COLOMBIA

It is lamentable that Colombia, crowning the continent of South America, is one of the least desirable tourist destinations. This is because it has earned a reputation for violent civil unrest and is seen as a hotbed of criminal 'bounty' kidnappers, drug overlords and gangsters. As a consequence of this, both the US State Department and British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against travel to Colombia. This means that only the most intrepid travelers and tourists venture forth into what is undoubtedly the most diverse destination in South America. It is a fusion of shabby, colorful towns,

Caribbean and Pacific coasts, Andean valleys, Amazonian jungle, and wide plains.

There are in fact many tourists that do still travel to the capital, Bogota or to the legendary resort town of Cartagena and the duty-free offshore island province of San Andres. Most visitors enjoy a fascinating, exciting and trouble-free experience and usually make the trip as part of an organized package tour.

The fortunes of modern Colombia had their foundations laid in the coffee plantations, but the onset of political violence and civil war in the 1950s effectively cauterised the industry. The exception to this can be found in the pretty hilly Quindio province, where many former farmers have turned their traditional red-tile roofed homesteads into good quality bed and breakfast establishments, set among exotic gardens and rows of leafy coffee bushes.

Urban Colombia centers on Bogota, home to about 20 percent of the country's inhabitants. This ancient city was the pre-Columbian capital of the Chibcha Indians and remains a blend of old and new, teeming with Spanish colonial buildings and plazas alongside modern skyscrapers. Beggars rub shoulders in the streets with smartly dressed business people, while mule trains wind their way through the traffic jams.

A major drawcard for tourists is the Spanish colonial port of Cartagena with its spectacular walled old town, a medieval wonderland of palaces, monasteries, plazas and overhanging balconies. To the south of the town are Colombia's major seaside holiday resorts with excellent beaches and scuba diving opportunities.

The country's equatorial rainforests clothe the river valleys, riddled with magnificent airplants, vines, creepers and brilliant flowers and birds. The Los Katios National Park in Choco contains hundreds of species of plant and animal life that have yet to be listed. The country's jungles also shelter wondrous archaeological treasures, like the ancient city of La Cuida Perdida and the monuments, tombs and burial mounds at San Augustin and Tierrodentro.

Colombia is a gem of a destination that as yet has to be explored by modern travelers as it slowly struggles to shed its unpalatable reputation to reveal its unique beauty.

CLIMATE IN COLOMBIA

Generally the climate is wet and tropical. Summer is the principal rainy season although there is no specific dry season. The eastern Caribbean and Pacific coastal lowlands experience an equatorial climate with high temperatures and high humidity all year round, with rainfall averaging 40 inches (1,000mm) a year. In the mountainous parts conditions are cooler and can be changeable depending on prevailing winds, altitude and topography.

VISA INFORMATION FOR TOURISTS

All tourists visiting Colombia must hold valid passports, tickets and documents for onward or return travel, and sufficient funds to cover their stay. Those who plan to visit coffee plantations must apply to 'Vegetable Sanitary Control' at the airport on arrival or to a Columbian consulate or embassy in advance.

Americans: US nationals must have a passport but do not require a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days.

UK nationals: British citizens must have a passport but do not require a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days.

Canadians: Canadians must hold a passport but do not require a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days.

Australians: Australians must have a passport and do not require a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days.

South Africans: South Africans must have a valid passport and a visa to enter Colombia.

Irish nationals: Irish nationals must have a passport but do not require a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days.

New Zealanders: New Zealanders require a passport, but no visa is necessary for a tourist stay of up to 90 days.

TRAVEL ATTRACTION AND THINGS TO DO

Amusement Parks

Mundo Aventura Park has mechanical games such as sky-coaster, roller coaster, hammer, and other adult amusements plus children's rides and a feeding zoo.

Salitre Mágico Park offers rides and entertainment for all ages while Jaime Duque park has rides, a giant map, exhibitions and a zoo. A big hand holding the world symbolizes God, and a reproduction of the Taj Mahal dipslays reproductions of famous paintings. The park now is more famous for its raves and parties with renowned DJ's.

Dive into the tropical waters of the UNESCO Seaflower Biosphere Reserve around San Andrés and Providencia, home to a multitude of fish and coral species. Other diving hotspots include the Islas del Rosario and Tayrona National Park.

Raft the rapids on the Rio Negro in Cundinamarca and Fonce or kayak through the Chicamocha canyon in Santander.

