person to sort things out.
What we would have done differently: More time in Medellín, less time in Cartagena. (We spent three days in the former vs. six days in the latter.)
Read More!
Slowing Down in Coffee Country
3 Comments
You are really ‘living and learning’!
What a great way to build your Spanish vocabulary. I bet you’ll aways remember the meaning of rechezada!
Yes, definitely!