My First Visit to Colombia - Bogota, Salento and Cartagena

"Never judge a book by its cover. Don't take things for what they are. Sometimes you just have to experience it for yourself."

These were some of the thoughts running through my mind as I explored a few cities in Colombia for the week.

My final verdict? The country is absolutely breathtaking. The people are kind and the cities are for the most part very clean.

Over the 7 days (not including our extremely long flights - the things we do to save a few dollars) we visited Bogota, Salento and Cartagena. Three very different cities with a common thread among them - beautiful, kind and welcoming people.

Let's start with Bogota.

My view atop Montserrate, Bogota, Colombia

To be honest I didn't expect much from this city and just thought of it as a "waiting zone" to get us to our real destinations - Salento and Cartagena. But I was pleasantly surprised.

The city was modern, very clean and the people were friendly. We only had one full day to explore so we decided to go see the two most important places; Monserrate and Plaza de Bolivar.

As it was Sunday and there's a church up top of Monserrate we had to wait there for a very long time (approximately two hours) but while in line we spoke to a few locals, ate some paleterias and took photos with alpacas. Once we got to the top we were blown away. After a few minutes of acclimatizing to the altitude the views were absolutely incredible. We decided to also have lunch up top. Talk about lunch with a view.

We then headed back down which took another hour and hung out at Plaza del Bolivar where we acted like tourists and then just people watched. Later at night, a friend took us around the city for a brief tour and to another restaurant perched atop a hill where we were able to enjoy a night time view of the beautiful city of Bogota. Overall, I loved it. Would I go back? Probably. At first I thought it was one of those places where you don't necessarily feel like you need to return but it started to grow on me in a weird way. Seems to be the theme with Colombia.

Next up was Salento.

Salento was the complete opposite of Bogota and a breath of fresh air (literally). We landed in Armenia early in the morning and met our awesome driver who took us on an hour long drive to Salento.

This sleepy, hostel-ridden town is a hidden gem and has over the years become popular with both local and foreign travellers alike. We stayed at a hostel about a kilometre away from Salento called La Serrana where we stayed in the guest house of a French ex-pat whose property sat at the peak of a hill with the most incredible view.

While there, we went horse back riding and visited a Finca where they produce world famous Colombian coffee and then continued our journey to see a waterfalls that can only be seen by riding for three hours on rocky roads, through the valleys and accross multiple creeks/streams. It was my first time riding a horse and I had been on him for about 6 hours. It was an incredibly tiring but also rewarding experience. I have never been so in awe and simultaneously exhausted at the same time.

The following day was equally as tiring but even more rewarding as we explored the Cocora Valley. It was the part of the trip I was looking forward to the most and boy did it deliver.

Pictures cannot do justice to the beauty of the wax palm trees that can be found all around you. I could sit there for hours and just take in the incredible view. Would I return? Certainly. Salento is a place that you can always return to.

Then we headed to the city where old meets new, literally. Cartagena.

After spending the last four days of my trip in Cartagena, I would say the same. The city is a mix of old and new and the skyline contrasts that quite perfectly. Cartagena is a lively city with beautiful colours and sounds. It was quite different than the quiet serenity that we experienced in Salento.

Cartagena Suggestions:

A restaurant to try in Cartagena is La Mulata. It has a really fun interior and delicious seafood. It's worth visiting!
Cafe del Mar is overpriced but it's where you want to be to witness a beautiful sunset.

Old juxtaposed with new in Cartagena Colombia taken from Cafe del Mar right before sunset.

My most memorable experience while we were in Cartagena was the small island we visited just outside of it.

Baru was beautiful.

Though sleeping in what felt like a treehouse right by the beach isn't the most comfortable of accommodations, the experience was one we'll never forget.

No running water, no wifi. Just you, the beach and the company of those who are at your hostel. We met a couple from San Francisco and a group of friends from Belgium and he had dinner together at this "fancy" restaurant on the island that took forever to bring our food. But what was great about it was we really enjoyed one another's company without technology.

We learned a lot about one another and though we didn't necessarily stay in touch, we enjoyed the time we spent together. And that's the real beauty of travelling. The people you meet, the conversations you have, the experiences that stay with you forever. It contributes to who you become as a person. It's a great feeling. It really is.

I fell in love with Colombia. It was nothing I expected and everything I needed/wanted from a trip. Colombia, you have my heart and I would have it no other way.