Passport Files
  • About
    • Contact Me
    • Site Organization
    • Travel History
    • Travel Style
    • Site Updates
  • Travel Afar
    • Best Of... >
      • 2014 World Travels
      • Videos
    • Africa >
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Kenya
      • Tanzania
    • Asia >
      • East Asia >
        • China
        • Hong Kong
        • Japan
        • Macau
        • South Korea
        • Taiwan
      • Indian Sub-Continent >
        • Bangladesh
        • India
        • Maldives
        • Nepal
        • Sri Lanka
      • Southeast Asia >
        • Brunei
        • Cambodia
        • Indonesia
        • Laos
        • Malaysia
        • Myanmar
        • Philippines
        • Singapore
        • Thailand
    • Europe >
      • Balkans >
        • Bosnia and Herzegovina
        • Bulgaria
        • Croatia
        • Moldova
        • Montenegro
        • Romania
        • Serbia
      • Central Europe >
        • Austria
        • Germany
        • Czech Republic
        • Hungary
        • Slovakia
        • Slovenia
        • Switzerland
      • Eastern Europe >
        • Kazakhstan
        • Russia
        • Ukraine
      • Nordic >
        • Iceland
      • Western Europe >
        • Belgium
        • France
        • Ireland
        • Italy
        • Netherlands
        • Spain
        • United Kingdom
    • Middle East >
      • Israel
      • Jordan
      • Qatar
      • United Arab Emirates
    • North America >
      • Canada
      • Cuba >
        • Trinidad
        • Cuba Videos
        • Havana
        • Cienfuegos
      • Mexico
      • Panama
      • Puerto Rico
      • United States >
        • New England >
          • Connecticut
          • Maine
          • Massachusetts
          • New Hampshire
          • Rhode Island
          • Vermont
        • Mid-Atlantic >
          • Delaware
          • Maryland
          • New Jersey >
            • Morristown
          • New York >
            • Lake Placid
            • Westchester - LI
          • Pennsylvania >
            • Pittsburgh
            • The "T" >
              • Upper Susquehanna
              • Poconos
              • Lancaster County
          • Washington DC
        • South >
          • Alabama
          • Arkansas
          • Florida
          • Georgia
          • Kentucky
          • Louisiana
          • Mississippi
          • North Carolina >
            • Cameron Indoor
          • South Carolina
          • Tennessee
          • Virginia
          • West Virginia
        • Midwest >
          • Illinois
          • Indiana
          • Iowa
          • Michigan
          • Minnesota
          • Missouri
          • Ohio
          • Wisconsin
        • Central Plains >
          • Idaho
          • Kansas
          • Montana
          • Nebraska
          • North Dakota
          • South Dakota
          • Wyoming
        • Southwest >
          • Arizona >
            • Phoenix
          • Colorado
          • New Mexico
          • Oklahoma
          • Texas
          • Utah
        • West Coast >
          • Alaska
          • California
          • Hawaii
          • Nevada
          • Oregon
          • Washington
    • Oceania >
      • Australia
      • Fiji
      • New Zealand
    • South America >
      • Argentina
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
      • Uruguay
  • Travel Local
    • U.S.A.
    • Hong Kong >
      • Essentials
      • Attractions >
        • HK Free
      • Coffee
      • Cooked Food Centre >
        • Best Cooked Food Centres
      • Culture
      • Dining
      • Districts
      • Expat and Colonialism
      • HK Skyline
      • Nature
    • Philadelphia >
      • Quintessential Philly >
        • One Day Itinerary
        • Philly Dining
        • Three Day Itinerary >
          • Two Day Itinerary
      • Murals
      • America's Birthplace >
        • Philadelphia Campaign
      • Beer Gardens
      • Cheesesteaks
      • Coffee
      • Catch All >
        • Festivities
        • Brew Pubs
        • Mummers
        • Pope Francis Visit
      • Neighborhoods >
        • University City
        • Spruce Hill
        • City Hall
        • Chinatown
        • Old City
        • Society Hill
        • Washington Square West
        • Rittenhouse
        • The Parkway >
          • Mormon Temple
        • Callowhill
        • Northern Liberties
        • Queen Village
        • South Street
        • Passyunk
        • Graduate Hospital
        • Fairmount
        • Fishtown
        • Fairmount & Wissahickon Valley Parks
        • Manayunk >
          • Manayunk Bars
        • Roxborough
        • East Falls
        • Chestnut Hill
        • Germantown
        • Stadiums
        • Northeast
    • Philadelphia Suburbs >
      • Bucks County >
        • Warrington
      • Chester County
      • Delaware County
      • Montgomery County
    • Singapore >
      • Singapore Layover
      • Central
      • Coffee
      • Dining
      • Hawker Centers
      • Kopitiam
      • Suburbicity
    • Thailand
  • Know How
    • Travel Around the World
    • How To...
    • Travel Adventures
    • Travel Tips
    • Useful Links
  • Know Why
    • Reading
    • Writing
    • Adventures

COLOMBIA

MORE:  SOUTh america
There was a while around 2008 - 2011 where Colombia appeared on many "next destination" lists.  The travel community had determined the country was safe and open for tourists.  While there still are sections of the country that remain dangerous the North to South tourist circuit going from Cartagena to Medellin to Bogota to Cali to Ecuador is pretty well trodden.  It's obvious you are in a country in transition and it's no longer a question if Colombia will be major travel destination, but when.  It can be a bit difficult and long to take buses through the country so it's good to check airfare to see if the prices are somewhat comparable.
Pete arrived a little earlier and went Tayrona National Park first before meeting me in Cartagena - you can see his photos in this Facebook Album.  We spent two days there and three days in Bogota (I found a $500 flight from NYC so decided to plan a quick trip).

In September it was brutally humid in Cartagena and I was relieved to reach Bogota's higher altitudes.  There's a lot to see - I really like the Botero Museum and the small town of Villa de Leyva.  Through a co-worker of ouf Dad's we were able to meet up with a local who showed us around the T-Zone and other popular areas. 

TAYRONA  nATIONAL PARK

Per Pete:
"Tayrona National Park is gorgeous!! Jungle meets ocean, it made me think I was Leo trekking to this secret location in the beach. This is a definite must-see in Colombia. Santa Marta has really cheap in-country flights. From there you can catch a bus for $5 US to Tayrona Park."