Colombia

Visited: April 1997, constant visits 2001-04, June 2019

Duration of visit: 115 days

Capital city: Bogota

Population: 51 million (2019)

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

• Cartagena – standing on the greatest fortress constructed by the Spaniards in the New World.
• Observing the world’s largest sea turtles – leatherback turtles – nestling in Acandí.
• Travelling with locals offered me a unique experience to understand Colombian culture.
• Some remote areas can be dangerous and impassable at night, but also extremely difficult to travel due to lack of proper transport.
• Medellin – transformation from drug capital of the world in the times of Pablo Escobar to the most beautiful city in Colombia.
• Learning that extreme caution is necessary when doing business with Colombians.
• Family trip in 2019 to visit the areas of Medellin, Eje cafetero and the tallest palm trees of the world in Cocora Valley.

1997 – Colombia is a country with bad reputation, not recommended to visit and unsafe to travel. The main reason is the fact that the country provides sanctuary for cocaine cartels and drug traffickers. Also called Locombia – the crazy country, is the largest producer of cocaine in the world and the state with the oldest anti-government military movement in South America, responsible for never ending civil war since 1964.

The consequences are constant clashes between the military, guerrillas and cocaine moguls with numerous car bombs in the heart of major cities, thousands of kidnappings, deaths and tremendous fear of poor people in rural areas.

2019 – One of the most vibrant South American countries has changed a lot since my first visit. Through constant negotiations with guerillas and fighting drug cartels, the security in the country is on a much higher level. The Murder capital of the World – Medellin, transformed into country’s main center of innovation, top tourist destination and a hub for digital nomads.

Colombia remains the leading country in terms of coca cultivation on a global scale at 61%, but it seems that the violence reduced significantly.

Unique biodiversity, fascinating archaeological sites, rumba, Caribbean beaches and hospitality, have transformed the country named after Christopher Columbus to one of the most popular destinations in South America.

I was lucky to visit Colombia in many occasions in different positions to claim that I have a good understanding of its people, culture, history and lifestyle.

The country that is often recognized due to Pablo Escobar, cocaine, guerilla fighters and insecurity has much more to offer. Beside incredible landmarks, historical sites, varied nature, long coast and well-know cuisine, Colombian people are some of the most remarkable on the continent. Extremely polite on one side, charming with their words, they are also known as highly skilled cheaters at home and abroad.

There are always two sides of the story in Colombia.

Even though I have visited Colombia in many occasions with different purposes, there are still places that are on my list to be discovered: La Ciudad Perdida, the River of Five Colors Caño Cristales and San Andres Islands.