Pro Tips

• Make sure to fill out your Check Mig before you arrive and before you leave (within 72 hrs before/after). This is required for entry into Colombia.
• In general, I found it pretty reliable to use my credit card to pay everything (especially in Bogota & Medellin), but in smaller towns it’s a good idea to have some Colombian Pesos on hand.
• Uber is incredibly reliable, cheap & useful in the big cities.
• Didi is a great resource (& very cheap) for getting groceries & food delivered.
• In Medellin, tourists tend to stay in El Poblado or in Laureles (which are the most expensive & nicest parts of Medellin). While yes they can be quite “gringo” I admittedly really liked them. What can I say, I’m a sucker for tons of cute cafes. Also, they are pretty safe so that’s an attractive feature.
• There is some crime in the form of robberies (I luckily didn’t experience this), the main tips are to not walk at night, not wear flashy jewelry or clothes, & not get super drunk. Another phenomenon I heard about is that the dating apps target men where they get drugged & then robbed- so be aware of that.
• Medellin can be known for prostitution & drugs, but if you’re not looking for it, you won’t really run into it or notice it (at least I didn’t!).
• Food in El Poblado isn’t actually that cheap because it’s mostly tourists that hang out there.
• Public transit is very cheap & it’s safe/reliable in Medellin!
• There is a rainy season in Colombia so account for that in your trip planning.

CITY: Bogota

HOW LONG: 4 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

I stayed at Botanico Hostel Bogota and overall liked it! Good safe location. The hostel had lots of cute areas to sit and hang out. Fairly easy to meet people. Small kitchen to cook. There was yoga & salsa classes, as well as a hostel dinner you could join. It could be loud at night, but I had no problems sleeping since I use a bluetooth enabled eye mask to blast white noise.

The staff were overall helpful & available 24 hrs per day, which was incredible helpful given I got super sick during my time here. Not sure if I picked something up in Mexico City before flying here or whether I got something that hit very quickly in Bogota, but regardless I was miserable. It was very nice that the staff were always around to help if I needed it.

The only downside (which really isn’t the hostel’s fault), but there are lots of water outages in Bogota. Each district gets assigned 24 hr periods of no running water. Normally that would be fine, but when you are sick and need to use the restroom (a lot) & showers to feel better, this was less than ideal. They did have basins of water to manually flush the toilets, but still not what you want when very sick.

Where to Eat:

As I mentioned, I got pretty sick so I didn’t eat much of anything while here but I would highly recommend Orígenes Café, where I got a smoothie bowl and a delicious breakfast sandwich & La Chopperia, where I got an awesome chicken burger.

Definitely try Ajiaco Soup while here!

What to do:

Not sure I should mention this again, but my best advice for what to do in Bogota is NOT GET SICK! Unfortunately all I really was able to do was sleep & try not to die 🙂 When you travel this long, you are bound to get sick along the way, but it always sucks.

My last day I started to feel a little better so I managed to go on a walking tour to start to learn about the history of Colombia, but there is definitely other cool things here that I had to miss because I was sick

Overall Thoughts:

No major thoughts, however if you only are going to be in Colombia for a week, you can probably skip Bogota & head straight to Medellin or the northern coast like Cartagena, Santa Marta & Tayrona National Park.

CITY: Medellin

HOW LONG: 38 NIGHTS

The goal of my time in Medellin (& really in Colombia all together) was to slow down, rest & catch up on life things before taking off again on my grand adventure. But to make it productive & give some structure I used my time here to take some Spanish classes! I took classes here. My daily routine included getting up for my 8:15am F45 class, then getting a yogurt bowl at Cafe Campesino, then going to my Spanish class from 10am-1pm. I loved my teacher so much that we’re going to continue classes over zoom while I’m back in California summer 2024. In the afternoons I spent my time at the airbnb catching up on never ending to-do list. When traveling life stuff falls to the wayside quite easily. It was so lovely having 6 weeks to knock out it all out! Figure out health insurance for the back half of the year: done! Execute a Roth conversion: check! Call my Grandpa: yep! Life is good in Medellin. I also met some fun people at the language school and it was so cool getting to be friends for a few weeks instead of the usual 48 hr friendships that happen at hostels. Also my good friend Sabrina from growing up (known each other since elementary school) joined me for my last two weeks (one week in Medellin + one week up North in Colombia). We genuinely spend more time abroad than in the US since she lives in LA and I’m in San Francisco (usually). Colombia was our 11th country & 5th continent together 🙂

