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Hey guys, so I'm looking to travel to possibly central america and/or Colombia for 2 weeks. I have some questions and doubts, maybe someone could offer me some useful advice.
1. Bogota
How is it there? I love big cities, with neat architecture, good street food, and nightlife, museums etc. However, from research I've done, it appears that people make out Bogota to be boring? I've been to Mexico City and New York City for seven days each, and found both to be very exciting and thrilling, how does Bogota rank up in the excitment factor? And is a week to long? Also, any worthy day trips out side the capital?
Is La Calendaria district best to be avoided becuase of security concerns? For me that would be a major blow, becuase the most interesting architecture is always in the historic core..
2. Beaches
I want to spend time on the caribbean coast, with stunning beaches, you know, those with white sands and crystal clear blue waters and that are safe for swimming..Im used to Riviera Maya beaches in Mexico, so I'd like that quality.
I'd be going on a tight budget, hosteling for 2 weeks, split between a city and a beach in Late August to early September. I'd be going by myself, male, very tanned, and pretty fluent in Spanish. (Don't know if that matters lol)
I loved Colombia and contrary to what most people say, Bogotá was my favorite city there. Since you speak Spanish I would totally recommend you go there, if you speak fluent Spanish and have a head on your shoulders you shouldn't have quite as much of a problem. I loved la Candelaria, and I felt very safe at ALL times there. I didn't go down streets that were empty (obviously) or anything like that , but I don't do that in USA lol. Colombia is no walk in the park, just about every traveler that I met in Bogotá had been robbed.. but a lot of them struck me as idiots.. the stories they told me sounded like they were just being dumb, besides one story.. but oh well.
You gotta keep your witts to you, but you should be just fine. If you miss out on La Candelaria and El Centro... well you'd be better off skipping Bogotá altogether. The more northern part is rather boring in my opinion, except at night thats where a lot of the good clubs are. That being said, there are still some good places to go right in La Candelaria.
If you want the nice beaches, you're better off going to Santa Marta.. Cartagena doesn't really have the beautiful white beaches that you're thinking of.
2 weeks will definitely be enough time, you might even be able to sneek in MedellÃn, I couldn't imagine staying TOO long in Santa Marta.
I will repeat though, Colombia is NOT extremely safe and you HAVE to watch your back at all times. If you do that you'll be safe and have a great time.
If you have any further questions feel free to ask, I love Colombia.
I wonder why it is people have said some negative things about Bogota? Maybe they are not big city people? From what I've gathered in pictures it looks like a gorgeous south american urban sprawl and definitely looks like a place that interests me.
Hmm the architecture in Cartagena is enough to make chose that city as opposed to Santa Marta. Also not far from Cartagena are islands which have those beaches that Im thinking of. I just would like to know if they are any budget type lodgings?
Santa Marta, looks great to base myself and then explore Tayrona park..
I am obviously concerned about safety as I am going alone..I've read conflicting reviews about solo travel, some say its absolutely fine, while others have had **** experiences, I guess its a matter of luck? The only other trip I've ever done solo was to NYC for a week and had a ball..
Again not sure if this really matters, but I am Mexican-American, brown skinned boy and am able to get around using spanish just fine, though sometimes my accent is dead give away..
I wonder why it is people have said some negative things about Bogota? Maybe they are not big city people? From what I've gathered in pictures it looks like a gorgeous south american urban sprawl and definitely looks like a place that interests me.
Hmm the architecture in Cartagena is enough to make chose that city as opposed to Santa Marta. Also not far from Cartagena are islands which have those beaches that Im thinking of. I just would like to know if they are any budget type lodgings?
Santa Marta, looks great to base myself and then explore Tayrona park..
I am obviously concerned about safety as I am going alone..I've read conflicting reviews about solo travel, some say its absolutely fine, while others have had **** experiences, I guess its a matter of luck? The only other trip I've ever done solo was to NYC for a week and had a ball..
Again not sure if this really matters, but I am Mexican-American, brown skinned boy and am able to get around using spanish just fine, though sometimes my accent is dead give away..
Well, I'm not sure where you're coming from but Bogotá isn't exactly the typical South American city you think of. The weather in Bogotá is cold due to the elevation, I don't think it was above 65 even 1/5 of the time I was there, and that was in the middle of June. Another thing that people might not like about Bogotá is the gritty feeling. A lot of people who go to South America want the South Florida or Southern California feeling when they are walking around, when you are walking around Bogotá, it will be like Philadelphia or a North Eastern city.
Cartagena is a nice city, and the architecture is really cool, but the problem with it is how touristy it is. People will be trying to sell you overpriced bracelts and other things EVERYWHERE you go, and it's all ridiculously overpriced. I did enjoy my stay in Cartagena though, but I wouldn't make that the main portion of your trip.
