I’m heading out there (most likely in June-ish) and I’m hoping for some advice!

I’m planning to spend my first week learning some Spanish by doing a short course. Where is the best place? Bogota is a bit cheaper to fly into but Cartegena looks really nice!! 🙂

Beyond that I have no plans. Where else is good? I’m hoping to be backpacking for around a month, I’m a student so I’m firmly at the thin end of the budget scale. Not taking the bike but would like to maybe hire one out there at some point for a little light touring in the mountains or along the coast. Also keen to find a few out of the way beaches! 🙂

I’m guessing you’ve checked the FCO website for travel advice. There are still quite a few places you absolutely shouldn’t travel to in Colombia.

Ps I have heard that Medellin is an option worth considering too. I thought they were joking at first as everything I know about Medellin comes from watching Narcos but apparently it’s actually an amazing place! Any info welcome 🙂

I’m guessing you’ve checked the FCO website for travel advice. There are still quite a few places you absolutely shouldn’t travel to in Colombia.

Yep, looking at that now. There’s a few no go areas but they seem mostly due to the rainy season and land slides.

Travelled through south briefly on way from Brazil to Peru/Ecuador, found that once out in to the countryside people were really friendly and chatty, but in the towns you felt like you were being watched, quite a few people armed but in civvy clothes (same for parts of La Paz in Bolivia)

Government still ranks it high risk of terrorism.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/colombia

Why Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia etc all easier to fly into, more catered to tourists and probaly more hostels etc where you’d bump into other backpackers and link up? Doing it on a budget fine as well

The main reason I have chosen Colombia is because I have heard (!) that there are still some amazing, unspoilt beaches out there as their tourism industry is not very well developed due to unrest which (mostly) ended last year.

We never had any problems and it is a friendly, pretty country the bit we saw, military presence in some places, but this was 8 years ago.

This seems like good advice from Lonely Planet website:

observations:

The FCO advice is essential if you are using UK travel insurance. You will not be covered by UK travel insurance if you travel to a “do not travel” area.

Medellin seemed safer than Quito and Guayaquil. Especially Guayaquil, which had metal bars across a lot of stores and security guards with shotguns outside. However, the day I rode the metrocable in Medellin, 2 people got shot while travelling on it…so, one still has to be careful.

Within cities (eg. Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena), there are safer areas and there are dodgier areas. Stay in the safer areas.

Bus travel: travel during the day. Take flights for longer distances.

Avoid gringo mistakes: talking loudly in English, conspicuous displays of wealth (in cars, public transport, on streets), and appearing lost. And, take care if going out at night in the cities…

Check out the travel guides (Lonely planet etc), their recommendations (generally) cover the safer areas of the country for travel.

Country towns are usually safer than the cities. Obviously, don’t go travelling to country towns in the middle of coca flower districts…

Keep informed: http://www.colombiareports.com – there are some articles which have a map which highlights which areas have recently had issues. Take care when relying on Colombians for security info – in my experience, most reply that the whole of their city or country is safe. Perhaps they are used to the unrest/dangers. However, if a Colombian says something is dangerous, listen closely!

Avoid gringo mistakes: conspicuous displays of wealth

This will definitely not be a problem however

and appearing lost

I’m buggered!! 🙂

My girlfriend knows a Spanish couple who moved from Madrid to work in Cartagena for a few years. They had a great time but said you need to be a bit streetwise at times i.e. don’t go walking alone at night, be careful which taxi you get in to, avoid certain neighbourhoods etc. I’m jealous OP, I’m sure you’ll have a great time!

Thanks! 🙂

Coke and hookers.

One of my best friends is Columbian, his brother did have a bullet proof car 😯

Your criteria are good ones and rationale is good. Just be aware Latin American Spanish is slightly different to Eueopean and the accent noticeable. My French teacher in Singapore lived in Columbia for many years and loved it.

Ok, it looks like the cheapest way is to fly in and out of the same city. Do I want to choose Bogota or Cartegena (or other?)