• Climb the snow-capped Nevado del Ruiz: the 5,400m (17,717ft) peak is one of five permanently white-tipped volcanoes in Los Nevados National Park

Head off-road on a motorbike or 4-wheel drive vehicle: Colombia’s rugged terrain is ideally suited to driving enthusiasts seeking a muddy challenge.

• Warm up those hips for some serious salsa dancing. The hot-blooded city of Cali is one of the world's top destinations for salsa.

• Take a jungle tour into the Amazon basin, which covers almost one-third of Colombia’s territory. Boat trips depart from Leticia to the nearby Amacayu National Park and often include visits to Indian tribes.

• Stay on a coffee farm: over 300 haciendas offer lodging to tourists and can arrange walks through the coffee fields as well as horse riding, fishing, mountain biking and trips to local villages.

ATTRACTIONS AND THINGS TO DO IN BOGOTA

Looking for fun things to do in Bogota, Colombia? Check out these ideas for what what do in Bogota, including places to visit, tourist attractions, and sightseeing.

Cycle or skate along car-free roads in central Bogotá: on Sundays and holidays from 0700 to 1400, 121km (75 miles) of the capital’s streets are transformed into ciclovías (cycleways)

Donación Botero (Botero Museum) BOTERO MUSEUM In 2000, Fernando Botero, the world's best-known and most highly regarded living Latin American artist donated over $100 million worth of art from his personal collection to his native Colombia.

See sights
The Hill of Monserrate in Bogotá,
Colombia The Cathedral of Salt in Zipaquira
The Museum of Gold (Museo de Oro)in Bogotá,
Colombia The Historic District of 'El Candelaria" in Bogotá,
Colombia The Rose Zone

Club Hatogrande

The Hatogrande Golf and Country Tennis Club is a social, sport and rustic Club for the whole family In Hatogrande, you will be able to enjoy the best sport and social facilities, that turn it the ideal place to practice their favorite sports and to organize all the enterprise and familiar events

Soccer

Bogotá's best known and most popular soccer clubs are Millonarios and Independiente Santa Fe. You'll find plenty of socce/futbol action in the parks.

Carnaval de Bogotá

Held on August 5-6 to celebrate Bogota's founding, the carnival is a festive event honoring Colombia's diversity with Comparsas, parades of folkloric groups, dances and music that represent the cultural manifestations from different regions and cultures of the country and Verbenas, celebrations in suburban streets with dances, music, games and gastronomy from different regions of the country.

Expoartesanias

"Expoartesanías is the place to find the best traditional and modern Indian and Afro-Colombian handcrafts. It offers products made of different natural raw materials like: fibers, fabrics, wood, silver, gold, ceramic and stone, among others. From the beginning in 1991, the main objective of 'Expoartesanias' has been to lead handcraft product trends in the market."

Bullfights - Plaza de Toros la Santamaria

While these might not be to everybody's taste, Colombians love a good challenge between bullfighter, the torero, matador, and the bull. Bullfighting season is January through February, but small displays are held throughout the year.

Shopping

Emeralds! Other jewels, antiques, clothing, leather goods and other desirable goods.

Palacio de San Francisco

"The Palace of San Francisco is an example of the Republican style that was fashionable in the beginning of the 20th century in the capital of Colombia...In 1984, it was declared a national monument and is currently occupied by one of the biggest schools in the city, Nuestra Senora del Rosario."

Enjoy the City Parks

Bogotá has one of the largest urban parks of the world, the Simón Bolívar Metropolitan Park, center of a recreational area that includes the Botanical Gardens of Bogotá, the headquarters of Coldeportes (the national sports authority), and the recently finished Virgilio Barco Library.

"El Tunal" park hosts the annual Rock al Parque, a free festival in which new and popular latin rock bands show their talent.

Museo de Oro

View the fabled collections of gold artifacts in the Gold Museum, and tour other museums: Museo Arqueologico, Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares, Museo de Arte Colonial, Museo de Arte Religioso, Museo Nacional, Museo de Arte Moderno, and Quinta de Bolivar for a glimpse of Colombian patrimony, art and cultural influences.

ATTRACTIONS AND THINGS TO DO IN CARTAGENA

NAVAL MUSEUM
A must visit place where most explanations are also in English. Lots to see, lots of models of ships, models of the different battles and stages of the wall being built. Collection of fossils and other artifacts including guns, swords and the like. Well worth a good visit.

