What are good reasons to travel to Colombia?

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07_ShelbyGT500

People who make comments about drugs and kidnappings show how ignorant and sheltered they are and should stay in their trailer watching the Jerry Springer Show.

There are so many great things to see and do in Colombia. Of course, for starters, the capital Bogota is a world class city with about 7 million people. While in Bogota, she can visit zona G for some of the world class restaurants. For night life, there is the T zone and La Zona Rosa, among others. For history, have her visit El Museo de Oro, the largest collection of gold artifacts in the world. She can also come visit the Museo Nacional, which has many great atrifacts from Colonial times as well as from the Pre-Columbian era. And, of course, no visit to Bogota would be complete without a walk through La Candelaria, the quaint, colonial area of Bogota.

Outside of Bogota, withing driving distance, there are many great places to visit. One of my favorites is Villa de Leyva, which is a very old (mid 1600's, if I remember correctly) colonial village. They have done a great job of preserving the historic, colonial era architecture and, in my opinion, you get a good sense of what colonial Colombia once looked like.

A great way to see the diversity of climates in such a narrow range is to drive from Bogota towards La Vega. In a matter of an hour or so, you go from the cool, mountainous climate of Bogota down into a warm, tropical setting, with banana and orange trees all around.

There are also many interesting places to see in departmento (state) of Boyoca. Among my favorites is Paipa, which also is known for its hot springs. Boyaca itself is worth a visit, where there are memorials to the Battle of Boyaca, a key turning point in the battle for independence.

Beyond Bogota, there are so many different cities and towns to visit with a great variety of climates and architectures. Many foreigners like to visit Cartagena, which is a colonial city on the Carribean coast and which is known for its beautiful architecture. Unfortunately, I have not yet had a chance to visit here.

Barranquilla is another tropical city on the Carribean, with a very warm, humid climate. This is also the birthplace of Shakira.

If your friend likes dancing and music, any place in Colombia is good, but Cali is the place to go to enjoy great music, dancing and nightlife.

If a beach setting is what your friend likes, she could also visit Santa Marta and Isla Providencia.

If your friend is more interested in nature, Parque Tayrona is also a fantastic place to visit. In fact, its beach was recently rated as the #2 beach in the world by the Financial Times.

I could write and write and write about all the great things to do, see, and experience in Colombia. Your friend will have a great trip and memories to last a lifetime if she visits Colombia.

one other note, for the less informed person who works at JC Penny - Before Alvaro Uribe became president (I think at this point he has been in office for about 6 years) there were thousands of kidnappings every year and the various guerrilla and paramillitary groups were running rampant and operating fairly autonomously in Colombia. Since becoming president, the country has succeded in greatly reducing the influence, presence, and power of these groups. The guerrillas are mostly relegated to jungle areas in the south of the country, far from any notable population centers. Many guerrillas and paras have also laid down their arms and entered programs to help them get reintegrated into society. Finally, according to an article I read very recently, there were roughly 100 kidnapping in Colombia last year, down from the thousands a year I had mentioned earlier.

I have made ~20 trips in my lifetime to Colombia, I have partied in the cities and in the little pueblos, I have driven from Bogota to Cucuta and back again via the Medio Magdelana, which is not one of the greatest areas to drive through, and I have nothing but great memories, experiences and friendships to show for it.

ezmeralda_glutz

the people , the life ./, the travel , go have fun it's a great country to visit

Mika F

Don't pay any attention to that 'egg nog' person (I think he/she used rotten eggs). He/she is shouting his/her ignorance at the world.

You were given plenty or reasons to go to Colombia. I'm going there myself in less than a month and I'm truly looking forward to it.
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Gianlucca

1. the food is fantastic

2. the weather rocks

3. it is a very underrated country and it always shocks people because it's really a cool place to be

4. hot people

5. the night life kicks ***

6. people are very very friendly

7. every one has been to paris, new york, london etc. etc. etc. how many can say they 've been to colombia? not many!!!

8. violence is actually a silly stereotype IGNORANT people have, if u check CIA stats you'll find there is more crime in Miami and Washington DC than in Colombian cities.

9. They are a different culture, not your typical latin (puerto rican, mexican, cuban blah blah blah people), just a complete different culture

10. they have great beaches, enormous jungles,, deserts, amazing mountain ranges and big upbeat happening type of cities.

Preciosa

All the reasons people listed above. If you want to calm her fears i would suggest looking up statistics regarding the VAST improvement in security in Colombia, especially Bogota. I do not know exactly where you are headed, but it's a start.

Colombia has a lot of beautiful places to see. In Bogota Monseratte, Plaza Bolivar, La Candelaria, etc. Beautiful Caribbean cities include Cartagena and Santa Marta.

I'm attaching some links to sites you might be interested in visting regarding colombia.

Brian L

you must see the web page travelblog.org
Colombia has more to offer than Costa Rica, the Capital of Colombia, Bogota is the second or third coolest cities of south america after Buenos aires: technology, history, concerts, parties, alot of races.
in Bogota you can find not only gorgeous girl in your case good looking men too (some with european type), as I said there the party is a religion and Bogota is the south american capital of techno and rock, go to the Pink Zone (93 street)and G zone (73 street)
some said that Bogota will have a subway
by the other side you have cartagena good city, santa marta, San andreas islands (i recomend to you to pass here first)

bubalo

food
culture
dancing
views
guys

aqua_diente

As you can see there are many reasons to travel to Colombia.

I have flown to Colombia four times. However, like any other foreign country there are places to visit and there are places you do not go and things you do not do. .

Staying in the large cities would be your safest route. Personally, I would not drive a car from city to city. As in many third world countries, the roads are not good in places and there "really are places" that you need to avoid. .

During my trips to Colombia I had no problems at all and everything the others have said is true about the people. But, I was careful. While I was there I canceled a drive to Santa Marta because of four British hikers were kidnapped in an area they should have known better than to go.

Good luck

uknowho

Dont go to Colombia, i would go to Chile, Uruguay or Argentina instead, northern south american countries are very insecure right now and chances of you getting raped or killed are 75% positive. Trust me, Im south american and it stinks to say this about my continet but itÂ´s a sad truth.

good luck

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