Why Colombia?

"I have traveled to Colombia, and each time I am amazed at the diversity of experience that the country has to offer. Colombia is just discovering itself as a tourism destination, so right now you will see all of the beauty of other South American countries but a fraction of the crowd."

ANDREW GILCHRIST FOUNDER, LOST WORLD ADVENTURES

If your first thought when you think of Colombia is of guerrillas and Pablo Escobar, think again.

Today, this vibrant nation is one of the most prosperous and stable in South America, with a booming tourist industry and some of the most sizzling destinations south of the Equator.

In Colombia, you’ll experience firsthand the life-affirming exuberance of a culture rated the world’s happiest in a Gallup International survey—a place where the magic realism of Gabriel García Márquez comes to life.

That magic starts in Cartagena de Indias, the walled Caribbean city whose bastions preserve the oak doors and jasmine-entwined balconies of a bygone era. It continues in the Zona Cafetera or coffee zone, where you can tour a coffee finca for eye-opening insights into the world’s best java. And it culminates in Medellín, Colombia’s “city of eternal spring” that boasts some of the most electric nightlife on the continent.

Here are some other not-to-be-missed destinations as you plan your Colombian adventure:

•  Bogotá’s La Candelaria neighborhood is hipness incarnate. Cobbled streets, colonial churches, graffiti art, and an exquisite gold museum full of artifacts commemorating the legend of El Dorado.
•  Villa de Leyva and Barichara are two exquisite colonial towns north of the capital where time seems to stop. Their red-tiled roofs are legendary for their antique charm.
•  Ready to rumba? You can do so till the wee hours of the morning in sultry Cali, the salsa capital of the world.
•  Adrenaline junkies from all over the Americas know San Gil. Set in the central province of Santander, it’s where the most addicted among them head for their fix of mountain biking, whitewater rafting, kayaking, caving, and paragliding.
•  Unbeknownst to many, Colombia is an Amazon country. The town of Leticia takes you deep into the rainforest, where river lodges and aboriginal natives open a window onto a primeval world.
•  Providencia is a tropical, coconut-palmed paradise, perfect for a relaxing few days of vacation in Colombia. It's a stunning island of beautiful beaches that are, on the whole, completely untouched. The clear turquoise waters and amazing coral reefs make it the ideal place for both diving and snorkeling.