Colombia
Colombia is a large country in Northern South America that is relatively well known around the world. It has a reputation for violence, war, terrorism and of course Narcos. While Colombia still has issues like many countries do, we found it a friendly and safe place to visit. It’s a land of contrasts and contradictions like our guides said. It is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world and is also a country with a rich history of ancient cultures and the Spanish searching for the mythical City of El Dorado. In October of 2024 we visited Colombia for the first time and visited the high-altitude capital city of Bogota in the Andes and the UNESCO World Heritage site and beach/tropical destination of Cartagena. It was an amazing adventure!
How to Get to Colombia and Transportation
The main way to get to Colombia would be to fly to one of the major international airports in the country. We started in Bogota that has connections to all over the US with airlines like American, United, and Delta to name a few. The National airline of Colombia is Avianca and its one of the oldest airlines in the Americas. It flies to many US cities as well. There are major airports in Cartagena, Medellin and Cali as well. Another way to visit is by cruise ships that port in Cartagena. When we left Cartagena, we saw a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship in port. As for getting around the country the best way is to buy the very affordable flight tickets. We went with Gate 1 Travel and took an express tour of Colombia that included airfare between Bogota and Cartagena. Being a developing nation the road infrastructure in the rural areas is not well developed and there are many mountains so it can take many hours to drive between major cities and isn’t necessarily the safest way to go either. I do not recommend renting a car and driving yourself as traffic can be brutal in both Bogota and Cartagena and the driving can be “intense” so its best to leave that to local drivers. In the cities they do have public busses but we took guided tours with Gate 1 Travel and booked on of our own in Bogota before our Gate 1 tour started. Uber is illegal in Colombia but not banned (I told you there are contradictions) so you can use it. No guide will tell you to use it due to this fact but its readily available and the locals use it often as a safe way of transport. In Bogota its not recommended to hail a cab from the street but to ask for your hotel or business to call one for you. There are Taxi Scams. In Cartagena cabs are safer and we used them there once called by our hotel.
Country Information
Colombia is a large country located in Northern South America. It is a country that ranks as one of the most diverse countries in the world when it comes to wildlife. The country is home to dense rainforest, high altitude landscapes in the Andes, tropical beaches and deserts. Bogota is one of the highest elevation cities of its size and one of the highest capital cities in the world at around 8,600 feet (2,600 meters). So if you visit Bogota or some of the other Andes locations be prepared for possible altitude sickness (headache, high pulse rate, fatigue and other symptoms). Staying hydrated, taking it easy in the beginning of your trip and possibly taking medication such as Diamox that can be prescribed by a medical doctor. Spanish is the official language and we found that English is not widely spoken outside of tourist areas and tour guides. At our hotel restaurant and in many other areas like in souvenir shops we used our Spanish pretty often. It would be very handy to know some Spanish to get by. The currency is the Colombian Peso and at the time of this writing in October of 2024 1 Colombian Peso is worth $ 0.00024 USD. So for people coming from places like the US and Europe the cost for food and other items will be very cheap for you. US Dollars are accepted in most places as are credit cards. Depending on where you are going be prepared for cold temperatures in the Andes and hot temperatures along the coast. Be prepared for rain as well as we encountered strong storms in both Cartagena and Bogota.
Before you visit Colombia at the time of this writing you will need to fill out a migration form called CheckMig between 72 hours and 1 hour before your flight. It asked for information about your trip such as where you are staying, passport information and some other details. You will also need to fill it out on departure as well with the same timeframe.
