For my first morning in Getsemani, I left bright and early (top tip if you want to beat the tourist crowds of Cartagena) for a healthy breakfast at Beiyu, which I highly recommend if you want a vitamin-fuelled day. I went for their acai bowl and of course, a cup of an all black Colombian coffee.

As I was more familiar with the city, I felt a lot more comfortable trawling through it on my own. I revisited the walled city through the route of the walking tour, and caught sight of one of Fernando Botero’s artwork situated in Plaza Santo Domingo, while indulging in another cup of coffee from Cafe San Alberto right in the middle of the plaza.

During my walk, I got a (typical tourist) photo with a group of palenqueras. As captured above, they are distinguished by their la pollera colora that resemble the colours of the Colombian flag and also carrying a fruit basket on their heads. They have become an icon and the cover girls of Cartagena, though their village of San Basilio de Palenque boasts its own fascinating history. Not only is it “the first free town of the Americas”, it is the only palenque that has survived through the years and is home of the only Spanish-based creole language in Latin America.

To note: A photo with/of the palenqueras isn’t free.

As I strolled through the city, I stumbled upon Abaco Libros y Cafe which fuses two of my favourite things - coffee and books, further romanticised by sitting in the city that inspired the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novels.

By the late afternoon, I headed to Getsemani for another free walking tour with the same company. This tour pulled a lot on the local’s history, gentrification, and stories behind the art scattered around the town, capturing the transformation of the area through the efforts of the community.

In the evening, I met some lovely people at my hostel some of who I’d meet later on in my trip (yay new friends!) and went out for a lovely evening stroll around the city. We sat outside one of the local bars for some Aguardiente (salud!) which was the perfect way to close my time off in the city.

Isla Grande, Rosario Islands

Having heard not so great reviews about the local beaches in Cartagena, I decided to carve out time for Isla Grande of the Rosario Islands. It is only 24 miles off of Cartagena’s coast, or, an hour boat ride. While popular for day trips, I would highly suggest spending a night or two to explore the island. Tip: If you decide to stay on the island, make sure you download the MAPS.ME app, as it is really hard to get any service when you’re out and about. The app allows you to download a map of the island and navigate your way around offline. It’s also worth noting that the island has no roads or cars, so the best way to get around is walking.

Secreto Hostel who I stayed with, organised the transport from Cartagena for 80,000COP one way (around 13.91 GBP). Secreto is an eco-hostel, composed of 7 colourful houses where you can stay in either shared dorms of private rooms.

Tip: The island has no ATMs, though hostels and other establishments around the island accept card payments, it’s still worth taking some cash with you from Cartagena.

On my first day, I navigated my way to the public beach, Playa Libre for some patacones and mango smoothie as a late merienda and spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach. Day trippers often flock to Playa Libre, as all of the other beaches on the island are private/require payment for entry, so I would suggest visiting Playa Libre mid-late afternoon once the day trippers have left.

The next day I visited the Bora Bora beach club where I rented a cabana for 150,000COP (30.49 GBP), and spent the whole day lounging. I met some day trippers from Cartagena, and had some delicious fried fish with coconut rice for lunch - a specialty of the region.

Later that afternoon, I arranged to rent a kayak from the hostel, thinking it was going to be a tour. Little did I know I had to navigate myself through the mangroves and lagoons to end up on the Caribbean Sea and watch the sunset. I was absolutely petrified of capsizing the kayak, but eventually made it through the other end (literally) and all of my frustrations had vanished.

TIp: If you have more time, I heard some good things about Laguna Encantada to see the bioluminescent plankton after the sun sets, as well as scuba diving or snorkelling around the islands.

Isla Grande to Minca

The next morning I had to travel out of the island bright and early to head to my hostel in Minca (a nearly 6-hour journey).

To break it down, my plan was: take a boat out of Isla Grande to Baru > drive via taxi to Cartagena bus station > take the 4-hour bus journey from Cartagena to Santa Marta > get taxi from Santa Marta to Minca town > travel via 4x4 to my hostel, Casas Viejas as it’s located above Minca town.

It was an exhausting (and spenny) day of travelling, so if your time permits, I would definitely recommend staying in Santa Marta first and not cram your travel up to Minca like I did.

Logistically it was also difficult to leave Isla Grande because my hostel only arrange one boat out of the island a day, which usually leaves at 14:00. This would have made me miss my bus from Cartagena bus station to Santa Marta, so I had to arrange and pay an extra 170,000 COP (around 30 GBP) for: a private speed boat to leave the island at 11:00 and a taxi pick up from Baru to the bus station.

