Colombia Travel Guide

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All Sorts of South America Travel News from LAN Airlines

February 1, 2012 at 4:53 PM | by | Comments (0)

Okay everyone, ready for some serious South America travel news? So LAN—which is really a group of airlines including LAN Chile, LAN Ecuador, LAN Argentina, LAN Express and LAN Colombia—made all kinds of changes, for the better, to their routes and in-flight service today, February 1.

· First off, LAN Colombia (which only really started as an airline in December 2012 after LAN took over Colombian airline AIRES) is now flying direct from Miami to Bogota. The inaugural hit the skies earlier today, complete with a visit from Juan Valdez, who served the passengers their in-flight coffees. Fares for this new route, which runs four times weekly on Airbus A320s, are $400 roundtrip, including taxes & fees, if booked by February 6. Of course, you can go straight through to booking via their Facebook page.

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Foreign Grocery Friday: Colombia's 'Condelac' Sweet Tube

March 4, 2011 at 3:26 PM | by | Comments (0)

When we travel, one of our favorite things to do is to pop into a local grocery store and check out the food products and candies we'd never find anywhere else. So we're trying out this new feature, Foreign Grocery Friday, where each week we'll feature some of our (and your) favorite overseas treats. Got a recommendation? Let us know!

What's that tube of stuff with the happy-face balloons on it? Um, it looks suspicious, but it's just another way of getting your daily dose of Leche Condensada, or condensed milk, if you happen to be enjoying the local specialties in Bogota, Colombia. Instead of in a can, this condensed milk dispenses from a handy tube, meaning you're free to sweeten up your coffee, tea or rich desserts at will.

The taste: Sugary, syrupy milk is the easiest way to describe it. We tried it squeezed into our morning coffee for a week, in place of sugar and creamer, and it does the trick very nicely. We suppose you could suck it right out of the tube, but the thought just seems gross. Why not try spreading it some toast?

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Tweet of the Week: An Expat's Life for Me

August 31, 2010 at 6:16 PM | by | Comments (2)

We love Tuesdays. Why, you ask? Because the day brings many travel tips and quips as "Travel Tuesday" on Twitter, and we're going to share our favorite with you. Got an avid travel twitterer we should follow? Let us know.

Ah, the expat life. It's what travel blogger David Lee of GoBackpacking.com is up to these days, ever since recently moving back to a town he obviously loves dearly: Medellin, Colombia. We've been following his tweets for quite some time, and and we're very much enjoying the observations he makes, such as this little bit he shared today:

Brewing my first cup of Juan Valdez organic coffee in new apartment. Planning to visit CO coffee region in early October!

We wonder—how much is Juan Valdez organic coffee when you practically live next door to the production area? David talks of visiting the Colombian coffee region soon, and already we're champing at the bit to read how that goes down. By the way, the "rtw" in his twitter name stands for "round the world," and rest assured that he's got the passport stamps to prove it...before settling in Colombia, that is.

Related Stories:
· @rtwdave [Twitter]
· Twitter Travel [Jaunted]

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A Side Trip to Santa Marta

February 27, 2009 at 3:26 PM | by | Comment (1)

All this week, Amanda Pressner will be bringing us reports from her recent trip to Colombia. Was her adventure more "Romancing the Stone" or more "Medellin"? Stick with us this week to find out. Any questions about traveling to Colombia? Let us know.

When deciding where in Colombia to spend our vacation, we were lured to Cartagena partly because of its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and partly because of its location along the southern rim of the Caribbean. Getting the chance to explore centuries old Spanish colonial architecture—after spending the day at the beach—felt like a two-for-one deal.

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Shake It All Night Long in Cartagena

February 26, 2009 at 3:26 PM | by | Comments (2)

All this week, Amanda Pressner will be bringing us reports from her recent trip to Colombia. Was her adventure more "Romancing the Stone" or more "Medellin"? Stick with us this week to find out. Any questions about traveling to Colombia? Let us know.

Unless you’ve downed a few of the super-octane coffee drinks at Milas around 4 or 5 pm, we highly suggest catching a nap before attempting to take on the nightlife in Cartagena: it starts late (most clubs don’t even open until 11:00p or midnight) and ends when you might otherwise be getting up to start your day.

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Wanted: An Authentic Taste of Cartagena

February 25, 2009 at 11:56 AM | by | Comments (0)

All this week, Amanda Pressner will be bringing us reports from her recent trip to Colombia. Was her adventure more "Romancing the Stone" or more "Medellin"? Stick with us this week to find out. Any questions about traveling to Colombia? Let us know.

Ask a local in Cartagena to describe the flavors and dishes that make up his city’s cuisine (or better yet, as a head chef in one of the city’s myriad restaurants) you’ll probably be met with some quizzical looks, or as I did, blank stares. Define the local cuisine? ¿Cómo?

