Colombia: The Trendiest destination in Latin America with an incredible list of top things to do for an unforgettable epic trip, from its pristine Caribbean beaches in the north to the high mountains of the Andes in the south , with many hidden gems to explore

Colombia has overcome its troubled past over the last years and is now the best affordable travel destination in Latin America, rising up in terms of visitors very quickly. That was one the main reasons why I decided to visit Colombia now before it becomes more touristic and expensive.

Colombia was on my travel bucket list for some years already and was one of those places I wanted to see most in the World. Colombia didn’t disappoint me! Colombia is one of the best travel destinations in the more than 80 countries I have visited so far. For me Colombia is so incredibly diverse having something for nature lovers, beach goers, hiking adventurers, culture enthusiasts and party fans,

These are the 5 reasons why you will love Colombia too:

• Stunning Landscapes: the Caribbean coast, the Andean mountains, and the coffee region, plus some incredbile nature scenery with waterfalls, rainforest and so many adventure destinations.
• Historical Cities: The most charming colonial cities in Latin America are almost all in Colombia, with places like Cartagena and Barichara, with their cobblestone streets, colorful architecture, and fascinating history.
• Vibrant Culture : Exploring bustling cities like Bogotá and Medellín, offering a mix of modern amenities, vibrant nightlife, and cultural attractions offer that special experience with really friendly people
• Great cuisine and coffee: It just gets better in this journey as you experiment so diverse food from the Caribbean to Bogotá with excellent taste and then just add up the best coffee in the World
• Affordable Travel: Colombia offers excellent value for money, making it a budget-friendly destination for travelers in comparison with other countries in the region.

With this post, I will show you the must see places you must visit in Colombia, including some hidden gems and the way to get there. Your trip to Colombia needs to be at least a 3 weeks trip, 2 1/2 weeks if you take more planes

In this map, you can see that Colombia is a large country, stretching from the tropical Caribbean to the cold mountain Andean regions, covering dry deserts and green rain forests plus so many other diverse places within its borders. This is essential to understand how you should plan your travel itinerary in Colombia:

MY TOP 11 TRAVEL TIPS FOR YOUR TRIP IN COLOMBIA

1. TAKE THESE 7 TRAVEL ESSENTIALS TO COLOMBIA. Pack mosquito repellent, sun screen, hiking shoes or pants, a waterproof jacket, a warm jacket, a flashlight, and a backpack. These items will help you with the climate changes. Expect hot humid conditions in the north and cold high Andean mountain cities in the South. Additionally, pack a more elegant attire for fancier night outs. Shorts are not allowed in the best clubs and restaurants. Don’t forget the basic beach clothing and flip flops. By the way you will probably need to wash your clothes, all hostels/hotels offer that service
2. BUY A LOCAL SIM CARD – A local phone SIM card in Colombia is essential. It will cost you around 18€ for 30 days usage. You get over 40GB data, which is fine for a month. but do avoid surcharges and go to a phone store in town. Best Internet coverage networks in Colombia are from Vodafone or Claro
3. FLY INSTEAD OF SELF DRIVING THE WHOLE TRIP. Colombia is a big country with big mountain ranges, jungles and rivers. It has lots of winding roads and heavy traffic. To avoid an 8-hour trip from Bogotá to Medellin or a 16-hour trip from Cartagena to Medellin, take a flight. The flight will bring you there in 30 to 45 minutes for around 50€ or less. Take Avianca, LATAM or Wingo
4. EXCHANGE TO LOCAL PESOS OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT. The urge to change to Colombian Pesos when you arrive in Colombia is big. However, the rates and commissions are worse for you at the airports than in town. Ask the Uber, taxi or your hotel for the best exchange offices in town and compare rates. And you can pay almost everywhere with credit card or Revolut
5. STAY IN HOSTELS RATHER THAN HOTELS. Hostels in Colombia are convenient and good value for money. They are comfortable and well located. Hostels are also a great place to connect with other travellers. This is especially true in the two biggest renowned chains in Colombia, El Viajero and Selina. Private or shared bathrooms, pools, party or relaxing, nice breakfasts, entertainment and tours, it’s all there. Accommodation prices vary. You can pay from 15€ for a dormitory bed to 60€ or more for private rooms. Prices depend on the city you are located in.
6. TAKE THE TOURS IN BIG CITIES. When in Bogotá, Medellin, or Cartagena, a local city tour really lets you embed in the local culture. You can be with fellow travelers and in a safer group rather than going solo or as couples. Medellin tour of Comuna 13 is a must and will cost around 21€, Bogotá and Cartagena free city tour will be around 10€ (but you decide)
7. DRIVING IN COLOMBIA IS SAFE. If you want to connect between smaller towns, driving is fine. These towns aren’t served by airports. It allows for more flexibility and helps you avoid the hassle from buses. Most roads are in good condition. Colombians usually drive well within limits. Do avoid driving at night and don’t leave valuable belongings in the car. For the 3 days I drove, I had no issues at all on any of my trips, always careful driving.
8. OVERNIGHT AT A BEACH IN COLOMBIA. Sleeping at the beach in a tent was an enchanting experience in Colombia. We slept after sunset and woke up for the early sunrise. This is especially true in Tayrona national park, where incredible lush jungle merges with the Caribbean sea.
9. TAKE THE BUS FOR SHORT DISTANCES – It saves money. It is practical if there are good bus connections. This will help you avoid renting a car. Cartagena to Tayrona National Park or Palomino beach, Tayrona to Minca, or Pereira to Salento/ Cocora Valley are my recommendations. Cost below
10. EXPLORE WATERFALLS IN CENTRAL COLOMBIA – these are probably the biggest hidden gems for international travellers. To see them, you need to go off the beaten path. Explore the most beautiful waterfalls in Colombia from Bucaramanga to Bogotá or some of the charming colonial villages in between.
11. PLAN A 3 WEEKS ITINERARY TO VISIT COLOMBIA – You will be traveling for quite some time. Plan your trip to Colombia well. Give at least 2 days for the biggest cities. Allow time for hikes in the outdoors and any great tours. But don’t book all the accommodation nights at once. Leave some time to flex your travel plans. You will surely find some special places that will amaze you. My suggestion is to start with 3 days in Cartagena. Then spend 3 days in Tayrona/Minca. Allow 4 days for Central Colombia. Spend 3 days in Medellin and Guatapé. Consider 2-3 days in the Coffee region, and finally, spend 2 days in Bogotá.

WHEN TO GO TO COLOMBIA

You can go to Colombia at any time of the year. Its perfect geographical position near the Equator line allows this. There is almost no seasons transition. There may be more rain during the Summer season in the Northern part of Colombia. However, it does not rain all the time.

The climate regions are extremely different. You do need to take several pieces of different clothing to adapt. Here are the main 5 regions:

• Caribbean coast: very hot & humid, has usually strong rain periods at the end of the day but rarely all day long
• Bogotá region: cold as its located quite high in the mountain (> 2.500mts) even if it rarely goes below 10 degrees celius
• Medellin: city of eternal spring as it never goes below 15 degrees celsius, with humid climate and showers almost
• Central Colombia: Usually mild warm during the day but getting quite cold at night as its located by the mountains
• Pacific Coast: Some humidity but not as extreme as Caribbean coast, oceans are much rougher and water is colder

HOW TO GO TO COLOMBIA

The best way to get to Colombia is by plane, as the country is well served from the biggest international companies and also has very good regional companies called Avianca or LATAM, that offer some good fares to many cities in the World.

I recommend you to fly into one of the big cities like Bogotá or Medellin, then exiting via Cartagena, so that you save some time.