After over an hour and a half of conversing with the taxi driver through a translator app from Baru, I luckily managed to get on the 14:00 bus for a scenic journey from Cartagena to Santa Marta. I arrived in the evening so from Santa Marta, I managed to convince a local taxi to drive me to the main town of Minca which was apparently outside of their local radius. I then had to pay another amount for the 4x4 to take me from Minca town to rocky, off-road journey to Casas Viejas.

Minca

Throughout my time at Casas Viejas by Masaya, I stayed in a dorm room with 7 other people, but they also have private rooms. To note: Masaya is a larger franchise that hosts a collection of accommodations, and excursions around Colombia. I heard really good things about its Santa Marta branch from a fellow Brit on my way to Santa Marta where he had been staying for a few months.

By the time I got to my accommodation in Minca, it was late and I was absolutely exhausted (and hangry), but when I woke up the following morning to explore around the hostel, I was in awe of how stunning the views were. Casas Viejas was probably my favourite accommodation throughout the whole trip. As you can see, the views and landscape was just incredible and you can’t help but feel so embedded and nestled in nature. It was picturesque, and a real life projection of the magical realism that many of us attach Colombia with (how’s that for romanticising your life). It was truly worth the stress(!) of going through dirt roads to get there.

For my first day in Minca, I visited the closest sight from the hostel - La Victoria finca for a coffee tour. To note: Because of the hostel’s location, you really don’t have much choice but to hike as the sights felt like they were spread out.. However, you do have the option of hiring a moto-taxi - each journey will cost you 20,000 COP (3.50 GBP) - or to rent your own motorcycle. But if you’re unable to (safely) drive a motorbike, and you’re up for the adventure - hiking is definitely the best, and only, option. I personally defaulted to walking to warm myself up for the 50km Lost City trek.

After the coffee tour, I walked 1hr30mins to Pozo Azul which is a waterfall with free entry. To note: I arrived at the falls just after lunch and it was unbelievably busy, packed with mainly locals and day trippers. Like other tourists, I had a nice stroll around (mainly to try find a toilet) and left after 10 mins.

I was a little bit disappointed after trekking there, but one great thing that came out of it was meeting a fellow female traveller. We were both looking for an alternative sight in the area and (thank God), she spoke better Spanish than me. We stuck together, taking a lovely stroll to a quiet little viewpoint (near/around La Culebrera) to conclude the day. She negotiated a good price for me to get a moto-taxi back to my hostel and took a relaxing dip in the pool while watching the sunset.

The following day, I got up bright and early for the first round of desayuno at my hostel and took a moto-taxi to Finca La Candelaria. You can also get there from Minca town by hiking for 1hr. It’s a small coffee and cacao family owned finca, where they take you through the cacao making process - from studying a healthy cacao, to a chocolate mask at the end. It was an interactive and interesting experience!

After my disappointment from Pozo Azul, I took a 1hr20mins (challenging and very steep) walk to Cascadas de Marinka where I met my friend. It was off the beaten path and I had to hike up unpaved roads (an alternative would be to take a moto-taxi or rent a 4x4). Tip: If you decide to hike, you will be exposed under the sun with no shade for a significant duration of the hike, so make sure to stay hydrated and well-covered in sun cream. It can also be a little bit awkward on the knees so do bring support bandages or brace if needed.

Marinka is a two-tier waterfall surrounded by the jungle. Entry at the time was 10,000 COP (1.73 GBP) - apparently raised from 5000 COP in previous years, but certainly worth the effort and money. Tip: We were there for only a few hours, so it doesn’t take very long to get from one fall to the other, but I honestly could have easily spent the whole day there. Though more rocky and shallow, the higher falls were prettier, but the one at a lower level is better for swimming. We had a lovely lunch at the restaurant, and there are a few spots on the net hammocks to kick back and listen to the sound of the water. To note: While there were still some locals and tourists around, it certainly didn’t feel as unpleasantly crowded as Pozo Azul, and if pressed to pick one over the other, I would definitely recommend Marinka Waterfalls. I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up my time in such a tranquil city.

That afternoon I took a moto-taxi with my backpacks from Casas Viejas to Minca town and took the 1hr mini-bus to Santa Marta.

Santa Marta and Taganga

A historic and existing port city where the Spanish first settled in the 1500s, the Caribbean coastal city of Santa Marta is an exuberant destination every nature lover should have on their list.

Regrettably, I only had one day in Santa Marta before setting off to the Lost City trek, so I effectively used the city as a base to get to surrounding areas. I stayed at Republica hostel right in the centre, where I was exposed to the city’s vibrant streets and night life - expect live music and salsa dancing on the streets in the evening. The Santa Marta Marina, where all the boats dock, is also a lovely spot to grab a drink with a friend and watch the sunset.