Safety
Safety is one of the biggest concerns people have traveling to Colombia. Its violent past and government warnings make people hesitant to visit. Colombia is a level 3 destination rated by the US State Department. We found like many areas of the US it all depends on where you are. Bogota and Cartagena have areas where crime is worse just like cities in the US. The crime rate in those cities are actually lower than some of the major cities in the US. In Colombia, you should not go near any of the borders with different countries as those are danger areas. Pick pocketing and phone theft can be issues and our guides reminded us to “No dar papaya”. It means don’t give the papaya or other words keep a low profile and do not show off signs of wealth to attract trouble. The motor bikes all over the cities sometimes can snatch phones or valuables as you are walking by and speed away if you are not cautious. In Bogota, it is not recommended to take cabs off the street and it is not recommended to walk around at night alone. We felt just as safe honestly as we did in US major cities but you do need to be aware of your surroundings as I reminded a person on our tour to not carry her cell phone out facing the street with all the bikes driving around. Going with a guided tour like Gate 1 or Viator tours is heavily recommended so you have even more peace of mind with a local. We did this and we had no issues in Colombia
From a health perspective you should absolutely not drink the tap water. We used bottled water to brush our teeth in. In Cartagena, the water in the shower would come out brown at the beginning and then clear up. It is a developing nation so you cannot expect everything to be the same as back home. In Bogota, there are no risks from the mosquitoes but in other areas of the country Yellow Fever and Malaria can be a concern. There is no concern per the CDC in Cartagena or Bogota for these diseases. It is advised to check with your doctor for what vaccines you should get for travel or visit a travel doctor specialist to get what you need. We did not take Malaria Medication, but we did get a Yellow Fever Vaccine.
Do not let any of this scare you away from visiting Colombia! It is a wonderful country with friendly people. There is so much to see and do there and if you take pre-cautions, you will most likely have a great trip like ours.
Bogota
Located at 8,600 feet in the Andes towards the center of Colombia is the largest city and capital of Colombia. Bogota is a city of around 11 million people and one of the highest elevation capitals in the world. Its a busy city full of contrasts with wealthy neighborhoods with modern shopping centers and restaurants, historic buildings from the Spanish Colonial times and impoverished neighborhoods. In Colombia, they have a numbering system for their neighborhoods based on the wealth. It affects how much they pay for utilities and other services. Number 6 is the most wealthy and number 1 is the poorest. Bogota has a mixture of them all. There are great museums, attractions, food and of course coffee throughout the city. We spent 3 days in Bogota visiting multiple museums, seeing the capital and main square, shopping, trying local coffee and even experiences a storm with so much hail it looked like it had snowed. The city also has an interesting architecture with many tall buildings have exposed bricks from top to bottom.
Arriving in Bogota
We arrived in Bogota from a flight from Miami. The El Dorado International Airport is appropriately named after the mythical city or idea of unlimited gold. The process for entry was similar to most countries. With a check at passport control and a customs scan of our bags we headed out. The airport is very modern with very nice facilities. We spent about an hour getting through the entry process there. The staff were helpful and kind. Our Gate 1 transfer was waiting right outside of baggage claim and it was a smooth process getting to the hotel. Also after a summer of brutal heat, it was very nice to walk out to cool temperatures in the mountains.
Hotel El Dorado
Located in the wealthier and fancier Parque 93 area, our hotel was the 4 Star Hotel El Dorado. The name keeps with the legend of the city of gold in Colombia. Each floor in the hotel has replica gold pieces from the ancient indigenous of Colombia. The hotel staff are extremely kind and helpful. As soon as we got to the hotel the staff came and got our bags and checked us in. They also took our bags to our room and gave us a room tour. The rooms are very nice at the hotel with a mini-bar, a spacious bathroom and a comfortable bed. The Air-conditioning was great as well. The shower came with a rain style shower head. There is a sushi restaurant on the roof with views of the city and a Colombia style restaurant called Origen in the lobby that also provides breakfast in the mornings. We ate at Origen for dinner twice with one night getting amazing Colombian BBQ. It was a great place to stay and on our first day in Bogota we rested there after our flight in. Even though the hotel was wonderful we still brushed our teeth with bottled water just in case.