Visit the Convento de la Popa. Established in 1607, it was once the site of a devil-worshiping and goat sacrifices by runaway slaves. It was occupied by George Washington's brother Lawrence Washington's troops during Admiral Vernon's seige of Cartagena in 1741. There is a small chapel with photographs commemorating the Pope's visit to the convent in the 1980's. The 360 degree view is astounding, and the architecture inside absolutely beautiful. The Convento de la Popa is Cartagena's number 1 tourist attraction. Allow 2 hours.

Volcan del Totumo (near Cartagena)
Wicked experience - a bit of a tourist trap but worth it nonetheless! Take a bath at Volcan del Totumo. These are mud volcanoes. Totumo looks like it jumped straight out of the set of a Steven Spielberg movie, and is the tallest mud volcano in the world. Time: half a day.

Visit Teatro Heredia. This stunning theatre, designed by Luis Felipe Jaspe, rivals any in the world for its ornate gold-leaf interior, and leaves the more modern Centro de Convenciones for dead. Notice the unique Cartagena main stage curtain. Try especially to see anything by the local ballet company. Tickets can be bought from early afternoon at the theatre entrance. Time: one evening.

Try and see a corralejas...but only if you aren't squeamish. The bulls aren't killed, but the humans who torment them sometimes are, accompanied by live music and watched by crowds drinking rum and aguardiente. They are held in the bullring on the outskirts of Cartagena, on the road to Turbaco (you can't miss it from the road - its the bullring made of reddish-brown bricks alongisde the main football stadium). They are also held in Arjona and surrounding towns at different times of the year, according to the patron saints; days. The ring is ten minutes by taxi from Centro or 20 minutes by bus. Catch any bus marked Turbaco, Turbana or Arjona. Time: they usually run from midday to sundown, followed by the Fandango dance.

Visit the fort at Bocachica. This strategic fort saw a lot of action, is surrounded by a moat and is riddled with tunnels that are inhabited by bats. There was once a thick chain that ran under thge water across the bay entrance, to stop any pirate ships from entering. Hidden underwater escolleras, or breakwaters were built for the same reason.You can get there in a water-taxi that leaves from the Muelle de Pegasos, the wharf in front of the clock-tower for around US$6...though you must bargain hard. The boats usually stop at a lot of smaller fishing villages en route. There are several restaurants in the nearby village where you can buy drinks and food. Allow three quarters of a day.

Pop inside the Cathedral de San Pedro Claver. Dating from 1575, the building had to be rebuilt after Sir Francis Drake partially destroyed it in 1586. San Pedro was a Spanish Jesuit who baptised hundreds of thousands of African slaves. The room where he lived the last of his days can be seen adjoining the cathedral, along with the Saint's actual bones, encased in a glass coffin under the main altar. Look for the beautiful stained-glass window and the dramatic series of paintings that depict his life, specially commissioned to inform the illiterate. Time 2 hours.

Be scared out of your wits in The Palacio de Inquisicion. Facing Plaza Bolivar, this large building displays Indigenous, Colonial and post-independence exhibits. The Palacio also houses the Cartagena Historical Archives. Be sure to see the rack in the Spanish Inquisitions Torture Chamber.

Take a stroll and a seat in Plaza Bolivar. Recently restored at great cost, it once again is a pleasant place to sit and admire the massive statue of Simon Bolivar made in Germany, or the many street performers who wander through. The Palacio de Inquisition faces this plaza. Time: one hour.

Visit the Museo Naval. Situated behind the San Pedro Cathedral, adjacent to the Santa Teresa Hotel. Time 1 hour.

Step aboard the tall ship Gloria. This historic sailing ship can be toured free of charge simply by asking at the Colombian Naval Base in Bocagrande.

Explore Las Bovedas. These former dungeons now house varied stores of Colombian souvenirs. There are more than a dozen of them and no two are the same. Just the place to go to buy a Costeña doll or Guajiran hammock.

Have a drink in Plaza Santo Domingo on a Friday or Saturday night. Once a place where slaves were auctioned off, the plaza is the home to Botero's `gordita (the fat lady statue), Pacos, and the beautiful Santo Domingo Church.

Equally picturesque is Plaza San Diego, also once an auction area for slaves. It is surrounded by many restaurants and the beautiful Hotel Santa Clara, just a short walk away from Gabriel Garcia Marquez post-modern residence.