I feel that you see such a wide range of reviews about Colombia because typically, the ones who go there and don't have anything bad happen to them will just say there are NO PROBLEMS whatsoever, but then the people who go there and have an issue will have nothing good to say about it.
I tend to fall somewhere in the middle, I'm pretty realisitic about how everything went for me. I didn't have any problems at all, I walked around without any problems and didn't face any crime whatsoever (ok one time I was "robbed" by a cute worker.. but we aren't going to go into that). Colombia can be very dangerous and it can also be not so dangerous. Don't gamble on your safety, if something seems wrong.. it probably is. The reason that I still don't buy into the whole "colombia is so safe" is because I witnessed a lot of crime when I was there. I saw people robbed with knives, people beaten up, people drugged and robbed.
Avex, take burglar's comments with a grain of salt. Some of his comments are solid but others are a bit sensational (like many of his posts). You can't have it both ways, "Colombia is not safe..watch your back at all times...just about every traveler I met had been robbed" in one breath and the other "I love Colombia"in the other! Who the hell wants to travel to country where probable death is just around the corner...which is exactly what he's describing.
I mean, which one is it?
I travel quite a bit to South America and know Colombia very well. If he is constantly watching people getting mugged/stabbed/drugged then he's obviously looking for trouble and hanging in the parts that most common sense folks would avoid as this is nothing I've experienced nor have my colleagues. Bar fights, yes, plenty...but the same can be said in London, AMsterdam, Barcelona, etc., where a bit too much machismo gets in the way. Like anything else, keep your wits about you and be smart. Bogota continues to go thru it's own sort of gentrification if you will, for years. Some of it is a + and some of it not so much but overall I think it's a good thing for the city to continue to evolve. Not all parts are safe, but most are and you'll have no business/need really visiting the areas that are trouble unless you're looking for the same. The exact rule is true for Lima, Caracas, BA, Quito, etc.
My grandmother lives in Colombia and my mom just came back from being there for 4 months (as you can guess, my family is from there). I was last there in 2004 and have no desire to return. I was almost kidnapped in Santa Marta after my Mom, aunt and I came out of a restaurant for dinner (our cab driver "missed" our hotel and drove us to a deserted airport strip 15 miles away) if it weren't for the fact that my uncle was in another cab right behind us, we would have easily turned into another "missing American" news story on TV.
My mom tried to stay there past 4 months but gave up because of the BS going on right now politically. 3 years ago it was much safer, but now, the is a lot of gang violence, guerrilla warfare and incidents that are spilling over to tourist cities like Bogota, Cali and Medellin. My mom was robbed on a street in downtown Cali at 2pm, by a motorcyclist who snatched her purse...what's worse is the authorities there just turn a blind eye to that stuff ...
So, I hate to be so negative but,,,Colombia is not a safe place for anyone right now and definitely not under the current President there.
I don't know. Read all the posts and put everything together.
Two things:
(1) I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble in the travel section called "Dangerous Places" and thumbed through it. It ranked countries from 1 to 5 stars. I looked up Colombia, and it got 5 stars. I looked up Brazil, and it got 3 stars. I wasn't going to Colombia, but was going to Brazil and a few other SA countries. Brazil was beautiful, but dicey enough.
(2) A long-time friend married a Colombian lady. She is obnoxious. She repeatedly tries to set me up with Colombians (who would need a "green card") AND her aggressive divorced sister who lives here in the United States. Her extended family has turned me off to Colombia.
I speak Spanish fluently, am fairly street smart, and have no desire to go there, preferring Argentina, Uruguay and Chile ... and the extra flight time needed to get there.
Last edited by robertpolyglot; 05-15-2012 at 07:32 PM..
I don't know. Read all the posts and put everything together.
Two things:
(1) I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble in the travel section called "Dangerous Places" and thumbed through it. It ranked countries from 1 to 5 stars. I looked up Colombia, and it got 5 stars. I looked up Brazil, and it got 3 stars. I wasn't going to Colombia, but was going to Brazil and a few other SA countries. Brazil was beautiful, but dicey enough.
(2) A long-time friend married a Colombian lady. She is obnoxious. She repeatedly tries to set me up with Colombians (who would need a "green card") AND her aggressive divorced sister who lives here in the United States. Her extended family has turned me off to Colombia.
I speak Spanish fluently, am fairly street smart, and have no desire to go there, preferring Argentina, Uruguay and Chile ... and the extra flight time needed to get there.
hahahaha it's not only colombian women it's all latina women
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) if it weren't for the fact that my uncle was in another cab right behind us, we would have easily turned into another "missing American" news story on TV.
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