Colombia is a fascinating country that is steeped in history and culture, and it boasts some of the most beautiful natural scenery in all of Latin America. Here are ten compelling reasons to visit Colombia.

1. A fantastic capital city – Bogota
Colombia’s capital, Bogota, is one of the most cosmopolitan countries in South America. It offers theatres, restaurants and many bars as well as having a huge range of other places to visit. These include museums, parks and some amazing cathedrals and churches. Every two years, it also hosts the biggest theatre festival outside of Edinburgh…

2. Superb festivals and carnivals
Colombia has a lot of carnivals and festivals that celebrate the country’s unique culture: the Carnival of Barranquilla, declared a World Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, Black and White People Carnival in Pasto, The International Coffee Queen Festival, Wayuu Festival, and The International Festival of Colombian Plains are just a handful of whats on offer.

3. Superb coffee
Colombia has the best mild coffee in the world. If you’re an avid coffee-drinker, you can actually visit coffee farms in the country’s coffee region to see how they make this quality export!

4. La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
In the north of the country lies the La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It’s the highest snowcapped range close to the sea in the world, peaking at 5.575 metres above sea level, and is home to The Lost City, built by Tayronas hundreds of years ago.

5. Varied geography and climate
Colombia is one of the countries where the Andes Mountains begin. For this reason, the country has a very varied geography and climate. It has beautiful Andean forests and plateaus, volcanoes and snowcapped mountains, deserts, vast plains and the Amazon jungle in the south.

6. The Guajira Peninsula
The Guajira peninsula at the northern end of South America has a very unique landscape in that the desert and sea are side by side. This part of the country is inhabited by the Wayuu people, one of Colombia’s largest ethnic groups, but is also famous for the flamingos that live there.

7. Biodiversity
Colombia is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world. It has 1.865 bird species, 471 mammal species, 715 amphibious species, 524 reptile species, 1.357 freshwater fish species, 3.019 kinds of diurnal butterflies, 41.000 sorted plant species out of 250.000 presently known. In addition, it has some stunning natural parks like the flora and fauna sanctuary, Tayrona Park, the Archeological Park of San Agustín, Archeological Park of Tierradentro, Cocuy Park, and El Tuparro Park in the Colombian jungle.

8. Attractive colonial towns
The country has several colonial towns with very attractive architecture, Popayan, Barichara and Villa de Leyva, as well as Cartagena with its International Film Festival and Hay Festival of literature.

9. Beaches and islands
Colombia has two Oceans lapping at its shores – the Atlantic and Pacific, which gives it some truly spectacular coastline and beaches. There are also some really beautiful islands that you can take a boat to, including San Andrés y Providence, and the Rosario islands.

10. ‘High-quality’ Spanish and friendly people
Colombia is said to have one of the highest standards of Spanish in all the Latin-American countries. It is therefore unlikely to throw up too many problems when it comes to comprehension, as might be experienced in countries where the Spanish spoken has a very different accent, or lots of ‘local’ words and phrases. It is also home to some of the friendliest people in the Spanish-speaking world, who will do their utmost to make you feel at home.

Article from the Colombian tourism board -

Almost all Yubarta whales from this region are born in Colombian waters and are faithful to their birthplace

It’s eleven in the morning, the sun shines over the swells of the Pacific, casting its golden light above a canopy of trees that are grasping to the edges of the cliffs that make up the coastline of the Uramba National Park in Bahía Málaga.

“Ahoy!” shouts someone. “Three o’clock,” another. “Straight ahead,” yells someone else. There is no problem with our watches. We, the passengers of Alexia III, use the boat as an imaginary sundial to guide our way through the sea in search of humpback or Yubarta whales.

After navigating a shallow known as “Negritos” and glancing at the fins of half a dozen whales, without warning, just 25 meters away, an 18-meter-long female, following after her calf for air, reaches up towards the sky. The spectacle ends in a big splash and a unanimous sigh of disbelief.

Almost all Yubarta whales from this region are born in Colombian waters and are faithful to their birthplace

The Colombian Pacific coast is the mating and birthing area for the humpback whale, which migrates from the southern waters of the Americas between June and October.  Of the total Yubarta population (estimated around 12,000) between 800 and 1,200 reach the Colombian littoral.

“Almost all Yubarta whales from this region are born in Colombian waters and are faithful to their birthplace,” explains Héctor Fabio García, a biologist turned eco-tour-operator and guide. Besides Bahía Málaga, whales can also be seen in Isla Gorgona, Tumaco and Nuquí.

