Colombia Travel Blog

While many still believe that traveling to Colombia is dangerous, we consider it one of the most beautiful countries in the world. A true hidden gem in South America. Here, you'll only encounter larger crowds of tourists in Cartagena (if at all). The rest is largely unknown among Europeans.

The people are very friendly and have huge hearts. We found the hospitality to be amazing and were overwhelmed. Even locals are starting to rediscover their country after all the drug wars. For a long time, this was especially difficult in the south.

The landscapes are diverse: From Caribbean beaches to colonial cities to the Andes, alongside deserts and the Amazon, you'll find all types of landscapes united in Colombia. Are you ready for a varied and unforgettable journey?

Of course, there are more highlights in Colombia: Leticia with its pink dolphins in the Amazon, San Agustin, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in South America.

We flew directly from New York City to Bogotá with Lufthansa. Keep in mind that direct flights are more expensive, but better for the environment. The flight takes about 11 hours. I book flights on Skyscanner or, as in this case, directly with Lufthansa.

On-site, you can travel by bus, taxi, boat, or, for longer distances, by airplane. For some excursions, we hired a driver. Traveling by local buses is exciting, super affordable, but takes forever. You can also travel by rental car. We preferred to rely on buses, which I sometimes regretted as we passed through beautiful places and couldn't just stop.

We never felt unsafe. When traveling, I don't wear jewelry and only occasionally had my camera in hand. Make sure to research which neighborhoods to avoid, especially after dark. If you end up in a dark alley, you can expect locals to warn you not to proceed.

Colombians often stopped their cars to point out areas we should avoid. I'm not sure if it was really dangerous (I didn't feel unsafe). But locals know their home better than my instincts suggest.

I found Colombia fantastic; the locals were very friendly, always wanting to help (even when there was nothing to help with) and very open. Even though some places were quite difficult to communicate in, as the Spanish around Medellin is just a mumble.

Let me be straightforward: In Colombia, you're lost without basic Spanish knowledge. If you want to communicate with locals, I recommend learning the essential words before your trip.

You can quickly pick up the basics with an online course at Babbel. With Babbel, you can learn the most important words in Spanish in a short time. This way, you can communicate on-site and won't be completely lost. Don't rely on people speaking English; in Cartagena or larger tourist areas, you might get by. However, in Colombia, you are lost without Spanish skills.

Here, you can learn Spanish online with Babbel (I've extensively tested alternatives - even free ones - and kept coming back to Babbel. I now have a lifetime subscription for all languages). I continuously refresh my language skills to engage with locals when traveling.

If you're traveling both to Bogotá and the Caribbean coast like we did, you'll experience a wide temperature range, from 5 to 40 degrees Celsius. I packed a jacket and long pants for Bogotá, otherwise employing the layering strategy. Be sure to pack a rain jacket. Otherwise, try not to overpack. You can have laundry done everywhere on-site.

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