Destinations Colombia

Simple and Easy Do-it-Yourself Cocktail Recipes to Make in Colombia

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Traveling in Colombia works up a thirst. And for those of us who like to kick back at the end of the day and enjoy an adult beverage there are plenty of accommodating bars and restaurants. Some lounges and clubs in the major cities have mixologists who inoculate wonderful infusions of Colombian spirits and exotic tropical fruit juices.

(see article: Healthy, Fresh, Colombian Fruit Juices)

After a day of hard travel it’s very appealing to head back to your room, grab a shower and kick back in front of a fan. Most people usually grab a few cold ones on the way back to the hotel. Beer is the national alcoholic thirst quencher. Rum and Aguardiente are native spirits, earmarked for inebriation and used in a number of easy-to-make cocktails.

Here are a few simple cocktail recipes to mix in a hotel room with ingredients readily available throughout Colombia.

Colombia Travel During Covid and the Protests of 2021

Reading Time: 5 minutes

After being stuck in a cold, grey Michigan all winter for the first time in years, I finally got my second covid shot in April and after two weeks took a flight to Colombia.

But when the government advises against traveling abroad, what do you do? Only a few destinations are level 3 – “reconsider travel” but most countries in Europe and Latin America, including Colombia, are listed level 4 – “do not travel”. And after a month down here I can see why.

Why Colombian Coffee is Famous and Rated Best in the World

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Colombia is renown for producing high end, refined, luxury coffee thanks to its near perfect growing conditions of the arabica bean. The culture of coffee growing is central to the country’s rugged, rural identity. And for years, Colombian coffee has been a household name and beverage. Why does it rate as one of the best coffees in the world?

15 Best Destinations in Colombia

Reading Time: 10 minutes

Seasoned South American travelers say Colombia is the continent’s best kept secret – beautiful, affordable and relatively undiscovered by tourism. Though large, Colombia is easy to travel with plenty of low cost internal flights, comfortable cross-country buses and taxis everywhere.
Travelers can easily visit more than 2-3 destinations in a week with an ample selection of destinations to visit over extended periods.

This is my selection – the 15 best destinations to visit in Colombia. These are places I gladly return to time and time again. The list is divided by topological identities: beaches, colonial towns, archaeology and cities. For more information on each destination read the full articles on colombiatravelreporter.com Continue reading “15 Best Destinations in Colombia”

Travel in Colombia / What to Expect/ What to Pack/ How to Stay Safe

Reading Time: 10 minutesCouldn’t be a better time to see Colombia

Reading the travel guides on Ecuador – they talk about it how tourism has changed the country. ‘Should have been here 10 years ago when it was quaint and undiscovered,’ they say. ‘Now there are big hotels, boutique shops, robberies all over the place.’

Well, that’s not the case with Colombia. Outside of Cartagena it’s all to be discovered. There is no big corporate tourism here. In a way, Colombia has remained unchanged for the last 40 years. But there is so much pent up tourism potential. Continue reading “Travel in Colombia / What to Expect/ What to Pack/ How to Stay Safe”

Travel Safety in Colombia

Reading Time: 9 minutes

Why am I not surprised to find the most widely downloaded sites on Colombia travel raise the question: Is Colombia Safe? It’s a question I’m always asked when I talk about my travels in Colombia. I don’t pander to those insecurities. Years of travel in this Colombia have led me to believe the question is dated and exaggerated. Continue reading “Travel Safety in Colombia”

Popular Destinations in Colombia – Tourist Traps or Mandatory Stops?

Reading Time: 18 minutes

There are dozens of lists on the web of tourist destinations in Colombia. Most of these lists are redundant outlining the most popular destinations nearly every tourist visits when traveling to, or through, Colombia. But are these must-see destinations tourist traps deserving of your precious time and hard-earned money? What’s the difference? Continue reading “Popular Destinations in Colombia – Tourist Traps or Mandatory Stops?”

Medellin: the Land of Eternal Spring

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Medellin (pronounced Meda-jean)

Is a dynamic, contemporary, prosperous city of 2.6 million people in Antioquia, Colombia – the heart of Colombia’s famous coffee triangle. Known as the land of the eternal spring it has a temperate climate – hot during the day and cool at night. Continue reading “Medellin: the Land of Eternal Spring”

Travel Around Medellin: Daytrips and Places to Visit – Guatape, Santa Fe, El Carmen de Viboral

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Day Tripper

If you’re spending any kind of time traveling in Medellin, which is easy to do, after a couple days a get away is in order. There are a number of possible day trips from the city. They sell guided tours to a number of these places but these villages are so easy to reach with public transit that they can and should be explored at one’s own leisure. Continue reading “Travel Around Medellin: Daytrips and Places to Visit – Guatape, Santa Fe, El Carmen de Viboral”

Cartagena: a Port City and One Hot Mess

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Cartagena is a hot mess:
On one hand it’s a vibrant beautiful port city where cruise ships also dock. It has a beautiful historic center and is the major tourist destination for Colombia. The city has the feel of a touristy city in Spain. On other hand, outside of historic center it’s so congested with traffic you can barely cross the street. It’s loud and dirty, sweltering hot with pesky peddlers. Continue reading “Cartagena: a Port City and One Hot Mess”