Colombia Can't-Miss List
I spent 3 months exploring Colombia as a digital nomad and it turned out to be one of the most memorable adventures of my life. Throughout my journey, I had the opportunity to stay in over 20 hotels, indulge in hundreds of restaurants, and engage in some of the wildest activities imaginable. The people and the culture of Colombia captured my heart, and I fell in love with this beautiful country. As a result, I've compiled a list of my favorite experiences in Colombia to help you make the most of your visit! My guide features the best of the best from the various regions I visited including: Cartagena Tierra Bomba Tayrona Minca San Gil Medellin I'm excited to share this adventure with you and I know you will love it as much as I did.
45 Places • ago
Free

WHERE TO STAY

Hotels that left me SPEECHLESS:

stay
stay
Casa Tayrona los Naranjos
Details
stay
stay
Fenix Beach Cartagena
stay
stay
Senda Koguiwa
Details

stay
stay
Soy Local Cartagena
stay
stay
TREKKER GLAMPING
stay
stay
Costeño River Minca
stay
stay
Villa Maria Tayrona, by Kalihotels
stay
stay
The Journey Hostel
stay
stay
Senda Barlovento Maloka
stay
stay
Casa Bambu Tayrona
Details
stay
stay
Masaya Casas Viejas
stay
stay
Quetzal Dorado Eco-lodge
stay
stay
Traveler Hostel
stay
stay
Hotel 574

ADVENTURES 

do
do
Rosario Islands
Set sail for the Rosario Islands with this group catamaran expedition from Cartagena!
Details
do
do
Cartagena ATV - Tours
Details
do
do
Paragliding Over Giant Waterfalls
Details
do
do
Bungee Extremo San Gil
Details
do
do
Parque Extremo El Peñón Guane
Details

do
do
Comuna 13, Tour Grafiti, Parqueadero
Details
do
do
Guatapé Tour
Details
do
do
Dream Hammocks Plus Epic Zipline and Giant Waterfall
Details
do
do
Namasté Beach Cartagena
Details

shop
shop
Hike for 4 Days to the Lost City
Details
do
do
Mirador Salto del Mico Drop Off
Details
do
do
Swim in the Natural Pools at Balneario Pescaderito
Details

WHERE TO EAT 

cafe
cafe
Epoca Espresso Bar
Details
eat
eat
Ely Café Bocagrande
Details
eat
eat
La Cevichería
Details
eat
eat
DOÑA LOLA comida del caribe
Details
eat
eat
CANCHA Cevichería
Details

eat
eat
La Vieja Guardia Fish&Beer
Details
eat
eat
Buena Vida Marisquería - Cartagena
Details

eat
eat
La Miga Panadería
Details
eat
eat
Restaurant Marhaba Minca
Details
eat
eat
Gringo Mike's San Gil
Details

WHERE TO GO

do
do
Medellin
Details
do
do
Cartagena
Details
do
do
Tierra Bomba
Details
do
do
Minca
Details
do
do
Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona
Details
do
do
Los Naranjos
Details
do
do
San Gil
Details
do
do
Barichara
Details

WEATHER 

Northern Colombia, including the city of Medellin, typically experiences a tropical climate characterized by warm and humid conditions throughout the year. The region experiences two rainy seasons, from April to May and from October to November, and two dry seasons, from December to March and from June to August. 

Current Weather in Medellin:

MY ROUTE

TRANSPORTATION

Getting around Colombia is relatively easy, with a variety of transportation options available to travelers.

Domestic flights are a popular and affordable option, with many airlines offering regular flights to major cities throughout the country. I took a short flight from Santa Marta to San Gil and another from San Gil to Medellin with Avianca and it was great!

Uber is excellent for getting around and is very affordable. When you don't want to wait for an Uber you can also grab a Taxi! Taxis are also a common way to get around in Colombia and are generally inexpensive compared to other countries.