HOW TO GET AROUND COLOMBIA

Colombia is a huge country. My advice is to take planes between the major cities. Commute with buses or via tours to the smaller towns or outdoor adventures. Three major flight companies offer domestic flights at very affordable prices. Prices range between 30 to 100€ with luggage one-way. The best are Avianca, LATAM and Jingo, check them in flight search site like http://www.momondo.com.

Buses in Colombia are like large shuttle vans. They fit 20 persons. Sometimes, there are bigger ones in the major cities. Every town in Colombia has a bus terminal so you can easily get there and catch yours. Costs are between 5€ to 20€ depending on the itinerary . I took the bus from Cartagena to Tayrona and it took circa 4 hours for only 5€. You can check schedules online or just ask your hotel/ hostel.

In big cities like Bogotá, Medellin and Cartagena avoid the public bus and take an Uber or a Taxi, its safer and taxis are still quite cheap in Colombia. From airports to your accomodation take taxis or Uber too.

Renting a car is also a good option if you are brave to get through the big traffic jams in the cities. I rented a car to connect between smaller towns in central Colombia for a few days. Bus connections weren’t great, and I absolutely liked the driving experience.

Colombia still lacks major highways beyond the big cities. However, I found the narrow mountain passes, trucks, and roads with many turns anyways quite easy to drive. But I don’t recommend to drive there the whole trip as its too many hours on the road and avoid driving at night.

Finally, an interesting alternative in smaller towns like Minca or Salento is the moto taxis. This option is great if you are solo traveling or as a couple. It’s much cheaper, safe, and quite a great experience riding over those roads.

I recommend taking a taxi or hotel shuttle to your accommodation. After that, you can arrange your own transport, like a shuttle, rental car, or buggy, to explore the island.

WHERE TO STAY IN COLOMBIA

Colombia has all type of accomodations from luxury to value for money, for solo travellers to groups of friends and families. An hostel will usually start at 10€ in a shared dormitory to around 70€ in a private room and in 4 star hotels you will get rates well over 100€ rates in places like Medellin, Cartagena or on the coastline.

I personally liked the great combination of comfort, location, food and beverages quality in a well frequented safe atmosphere of the 2 largest hostel chains in Colombia: EL Viajero and Selina. I personally liked more El Viajero in Bogotá, Salento and Selina was great in Cartagena and Medellin. You can check them online at El Viajero website and Selina website

Outside the big towns without these hostels, I suggest more affordable luxury properties that are more traditional in historical towns like Barichara or affordable luxury Ecolodges that really allow you to be closer to nature in outdoor places such as Minca, Tayrona and Guadalupe.

I will share the places in my next travell blog posts.

If you need specific hotel recommendations , just message me.

TOP THINGS TO DO IN COLOMBIA

COLOMBIA is truly a must-see travel destination. It offers top things to do that are as diverse as the country itself from North to South. It has almost everything a true travel adventurer can ask for. It also caters to those looking for a relaxed holiday.

For me these are the top 19 must see places in Colombia that you can’t miss visiting in Colombia:

• Cartagena old town
• Rosario Islands
• Tayrona National Park
• Minca
• Palomino Beach
• Chicamocha Canyon
• Barichara
• Las Gachas
• Curiri Waterfall
• Cascada de los Caballeros Waterfall
• Villa de Leyva
• Zipaquirá Cathedral
• La Chorrera Waterfall
• Medellin
• Guatapé
• Salento
• Valle de Cocora
• Santa Rosa Waterfalls
• Bogotá

In this map of Colombia, you can see a travel itinerary. It shows your trip with all 19 things to do included. This is planned for a 3-week trip in Colombia. Some also include Cali, the salsa capital of the World. Others prefer the wild Pacific Coast near Nuqui. However, for that, you would need one month.

Stay tuned for the next posts about Colombia’s top things to do. Discover all the reasons why it’s worth visiting those incredible places in Colombia. Plus, get some travel tips for when you are there, including accommodation and restaurants!

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