Colombia, Party of Five

When we told people we were traveling to Colombia for our family vacation more than a few people looked at us like we were crazy. When people think of Colombia images of drug cartels come to mind but it sure has come a long way. We chose to visit Colombia because it had the right mix of adventure and culture while still being largely undiscovered by our fellow American tourists. Our research led us to pick three very different locations for our 11-day trip, Cartagena, San Andrés and Bogotá.

The first stop was Cartagena which sits on the northern coast and delivers an old-world feel while having a modern flare. Think of it as a combination of the best of Barcelona and Miami. Most known for it’s ancient walled city Cartagena delivered the vibe we were craving…cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, bright pink vines crawling up walls and engulfing balconies, carts with fresh fruit for sale, street musicians, and buildings painted every shade of the rainbow. By day we explored the city on foot and by night we dined at different rooftop restaurants for a birds-eye view of the many cathedrals lit up against the night sky. February was a terrific time to travel as we benefited from the warm weather (a balmy 85 degrees) but didn’t have the intense humidity that plagues tourists during the summer months. We chose to stay just outside the walled city in Bocagrande, the “Miami” part of Cartagena. It offered more Airbnb options, which work better for our family of five. Fortunately, our Airbnb came with sweeping ocean views and an infinity pool making it the perfect place to cool off after a day of exploring.

Our next location was truly off-the-beaten-path, San Andrés, a small island that is closer to Nicaragua than Colombia. The culture of San Andrés is a bit of an anomaly. Half the island residents descend from Caribbean slaves so there is a strong Creole influence while the other half are Colombian. We hopped a quick 1hour flight from Cartagena and arrived in tropical San Andrés just in time to have dinner on the beach. On the first day we did scuba diving and were treated to some of the clearest water we’ve ever seen. The ocean was teeming with colorful fish and huge manta rays relaxed in the sand, oblivious to us hovering above watching them sleep. As international divers, we were thrilled to see healthy coral and abundant sea life, unlike so many other overdived locations. Our plan to visit Johnny Cay, one of the nearby islands, was derailed by thunderstorms but it did give us a chance to eat lots of gelato and check out some of the local shops. On the third day, our 16-year-old son put his high school Spanish to use and negotiated a 4x4 mule for us to drive around the island. We followed a fairly basic map and hit the highlights…the famous white church where you can climb to the top of the steeple for a 360 degree view of the island, a small pond with caiman poking their heads above water, a cheesy but charming pirate museum, a blow hole, and stunning beaches. But, the best part was the spontaneous stops like the photo shoot under the palm trees, the beach bar with the perfect rum drinks, stopping to watch kids play a barefoot soccer game in a field, and learning how to dodge the cows walking in the road. Our last day in San Andrés was the highlight. I’m always in search of blue water – the kind that looks like a swimming blue, which is why I dragged my family to this remote island! The color of the water exceeded my expectations. We rented a pontoon boat and a Captain to take us to the local sand bars and islands. We found this to be cheaper than buying five tickets on the crowded tourist boats and it turned out to be worth every penny of $125! I put on my goggles and swam around for hours while making sure my kids appreciated that Mom was actually swimming! As one who usually just “dips” in the water this means the water was both warm and exceptionally clear. It was truly amazing. Now it’s time for my disclaimer. San Andrés is not Hawaii. There are no large hotels and everything has a bit of an unfinished edge to it. The other tourists are Colombians with just a few adventurous Europeans mixed in. We had no problems communicating (thanks to Google translate and high school Spanish) or navigating our way around but if you’re in search of luxury or a resort experience San Andrés is not the place for you. However, if you’re looking for a unique location undiscovered by the rest of your neighborhood and can roll with some potholes and a bit of trash then you’ll love the natural beauty of this remote island!

The last stop on our Colombian adventure was Bogotá, Colombia’s sprawling, high-altitude capital. After doing quite a bit of research I determined that it was best to stay in the suburbs of Zona Rosa (populated by restaurants & shops) and visit the landmarks in the La Candelaria neighborhood by day. Jaguar Tours Agency toured us around on electric scooters, which was a fun way to cover a lot of ground in a short time. They also helped us negotiate at the flea market and introduced us to Crepes & Waffles, the best ice cream we’ve ever had! A visit to Bogotá must include a cable car ride 3,000 meters up to the top of Monserrate where you can see for miles. We also took a day trip to the salt cathedral (an old salt mine turned into an underground church) in Zipaquira, a charming town an hour outside of Bogotá. On the way back to the city we ate at Andrés Carne de Res in the town of Chia, which is probably the most famous restaurant in Colombia. It’s hard to describe all that Andrés Carne de Res entails but imagine acres (the restaurant is HUGE) of junkyard items hanging from the walls and ceiling and the sounds of a mariachi band plus dancing and a DJ (at the same time). Now add in a book-like menu of steaks, all of which will make your mouth water! When we returned to the car we were all a little stunned after our experience – definitely on sensory overload and definitely stuffed with delicious food. Our driver simply laughed and said, “It’s a lot, I know.” Keep in mind that Bogotá sits at a high elevation so its climate is very different from the tropical feel of Cartagena and San Andrés. It reminded us a lot of our days living in San Francisco where 70 degrees can feel warm in the sun and cool in the shade. It has natural beauty because it’s surrounded by mountains but also a grunge to it, like many big cities. We found two full days to be just what we needed but if you enjoy an urban environment there’s plenty to see and do in Bogotá!

When talking about travel to Colombia the number one question is about safety so I would be remiss not to mention it. We felt very safe but we are also very smart travelers. What I mean is we stick to well-trodden neighborhoods, we don’t wear anything flashy, we carry over-the-shoulder bags or backpacks with small locks on the zipper and only pull our cell phones out for very quick photos. We chose Colombia because it’s not yet over-run with tourists but, while in the country, we did stay within the areas most popular with visitors. In my 20’s I might have strapped on my backpack and taken a local bus to a village but with three kids in tow we stuck to the popular areas, where there is a constant police presence.

We felt like we just scratched the surface as there are so many amazing places to visit in Colombia. There are great local airlines that will zip you around the country (Wingo, Avianca, Latam, etc) but note that the flight times and destinations vary greatly so be thorough in your itinerary planning before making any reservations. For example, we found that you could only fly to San Andrés from Cartagena but returning there were only flights to Bogotá and not back to Cartagena. Our flights home were from Bogotá which is why we had to start our trip in Cartagena then travel to San Andrés and end in Bogotá. ATM’s are easy to find and there are plenty of modern amenities such as pharmacies, grocery stores, and coffee shops that make Colombia easy to travel. 

Colombians are extremely proud of their country, and rightfully so. It’s a great mixing pot of culture and a beautiful blend of new and old. Everyone we met wanted to make sure we loved their country as much as they do…and we did! Colombia was the perfect spot for our February break, and we can’t wait to return and explore some of the other beautiful regions.

Let us know if you’d like any help planning your next adventure!  Learn more @ www.intomotiontravel.com/planning-services