Whale watching in Colombia is regulated by local and national government. Safety for spectators and whales is equally important. Boat captains who offer the service are required to have special training and permits. A one hour whale watching excursion costs approximately Col$ 50,000 per person.

Chirimías and Wounaan

Although whale watching is one of the magnificent highlights of a trip to the region, the coastline also offers splendid hiking trails, windswept beaches and pristine rainforest.

Enjoy the local seafood, coconut sweets, and the friendliness of the locals  who are eager to share their heritage with you.

Expect pleasant accommodation and ocean views from your room at Reserva Aguamarina in Ladrilleros (www.reservaaguamarina.com), and the nearby community of Juanchaco, which also offers simple lodging and family cabins.

Enjoy the local seafood, coconut sweets, and the friendliness of the locals  who are eager to share their heritage with you. Don’t miss out on an evening of traditional chants and the sound of the chirimías accompanied by the marimbas, recently added to list of Intangible Cultural Heritage by Unesco.

A 20 minute walk from Ladrilleros will take you to a Wounaan indigenous community.  Known for their elaborate handicrafts, they keep the weaving tradition going, and open their huts to visitors who are interested in knowing about their culture.

Low tide walks

The ocean tides, which sweep in and retreat four times a day, determine almost every aspect of life in this lush habitat – including soccer games on the beach, scientific field studies and tourism.

The Bahia Málaga Uramba National Park was added last year to Colombia’s National Park list as number 56. It is one of the richest in flora diversity per square hectare in the world and home to 360 species of birds and 148 varieties of fish.

The 47,600 hectares of tropical rainforest include empty beaches, sweet-water waterfalls and estuaries crowned by rocky islands, such as Isla Palma. This delicate ecosystem is also a reserve for tree sloths and the very endangered Icotea turtle. Kayaking and hiking tours in Isla Palma and other small islands and beaches along the Malaga Bay (such as Playa Dorada or Tasqueros) is possible, and many such as San Juan De Dios offer camping facilities.

Natural wells spur from the earth, making this region one of the richest fresh water enclaves in the world. With 225 days of rain every year accounting for 15 meters of water, don’t mind the weather as it is part of the Pacific experience.

High tide swims

The Sierpes waterfalls are a must see when the tide is high, as hot and cold currents converge in the bright mangrove, and you can swim between salt and freshwater pools. When the tide retreats, the beaches of the Pacifico are home to many crabs and mollusks, which survive on that delicate balance between an ecosystem and sustainable tourism.

Bahía Málaga is an off the beaten track paradise for the experienced traveler. Just  two and half hours from Cali, the capital of Valle de Cauca, by bus and a 45 minute boat ride from Buenventura, this region offers a unique opportunity to experience nature from a close and intimate setting. The sparkling ocean and the magnificence of giant mammals at play is just one of the many reasons you’ll fall in love with Colombia’s Pacífico.

Deep Blue, Luxury Hotel on Colombia’s Providencia Island, is due to re-open very soon with its new stylish and spacious rooms that emphasize the hotels stunning location and views.

“We are very excited about how the extensive remodelation is proceeding”, says company director Christopher Hardyment. “We are confident that the hotel will look absolutely stunning and the design will really differentiate ourselves from other hotels on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Our rooftop infinity edged plunge pool has without doubt one of the most beautiful views in the Caribbean”.

Deep Blue will re-open in mid September 2011 and have priced themselves competitively for this first year. All the luxury suites have their own private infinity edge plunge pools making them some the finest in the Caribbean. With just a few thousand Creole speaking inhabitants, Providencia island remains very undeveloped and unspoilt. The island has peaceful white sand beaches, beautiful volcanic scenery, friendly locals and the second largest barrier reef in the Caribbean. The hotel Deep Blue is a relaxing place to experience this unspoilt paradise.

What the Deep Blue website says -

Deep Blue is one of the hidden gems of the Caribbean. Located on the beautiful Colombian island of Providencia and surrounded by stunning turquoise waters, this luxury hotel has been offering guests the experience of a lifetime for 20 years.

Deep Blue is surrounded by verdant tropical forest with a splendid view towards Crab Caye and the dreamlike Caribbean sea. Well-loved for many years for its truly breathtaking views and privileged coastal location, the hotel will have a new, beautifully located tapas restaurant by the sea.