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Some Starbucks Alternatives in Cartagena

February 24, 2009 at 1:36 PM | by | Comments (0)

All this week, Amanda Pressner will be bringing us reports from her recent trip to Colombia. Was her adventure more "Romancing the Stone" or more "Medellin"? Stick with us this week to find out. Any questions about traveling to Colombia? Let us know.

Pop quiz, caffeine junkies: What’s the only coffeehouse that’s actually headquartered in a coffee producing country? It’s Juan Valdez Café, a multinational chain created in 2002 by Colombian National Federation of Coffee Growers. Named after the country’s longtime java icon (you know, that mustachioed guy with the donkey who hand-delivers beans to sleep-deprived Americans in commercials) the company has locations in 25 Colombian cities, nine countries, including the U.S.

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Getting What We Paid For On Avianca

February 23, 2009 at 12:27 PM | by | Comment (1)

All this week, Amanda Pressner will be bringing us reports from her recent trip to Colombia. Was her adventure more "Romancing the Stone" or more "Medellin"? Stick with us this week to find out. Any questions about traveling to Colombia? Let us know.

After traveling to Ecuador last year, my guy Jeff and I volunteered to give up our seats on a very overbooked Avianca flight from Bogota, Colombia back to New York City. The incentive: a total of four international airline vouchers, good for anywhere in the world that Avianca flies, plus a free night in the InterContinental Bogota Hotel. How could we pass up such a deal? We didn't.

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Love For Cartagena Continues

October 29, 2008 at 10:00 AM | by | Comments (0)

November's issue of Budget Travel reminds us all again of how vibrant Cartagena, Colombia has become and how it only seems to be gaining in popularity. A first-person feature on the seaside city explores some of its coolest must-dos--and dispels petty myths about crime.

Cartagena's tourist scene seems to be an authentic blend of the city's old and new, with funky, bright guesthouses springing up all over (read on for some recommendations) and Cuban- and Spanish-influenced restaurants and after-hours spots for passing the evenings.

We think we might need to break out our guyaberas pretty soon and head there!

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Colombia Proud of Its Passion

Where: Colombia
October 28, 2008 at 2:00 PM | by | Comment (1)

Seems Cartagena isn't the only place trying to reinvent its image. The whole of Colombia has been working its "Colombia es Pasión" slogan since 2004, and it's starting to pay dividends with more tourism and foreign investment.

The slogan and associated campaign--which includes licensing a logo to companies as diverse as chicken restaurants and Avianca airlines--cost Colombia just $5 million, a paltry sum in the world of national branding, something that's been a niche industry since 1996.

Simon Anholt, who coined the phrase "national brand," says there's more to the concept than just a snazzy logo and a catch phrase:

Rebranding requires sweeping societal transformations, he says, not just clever public relations. He says South Africa rebranded when it ended apartheid; Ireland when it became a prosperous nation, rather than a mass producer of immigrants; Slovenia when it embraced democracy, joined the European Union and showed that a historically unstable part of Eastern European could be different.

If a country does undertake fundamental changes, marketing can complement them, Mr. Anholt acknowledges.

Which means if tourism is on the rise in Colombia, it's not so much because of a new slogan--but because the country's finally getting back on its feet.

Related Stories:
· Colombia es Pasión [Official Site]
· Colombia Wants the World to Recognize Its Passion [WSJ]
· From 2007: Packaging a Nation [T+L]
· Colombia Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: *L*u*z*a*]

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Cartagena's Cuisine Revival

October 27, 2008 at 9:15 AM | by | Comments (0)

When Cartagena, Colombia comes up in a convo it's often replete with references to Pablo Escobar, marching powder and imitation accents. It's hardly ever paired with hip bistros, authentic seafood fare, bright veggies mixed with pungent spices and refreshing mojitos.

But The New York Times begs us this week to look at that side of Cartagena, one that's rapidly making a mark on the (very) competitive foodie scene. The tropical city is home to some of the area's freshest fish, inventive, hip chefs and discerning diners. Folks that once headed to Paris and Rome for culinary vacations, the Times says, are re-thinking Cartagena.

Read on for some of the city's most amazing (and upcoming) new restaurants, and trust us, drop the "Romancing the Stone" references when you make your reservations:

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Fall Culture Travel: Dig the Colombian Beats

September 17, 2008 at 4:15 PM | by | Comments (0)

Daddy Yankee may have endorsed John McCain a few weeks ago, but reggaeton is *so* 2005. Find out what the latest beats sound like at Bogotá's Hip Hop Al Parque.

Over 30 MCs from around the world will compete in the 11th edition of this year's fest, held October 18 and 19 in the Parque Simon Bolívar. Expect break-dancing performances, graffiti displays and DJ battles to surround the main stage at this free event, where some 100,000 fans will be on hand to cheer on their favorites.

Think that guy up there has a shot this year?

Related Stories:
· For Colombia's Angry Youth, Hip-Hop Helps Keep It Real [NYT]
· Hip Hop al Parque 2008 [Official Site]
· More Travel Videos [Jaunted]

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