ACCOMMODATION:

I stayed at an Airbnb for my 6 weeks in Medellin. I knew I wanted a break from hostels and it was such a treat to have my own room & bathroom. I also loved being able to cook 90% of my meals in a lovely, beautiful kitchen! This place was a 10 min walk to Provenza (my favorite part of El Poblado). There are tons of cute cafes, restaurants and shops. There are gyms nearby & I always felt safe walking around (although at night I tended to Uber). Overall it was a good place, but I probably wouldn’t stay here again. I would get a place in either Laureles (another cute neighborhood) or find a smaller, cheaper spot. I had hoped the big co-living situation would bring a social element, but the roommates were a little weird (and both American) so that was a bummer. I did love the views from my window, especially during the crazy rainstorms 🙂

Where to Eat:

I spent 6 weeks here and ate at many fun restaurants. The food scene here is overwhelmingly great. Come hungry! Here are some favorites:

Breakfast/brunch

• Campesino Café – I had a little routine where I would have breakfast here every morning between my workout class at F45 and the start of my Spanish classes. I LOVED their yogurt bowl – yum!!
• Pergamino – I had brunch with my friend Lucy here (fun fact: we met on the Salkantay Trek in Peru 5 years ago and she now lives in Medellin). Very trendy & great coffee (according to others).
• Café urbania – cute, but small coffee shop with some small bites. Great spot to park yourself with a computer.
• Hijamia – Popular, upscale brunch spot with a few locations in El Poblado. I went to the Manila location & it was buzzing with people on a Sunday morning.
• Breggs Provenza – cheap, quick egg breakfast spot (or lunch!)
• Crepes & Waffles – another great local brunch chain. It’s very popular so expect a line. Also the menu is robust so you’ll definitely struggle to pick just one meal!
• Época – Another great brunch spot on one of the main walking streets in Provenza
• Ely Cafe – Upscale, snazzy brunch spot located in a cool building Very cool spot with yummy Limonada de Coco’s – my favorite new drink!!
• Café Macanas PROVENZA – a cute, small cafe with a couple of good breakfast options

Lunch or Dinner

• Ajiacos y Mondongos – I had a fun lunch with my Spanish teacher here. Ajiacos is a popular Colombian soup (mostly from Bogota) and it was great to mix some cultural experiences into the Spanish class. Excellent food here!
• Chef Burger Provenza – a great burger spot right in Provenza. Food was yummy & service was great.
• German Street Food – casual, but delicious german sausages!
• Lucio Carbon y Vino – I had a fancy dinner with Sabrina in Envigado – incredible Caesar salad and caldron de champignons 
• 37 Park – I walked past this place a billion times before actually eating here. Loved the decor. Food was not what I expected but everything was delicious. Deconstructed spring salad and deconstructed grilled cheese 😂 fries were delicious too! 
• Pizzaiolo – really good pizza in the heart of Provenza
• Arepa Rellenas – Tammy & I loved this place. Very casual, cheap spot for lunch or a quick dinner. It was around the corner from our language school so it was toooo convenient.

Dessert

• Amor Acuya – my favorite ice cream in Medellin!! So many great flavors that rotate all the time! Pro-tip: ask for the hard chocolate shell sauce 🙂

What to do:

• Parque Arvi – huge park that you need to take the gondolas to (fun fact: Medellin was the first city in the world to use gondolas as part of their public transportation system). We went to a butterfly sanctuary, hiked and paddled around in a boat.

