Colombia > Colombia Experience

Advantages: A country of extremes
Disadvantages: Its a long flight

I went to Colombia for the first time in August 2006 with my family and friends asking 'why?' The immediate response to my decision to travel there was that it was a place of drug runners, murderers and thieves and yes, maybe parts of the country are best left alone but the rest of it is so big and so beautiful that to not see it is a crime in itself. I stayed in Quindio but we traveled hundreds of miles in all directions from there, as far as Medellin, ...
...the road brought with it a new visual experience and a view more spectacular, although the 8 hours taxi ride from Quindio to Bogota was one I might not repeat. Mountain folk on horses pull up alongside the 4 x 4's, children sit on the side of the road selling corn or arepa, streams tumble down mountains and the earth is red covered in a green and verdant blanket. There are too many ways to describe this beautiful country than could ever fit on this ... Read review

Advantages: Easy to navigate
Disadvantages: Traffic jams

This city is immense and viewed from the vantage point of Monseratte it seemed to fill the entire plain below. The phenomonal difference in the northern and southern suburbs is sometimes ovewhelming but both have thier own beauty. In the the north there are elegant and palatial homes, areas of great beauty and historical interest, modern shopping malls and restaurant areas (Zona Rosa). You can buy emeralds, sleep in comfortable and expensive hotels, ...
...in central Europe. In the south you will experience the shanty towns, poverty at ground level, literally, and some large part of the real Colombia which is the friendliness and happy disposition of the people. The city offers a multitude of historical and interesting sites all of which are better described in the Lonely Planet but the city itself offers more of the vibrancy that is Colombian, more of the energy that is Latin America and more of ... Read review

Advantages: Large City with Botero Museum
Disadvantages: Large city with bad reputation

We were only in Medellin for two days and we went to so that my friends could vist family and so that I could visit the Botero Museum that I had been whinging on about for days. It was also an excuse to experience the city after so long in the countryside. It was a bit of a culture shock at first and there were times when we felt a bit threatened on the street but this was probably just paranoia as in fact we had a great time. The museum is well ...
...of bronzes which children play on, you can touch and lie on, and generally just love! It is a magnificent sight and although it is a bit of a traffic island it is surrounded by beautiful buildings and the hustle and bustle of daily life, the colourful buses, the flower sellers and the balloon man seemed to complete the picture. We had coffe on the terrace and watched the world go by before setting off for the hills again. Delicious. ... Read review

Advantages: Natural Beauty, no crowds.
Disadvantages: Aranged trips, not a lot of freedom to move.

...are one of Colombia's national parks and a lot of care is taken to keep them intact, and this I have to say is very nice to see, I recommend a trip to the Islas del Rosario they truly take your breath away and be sure to remember your camera. ... Read review

Advantages: Food, Shopping, People, Views
Disadvantages: Thieves

Bogota has imporved over the years, once a place of chaotic traffic, bad roads and a general sense of disorganisation, it has changed immesly for the better. Transport - Buses and Taxis they are frequent and roughlty cost the same amount which ever you decide to take, For the buses you jump on where you want and then just let the driver know when you want to get off, there are no bus stops as such. there is also the new El Transmilenio - which is ...
...faster. Shopping - Bogota is a great place to shop, you can buy typical colombian things, you can buy jewerelly from tradiational colombian pendents with pre colombian figures, to emeralds and dimonds. For clothes shopping i recommend a place called San Anderisto - IT sells fashionable clothes, along with Toys, Jewerelly, Bed Linen ect ect for cheap prices. The good thing about Shopping in Bogota and colombia is that you never end up paying the ... Read review