World Travel Guides: Colombia

Bogota. A voyage to Bogota, Colombia, South America.

Bogotá is on the move. Once considered a place to avoid, the capital has cleaned up its act and is fast becoming one of Latin America's urban highlights. Improved security, infrastructure projects and a clean-up campaign have helped bring a new face to the metropolis.

Home to more than seven million people, Colombians still flock to Bogotá in search of opportunities. Many find that the streets are not exactly paved with gold and end up eking out an existence in one of the vast shantytowns that line the southern portion of the city.

Graceful churches, excellent museums, cultural events and a thriving nightlife can keep you busy for several days. Bogotá is also the political, financial and service center for the country, and its geographic heart, making it a useful base from which to explore the country. Despite its massive sprawl, Bogotá is a dotted with parks and leisure spots. Cool air and almost daily rain sweep away residual pollution, and there are several high peaks to the east of town that help you to keep your perspective on the ground.

Most travelers spend their time in or around historic La Candelaria, a pleasant quarter of cafés, churches and museums. Northern Bogotá stands in great contrast to the south, turning up its nose to history and moving forward as a modern district of brash capitalist values.

Bogotá doesn't sweep you off your feet at first glance. But take some time to wander its historical areas, dine in its cafés, and you'll find it offers much more than meets the eye.

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AN Bogota, Colombia, South America.

Colombia. A voyage to Colombia, South America - Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Cali...

Colombia’s back. After decades of civil conflict, Colombia is now safe to visit and travelers are discovering what they’ve been missing. The diversity of the country may astonish you. Modern cities with skyscrapers and nightclubs? Check. Gorgeous Caribbean beaches? Check. Jungle walks and Amazon safaris? Check. Colonial cities, archaeological ruins, high-mountain trekking, whalewatching, coffee plantations, scuba diving, surfing, the list goes on.

No wonder the ‘magic realism’ style of Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez emerged from here – there is a dreamlike quality to Colombia. Here at the equator, with the sun forever overhead, the fecund earth beneath your feet, heart-stopping vistas in every direction and the warmth of the locals putting you at ease – you may find it difficult to leave. Colombian culture, like the country’s weather, varies by altitude.

The essence of Colombia resides in the mountains in the alpine cities of Bogotá, Medellín and Cali, and the smaller cities of the Zona Cafetera. This is the industrial heartland of the country. Geographical isolation has kept the accent relatively unaffected by outside influence;

Spanish here is precise and easy to understand. The infrastructure in the mountain region is good, the water drinkable, the roads well maintained. In the heat of the Caribbean coast, life is slower, and the culture more laid-back. The accent is the unhurried drawl of the Caribbean basin, and the infrastructure, unfortunately, is still in need of some attention.

In darker days people used to say, ‘if only it weren’t for the violence and drugs, Colombia would be paradise.’ Well the drugs may still be here but the violence is gone, at least for now, and it is, indeed, paradise. It is an easy country to fall in love with, and many travelers do. It could well become your favorite country in South America.
Travel Alert: Travelers should exercise vigilance at all times due to the level of violent crime. Although kidnapping and homicide rates in urban areas have dropped in recent years, they remain high. Check out Safe Travel or the Thorn Tree travel forum for advice from travelers.