{"id":18189,"date":"2018-02-22T08:01:13","date_gmt":"2018-02-22T13:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/colombia\/?p=6846"},"modified":"2020-07-06T12:31:12","modified_gmt":"2020-07-06T16:31:12","slug":"colombias-new-reputation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapeartist.com\/blog\/colombias-new-reputation\/","title":{"rendered":"Colombia\u2019s New Reputation"},"content":{"rendered":"
Many tourists and expats on their way to Colombia hear it: \u201cWait, isn\u2019t it dangerous there? You\u2019re going to Colombia? It\u2019s not safe!\u201d The issue with this is that Colombia is no longer the unsafe country it once was \u2013 back in the late 80s and early 90s. It\u2019s a country transformed, and thanks to the government\u2019s efforts in increasing security in its most popular cities, tourism has seen a large boom! <\/span><\/p>\n Colombia is a country of unique beauty with history and culture to keep the curious wanderer busy for days. Every country has bad areas and places you should avoid \u2013 that\u2019s true even of the United States. You wouldn\u2019t want anyone to judge your home country on one or two rough cities, so why do that to Colombia? It has so much more to offer\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Tips for Travelers<\/b><\/p>\n If you travel abroad quite a bit, you know the basics for following adequate (unwritten) safety rules while in a foreign country. Colombia is a lot of fun, but it\u2019s important to keep certain safety measures in mind when traveling <\/span>in any foreign place<\/span><\/i> \u2013 including this country.<\/span><\/p>\n If you aren\u2019t aware, or could use a refresher, those safety measures usually include the following tips:<\/span><\/p>\n Again, these are tips to follow no matter where you are traveling. It\u2019s always good to be cautious, even if you don\u2019t feel threatened.<\/span><\/p>\n Why Colombia is Attracting Tourists Today<\/b><\/p>\n Now that the safety issue has been addressed, let\u2019s discuss the great things Colombia has to offer travelers! <\/span><\/p>\n The features that tourists are finally noticing in Colombia include its Andean summits, clean Caribbean coastlines, access to the Amazon Jungle, archeological ruins, and even its old colonial cityscapes. <\/span><\/p>\n Colombia has a diverse landscape, ranging from mountains to beach to jungle \u2013 and that means there\u2019s plenty to do outdoors. The snow-capped mountains offer climbing, trekking, and high-altitude lakes. There is also a mud volcano that offers too interesting an experience to pass up.<\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s a reef off the coast of Colombia\u2019s Isla de Providencia that divers, snorkelers, and whale watchers go crazy for, and there are days-long hikes through jungle and mountains. Hikes on the paths through the Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy are known to take travelers through the highest peaks of the Andes. Consider the fact that Colombia is also coffee country, and you\u2019ll have even more exploring to do among the coffee farms \u2013 and don\u2019t forget to taste it all!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Colombia\u2019s cities, such as Cartagena and Bogota, also provide a great amount of adventure. Cartagena is the country\u2019s well-preserved old city, and there\u2019s even still a wall up from colonial times. This city boasts cobblestone streets, old colonial architecture, cathedrals, convents, and museums to explore. Bogota offers many of the same charms, but with a glorious display of street art, which was legalized in Colombia in the 80s. Also, in Bogota, is the famous gold museum, full of displays of gold that provide clues into the lives of the natives before European settlement. Northeast of Bogota is Villa de Leyva, which is so well preserved it will make you feel like you\u2019re exploring the 16<\/span>th<\/span> century.<\/span><\/p>\n For Expats<\/b><\/p>\n\n