The warm, casual atmosphere of the restaurant and deck over the sea delight all of our visitors. Combined with the stunning views from the sun loungers, the serene ambience makes for a very romantic escape. Our restaurant and deck are the perfect place to unwind whilst sipping island inspired cocktails, indulging in delicious tapas, catching the sun’s rays or preparing for a dip in the shimmering Caribbean sea.

Start planning your trip by contacting one of our specialists online or by phone … 

Call a specialist on 01603 340404

Colombia’s rise in popularity as a top holiday destination is apparent in the number of praising articles that are written about it.

The UK travel press are can’t get enough of Colombia, writing about its suitability for all types of holidays from backpacking to luxury, and the fascinating wonders that can be discovered there.

Below are a small selection of articles written over the summer, and some snippets taken from them.

From the Telegraph - Colombia: In the grip of El Dorado (July 2011)

The article writes about the legend of El Dorado and its untold riches; a place that generations of fortune-hunters have searched for in vain. The Muisca people who occupied the eastern range of the  Colombian Andes at the time of the Spaniards’ arrival were farmers, who lived in constant fear of drought. To them, all lakes were sacred, all water spirits to be propitiated. Reports of their harvest ceremonies consistently say that a leader was covered in gold dust, and that gold and precious stones were thrown into the water.

That ritual is depicted in what has become known as “the Muisca raft”, centre piece of the Gold Museum in the Colombian capital, Bogotá. The museum, one of the best in Latin America, shows how gold was mined or extracted, worked, used and worn, and offered up for return to the earth.

Its collection of artefacts includes crowns, masks, breastplates and pendants as well as images of birds and animals. Though the most intricate pieces were reserved for the upper classes, gold in pre-Columbian societies was available to all, as a Spanish priest, Friar Pedro Simón, observed in 1623: “No Indian woman was without… jewels, earrings, necklaces, crowns… All the girls had four or six gold jewels around their neck.”

From the Guardian – Readers Tips: The best Latin American beaches (August 2011)

Providencia Island 
This small, mountainous Caribbean island is part of Colombia (although closer to Nicaragua). It is a Unesco biosphere reserve and has a 20km coral barrier, making it a paradise for divers. The small Hotel Sirius is on a long, white sandy beach. Lazy days are spent reading, watching the fishing and dive boats, and taking frequent dips. Saturday is the highlight of the week, with horse racing along the beach.

From the Guardian – Bogota’s age of rediscovery (August 2011)

With the conflict and curfews of the 1990s now behind it, Colombia’s capital is bursting with creativity, clubs and great cuisine. Bogotá’s landscape is changing rapidly. People who abandoned its centre for safer, outlying neighbourhoods at the height of the internal conflict in the 1990s are coming back. Meanwhile, tourism is moving beyond La Candelaria, the old colonial quarter, and is even making inroads into the city centre, where you’ll find art galleries, book shops and cafe’s.

Safety in Bogotá is now much like in any other South American city. The same rules apply: don’t flash expensive cameras, avoid carrying valuables on the streets, and order radio taxis after dark. Bogotá, and Colombia in general,  still has some no-go areas, so refer to a guidebook, tour operator or trusted local – most are very protective of foreigners. On the whole, the tourist board’s campaign (“The only risk is wanting to stay”) seems to be working: the number of foreign tourists visiting Colombia rose by 16% in the first five months of this year.

From Marie Claire – Colombian Cool (September 2011)

Balmy tropical beaches, colourful colonial cities and friendly faces make Colombia a hot new holiday destination.

Cartagena is a pretty jewel of a colonial town on the Caribbean coast. ‘Strolling down an open walkway lined with palm trees, we were hit by a wall of that famous Colombian heat,’

‘Cartagena is Colombia’s most beguiling destination, its cobbled streets are lined with stuccoed buildings in rainbow of colours from saffron to cornflower blue.’

La Passion is a seven-room arty boutique gem hidden behind high walls of Cartagena. Run by a suave French film producer, the restored 18th century townhouse feels like a stage set, overflowing with art and global treasures ranging from Andalusian light fittings to a wooden canoe swinging from the central atrium.

Jess says, ‘I’d been told that if you offer a Colombian a beer or a fruit juice, they’ll take juice every time – and as we stood at another small roadside bar, I realised it was no exaggeration! The locals are pulping, blending and sucking down smoothies like it’s going out of fashion.’

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Below is just a handful of the plethora of fruits found in Colombia.

Curuba

These are known as banana passionfruit in English. They’re so sour it’s hard to eat more than one.

Tuna

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The tuna fruit (or prickly pear in English) is also very popular in Southern Peru, where they’re more abundant, arguably tastier, and even cheaper.

