Anybody that knows me is fully aware that I am I'm immensely proud to be Colombian. Having family there, I've had the opportunity to travel there various times, falling more in love with the culture and atmosphere of my second country. Sadly, people always associate Colombia with the drug cartels and the guerrilla groups. Since the death of the most famous drug lord, Pablo Escobar in 1993, and the new peace deal between the government and FARC (the guerrilla movement), Colombia has been thriving, winning several tourism awards. Here are the top 10 reasons to travel to Colombia.
1. The People and Hospitality.
You will find the friendliest people in Colombia. The locals of Colombia are always welcoming of foreign tourists. After several surveys, Colombia is named the happiest country in the world. Colombians are very proud of their country and are willing to go out of their way to make you feel welcome.
2. Food Food and more Food.
Colombia is known for their delicious dishes. It will have you craving for some more. Arepas are a must. It's a corn pastry that can be eaten during any time of the day. It goes perfectly with cheese melted on top and heck! add chicken or meat to it. Ajiaco and sancocho are popular kinds of soups containing chicken and corn. Lastly, the Bandeja Paisa. Vegetarians, stay away! This delicious dish has red beans, rice, fried eggs, sausage, pork, plantains, and if that wasn't enough, throw an avocado in there!
3. The Coffee.
Colombia is known for their coffee. The weather in Colombia is perfect for growing coffee beans, the best in the world. The Colombian Coffee Region is part of the Paisa region of the rural area of Colombia, most known for growing and the production of the Colombian coffee. The most visited cities are Manizales, Armenia, and Pereira. Love coffee as much as I do? Go visit the Parque Nacional del Café, an amusement park based on coffee.
4. Cultural Diversity.
Colombia is probably one of the most diverse countries. Go to Cartagena to experience culture from Africa. In La Guajira? You'll see various indigenous tribes. Or Simply go out to the capital, Bogotá and dance to different types of music from Africa and the Caribbean.
5. Music.
Colombians love their music. The most popular music genres are Cumbia and Vallenato, both originating from the Caribbean part of Colombia. Check out Jorge Celedón, the most popular Colombian vallenato artist! Of course we cannot forget about Shakira, born and raised in Barranquilla. Want to listen and dance to more music? Head over to Cali, known as Colombia's salsa capital.
6. The Beaches.
Tired from all that music and dancing? Go visit the beautiful beaches. Colombia has about 300 beaches along its Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Want a resort-style beach? Go to Cartagena. In the island of San Andrés and Providencia, you will be in tropical paradise. The beaches on the Western Pacific are for the adventure traveler with green forests descending into the beaches.
7. The Scenery.
Colombia has the lushest rainforests and endless amounts of mountains. Colombia has the Andes Mountains bringing the nicest views. When you go to Colombia, you see cities that are built on mountains, bringing beautiful views right from their homes. Colombia also has the second largest canyon of the world!
8. The Festivals.
Attending festivals is a must if you want to experience the culture. Different festivals include the Carnaval de Barranquilla, Feria de Flores in Medellín, and La Feria de Cali. During these festivals, the city comes together to witness the different races, ages, and classes to dance and drink with glamorous parades.
Believe it or not, it's not that expensive in Colombia compared to the United States. Colombia uses the colombian peso as their currency. 1 USD gets you 2,886.50 pesos. You get more for your money. Want to use your money for adventures? Stay at a private hostel that costs $11-$44. Of course you have to eat the delicious food. A lunch and dinner can cost as low as $3 to $8. And for your convenience, theres plenty of currency exchange places in the cities.Have to fly to get to Colombia of course. Avianca is the most popular airline that flys to the beautiful country. With personal experience, booking your flight months in advance can come out to about $800 roundtrip. Copa Airlines is a nice cheaper alternative, coming out to $600 roundtrip.
10. You will never want to leave.
Once you step foot into Colombia, you're going to fall in love with the people, culture, food, and atmosphere of this beautiful country. Theres so much to do you cannot do it all at once. The list can go on and on, but ill let you find out for yourself. Little by little, you will fall in love with the country that I fall more in love with everyday. ¡Que Viva Colombia!
