Colombia – the country that has it all – words Alexa Wang
Colombia ended up being one of the most popular travel destinations in the entire world. Why? Well, that is easy. The country is famous for its diversity in everything.
You have different geographical locations (mountains, hills, and beaches,) the culture is as diverse as it gets, and there are various ethnicities. It is easy to assume that that diversity made it such a desirable location for people’s vacations.
The best part of Colombia is that you can pack like you would for multiple locations. You need warm clothes if you want to see the snow-capped volcanoes, and you need a bathing suit for the beach. There is no way that you can get bored while there. You can sit on the beach all day, trek in the mountains, or even explore the Amazon jungle.
But before you start planning your vacation to Colombia, there are a few things you should probably know. First, check to see if you need a visa. There are many visa-exempt countries, and chances that you do not need such a document are pretty high. You may need only a passport. Just take a look at the visa policy of Colombia (Google it!), and look for your country of origin on the visa exemptions list. If you cannot find yourself among the nationalities that do not require a visa, you must go to the nearest embassy and submit an application there.
Communication should not be an issue in Colombia since you will find some young people who know how to speak English. However, the official language is Spanish. What is more surprising is that there are 68 regional ethnic dialects, and even if you do speak Spanish fluently, you may not understand a word of what some people are saying. It depends on the region. The Bogota dialect is the easiest to understand since people talk calmly and clearly. On the other hand, if you end up in Medellin, your Spanish will be close to worthless.
A significant part of Colombia is in the Andes, so the mountains are one of the most popular attraction. You can go biking because there are exceptional trails, or you can go trekking. It can be a bit challenging, but surely you know what you are doing. If you like, you can even go skiing, and you will find some lovely ski resorts.
During the day, you can explore the jungle, climb the mountains, or sit in the sand on the beach. But during the night you dance. Colombians are very passionate people who love music more than anything else. The people will be very nice to you at parties, and they will try to teach you how to dance. What I can guarantee is that you are going to have a lot of fun. Plus, they can get you an exceptional cup of coffee in the morning to cure the hangover.
Colombia has had a terrible reputation as a country governed by crime and drugs, but you should know that it has seen a lot of improvement since the 80s and the 90s. The people of Colombia are very proud of their progress, and you can see it in the way they welcome tourists. They will eat at your table, drink with you, and teach you to dance. You cannot expect more from a country that has been tormented by ill-reputed people.
The bottom line is that Colombia will keep you busy day and night. It is a good thing that you have Colombian coffee at hand. Otherwise, you would not be able to stay awake the entire trip. But one thing is for sure. Colombia does have it all, and it welcomes tourists to explore everything. You should definitely put it on your bucket list.
