WHERE TO STAY
Hotels that left me SPEECHLESS:
ADVENTURES
WHERE TO EAT
WHERE TO GO
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.
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.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotels that left me SPEECHLESS:
ADVENTURES
WHERE TO EAT
WHERE TO GO
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.
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.