Hiring a Driver: Bukup Travels

If you take any recommendations from this list let it be this one!

Schedule a tour or transfer with Bukup Travels. 

do
do
Bukap Travels - Things to do, tours, activities and ground transportation in Santa Marta
Details

When we realized it would be quicker to drive from Cartagena to Tayrona than it would to fly...we turned to TripAdvisor to find a driver to take us there instead! 

Juan Carlos (the owner of Bukup Travels) was the one who showed up to pick us up and drove us the 5 hours from Cartagena all the way into the jungle in Tayrona to our hotel. 

He is so kind, and so knowledgeable, and shared stories and taught us about life in Colombia during the drive. He also shared his recommendations for adventures and hotel stays with us which ultimately led to me rearranging my trip to go where he recommended. As a result, this trip turned out to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. 

From that point on, we called him for EVERYTHING. He and his colleague Ricardo expertly guided us to some of the most remote and breathtaking hotels and sites that we would never have discovered on our own. Their exceptional service took the stress out of our travels and left a lasting impression on us.

I miss those guys! And I can't wait to go back to Colombia and see them. I know that they would take great care of you and make your trip amazing too so definitely check out Bukup Travels if you need a tour or driver. 

SAFETY

Colombia gets a bad rap but I felt very safe there. In fact, I met a good deal of solo female travelers! Many of the locals I met were passionate about changing the country's perception and leaving behind its former stereotypes, hoping to showcase Colombia's true beauty and what it has to offer.

Just like with anywhere you should exercise caution, always obey the law, and don't put yourself in any potentially sketchy situations. But Colombia has changed! And should be at the very top of your travel bucket list. 

Pro tip: Make sure you research which area of Colombia you want to travel to and join Facebook groups for expats in that particular area to get a good idea of how travelers feel about safety there.  They should help answer your questions and clear up any concerns you may have. 

Just make sure to grab some travel insurance before your trip! My favorite is SafetyWing and it's designed specifically for digital nomads. 

Colombia Can't-Miss List
I spent 3 months exploring Colombia as a digital nomad and it turned out to be one of the most memorable adventures of my life. Throughout my journey, I had the opportunity to stay in over 20 hotels, indulge in hundreds of restaurants, and engage in some of the wildest activities imaginable. The people and the culture of Colombia captured my heart, and I fell in love with this beautiful country. As a result, I've compiled a list of my favorite experiences in Colombia to help you make the most of your visit! My guide features the best of the best from the various regions I visited including: Cartagena Tierra Bomba Tayrona Minca San Gil Medellin I'm excited to share this adventure with you and I know you will love it as much as I did.
45 Places • ago
Free

WHERE TO STAY

Hotels that left me SPEECHLESS:

stay
stay
Casa Tayrona los Naranjos
Details
stay
stay
Fenix Beach Cartagena
stay
stay
Senda Koguiwa
Details

stay
stay
Soy Local Cartagena
stay
stay
TREKKER GLAMPING
stay
stay
Costeño River Minca
stay
stay
Villa Maria Tayrona, by Kalihotels
stay
stay
The Journey Hostel
stay
stay
Senda Barlovento Maloka
stay
stay
Casa Bambu Tayrona
Details
stay
stay
Masaya Casas Viejas
stay
stay
Quetzal Dorado Eco-lodge
stay
stay
Traveler Hostel
stay
stay
Hotel 574

ADVENTURES 

do
do
Rosario Islands
Set sail for the Rosario Islands with this group catamaran expedition from Cartagena!
Details
do
do
Cartagena ATV - Tours
Details
do
do
Paragliding Over Giant Waterfalls
Details
do
do
Bungee Extremo San Gil
Details
do
do
Parque Extremo El Peñón Guane
Details

do
do
Comuna 13, Tour Grafiti, Parqueadero
Details
do
do
Guatapé Tour
Details
do
do
Dream Hammocks Plus Epic Zipline and Giant Waterfall
Details
do
do
Namasté Beach Cartagena
Details

shop
shop
Hike for 4 Days to the Lost City
Details
do
do
Mirador Salto del Mico Drop Off
Details
do
do
Swim in the Natural Pools at Balneario Pescaderito
Details

