“You’re going to Colombia…? By yourself?” my mother frantically asked me as I told her my summer plans. I assured her Colombia was the talk of the backpacker town, and that it was no longer an episode of Narcos. After four months living in Chile, I knew I could not return to the States after my semester was over, so I began brainstorming other countries I would want to live. I dabbled between mountain towns in Peru, surf stops in Ecuador, or the country I had absolutely no ties, Colombia. Finally, one night my friend and I spontaneously booked tickets there, without any knowledge of how we would afford it or where we go.
We blindly accepted this adventure, and soon realized Colombia’s insane beauty. This country is full of warm and welcoming people, rich green and blue landscapes, yummy menu del días, and before we knew it, five weeks there effortlessly flew by. We flew into Cartagena in a couple short weeks made our way to 6 other cities. A quick overview of my time in this amazing country!
Itinerary: We started in Cartagena for a few days, bussed to Santa Marta/ Parque Tayrona area for three weeks to work at a hostel, did a weekend trip in Minca, flew to Medellin, bussed to Guatape, Salento, and Jardin, then returned to Cartagena to fly home.
Cartagena: Cartagena is a great place to start in Colombia because lots of flights go there directly, but the city itself is notoriously expensive compared to the rest of the country. Tourists flock the cobbled streets, the houses are painted vibrantly, and the gorgeous ocean is bordering the road. The heat is strong, the menus probably overpriced, but this city is a perfect entrance into Colombia.
Favorite spot: Plaza de la Trinidad. This neighborhood is outside the main colonial city and has amazing street food, live performances, street vendors every night. You can purchase a cheap beer, some incredible fried creations, and watch break dancers and local enjoy the space every night.
Parque Tayrona Area:
We then took a four hour bus to Santa Marta, being dropped off at Plaza del Mercado, a dingy looking gas station, where you can bargain with colectivos and taxi drivers to negotiate the best price. We then went to a town called Calabaso, where we would be living for the next four weeks, working at a hostel. Parque Tayrona is an absolutely beautiful national park with gorgeous beaches that require a hiking entrance and a permit fee. Near this area, there is a famous beach party hostel called Costeño where parties do not end till the next morning. Luckily, with lots of beach hammocks, if you’re a grandma like me you can escape the crowds near the DJ and take a 4 AM nap on the beach. This entire area is full of gorgeous jungles, local towns, and a hugely populated group of young people partying at the beach.
Favorite spot: I’m biased but working at Mama Tayrona was absolutely stunning, with beautiful views of the jungle each day, and gorgeous sunsets over the cloud forest.
Minca:
On a free weekend from working, we took a colectivo to Minca. Minca is a beautiful jungle town, that has completely blown up in the last years. If you’ve ever seen the famous gigantic hammocks overlooking the jungle, this is the place (by the way I find that hostel overrated). A weekend here can be filled with waterfalls, gorgeous hikes, and incredible locally sourced food.
Favorite spot: Casa Loma Minca. We didn’t stay at this hostel but hiked up for about two hours to a beautiful haven nestled high in the jungle. We waited for lunch and had an incredible vegetarian meal prepared and ate with the entire community of people staying at the hostel.
Medellin:
From Santa Marta, we spent the money to fly straight to Medellin, but bussing is absolutely an option. Medellin is one of my favorite cities in the world, filled with rolling green hills, stacked with colorful homes, and a completely unique history. I highly recommend staying and exploring all areas of Medellin and not just staying in what they call “Gringo Land.” We stayed at a mix of hostels and spent about two weeks on and off.
Favorite spot: Parque Arví. To arrive to this park, you take a gondola above the city and arrive deep in nature in a beautiful green space. At the top, a market welcomes you filled with yummy locally produced food and within minutes you can access lots of cool hikes and scenery. Additionally, one spot near one of our hostels was a market area (by the plantierium and botanic gardens) that would project movies on a screen for free, had amazing street food (we literally become friends with the guy that made a special vegan burrito for us) and salsa dancing performances. This area totally makes you feel integrated into the city. Finally, Comuna 13 Tour is amazing and led by guides that actually live in this amazing and inspiring neighborhood!
Guatape:
Just a few hours from Medellin, you can take a bus easily from the station and go to a quite colorful city known as Guatape. Here you can climb the famous La Piedra, and see some beautiful views of the Colombian landscape. The city of Guatape has become a little touristy, but the colorful shops are always fun to look around for souvenirs.
Favorite spot: Cinnamon Rolls. Near a really touristy area, there is an incredible cinnamon roll place that my friend recommended, and I could not agree more.
Salento: From Medellin, we took a bus to Salento, which had been on our bucket list the entire time. The ride was long, but beautiful, and we ended up in gorgeous Salento. The entire city is filled with beautifully made souvenirs, and I purchased a gorgeous handmade poncho there. The famous thing to do there is to see the beautiful tall palm trees. We took a bus there, and because of rain opted for an easier hike, soaking up the beautiful views and admiring the gorgeous palm trees.
Favorite spot: Palm Trees. What this area is known for, exploring the beautiful region of the palm trees.
Jardin: From Salento we took a long winded trip, including three busses, to get to Jardin, a gorgeous Colombian town. With beautifully colored houses, breezy weather, and lots of locals hanging riding their horses around, you really feel immersed in the area.
Favorite spot: The Center. Right in the center square to people watch.
Overall my time in Colombia was incredible! We had no issues, everyone was extremely nice and helpful, and the landscape will forever be one of my favorite views of all time. We only touched a slight piece of Colombia, but if you have more time, there are many other regions to explore like Cali, San Gil, the Ciudad Perdida trek, Bogota, and more.
Things to know:
Safety: I didn’t feel more unsafe than any city in the US, and as with a lot of places, it’s all about street smarts and having heightened awareness. I heard of people getting mugged, but it was usually always at night and the person was alone. If you’re smart, keep your phone kept away, and know what neighborhoods you’re entering, Colombia is a completely safe place, and the people are kind if you’re having any issues.
Tourists: I was shocked by the number of tourists I saw when I was traveling. These areas are completely tourist saturated so if you have any ideas of what South America might be like, at least in my experience, did not match my expectations, and a lot of the time I was with more people from Europe and the US than actual Colombians. Also be weary with what type of questions you ask, and try not to live out your Narcos fantasies, Pablo Escobar ruined many people’s lives here and supporting tours about him can be disrespectful!
Transportation: Colombian busses were great, some even having TVs in them. Make sure to not be on a tight schedule anywhere in South America, and add an additional three hours to your ETA to any bus trip, because most of the cars all use the same roads, and at times we’d be completely stopped for thirty minutes, so pack snacks accordingly. While you can definitely bus through the whole country, rather then bus from Santa Marta to Medellin, we opted for a cheap flight through Viva Air Colombia to save time, and they were a reliable and cheap flight.
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