As you’d expect, I wanted to make my time worthwhile, so on my first full day, I set myself into taking an hour bus journey to Parque Nacional Tayrona. However when I was about to leave my hostel, I was advised by the receptionist not to take a ‘long’ journey out of the city because of Colombian parliamentary elections. Tip: While safety in Colombia has improved over the last two decades, tourists are usually advised not to risk travelling in and out of cities during elections, particularly in this instance because of how contentious the elective candidates were. Establishments are also apparently banned from selling alcoholic drinks during days of elections.

I then diverted to Taganga - a diving hotspot for many backpackers and a stone’s throw away from Santa Marta. Truthfully, the beach can get busy, and a bit polluted, but it was good enough to spend the day and relax, especially after a tiring few days trekking in Minca.

Tip: Be careful not to get caught out in the sun for too long. As this is still the Caribbean coast of Colombia, the heat was incredibly dry so most people tend to shelter in a restaurant, or bar, during the lunch hour to avoid getting fried by the sun.

What I would also say is, Taganga is a lovely wholesome place that attract many locals for the day, so it is a great place to converse with the locals and vendors, as they’re always up for a chat! To note: Expect to be approached by many vendors selling you all kind of tours, drinks etc on the beach - a simple ‘no gracias’ if you’re not interested will suffice!

Mini story time: So you have also probably heard that Taganga can be quite sketchy. But from my experience, I generally felt safe walking around and sunbathing on my own, and I had a nice exchange (via my broken Spanish) with some vendors on the beach.

However there was a scenario where I was getting followed around by this man who I believe was another tourist. I took it lightly at first, made conversation and walked to another part of the beach for lunch and sunbathed at a different spot. But next thing I knew, the same man had followed me to this new spot, started asking a lot of questions (e.g. my job) and recording me on his phone (yeah just weird vibes). So I made up a story of me staying in Santa Marta with my boyfriend and a group of friends etc, just so he didn’t think I was travelling on my own. He then asked me for my WhatsApp, which I refused. I felt quite nervous being in that situation, so I made up an excuse to leave and took the next bus back to Santa Marta. A couple of hours later, I was chilling in one of the common areas in my hostel and (would you believe it) the same man from the beach walks past and says ‘hi’ to me.

I immediately panicked inside.

I did what every sane person would do - texted my family on WhatsApp to let them know this weirdo who had been following me from the beach was staying at the same hostel as me. I tried to play it cool but quickly had to forge friendship with an existing group of people. Luckily I saw one of the girls from my first hostel in Cartagena, and hung out with her group of friends the whole evening. Thankfully, they were with me until late at night when this man was literally walking around the hostel and recording random girls. Creepy.

This is just a reminder to all my ladies to be cautious and vigilant of your surroundings and not to be afraid to tell somebody no, and make up a story to leave someone if/when you’re feeling unsafe…

The morning after, I left the hostel early and headed to the Wiwa tours main office to embark on the 4-day trek to Ciudad Perdida.

When I got back to Santa Marta after the trek, I was exhausted and felt incredibly filthy so I treated myself to a private room at Hotel 1525. I kicked off my final day in the city with a strong cup of coffee and some seafood pasta at Sol & Sazon.

I then headed to the final stop of the Ciudad Perdida tour - Museo del Oro Tairona. A former Customs House for the historical port of Santa Marta, it sits right at the heart of the city. I highly recommend visiting this museum - it beautifully narrates (in both English and Spanish) the city’s stories; an amalgamation of the indigenous communities that surround and populate it, as well as its colonial past and life of Simon Bolivar. Not to mention, it’s free admission.

That evening, I headed to the airport and boarded for my flight to the iconic, Medellin.

Medellin

For my last few days in Colombia, I decided to spend it in the city of eternal spring - Medellin. And as expected, I was welcomed by rain and humidity. However I wasn’t totally mad. It was the perfect weather for a good night’s sleep, and ahead of a long day that followed.

On my first day in the city, I was scheduled to take part in a video job interview which I unfortunately couldn’t reschedule. So I booked a private room at Hotel Estelar Square for one night. This hotel boasts a stunning view of Medellin at night and (dare I say) even during the cloudy days in the city.

Interview done. I then travelled to my next hostel, Los Patios, located in the bustling hub for digital nomads - El Poblado. To note: Los Patios actually has two buildings right around the corner from each other. It has some really cool common areas to meet new people, like their games room and rooftop pool which host live music and yoga classes, though unfortunately I didn’t have a long enough stay to utilise these.

Once I had settled in my dorm room, I headed out for my walking tour in the district of Communa 13. This was a really cool tour where you immerse into the transformation of the city. Once identified as one of the most dangerous places in the world, Communa 13 characterises the transformation of Colombia through social urbanism - its impressive spread of graffiti art, cable cars and outdoor escalators(!).