The National Museum of Colombia and Cafe Freddie
On our first full day in Bogota we booked a guided tour to the National Museum of Colombia. Our guide Katy met us at the hotel, and we headed over to the museum. The museum is in the business district so there are many modern sky scrapers around the old prison that is now the National Museum. Many ladies dressed in traditional clothing from different regions of Colombia where in front of the museum for a private performance of traditional dancing. The museum is very large and represents many different time periods in Colombian history. We started viewing artifacts from the pre-colonial days. They had exhibits of pottery and other items including ancient gold and emerald jewelry. The museum contained items you can touch and many of the exhibits where in English as well as Spanish of course. At one point a guard asked Katy where we were from as hearing English being spoken draws a little attention in a good way. I found that most people tried really hard to speak English to us to practice. Even in some cases when I spoke to them in Spanish they would respond in English to me. It was another nice gesture from the people of Colombia. The museum covered the Spanish arriving and their search for gold and more modern times with the war between the government and groups such as FARC. They had pieces from some of the attacks such as on the Palace of Justice. They also have a exhibit about the prison that the museum is in now. The top floor is a temporary exhibit space that had artwork while we were there.
After we finished the museum, Katy walked us through a nice courtyard in the museum and through downtown Bogota. We passed by parks, a large planetarium and through a shopping street with many vendors lining the street. We went into a nice shop and bought a few items. We ended our tour at a very unique coffee shop called Cafe Freddie. We got cold brew coffee and some of the best empanadas we have tried. The Cafe is dedicated to Freddie Mercury from Queen and played classic rock songs while we stayed there. Afterwards, Katy called our driver and just as a tropical downpour started we headed back to our hotel to meet our Gate 1 tour group that evening. Our tour was wonderful and Katy was a great guide!
Bogota National Museum Tour (Click Below):
Museo De Oro (The Gold Museum)
Our Gate 1 tour started on a Saturday and began with our awesome guide Vicky and our local guide Juan David for Bogota. Our group of 11 was picked up in a very nice small bus and we headed out on a full day tour of Bogota. Our first stop is another great museum and a must see in Bogota. The Gold Museum is all about the ancient indigenous cultures of Colombia. The Musica People are the indigenous culture that lived in the Bogota region of the country. There were many other cultures throughout Colombia that varied greatly especially due to the different climates of the country. Our local guide explained all about the beautiful gold and emerald pieces from the local cultures. The gold and emeralds were not overly valuable to the people as things such as shells and feathers were much more valuable. The gold and emeralds were used in more ceremonial purposes or for offerings. The people of Colombia did not build large temples like in the Inca or Mayan Civilizations. The natural world was very important to the Musica people. That is reflected in the gold art with much of it being of animals such as bats. They also use a common theme of a spiral which is seen in indigenous art around the world representing the cycle of life. There is a lake in Colombia that was used for ceremonies such as new leadership. The leaders would go by a boat into the lake and the people would throw gold and emeralds into the lake. There is an experience at the museum that demonstrates this ritual. The most intricate piece that shows the amazing craftsmanship of the people is a gold boat with leaders on it that represents the ritual as well. The gold and emeralds found by the Spanish drove them into the “El Dorado” frenzy as they always thought they could find even more riches. Its a tale that repeats itself often in todays world. Juan David gave us a lot of great information as we walked through this amazing museum. They also have a great gift shop with replica gold pieces (made from gold and silver), textiles and other art from the indigenous cultures of Colombia. After the we finished at the museum we continued on our tour.
Plaza De Bolivar
From the Gold Museum we walked through the vibrant and busy downtown of Bogota on the way to the main square of the city that celebrates Simon Bolivar who freed Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and parts of other countries from Spain. He wanted to form a united South America but he did not survive to see it. He is a hero in Colombia and you will find many statues of him in different cities. Our guides warned us that the main area is a place for pick pocketing, so we wore our backpacks on the front and watched ourselves as we walked through the crowded streets of vendors selling pretty much anything. The scent of incense and some marijuana was in the air as we walked. In Bogota not unlike many cities, you will find a lot of graffiti on walls. In Bogota and Cartagena there are many murals in areas instead of graffiti that makes areas colorful and nice. We passed by a spot marking where a former Presidential Candidate was killed as part of the violence that occurred in the past. We made it to Plaza De Bolivar and saw the Palace of Justice that was re-built after being destroyed by a communist dissident group, the main cathedral, city hall and the parliament of Colombia. There were many pigeons in the vast plaza and vendors selling seeds to feed to them or souvenirs. When you say no thank you the vendors do not pressure but walk away unlike in other countries. A dancer with a mime painted face did a Michael Jackson dance for us and we gave him some money. In Colombia there are many street performers as everyone works very hard to make money in the country. There are fewer beggars and people will at the minimum perform. They are grateful for any help you can give. Juan David told us so much about his country during the walk. We had whisper (one eared headphone box that allowed us to listen to him while walking). We passed by other museums such as the Military Museum on the way to our next stop.