• Comuna 13 – what used to be considered the most dangerous neighborhood in the most dangerous city, is now a thriving cultural center of Medellin. Very cool to take a walking tour and learn about its rich history.

• Pueblito Paisa – fun spot to check out in the city. It’s a tourist attraction that embodies the spirit of all things Paisa (the term for people from Antioquia). “This is a replica of a typical turn of the century Antioquia town comes complete with its own traditional stone fountain in the middle of the town square, and is surrounded by a church and rectory, the mayor’s office, a barber shop, and a one-room school house.” Read more about it here.

• Guatapé – a must day trip from Medellin (we did this one). This colorful city is ripe for plenty of Instagram shots and you’ll get a chance to hike to the top of the Peñol Rock. You’ll finish the day tour with a boat ride where you’ll see one of Pablo Escobar’s abandoned mansions.

• Go to language exchanges to meet other travelers & locals. I primarily went to practice my Spanish with locals, but there were plenty of English speaking travelers who couldn’t speak Spanish at all which provided an opportunity for locals to practice their English! Pro Tip: Try Gringo Tuesdays or DanceFree if you are staying in El Poblado.
• Get a massage at Azkara Spa & Wellness. They were fabulous and massages were very reasonably priced.
• Go dance some Salsa or Bachata! So many opportunities in Medellin to dance 🙂

Overall Thoughts:

I don’t even know where to begin. I just loved everything about Medellin (except having to be cautious about walking alone at night – that was annoying). Medellin is so green, it basically feels like you are living in nature, but you are also in a major city. Even though I was there in rainy season, the sun still came out plenty. The people are SO kind & generous. They were so patient with my Spanish & genuinely so excited that I was doing my best to learn their language – I loved it! It really opens up the travel experience to be able to communicate in someone’s native language.

Medellin has a great work/life balance and everything is just so chilled (sometimes hard for my American brain, but I eventually settled in). For example, every time I was checking out at the grocery store, it took a minimum of 10 min even if there was only one person ahead of me in line. I just had to learn to embrace it haha.

Also, if you have ever wanted to learn Spanish, the best way to do it is to go live in a Spanish speaking country & take classes. Medellin/Colombia is known as a great option because they have a very neutral/easy accent & they talk slower than other Spanish speaking countries. Guatemala is also known as another good option!

Medellin is a great spot to just come hang for a few days, weeks or even months! Bring your laptop & work remotely. It’s just awesome! I can’t wait to go back 🙂

CITY: Minca

HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

We stayed at Masaya Casas Viejas Hostel. It’s actually not technically in Minca, as you have to take a 4×4 vehicle for about 30 min up into the mountains/jungle to get to the actual hostel. But let me tell you – it’s worth it! It’s a little oasis nestled high up in the clouds. There’s an infinity pool, hammocks, chaise lounges, co-working areas, yoga in the morning, and delicious food. Beds are comfy & wifi works most of the time 🙂 It was very easy to meet people since you don’t leave the property much, unless you head out to a waterfall hike! Would absolutely recommend this place 9/10 (just wish the showers had warmer water, but hey you can’t complain being this remote!)

Where to Eat:

At the hostel restaurant 🙂 Not too many options. Some folks headed into Minca for lunch (3 hr hike away) but generally people ate at the hostel. Luckily the food was very good!! Each meal had tons of great options to choose from.

What to do:

Relax & enjoy the views 🙂 You can do some waterfall hikes, but Sabrina & I chose to just chill our time here. We did some yoga, lots of reading, played Monopoly Deal & President with all our new friends, and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset over the jungle.

This is a perfect spot to spend a few days (3 nights max I would say), to just recharge amidst your backpacking trip & make some friends who are likely heading in the same direction as you!

Overall Thoughts:

I really enjoyed it here. After 6 weeks in Medellin I was slightly worried about the jarring nature of jumping back into backpacking, but this was a perfect way to ease back into it. We met so many fun, interesting people & I loved my lazy days. Finally finished a book I had started 3 weeks prior!