Visit Cartagen's Gold Museum, (Museo de Oro). It is situated facing Plaza Bolivar, opposite the Palacio de Inquisicion, marked by a large sign. It also houses pre-Columbian antiquites. Open Tues-Fri 8-12 and 2-6pm, Saturdays 9-5pm, closed Sun-Mon. (beware of imitators: at least one nearby jewellery shop has a large poster saying Museo de Oro beside its entrance, but if you read the small print you will see that the poster is for the Bogota Museo de Oro).

Climb and explore San Felipe de Barajas. This massive fort took years to build and was used by Don Blas to thwart Vernon's attack of 1741. Entry is free on the last Sunday of each month (other days US$3). Half a day.

Wander Manga's Cementerio de la Cruz. If you are interested in ornate old graves, this is just the place to be. The many gravediggers who work there would be happy to tell you the history behind the graves, though none speak English. Time: 2 hours

Catch a ride on a horse-drawn carriage. The men who drive these coaches are very knowledgeable about Cartagena history, but don't speak English. Its probably better to go at night when the traffic is not so hectic, and the coach drivers use candles inside glass lanterns to illuminate the path ahead. They can be hailed in many parts of Centro and Bocagrande. Rates are negotiable, depending on the time taken, but it is a good idea to agree on the price and route before you climb aboard.

Drink, sing and dance the night away on a Chiva tour. These tours are popular with both Colombian and foreign tourists. The tours include live music, unlimited rum and Coca-Cola, some snacks, a stop at Las Bovedas, and free entry and one complimentary drink at the La Escollera disco in Bocagrande. The bus will usually wait for an hour before taking you back to your hotel, or you can party on in the disco till the wee hours.

Walk down Calle Arsenal on a Friday or Saturday night. This street is crammed with bars and discos, and really starts to come alive after 11pm. Parallel Calle Arsenal has many bars too, but is a little more sedate.

Check out the Casa Roman. A unique and very colourful arabesque building. To view it just continue down the street that runs off to the left of the Convention Centre, Calle Larga, cross the bridge, and keep walking for a block or two, looking to the left. It is adjacent the Colegio Montessori. If you walk, allow 2 hours. Not open to the public, but well worth the walk, you can take photographs through the picket fence.(see photo at the top of this article)

Watch the Cabalgata. This equine festival is held every year. Horse riders descend on Cartagena from the towns and villages all around and trot through the streets from Bocagrande to Centro and up to the Convento de la Popa, bearing candles. The date is usually 2 Feb, in memory of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. Time: one afternoon.

Cartagena comes to a standstill in November during National Beauty Pageant , or Reinada Nacional de Belleza. The whole week is a holiday in Cartagena, and the contestants parade along Avenida Santander on the back of floats and also travel by boat around once in Bocagrande, all the time being cheered by crowds of thousands. Tickets to the judging and testimonial dinners are sold out months before, but you can get a table at a disco like Mr Babillas and watch it live on TV which is nearly as good. There are many preliminary contests in the smaller towns and suburbs that start much earlier in the year.

Go for a walk along Avenida Santander and the fortified city wall. You can walk on top of the wall most of the way, with the beautiful Caribbean on one side and colonial architecture on the other. If you start at the statue of La India Catalina, near the eastern corner of the wall, you will pass the following attractions: the old wooden bullring, las bovedas, the Hotel Santa Clara, Gabriel García Márquez residence, Plaza de Tejadillo, Teatro Heredia, then, rounding the coner at the Baluarte de Santo Domingo, pass the Plaza de Artillería, the Hotel Santa Teresa, where you must cross a foot bridge and descend the wall which ends at the Naval Museum. If you go under the bridge, cross Avenida Santander and continue, you will pass some monumental anchors donated by the Colombian and Spanish Navies. Here also you will find a monument to` Gabriel García Márquez literary masterpiece Relato de un Naufrago - Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor - immortalized in the form of a giant concrete model of his book. Continuing along this route you will come to Bocagrande in about 15 minutes. Time: 2 hours.

See the Mapale dancers in Parque Bolivar, Plaza Santo Domingo or the Plaza de las Coches. These troupes, usually accompanied by a couple of drummers, perform a stunning dance that can trace its origins via the slaves back to Africa.

