COLOMBIA QUICK GUIDE
THOUGHTS: Colombian still gets a bad wrap for the past drug issues, but those who have traveled there recently have nothing but glowing reviews. It is relatively cheap, interesting, and somewhat off the beaten path. Highly reccomend Medellin and the surrounding areas.
TOP PLACES: Cartagena, Tayrona NP, Medellin
CURRENCY: Colombian Peso (3000:1 USD)
TRAVEL ROUTE: Cartagena -> Barranquilla -> Tayrona NP -> Medellin -> Guatape -> Bogota -> Los Nevados NP -> Manizales -> Piedra -> Armenia -> Cali -> Ipiales -> (Ecuador)
TIPS:
THOUGHTS: Colombian still gets a bad wrap for the past drug issues, but those who have traveled there recently have nothing but glowing reviews. It is relatively cheap, interesting, and somewhat off the beaten path. Highly reccomend Medellin and the surrounding areas.
TOP PLACES: Cartagena, Tayrona NP, Medellin
CURRENCY: Colombian Peso (3000:1 USD)
TRAVEL ROUTE: Cartagena -> Barranquilla -> Tayrona NP -> Medellin -> Guatape -> Bogota -> Los Nevados NP -> Manizales -> Piedra -> Armenia -> Cali -> Ipiales -> (Ecuador)
TIPS:
- Take a day trip to Penol de Guatape from Medellin
- Salsa in Cali, the Salsa capital of the world
- Explore the Coffee region of Manziales, Piedra, and Armenia
- The Cathedral in Ipiales is really neat if overlanding to/from Ecuador
- Check out the gondolas/escalators in Medellin, and take the Free Walking tour, one of the best and most interesting I've ever been on
- Spend some time in Tayrona NP
- Swim in the El Totumo Mud Volcano for a wacky experience