CITY: Tayrona National Park

HOW LONG: 3 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

Holy moly this was paradise on earth. Senda Watapuy is a dream. DO NOT HESITATE to book here!!! We loved every part of our stay. The room was incredible (they installed mosquito nets to address bugs). The private pool was amazing (love being able to skinny dip in the morning). The food at the restaurant was great. The grounds were fabulous. A true jungle oasis.

Where to Eat:

Once again, you are mostly stuck at the hotel in terms of food but the good news is that I loved the food here. Very expansive menu, but in classic form, I fell in love with their caesar salad and ate that most meals. One cool thing they offered was that you could order food from the menu on your phone and specify if you wanted to eat it in the room, at the pool or at the restaurant – very convenient.

What to do:

The main thing to do in this region is hike in Tayrona National Park through the jungle to the beautiful beaches. However, our hotel was right at the edge of the park so while we did go into the park for a short hike, we decided we preferred to spend our time reading by the pool, with views of the gorgeous jungle.

We also got some massages.

You can literally walk to the park entrance from the hotel, which is nice though! Bring sunscreen, bug repellent and water!!

Overall Thoughts:

This was such a treat! 10/10 would absolutely recommend this place (mostly talking about the hotel) to anyone. I felt like I was on a true vacation.

CITY: Cartagena

HOW LONG: 2 NIGHTS

ACCOMMODATION:

I stayed at Los Patios and wouldn’t recommend it. It’s in a good location, but they have a lot to improve. The AC barely worked, so we asked to lower the temp 1-2 degrees and it turned to an ice box. The dorm room floor stayed dirty the entire time. Very hard to meet people. When I asked the front desk about where the start of the walking tour was she said there are no walking tours in Cartagena other than theirs, which is just a straight lie. Very bizarre as there are like 10 free walking tours I found online. The hostel is so loud that you really can’t sleep at night or morning. I’ve stayed at 100+ hostels and this isn’t it. 5/10

Where to Eat:

• Brioche bistro Moderno – service wasn’t great but the food was fabulous! Delicious brunch food in the center of the walled in city.
• Nía Bakery – I had an iced chocolate with 100% cacao. Very light, not too sweet & yummy on a hot day (aka every day in Cartagena). Very cute cafe with a swanky vibe.
• Pascal – Another great cafe/breakfast spot just outside the walled in city. Cute decor & strong AC. Had a great breakfast sandwich.
• Munchy cream – fun ice cream spot with tons of toppings, which is my favorite!!

What to do:

I only had one full day here so I optimized with a morning walking tour to hit the highlights and one last cheap massage before heading back to the US. Would highly recommend Relax Spa Cartagena de las indias for a spa treatment while visiting Cartagena. If you have more time here, I hear the island day trips or overnight trips can be quite fun!

Overall Thoughts:

Cartagena was so colorful and beautiful!! I would’ve happily stayed here another day but not another week because it was so HOT, & I am not really a beach or party person, which Cartagena is known for. Overall it was a cool spot though!

BUDGET FOR 12 DAYS of traveling IN Colombia:

Fun to have two different types of budgets in this post, but admittedly my type of fun might different than most haha.

Accommodation: $532 ($44 per night) Our stay at Senda Watapuy drove the average up, but it was worth it!!

Food: $199

Groceries: $0

Activities: $167 (massages + walking tours)

Local Transportation: $172

Miscellaneous: $83

Total: $1153 (Daily average: $96)

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BUDGET FOR 38 DAYS living IN Colombia:

Accommodation: $1157 ($30.44 per night)

Food: $335

Groceries: $327

Activities: $859 (includes $665 for 6 weeks of Spanish Class)

Local Transportation: $250

Gym: $234

Miscellaneous: $91

Total: $3253 (Daily average: $85)

Transportation to next destination: $0 (I booked my flight home to California with points – yay!)