Museo Botero
Fernando Botero is probably the most famous artist from Colombia and has a very unique style to his paintings and sculptures. He uses “space” in unique ways in his paintings. Many people would say the people in his paintings are “fat”, but it is really just his style. His paintings are very simply named with an example of one might be something like “The Apple” and it is a painting of an apple. He created his version of the Mona Lisa that they have at the museum. Botero’s private collection is there as well and contains art from famous artists like Pablo Picasso. We toured the museum and then headed to go play a game that is a Colombian tradtion!
Tejo
One of the national pass times of Colombia is a game called Tejo. The game was played as a challenge in Season 28 of the “Amazing Race” and in series like “Narcos”. It is a very unique game that involves heavy metal discs, a clay target board, a metal ring and explosives (gunpowder). The game is kind of like corn hole in a way. Small gunpowder filled triangles are placed on top of an embedded metal ring in the clay. The object of the game is to get your metal disk inside of the ring which gives you the most points. You also get points for making the gun powder explode or getting your disc the closest to the ring. Our whole group played along with Juan David and Vicky. The game also is one you can have a drink and still throw the disc. We played multiple rounds and ultimately, I got discs inside the ring and got two explosions. I ended up being fairly good at the game and won. One of our fellow travelers named Mark called me “The Grand Champion” for the rest of the trip. Tejo is a very fun game that I hope to be able to play again in the future.
Lunch, Monserrate and Hail
In downtown Bogota there are plenty of great restaurants of many different kinds of food to try. We ate at a neat restaurant decorated with many different US Pop Culture references from Chuck Norris, Spock, Breaking Bad and much more. We decided to get a local dish that was like a bean soup with chorizo (sausage) plantains, and an avocado. We also got buffalo wings and they were very good. We headed over to Juan Valdez to purchase some coffee before we headed to our optional tour to Monserrate.
Monserrate is an over 10,000 foot tall mountain that overlooks Bogota. There is a funicular and an aerial tramway to get to the top and at the top is a monastery and church. With Gate 1 we booked a tour to the top to see the church and views of Bogota. When we got to the station to go to the top it started raining heavily and hailing. Our guides decided it was not safe to ride to the top and if we did make it to the top they could close the transportation options and we would be stuck. I agreed with our guides working hard to keep us safe as the weather was really bad with streets becoming rivers and the hail thick enough that it looked like snow. We headed back to the hotel to rest for a little while. In travel and in life in general sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. In this case it did not work out for us, but there was not anything to be frustrated about as it is just the way it is sometimes.
Parque 93
After the storms died down, we headed out with Vicky and some of our group to walk over to Parque 93. The area is safe so walking at night in a group was not a big deal. We saw many great restaurants and many people out enjoying an evening with family and friends. Pretty much any kind of food you would like to try is around a very nice park (Park 93). We passed by a very large Pizza Restaurant for example that was three stories tall and the top floor at a recreation center where we could see kids playing basketball and other things. We went to a restaurant called Crepes and Waffles that served as you might expect many different types of French style savory and sweet crepes and different kinds of waffles. They also have many other great things on the menu. Vicky picked a great place to go eat at! I got a ham and cheese crepe and Donna got a chicken waffle sandwich. For dessert I got a caramel and coffee ice cream mini waffle. Afterwards we took a quick walk around the park and headed back to the hotel to get ready for our flight to Cartagena the next day.
