Tourism
Is the Only Risk Wanting to Stay?
310 days
by Tom Germain
in Tourism
That “Official Blogger” badge you see in the upper right corner of each page of this blog means that I am now a participating foreign blogger for the Colombian government’s tourism agency, ProExport. You know, the people behind those “The only risk is wanting to stay” ads.
This in no way means that my writing angle about living and traveling in Colombia will change. ProExport does not exert any control over what I, and the 33 other bloggers in the program publish in our own blogs. We simply contribute original stories to the official web site at colombia.travel in exchange for fifteen minutes of fame! Logically, what I will write for ProExport will be slanted towards promoting the positive aspects of visiting Colombia. It is, after all, about tourism.
Unlike most other expat blogs about Colombia, mine touches upon many topics far removed from travel trivia, such as politics and security. I love this country and its people, but I do not think one can ignore the fact that it is still fighting an internal war and has more than half its population living in poverty. I encourage everybody to visit the wonders of my adopted land, but by the same token I think it is critical that travelers know that the slogan “The only risk…” does not mean there is no risk at all.
It is unlikely anything bad will happen to you when you visit one of the most tourist-oriented sites of Colombia, but if you want to wander far afield, it would be unwise for you to do so without first doing your homework, and sometimes it would be just plain unwise! For instance, my host city, Medellin, is generally very safe, but there are neighborhoods where a tourist should not stray. This is true of many other big cities in the world: you would be rather foolish to casually walk into any of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro — same thing here!
There are still patches of the country that present high levels of risk from one of the so-called rebel groups, remainders of paramilitary outfits and many powerful criminal gangs, all involved in some way in drug trafficking and extortion. These are not nice people and while they are not explicitly targeting foreigners, you probably do not want to cross their paths! Sometimes the difference between good and bad is just one kilometer. A perfect example of what I am talking about is the long, winding highway uniting Medellin to Cartagena that is commonly traveled by backpackers. There is quite a bit of military presence along this road, but you would be ill advised to stray from it or even spend the night in some of the towns that it crosses. The “Bajo Cauca” area is a hotbed of criminal activity, dotted with illegal coca and poppy fields, which you probably do not want to visit!
I am not a fear monger. I live and play in this country and I am never afraid! Why? Because I am well informed and know my boundaries. Tourists generally have less to worry about than someone who lives here, but coming here prepared will allow you to more fully enjoy everything it has to offer, which is a lot!
Come to beautiful Colombia, but with your head screwed-on tight, and I guarantee you will want to come back and even run the risk of staying!
Lodging in Colombia can be Pricey…Get Hostel!
251 days
by Tom Germain
in Tourism
I frankly do not understand why major hotels in Colombia are so pricey, rooms often costing over 200 dollars per night, but fortunately there is an abundance of hostels in all the right places, where you can stay for as little as ten or twenty dollars a night. While you cannot expect anything remotely resembling luxury, many of the hostels have everything you can possibly need (Wi-Fi, food, shared kitchen) plus great camaraderie with fellow travelers from all over the world. If you are like me and your prime directive while traveling is economy, then hostels are perfect. A few dollars more usually gets you a private room with its own bathroom, if you find dorm style rooms and shared facilities Here I have compiled a few popular suggestions at major tourist destinations in the country (I’ve intentionally left out any that only offer shared dorms)…
Medellin:
Tiger Paw: Very popular, and right beside the “zona rosa”, or clubbing area, of Parque Lleras that foreigners flock to. Just over 10 dollars a night for the dorm, or a bit over $41 for a private room with bath. The choice for the party animals! Web site
Paraworld Adventure : Run by a Swiss expat, this a “funkily” decorated property also in the El Poblado area. Private rooms with bath for around $38, dorms starting at $10 per night. No web site, so here’s a link on Hostel World.
Bogota :
Casa Bellavista : In the historic Candelaria district. 33 USD per night for a private room with bath, and starting at $11 for the dorm. Web site
Hostal Sue : Also in Candelaria. Just 30 dollars for a private room w/ bath, and 11 for the dorm. Web site
Martinik : Yet again in Candelaria. $44 for a double bed private w/ bath pp, or just over $9 for the dorm. Web site
Cartagena :
Casa Viena : Very popular hostel in the Getsemani district which is right next to the walled city. A private room w/ bath runs about 24 dollars per night, or about 11 for the dorm. Web site.
