Colombia The only fear is wanting to stay back.

. Official tagline of the new promotional campaign launched by Government of Colombia to promote their country as the upcoming travel destination and believe me it is more than 100% accurate. I spent almost 8 months in Colombia and relished each moment of it.

Quick Facts: Direct flights on Air France from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai via Paris 3 months tourist visa available from Colombian High Commission, Delhi. No personal appearance required Official language: though English is popularity these days Spanish gaining

Reaching Colombia is fairly easy. Air France flies directly to Colombia from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai via Paris. Another option is to hop on to a flight to US preferably Miami and then take a connection to Colombia. Of the two, former is the preferred mode of transit as one doesnt have to go through immigration checks en-route while the latter though cheaper requires immigration check in US. Obtaining Colombian visa is easy and one can get it from the High Commission in Delhi even without a personal appearance. But yes, in addition to the Colombian visa you will also need a UK/ US or Schengen visa to transit via Paris. Of these, obtaining a UK visa is the easiest. Colombia though similar to the state of Madhya Pradesh in terms of land area can encompass whole of Indias geographical diversity or even more. This country has everything ranging from fertile planes to high mountains, snow capped volcanoes to beautiful white sand beaches and of course the lungs of the planet The Amazon forests. If this wasnt enough then let me also reveal that the Colombia women is believed to be the most beautiful women in the whole of South America and Shakira is a testimony to that. On reaching by Air France you will land in the capital city of Bogota. Airport is

Currency: Colombian Peso. 1 USD = 1600 Peso Places to visit: Capital city Bogota, Medellin also called the City of Eternal Spring, Cartagena a colonial city with mesmerizing beaches and others Costs: Being relatively unexplored Colombia is still very cheap. One can get good hotels for as low as Rs. 2000 a night. In addition to hotels there is a plethora of private houses available on rent. Taxis are also cheap compared to other travel destinations and buses and Metro trains are another option for someone travelling on a shoe-string budget Things to bring back home: Coffee claimed to be worlds best, Chocolates, Emeralds and fond memories

right in the heart of the city and you can take a taxi or a bus to travel to your hotel. Bogota is relatively cold and temperatures can drop to as low as 2-3 deg. C at night. So be prepared with some warm clothing. While in Bogota do visit the Gold museum, the Emerald mall a place dedicated to the sale of Emerald stone. Apart from this you have regular attractions as you would find in any capital city such as the Presidents House, the Supreme Court and intricately designed Churches standing memoirs to Colombias colonial past. At a few hours drive from Colombia rests Hacienda Napoles, a multi acre estate of worlds most notorious and dreaded cocaine smuggler Pablo Escobar. It is said that until his death in the 1990s Colombia was considered as one of the most dangerous place in the world. Such was his network that Colombian government sought help from CIA to hunt down a man who killed policemen and officials at will. Work is on to convert this estate into a theme park and also to show to the world that Colombia has come a long way from its darkest phase to a vibrant economy. Within minutes from Hacienda lies bliss in the form of a Natural reserve called Rio Claro or Clear River in English. As the name suggests Rio Claro is a protected forest area with dense vegetation and a river with crystal clear waters and a marble bed cutting through the mountains. Not only is the place calm and serene it is also hugely popular among adventurists as there are number of activities to choose from including canopying, water rafting, diving and if you really like that extra rush of adrenaline then the cave expedition. I wouldnt reveal the secrets of the cave and would simply say that the experience is something you will never encounter in India. Overnight accommodation is available in open tents and is highly recommended. Another 4 hours drive will take you to the second biggest, most vibrant, fashion capital of Colombia also called the city of eternal spring and the city of beautiful women, Medellin (pronounced Medejin). Medellin is the industrial centre of Colombia and houses a big garment manufacturing industry making clothes for worlds biggest brands. To show case their talent Medellin also holds an annual Fashion event in the month of July and attracts designers and businessmen from across the globe. People of Medellin are fondly referred to as Paisas and in my opinion Paisas are the most well mannered, polite and fun loving people on the face of earth today. This city is blessed with round the year tropical climate with temperature in the range of 28 30 deg. Celsius during day time. Evenings are also very pleasant though there is a high possibility of rain before it gets dark. This city looks at its best at night. There is a vibrant night life with bars and discos lined up on either side of the street in a posh neighbourhood called Parque Lleras. If you are a party hopper you need to be at one of Medellins numerous discos on a Friday and a Saturday night. Vallenato and Raggaeton are the most preferred forms of music and an invitation to have a drink can help one find a partner who would be happy to teach you moves right throughout the night. During the day one should visit the open air museum of Plaza Botero which showcases fat and ugly looking sculptures made by Botero. Apart from this one should also visit Cerro Nutibara, a depiction of the traditional Colombian neighbourhood. Nutibara being on a hill top also provides a

good view of Medellin city. Biblioteca, a highly modern library in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Medellin established with the aim of bridging the gap between the rich and the poor. Best time to visit Medellin is either first week of August or December around Christmas. August hosts the famous Feria de Flores, the flower festival and includes week long celebrations with events organised across the city. In December the whole city is illuminated with impeccable lighting and combination of music boosting spirits of locals as well as the tourists alike. Around Medellin there are numerous places to visit such as the Coffee Triangle famous for its world best coffee, La Piedra El Penol an out of the world landscape with a massive rock which appears to have come from Mars, Nevado del Ruiz a snow capped volcano and many. Each of these can be covered as separate weekend trips. If you want to head for the beach Cartagena is the place to be. Cartagena can be reached from Medellin on a 1 hour flight or by an overnight bus. Cartagena is a traditional old city and has done a wonderful job to preserve its Colonial charm. It also boasts of some of the worlds most beautiful beaches with Plaza de Sol as one of its best. City also has a tremendous night life and it is advised that one stays in the old city to make the most of the time spent in Cartagena. In terms of safety although Colombia is not dangerous as it was a decade earlier it is still advisable to follow travel advisories and one shouldnt be over adventurous. Within cities it is safe even to venture out late at night though there are areas which should be avoided. When off-country try to be with a group specially if you speak no or little Spanish. When in doubt follow your instinct and depend on common-sense. And yes, before you go there try to pick up some Spanish. You will find them more than handy during your stay in Colombia. Many of the young and well educated Colombians do speak English but you need to know Spanish to be able to communicate with taxi drivers, bus operators, waiters and store keepers. So get started and get going. Buen Viaje!!!