To note: This was probably the most touristy and busiest part of Colombia I experienced throughout my trip. There was a part of the tour where I was literally shoulder to shoulder with other people, not to mention the big group of MBA American students in my group. It was a fairly big group for a walking tour, and was logistically challenging getting on the bus and cable car to get to Communa 13. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable experience, and was definitely a bonus to get a tour guide who grew up in the area.

Later that evening, I met with the friends I made from Cartagena and danced the night away to some reggaeton and bachata in the city (over some more Aguardiente) - definitely one of the highlights of my trip.

I went to Guatape the following day but returned to Medellin for one more day before my flight back to London. Before leaving, I booked a free walking tour with Real City tours which is probably the best walking tour I’ve (ever) done. The tour took us around El Centro, which provided so much historical and cultural insight into the city. Tip: While it’s fairly safe to go around Medellin, our guide did not advise us to wander around El Centro by ourselves at night, as it can be a bit seedy.

The tour probably ran for about 3-3.5 hours but it was honestly so fascinating, thought provoking and full of banter, it didn’t feel we had been walking for that long. This was mainly due to our tour guide being passionate and incredibly rich in knowledge about the transformation of Medellin through narrating it from the ‘bottom up’. He was born and bred in Medellin and hearing his own experiences made the stories you’d see on the news, or history books, so much more authentic and real, so it was very enriching to hear it from someone who grew up there.

After the tour, I was still very keen to continue indulging in the paisa culture, so I headed to Museo de Antioquia. Situated at the heart (though a bit sketchy part) of El Centro, with all his artwork scattered around the plaza, this art museum has a whole floor dedicated to Fernando Botero’s artwork, known for his ‘Boterismo’. To note: The third floor dedicated to Botero’s work does not permit photography.

The two other floors present the work of local artists who narrate the intergenerational changes in the city over the years from different perspectives. The gallery for intercultural dialogues displayed the fusions and interaction between different historic periods in Antioquia, which captured these stories beautifully.

Guatapé

In between the few days I had in Medellin, I had to squeeze in a trip to Guatapé (and would highly recommend others to do the same).

The morning after a night out with friends, I nibbled on an arepa and huevos for energy and headed to the bus station. The idea was to try and get an early bus to Guatapé, but to be honest I was exhausted from the night before, so ‘early’ for me was leaving at 9:30am. Tip: When they say get to the bus station early for Guatapé - get there EARLY. Dazed by tiredness and a slight hangover, I accidentally booked a ticket online for the wrong day so I thought it’d be best to head to the ticket booth, which I also had difficulty locating (it is on the lower ground floor of Terminal del Norte). Buses to Guatapé are meant to depart every half hour from 5:00-18:00, with tickets costing only 15000 COP (2.70GBP), but unfortunately I didn’t start queuing until 11:00, and had to wait for a 13:30 bus.

I only found out later that the reason why it was so chaotic and busy at the bus station was because I travelled on the eve of a national holiday, Saint Joseph’s Day. Consequently, what would have been a 2-hour journey turned to 3, then 4 then 4.5. By the time I got to Guatapé, the heavens had opened up again and I was welcomed by more heavy rain. At this point, I was just grateful to step foot outside of the bus I had been sitting in for hours, find a toilet, and lodge for the night at Lake View hostel.

The following morning I took an early tuk tuk to the infamous El Peñón. A granite monolith rising 2135m above sea level, it towers over the surrounding man-made lake. You can reach the top of the rock and have a panoramic view using the well-carved, 650 steps. Unfortunately for me, it was quite cloudy on the day I went, though the views were still spectacular. To note: I heard that over the years, Guatapé has become very commercialised, and while the influx of tourists support the economy, you will see heaps of coaches and day trippers travelling in, and also restaurants charging higher prices. Make sure you get there and acquire a ticket to go up when it opens at 8am.

Once I had ticked El Peñón off my list, I made my way to Guatapé town - the most colourful town of Colombia, where apparently the Disney film, Encanto was inspired.

Luckily the skies started to clear and I was able to tour this charming little town, and I honestly could not get enough.

From the charming little streets that lead you to another colourful part of town, to the zocalos - paintings carved into the walls of the streets that tells the story of its residents - and stepping into someone’s amazing art studio, Guatapé is the perfect town to get lost in.

After enjoying a lovely stroll for a few hours, I took a (windy) trip up in the air in a paragliding tour I booked with my hostel. It was very picturesque to have a bird’s eye view over the green valleys, forests and lakes of Guatapé. Besides the fact that my helmet was fitted too tight on to my humongous head, and nearly vomited - it was a blissful experience I’d encourage everyone visiting Guatapé to do.