Hotel San Roque : Also in Getsemani, qualifies as a hotel rather than a hostel, as it only has private rooms with bath, starting at around $32 per room per night. Web site
Santa Marta:
El Rodadero, Santa Marta. Photo by Darina
La Casa de Felipe : This one is actually in Taganga, just to the north of Santa Marta, and I did really stay at this one! A sprawling hostel owned by a French expat, very popular among youthful travelers, and to be honest, the main attraction in Taganga, a ramshackle, garbage strewn village (why do guides even list it?). Santa Marta can be reached by taxi or bus via the only road in or out. Rates start at $23 for a single private with bath, or dorms for about $9. Web site.
Ecohostal Yuluka : This one is wildly popular with adventure seekers as it is just outside the fabled Tayrona national park, and offers transportation to the park’s gate. It is thus useful as a way station on the way in or out of the park, where lodging is limited to camping, or severely overpriced. Dorms from $24, and private cabins are available, but no prices are advertised. No web site, so here is a link to Hostel World.
Cali :
The Green Saman : a new hostel in the hills of the Bellavista district owned by a Canadian expat. Private rooms w/ bath from $33, dorms $10. No web site, so here’s a Hostel World page.
The Pelican Larry : Located in the Versailles district near the zona rosa. Private rooms w/ bath from $33. Dorms about $9.50. Web site (a bit over the top, their site!)
Please heed these warnings!:
Prices quoted are approximate and off season. Prices for private rooms are per night, per room. The Colombian peso fluctuates in value against the US dollar, see our chart in the sidebar!
Many Colombian home owners offer rooms in their houses for short stays, and most are unregistered businesses. I do not recommend you use that option for lodging! We had an unfortunate experience in Santa Marta, which we decided to add to our itinerary at the last minute, thanks to a corrupt local travel agent. She referred us to a local house owner in the El Rodadero beach district. Said owner did not give us a key to her house and thus we wound-up having to call her every time and waited for up to an hour to be let in. The room was a disaster with only a trickle of water in the washroom, giant rats on the patio, and the wi-fi she promised did not exist. We wound-up two days later in a hotel room beyond our budget but happy to have escaped!
Do not be surprised if the hostel where you stay has no hot water. Few do. If you are close to sea level in Colombia, temperatures are infernal day or night all year, thus cold showers are actually the only absolution from the heat! Even if your room has air conditioning, it might not be enough to ward off the sweats! That said, at a high altitude, such as in Bogota, temperatures are rather cool, so you might insist on staying where they have hot water!
Medellin Getting Ready to Light Up
0478 days
by Tom Germain
in Tourism
The title isn’t in reference to the recent brouhaha surrounding the proposed legalization of the minimum dosage of marijuana in Colombia, but rather an allusion to the intense preparations for its world famous Christmas lights extravaganza, which I’m reasonably certain has no equal in any part of the world!
Medellin, to be perfectly honest, isn’t a city with a lot of tourist sites, at least not when stacked-up against virtually any European city. Instead, it has made its mark with two major annual events: the Feria de las Flores, the flower growers festival in July and August, and the alumbrados (Christmas lights) which the city’s runs from November through January. The main area for the insanely intricate and imaginative light displays runs several kilometers along the Rio Medellin, the brownish polluted river that runs through the city, its embankments hosting slums in some places and ugly factories in others, as well as a highway along its length. It’s quite astounding how they manage to turn such an unsightly venue into a place of magic where millions flock every year.
Speaking of which, it’s hard to escape the bone-crushing crowds that congregate there every night, and driving can be tricky, with many major roads into the area blocked-off, unless you’re willing to compete for scarce parking spots a long distance away and walk through dark streets. The better option is to go by Metro, the subway, which just so happens to have a line alongside the river. Another alternative is to get there by taxi, a decidedly inexpensive solution in Medellin.
In these Eco-conscious times, such a massive slurp of electrical energy might seem a little politically incorrect…but I have to admit it’s awe inspiring!
Colombian Peso Exchange Rate
