10 articles tagged with colombia travel
The moment our taxi crossed from the gleaming towers of Bocagrande into the sunbaked streets of Getsemaní, I knew this trip would be different. Cartagena isn't just about its famous walled city—it's a geological and cultural palimpsest where Caribbean, African,...
Standing at the edge of Colombia's northeastern frontier, Cúcuta exists in fascinating duality – a border city pulsing with commerce yet largely overlooked by international travelers. *Watashi no obāchan* (my grandmother) always said border towns hold the most authentic stories,...
Standing at the Simón Bolívar International Bridge, sweat trickling down my back in the tropical heat, I watched as hundreds of people flowed between Colombia and Venezuela. Some carried bags of groceries, others pushed wheelbarrows of merchandise, and many simply...
The taxi winds up steep switchbacks as Medellín reveals itself in the valley below, a sprawling metropolis nestled within the emerald embrace of the Andes. Twenty years ago, my editorial desk at National Geographic received pitches about this city that...
Standing at the edge of Buenaventura's harbor, where the dense Colombian Pacific rainforest meets the sea, I couldn't help but feel the layered history beneath my feet. This port city, often overlooked by travelers racing to Colombia's more Instagram-famous destinations,...
Nestled deep within Colombia's Sierra Nevada mountains lies a treasure that predates Machu Picchu by nearly 650 years yet remains delightfully uncrowded. Ciudad Perdida—the 'Lost City'—stands as a testament to the ingenuity of the ancient Tayrona civilization and offers modern...
When most Americans hear 'Colombia,' they immediately think of Cartagena's colorful colonial architecture or Bogotá's metropolitan buzz. But after 15 years of international travel planning (and nearly as many spreadsheets), I've learned that the true pulse of a country often...
Santa Marta sits at a fascinating geographical crossroads where the Caribbean Sea kisses the foothills of Colombia's Sierra Nevada mountains. This juxtaposition creates not just stunning landscapes but a remarkable ecological gradient that has captivated me since my first research...
When my colleague Maria asked me to compile safety tips for her upcoming solo trip to Bogota, I immediately put my risk management hat on (figuratively speaking—though I do own a rather stylish Panama hat purchased in Cartagena). Having visited...
As someone who's witnessed festivals across continents, I can confidently say that Colombia's Carnival of Barranquilla deserves its UNESCO Cultural Heritage status. Four days of vibrant costumes, pulsating music, and streets transformed into an endless dance floor – it's a...
