So glad we chose Colombia!

Colombia | Feb 4 - Feb 17, 2024

Such friendly staff! And a spectacular breakfast spread in a room that views the Bogota skyline and mountains.

Interior design was very artistic. Quiet, safe neighborhood, close to El Poblado restaurants.

Beautiful decor in an historic building. Great location in the old city within a few blocks of Plaza de Simon Bolívar and Plaza de Santo Domingo.

Nice to have some time to relax. This was a low key retreat which was perfect for us. Kayaks, ping pong, paddle boards and other activities and games available.

One highlight at this visit, and for the whole trip was that our guide presented us with a sample of 6 exotic juices and their corresponding fruit.

We didn’t now much about all the factions that was part of the violence in the earlier decades in Colombia. That changed after we visited the Casa de la Memoria museum. It was an emotionally moving set of exhibits that is a must visit for anyone interested in understanding the violence that Medellin and the rest of Colombia suffered under. Saw both comuna 13 and Santo Domingo. Two different and fascinating neighborhoods. Comuna 13 gets all the attention and as a result is very touristy but Santo Domingo is quieter and maybe more authentic. The cable ride to Santo Domingo was a breath taking view of the city.

Pleasant time kayaking but the trip did not match the description. Guide did not speak English so we did not learn much. Though Cartagena is a beautiful city from the inside, it wasn’t as interesting from the water.

We enjoyed a boat trip on Peñol reservoir viewing vacation homes and beautiful scenery. Some of the properties were owned by Pablo Escobar. We then climbed up the famous rock El Peñol, which was not as difficult as we thought it would be. The views were spectacular. We then went to the town of Guatape, which is a fun colorful place to visit and walk around. After that we had a really tasty lunch at a Spa/Glamping restaurant called Bosko.

We learned about Cartagena‘s history walking through the old city.

First visited the horse farm of Paso Fino horses and learned about their unique gate. We then went to the beach and met the horses there and rode them on the beach. After that we had a nice lunch at a nearby resort.

We had a fascinating experience learning about the Afro – Colombian rhythms presented by an ensemble of drummers and dancers in a small beach town north of Cartagena. The event didn’t include a tour of the neighborhood as the description suggested. we appreciated the importance of maintaining this heritage.

This was a relaxing place to close out a wonderful two week trip to Columbia. The views were beautiful from the various dining rooms. There were lots of comfortable places to sit and areas where you could play games like ping-pong or volleyball. They had kayaks and paddle boards that could be used at any time. The friendly bartender was available to make great drinks like limonada de coco and exotic cocktails. Paddling around the resort was easy in the morning when the water was still. We did manage to find a ride to a nearby aviary, which is well worth the trip.