Carambola

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Carambola, or starfruit, looks great is tasty and very common.

Tomate de Arbol

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The tomate de arbol, or tree tomato, or tamarillo, are orange, and have tart taste. Most Colombians say you can’t eat these and that they’re only for juice. But I disagree.

Lulo

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Lulo is another of those fruits you’ll surely have as juice in a restaurant, but the locals say you can’t eat it raw. They’re very sour but delicious.

Pitaya

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The pitaya is delicious. You eat the inside white part. In Colombian terms they’re expensive so tt’s hard to get one for less than 2000 pesos (70p)

Guanabana

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Guanabana makes one of Colombia’s national drinks. They mix that white flesh with milk and sell small cups on the street. Usually it still has the big black pits in it, but sometimes they remove the pits and mix it in a blender. I recommend having it without pits for true goodness.

Guanabana (‘soursop’ in English) has been linked to Parkinson’s disease due to its highannonacin content. However, it’s probably only a risk to the costeños who eat the stuff every day.

Anona

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Anona, or sugar-apple in English, has super-sweet white flesh inside. It’s closely related to the chirimoya. These are also high in annonacin and may increase risk of Parkinson’s.

Uchuva

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Uchuvas are delicious! Sweet, juicy and perfect

Papaya

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Papayas are a large fruit and there are many different kinds. The two types here are normal papayas and Hawaiian papayas. The one on the right is Hawaiian, which are more bitter.

Noni

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Many people like noni, but it has an interesting smell of them.

Noni juice has a following among natural cure enthusiasts. Google search noni and see all the pill and juice products under shopping results.

Mangostino

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Known as purple mangosteens in English, these are lovely. Cut and break off the purple shell, then eat the white flesh, which have pips.They are sweet and delicious.

Mango de Azúcar

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Mangos de azúcar (sugar mangoes) are another one Colombians say you should only make juice with. Colombia has regular size mangoes, but these ones are tiny. I can hold three in one hand. You slice off a bit of skin and go to town. Its hard to not get your face and hands completely covered in juice.

Colombia also has green mangoes, which are sour, and sold on the street with salt.

Feijoa

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Feijoa is common in juices. They’re also edible raw.

Granadilla

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Granadillas are cheap, and they grow in abundance from Colombia to Peru. They cost about 200 pesos ($0.10) for one. You break the soft orange shell and eat the inside guts which look a little bit like frog spawn but taste superb.

Guayaba Pear

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Guayaba is guava in English. The fruit is a deliberate cross between guayabas and pears to get these green-skinned, pink flesh things.

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The department of the Amazon covers an area of 109,655 square kilometres, equivalent to 9.6% of Colombia. The extremely humid jungle territory is bathed by numerous lakes and major and minor water sources that disgorge into the great river.  One particular area of interest are the Tarapoto Lakes.

The Tarapoto Lakes are located 2 hours from Leticia, when heading upstream along the Amazon River. The Amazon lakes are important because they form a communication network with several other rivers and lakes of extraordinary dimensions. Moreover, the biodiversity is larger than in the main channel of the Amazon River, and they work as a refuge for fish banks of unimaginable proportions; these are crystalline spaces of water surrounded by large trees and lianas from the dense forest.

Tarapoto is the home of the pink and gray dolphins and provide a very large area for practicing different outdoor sports including sport fishing. Several national and international sport fishing championships are held at the lakes.

Tarapato is an ideal place for observing animals in their natural atmosphere. The peace these lakes provide goes beyond description, perhaps due to the fact that very few people live there.

Tourists can take a leisurely journey out of Leticia heading upstream on the Amazon River to the second town on the Colombian Amazon. Puerto Nariño is a small, friendly and attractive town, with its tree lined footpaths and it is very tranquil since there are no cars or motorbikes.

From Puerto Nariño you can visit the Tarapoto Lakes and experience very special encounters with caimans, dolphins, fish eagles, capybaras and a vast number of other wildlife in and around the lakes and forests. You will appreciate that there is so much to see and do in this part of the Amazon, with so few tourists and a real ambience and warmth from local people.

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One of the richest elements of Colombia’s culture is their passion for a festival of which there are many. Planning a holiday in Colombia around a particular celebration can make a nice additional element to your trip and give you an extra insight in to Colombia and its people.

Medellin flower festival, the city’s most important cultural event of the year, started on Thursday 28th of July with a free concert at the city hall, after which the city will host some 150 events in the ten days of the festival.