Watch the best films from Latin America and elsewhere during the Internacional Festival de Cine. Stars from all over the continent can be seen wandering the streets, and cinemas suspend their normal showings to participate. Even the old Luis Felipe Jaspe-designed Teatro Colon, Cine Bucanero and Cine Calamari, all closed some time ago, re-open to screen the films. These cinemas are adjacent the Centro de Convenciones, which shows the majority of the films, and hosts the judging, usually the week before Easter.

If you like chess, have a game at the Liga de Ajedres, or Chess League, housed in an open room on the corner of Plaza Bolivar. You will see about a dozen tables and chairs set up under a painting of a wizard-type character gazing over a chess set. The room is in a beautiful colonial building with a large stone arch. Time: depends how good you are.

Visit the Casa de Nuñez. Just a short walk from Centro, this is the historic house of one of Colombia most famous sons, 4-time President of the Republic and composer of its national anthem. Adjacent to the museum is a small park with a chapel where he is buried, and a group of huge, oversize bronze busts of other notable locals (including Carex the Native Indian leader), under a circular arrangement of roman columns which is the Homenaje de la Constitucion.

If you like art, visit the Museo de Arte Moderno in front of the Cathedral, open Mon-Fri 9-12, 3-5pm, Sat 10-12. There are occasional art exhibitions held in the Museo Naval, and other locales, and at Christmas there is and exhibition of large murals hung o­n the inside of the wall, illuminated at night by floodlights. They are situated along the Paseo de la Muralla, to the left of the Café Libre, facing the Conjunto de Santo Domingo.

Go sunbathing at one of Cartagena's beaches. There are several to choose from: Bocagrande, Bocachica, La Boquilla, Islas del Rosario, Isla Baru, Tierrabomba and Playa Blanca. Wandering vendors sell ice cream, fresh fruit and juice, trinkets, or offer their services as masseurs or will plat and bead your hair. At Playa Blanca you can rent a beach hut and string up your hammock for the night. The Isla beaches are only accessible by boat, but all beaches can get crowded on weekends and during the vacation period. Some boat opeartors include lunch and a visit to the Fort at Bocachica.

Go and cheer for Real Cartagena , Cartagena's first division soccer team. Home games are played at Estadio Pedro Heredia, about ten minutes by taxi or 20 minutes by bus from Centro. Catch any bus marked Turbaco, Arjona or Turbana. The way they have been playing lately, they need all the encouragement they can get! There are also professional baseball and basketball leagues in Cartagena.

Go and see a bullfight. These are held in January, in the bullring adjacent to Estadio Pedro Heredia, ten minutes by taxi or twenty minutes in a bus. Catch any bus marked Turbaco, Turbana or Arjona. In 2002 a group of professional Mexican matadors, all of them "enanitos" or dwarfs, entertained sell-out crowds. Not for the squeamish - severe gorings and even fatalities are possible.

Get your PADI diving certificate and dive in the Caribbean observing tropical fish and reefs, and the odd shipwreck.Cartagena is o­ne of the cheapest places in the world to get your PADI certification.

Learn Spanish with your own personal tutor. There are many language schools in Cartagena, offering classes in English, Spanish and a host of other laguages. Sometimes people on the street will offer you a deal such as an hour for an hour, ie you help them with their Spanish for an hour in return for their hour of Spanish lessons. Such lessons are usually only good for beginners, however, and formal classes with qualified teachers and textbooks soon become necessary.

Talk to some sailors or look at some beautiful boats at the yacht clubs. Cartagena's two yacht clubs, Club de Pescaand Club Nautico, are both located a short walk from the center of town in Manga. Both have waterside bars and Club de Pesca has a nice restaurant and is located inside Spanish fortified walls.

Visit Cartagena for the Semana Cultural, or Cultural Week. This is usually held during Easter, known as Semana Santa in Spanish. Events include free concerts, roller-blades races through Centro, street theatre and art exhibitions.

Get your photo taken with a boa constrictor at Villa Babilla. Just a few minutes drive from Cartagena, near Campestre on the road to Turbaco, this nature farm has eco-tours that feature sloths, monkeys, turtles, iguanas, caimans, horses, ducks and parrots. Tour groups catered for.

Go on an eco-cruise of the manglares. The mangrove swamps around Cartagena have recently been promoted as a tourist attraction. Catch a taxi out to La Boquilla and ask for a guide called Ferny Hernandez. He will take you on a canoe through mangroves teeming with all sorts of animals.