Bogota to Cartagena
Gate 1 handled booking us a flight from Bogota down to the Caribbean Coast and the resort destination of Cartagena. We left our hotel and the staff helped us with our bags which is always nice coming from budget conscious travelers that usually handle it all on our own. At the airport Vicky arranged for porters to carry all our bags into the airport to the check in desk. El Dorado Airport is a very modern airport with a very easy baggage check process. Like any airport in the US they have check in screens and you tag your own bags before sending them out. The security process is pretty much the same as the US except you can bring un-opened plastic bottled water through security. Inside the departures area there were many shops, restaurants and waiting areas. It is a very nice airport. We flew the National Airline of Colombia, Avianca, that is also one of the oldest airlines in the Western Hemisphere. The flight was around an hour but was delayed a bit due to a tire issue. The Cartagena airport is much smaller than Bogota’s airport and does not have gates/jetways so you walk down a ramp or stairs outside. Like in Bogota, Vicky arranged the bags to be sent to the bus after we confirmed she got all our bags. From there we headed into hot and sunny Cartagena for our adventure there.
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Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena’s full name is actually Cartagena de Indias as Colombus believed once again he had made it to India. The city is historically and today a major port city. The colonial walls and fortresses in Cartagena are a UNSECO World Heritage site. The old town is surrounded by Spanish fortress walls and the impressive Castillo San Felipe. The British tried to capture Cartagena in the “War of Jenkins’ Ear” but the impressive fortifications left the British with a defeat. The war began after the Spanish cut off Captain Jenkins’ ear during a stop off of Florida. The city is the 5th largest in Colombia with a population under 1 million. It is one of the largest tourist cities in Colombia and receives cruise ships and has many resorts. Cartagena was in Amazing Race Season 28. We spent two nights here and explored much of the city.
Cartagena City Walk and Lunch
As soon as we got to Cartagena we headed into the walled city to have lunch and walk through the beautiful walled old city. Anthony Bourdain visited restaurants in Cartagena. We went to a great restaurant in a beautiful building where we had plantain chips and dips, BBQ Chicken and a very good steak. We also walked the city seeing many historic old buildings that are protected by UNSECO, a lot of greenery and plazas. One plaza had a large Botero sculpture in it and the main square had a mortar (a type of long range cannon) there. We also walked into a beautiful church and stopped and got some great ice cream and popsicles. It was very hot and humid as we walked so it was a great walk but was nice to get back in the well air conditioned bus.
Castillo San Felipe
Our next stop was to head to the very large and well-designed Castillo San Felipe (a large stone fortress). It is a pretty steep walk up to the top of the fortress, but not only do you get great views of the multi-walled defenses of the fort but also a great view of Cartagena. Under the fortress there are many tunnels for the troops. At the top of the fortress we visited a nice giftshop and took in the great views. It was brutally hot so after we took our pictures we headed back to the bus to head to our final stop before the hotel.
The Emerald Museum
In the hotel district of Cartagena, they have the Emerald Museum. Emeralds are a famous export of Colombia and some of the best emeralds in the world come from there as well. This museum shows you all the different stages of the production of emeralds from raw to the different cuts and colors. It has a replica mine that shows you the hard work to get the emeralds from far underground. It also teaches you about what color, and brightness makes an emerald worth more. There is an exhibit of emeralds used throughout history and different emerald cuts from around the world. We got a guided tour and got a lot of good information as we went through the museum. At the end we got to shop the large collection of Colombian emeralds and jewelry. The sun was setting so it was time to head to our resort.
Hotel Caribe
Our resort for this part of the trip was the historic Hotel Caribe. It was the first resort hotel built in Cartagena in the 1940s. It has expanded greatly since it was first built but the main building still has its historic neocolonial look. It even has its old original elevator. Our room had two beds and was also very nice. The hotel has a beach area across the street with a bar. All beaches are public but there is a private area just off the beach. The hotel has a couple different restaurants where we got dinner on our first night and then breakfast at it in the mornings. The food was very good. We did not try the Sushi Restaurant there. The staff helped us with out with our bags just like at the Hotel El Dorado. In the main courtyard they have animals such as deer, peacocks, a sloth and others roaming the greenspace. There are swimming pools and nice sitting areas as well. They have miniature golf and other activities. The hotel is in the very safe hotel region on a peninsula. We did not have a long time to explore the hotel or the area, but we would like to do so in the future.