The ‘Feria de las Flores’ is by far the largest event of the year in the city. Tourists and visitors come from all over the world to experience it.  The festival supposedly holds 2 Guiness Book of Records; The largest outdoor horse parade (over 7,000 horses and riders participate each year); The largest outdoor flower parade. 2011 sees the 54th anniversary of the festival.

Less-known events are the car-tuning festival, the orchid exposition, the musical theme nights and the half dozen “tablados” or block parties that are organized throughout the festival.The traditional highlights of the event are the parade of “silleteros,” the beautiful paisa women taking part in the horseback-riding parade, the classic car parade and the “fondas,” a collection of huts where the many villages of the Antioquia department show what they have to offer musically and gastronomically.

The festival lasts 4 days and is a colourful affair of dancing, singing and parades. The streets are transformed into rivers of flowers and it makes a spectacular sight.

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A Spanish artillery battery that is more than 200 years old was discovered in the northern Colombian city of Cartagena

The battery was discovered by a local man who looked out from his balcony and noticed stones that looked like a wall arranged in a gull-wing pattern on the beach as the tide went out. A team of workers was sent to investigate the remains and found what was left of an artillery battery that dates back to the mid 18th century. It was constructed by Antonio de Arevalo, a famous military engineer who reinforced Cartagena’s Castle of San Felipe and served the Spanish Empire for 59 years.

Judith Pinedo, the mayor of Cartagena, was delighted at the discovery of the battery. “These bulwarks exist only on maps but no one had ever been given the task of searching for them,” said Pinedo. The mayor further stated that the site would be excavated and was located “just where we contemplated making a recreational area.”

Cartagena has several well preserved fortifications from its time as a strategic port in the Spanish Empire.  The Castle of San Felipe which overlooks the city from a hill, is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.

There were man battles fought in Cartagena. The English and the French continually attempted to take the city away from Spain. The most famous battle occurred in the War of Jenkin’s Ear in 1741 when the Spanish decisively beat back a British landing force of more than 150 ships and 12,000 soldiers. The British lost nearly 50 ships with many heavily damaged.

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Purace National Park

Purace National Park

The park is a volcanic area, made obvious by its numerous sulphur springs. There are 30 lakes in the park which are ideal for resting and relaxing. The Magdalena, Cauca and Caqueta rivers all originate from here and the park itself is part of the Andean Belt declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979. The park is about 45km from Popoyan, which can be reached via a short flight from Bogota.

Chingaza National Park

Chingaza supplies 80% of Bogota’s potable water and is thus indispensable to the live of its inhabitants. The park includes mythological lakes, beautiful mountain vegetation, and the famous frailejones (Espeletia shrub). The solitary, melancholy atmosphere of the paramos is the park’s main attraction. The park is located in the departments of Cundinamarca and Meta, about a 1 hour ride along a paved road from Bogota.

Los Nevados National Park

Los Nevados Park is situated atop the central mountain range of the Colombian Andes, with altitudes above sea level between 2,600 and 5,321 meters and temperatures ranging from medium to low. The beauty of the scenery and the ruggedness of the terrain make it an ideal site for extreme, high concentration ecotourism activities. To reach the park, travel from Bogota to Manizales by road or air and then it is easy to get to the park.

El Cocuy National Park

The Sierra Nevada del Cocuy range consists of over 25 separate, unique snow peaks and is located on the Eastern Range of the Andes. The peaks range in height from 4,800 to 5,330 meters, and together they constitute the largest glacial mass in Colombia. The park is located on the border zone of the departments Boyaca, Casanare, Arauca and Santander and is also very popular extreme sport enthusiasts.

El Cocuy National Park

Isla de La Corota

The national park is a natural area located on the La Cocha Lake. From afar, the island resembles a tree partially submerged in the water. It encompasses only eight hectares of land and is, thus, the smallest sanctuary in the National Natural Parks System. La Corota is located in the municipality of Pasto, department of Narino. Visitors must take a 10 minute boat ride from Encanto, which is 40 minutes from Pasto.

Iguaque National Park

Just 15 kilometers from the romantic and historic city of Villa de Leyva, is one of the most valued and best preserved flora and fauna sanctuaries in the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyaca: the Iguaque Flora and Fauna Sanctuary. It covers an area of 6,960 hectares and its mountain peaks range between 2,400 and 3,800 meters above sea level. According to the Muisca Indians, the Iguaque Lake is the cradle of all humanity.

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