WHERE TO EAT 

cafe
cafe
Epoca Espresso Bar
Details
eat
eat
Ely Café Bocagrande
Details
eat
eat
La Cevichería
Details
eat
eat
DOÑA LOLA comida del caribe
Details
eat
eat
CANCHA Cevichería
Details

eat
eat
La Vieja Guardia Fish&Beer
Details
eat
eat
Buena Vida Marisquería - Cartagena
Details

eat
eat
La Miga Panadería
Details
eat
eat
Restaurant Marhaba Minca
Details
eat
eat
Gringo Mike's San Gil
Details

WHERE TO GO

do
do
Medellin
Details
do
do
Cartagena
Details
do
do
Tierra Bomba
Details
do
do
Minca
Details
do
do
Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona
Details
do
do
Los Naranjos
Details
do
do
San Gil
Details
do
do
Barichara
Details

WEATHER 

Northern Colombia, including the city of Medellin, typically experiences a tropical climate characterized by warm and humid conditions throughout the year. The region experiences two rainy seasons, from April to May and from October to November, and two dry seasons, from December to March and from June to August. 

Current Weather in Medellin:

MY ROUTE

TRANSPORTATION

Getting around Colombia is relatively easy, with a variety of transportation options available to travelers.

Domestic flights are a popular and affordable option, with many airlines offering regular flights to major cities throughout the country. I took a short flight from Santa Marta to San Gil and another from San Gil to Medellin with Avianca and it was great!

Uber is excellent for getting around and is very affordable. When you don't want to wait for an Uber you can also grab a Taxi! Taxis are also a common way to get around in Colombia and are generally inexpensive compared to other countries.

Hiring a Driver: Bukup Travels

If you take any recommendations from this list let it be this one!

Schedule a tour or transfer with Bukup Travels. 

do
do
Bukap Travels - Things to do, tours, activities and ground transportation in Santa Marta
Details

When we realized it would be quicker to drive from Cartagena to Tayrona than it would to fly...we turned to TripAdvisor to find a driver to take us there instead! 

Juan Carlos (the owner of Bukup Travels) was the one who showed up to pick us up and drove us the 5 hours from Cartagena all the way into the jungle in Tayrona to our hotel. 

He is so kind, and so knowledgeable, and shared stories and taught us about life in Colombia during the drive. He also shared his recommendations for adventures and hotel stays with us which ultimately led to me rearranging my trip to go where he recommended. As a result, this trip turned out to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. 

From that point on, we called him for EVERYTHING. He and his colleague Ricardo expertly guided us to some of the most remote and breathtaking hotels and sites that we would never have discovered on our own. Their exceptional service took the stress out of our travels and left a lasting impression on us.

I miss those guys! And I can't wait to go back to Colombia and see them. I know that they would take great care of you and make your trip amazing too so definitely check out Bukup Travels if you need a tour or driver. 

SAFETY

Colombia gets a bad rap but I felt very safe there. In fact, I met a good deal of solo female travelers! Many of the locals I met were passionate about changing the country's perception and leaving behind its former stereotypes, hoping to showcase Colombia's true beauty and what it has to offer.

Just like with anywhere you should exercise caution, always obey the law, and don't put yourself in any potentially sketchy situations. But Colombia has changed! And should be at the very top of your travel bucket list. 

Pro tip: Make sure you research which area of Colombia you want to travel to and join Facebook groups for expats in that particular area to get a good idea of how travelers feel about safety there.  They should help answer your questions and clear up any concerns you may have. 

Just make sure to grab some travel insurance before your trip! My favorite is SafetyWing and it's designed specifically for digital nomads.