La Boquilla and The Mangrove Ecosystem
We headed out of the tourist area of Cartagena to a village called La Boquilla. The village is outside of the fancy tourist areas of Cartagena, and it is a different and humbling experience. On the scale of 1-6 for wealth in a neighborhood, La Boquilla is rated 1 being the poorest. Vicky explained when she first started out as a guide she was afraid to take tourist there due to it’s reputation. She found just like we have over the years that reputations aren’t all they seem in many cases. La Boquilla are the descendants of freed slaves in Colombia. It was one of the first such villages in Colombia and is a place protected by the government of Colombia. No one from outside the community can buy up property for example. Most of the homes are very humble but there are a few more fancy homes that were built by foreign people who married a community member. When we arrived the tall buildings of the hotel resorts disappeared and our bus went onto a dirt road through the village. The homes and living conditions are very modest and when you see places in that condition in the US many people will become concerned for their safety. Here the people are as friendly and caring as anywhere else in the world. We arrived at a modest dock with a few handmade boats for us to explore the mangrove ecosystem. We boarded with 4 people to a boat and a local used a wooden pole to move us along. We sailed through the quiet mangrove forest. We could see small crabs amongst the roots of the plants and could see birds and massive termite nests. It was relaxing moving quietly through nature. The main money source outside of tourism like our Mangrove boat tour for those in the village is fishing. They go out very early and then sell the catch to restaurants in town. We watched a local demonstrate how they fish in the very shallow water. After our wonderful and unique tour we got back to the village and they took us on a walking tour to see their way of life. They provided us fresh coconuts to drink the refreshing water from. One of the boat owners took us into his home where his wife was making coconut rice and cooking in a small kitchen outside. They welcomed us in their home with a smile. They are all very friendly people who might not have much but are kind and welcoming. We never felt unsafe there as the community makes sure people are not harmed. It was a great experience in probably one of the most poor areas I’ve visited in the World but still felt at home in some ways with the people there.
The National Aviary of Colombia
After our wonderful mangrove tour after a brief break where we changed our flight home to go through Atlanta instead of Miami due to a incoming hurricane, we headed on another tour to The National Aviary of Colombia. Colombia with it’s rainforests, high mountains, desert, and coastal and mangrove habitats is the 3rd most biodiverse country in the world. Colombia also has one of the largest Aviaries in the world with so many different native bird species. The Aviary is around an hour drive from Cartagena in a more rural zone. We went with a small group in a van to the Aviary. As our guide mentioned the roads in many areas in Colombia are in disrepair and that is really unfortunate as it makes it difficult for locals and tourists alike. The road was very bumpy in areas as we drove past the industrial area as Colombia is a oil producing country. We have been to many different places that have road challenges including places in the US so its relatively common. The park itself is huge and very well done. It is split into the different regions in Colombia such as Rainforest, mangrove, and desert. When you first enter there is a display of more macaws than I have seen in one place. All the red, blue and green colors was amazing. Our guide took us on the tour trail that is well marked with interpretative signs in both English and Spanish. We began in the rainforest region with a large walk-through habitat with doors to keep birds from escaping. There were so many different birds from the South American Blue Jay to others. In the habitat there was a large waterfall and lake and plenty of bird feeders. As I was leaning on a railing, one bird decided to become my friend and kept moving closer to me until it was close to my hand. After we toured the rainforest region we moved on to the mangrove/coastal region that had many birds similar to what can be found in the marshy Houston area such as egrets, and spoonbills. Halfway through we stopped at a concession stand for some ice cream and drinks that were very nice. I was surprised to find out Colombia has a desert region but I shouldn’t have been with it having such a diverse landscape. We saw birds such as the emu in that habitat. We also had the chance to see super colorful toucans and many other birds. At a lake at the end that is not part of the exhibit we got to see some of the variety of wild birds they have in Colombia. They also have a very nice gift shop with Colombian crafts on the way out. This Aviary rescues birds so we purchased items to help fund their great mission.
Afterwards we drove back to Cartagena in some really brutal traffic that was a bit chaotic with cars and motorbikes going all over the place. We had one last tour left for the day and our trip in Colombia.
Getsemani
That evening our guide Vicky organized a side tour for us of a neighborhood that once again is a low-income neighborhood that has become a beautiful and vibrant place to visit especially at night. I found it very safe walking through there at night. It is a place where the locals at night in front of their homes create outdoor bars and restaurants for people to enjoy. You will see small tables sitting out in the street. There are many different bars and restaurants to choose from. As you pass by people will ask you to take a look at their menu but like everywhere else in Colombia we found if you politely say no and you keep moving, they do not pressure you to buy. Many people had their front doors open where you could see inside their modest homes. While they might not have much in possessions, we found they are very friendly and helpful people. One of the other amazing aspects of the community that is named after the garden Jesus prayed in before he was arrested in Jerusalem, is all the beautiful murals depicting different aspects of Colombian life. One street had colorful umbrellas hanging, another street had a wall full of paintings you could purchase at very affordable prices. We bought a small painting ourselves. We saw many tourists and locals alike enjoying a night out. We came to a square that was very busy with people of all ages out enjoying drinks and food. Once we got to a major street, we could see the tour buses that at night are turned into mobile parties. Lively dancing was going on as they drove by. We also saw little trucks selling very cheap hamburgers and other things. Our guide warned that even for locals sometimes you can get sick after eating it. We went to a very nice restaurant overlooking the city and the port and had a great dinner of traditional Colombian fish. We took taxis back to the hotel and got ready for our flight home.
Leaving Colombia and Tips
The next day we took some time to explore our resort and get some breakfast from their very nice breakfast buffet. We took some time to walk at the beach and got a nice drink from the resort beach bar. We had planned to play a round of miniature golf and see if we could find more of the wildlife at the resort, but the deer ran under an overhang after a flash and very shortly the bang of thunder. Like back home and any other tropical destination storms pop up quickly. We enjoyed resting before Gate 1 bused us back to the airport. At the airport the check in process was normal and we did have to fill out the Check Mig on the Colombian government website and we went through an exit passport control process that some countries do that was easy as it was through automated gates. Donna unfortunately got the dreaded SSSS on her boarding pass that means she had to go through a thorough additional screening that is ordered by the US Government and not the Colombian government. If you travel internationally enough, you will eventually get this extra check. Cartagena is a small airport so she had to go to a side room to have all her things checked again after we had gone through security already. I have had this check too at other airports. Awhile later we were re-united and we headed off to Atlanta on our way home.
One of the best tips I can give you around Colombia is to GO THERE! It might have a bad reputation from the past and it does have problems not unlike most nations, but we found it completely safe as long as you remain aware and make good decisions (don’t go looking for trouble). Going with Gate 1 was also a great decision as they provided a wonderful experience. The hotels they chose were wonderful and every guide we had from Vicky to our local guides were amazing. They were so knowledgeable and worked very hard to make sure we had an unforgettable experience. Our Viator Tour was also great with our guide Katy. The country is very diverse with so much to see and do there. When going you will need cool weather clothing in Bogota being a high-altitude location (same for Medellin being at a similar altitude to Denver) and for Cartagena you will need warm weather clothing. Be prepared for mosquitoes in some areas like the mangroves in Cartagena but we didn’t run into any in the hotel zone. Do brush up on some Spanish as it will be very helpful. Colombia is somewhere that is getting more tourists but is still not on many tourists’ radars just yet but will be. Give it a chance and go through a group like Gate 1 to see a wonderful country with so much to offer!
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