Destination Colombia Colombia’S Back
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© Lonely Planet Publications 12 Destination Colombia Colombia’s back. After decades of civil conflict, Colombia is now safe to visit and travel- ers are discovering what they’ve been missing. The diversity of the coun- try may astonish you. Modern cities with skyscrapers and discos? Check. Gorgeous Caribbean beaches? Check. Jungle walks and Amazon safaris? Check. Colonial cities, archaeological ruins, high-mountain trekking, whale- watching, coffee plantations, scuba diving, surfing, the list goes on. No wonder the ‘magic realism’ style of Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez emerged from here – there is a dreamlike quality to Colombia. Here at the equator, with the sun forever overhead, the fecund earth beneath your FAST FACTS feet, heart-stopping vistas in every direction and the warmth of the locals Population: 46 million putting you at ease – you may find it difficult to leave. (estimated) Although international news reports seldom show it, Colombia is one of the most well-developed countries in Latin America. Universities here GDP growth (2008): 5.2% produce legions of finely educated, ambitious professionals and the country Principal legal exports: boasts a reliable legal system with low levels of corruption. World-class health petroleum, coffee, coal, care and hospitals round out its enviable social infrastructure. Its optimistic gold, bananas, cut middle class believes hard work will be rewarded – and it is. flowers, chemicals, Colombian culture, like the country’s weather, varies by altitude. The emeralds, cotton essence of Colombia resides in the mountains in the alpine cities of Bogotá, products, sugar, Medellín and Cali, and the smaller cities of the Zona Cafetera. This is the livestock industrial heartland of the country. Geographical isolation has kept the accent Percentage of exports relatively unaffected by outside influence; Spanish here is precise and easy that go to the US: 34.6% to understand. The infrastructure in the mountain region is good, the water drinkable, the roads well maintained. In the heat of the Caribbean coast, US foreign aid to life is slower, and the culture more laid-back. The accent is the unhurried Colombia (2008): drawl of the Caribbean basin, and the infrastructure, unfortunately, is still US$544 million in need of some attention. Unemployment rate: Colombia’s role in the drug trade continues to play out in the back- 11.1% ground. The improved security situation is due in large part to funding from Percentage of vote Presi- Washington. This has made little dent in the cocaine business, however, dent Uribe won in the which continues to operate in the deep jungle and the remote mountains. 2006 election: 62.35% The great richness of Colombia’s tropical soil is both its blessing and its curse – huge varieties of tropical fruit grow here, and Colombia is a major Life expectancy: 69 years agricultural exporter. It is also the world’s largest producer of cocaine, and (men), 77 years (women) this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Internet country ‘Plan Colombia’ has successfully driven the violence from the cities and code:.co the main tourist routes, and brought peace to most of Colombia. While Number of ‘u’s in the President Álvaro Uribe deserves great credit for this (Colombians call him country’s name: zero their first saint), many are deeply worried by the election of US President Barack Obama. Without continued US foreign aid, the widespread fear is that the country will fall back into chaos. In darker days people used to say, ‘if only it weren’t for the violence and drugs, Colombia would be paradise.’ Well the drugs may still be here but the violence is gone, at least for now, and it is, indeed, paradise. It is an easy country to fall in love with, and many travelers do. It may well become your favorite country in South America. 13 Getting Started Off the tourist radar for so long, Colombia is only just getting used to receiv- ing tourists again. On the one hand, this means Colombia is relatively uncrowded and still good value. On the other hand, few people speak English. You’ll enjoy your holiday a great deal more if you speak some Spanish. If nothing else, bring a phrasebook, a smile and some courage – Colombians will forgive bad grammar if you make an effort. The majority of foreign travelers in Colombia are backpackers, and there is a growing network of foreign-owned hostels. The budget traveler will find the country pleasantly easy on the wallet. There are plenty of dorm beds on offer, buses are cheap and efficient, and budget meals are never more than a short walk away. The midrange and top-end traveler looking for greater creature comforts and good service will find them, although there may be fewer options. While all the major cities boast four-star hotels, and the Caribbean and Pacific coasts are home to quality, all-inclusive resorts, the midrange category is almost nonexistent in Colombia. That said, Colombia’s best hotels and resorts are significantly cheaper than rivals in more touristy destinations, making Colombia a bargain no matter how you look at it. WHEN TO GO Colombia has no high and low season, per se. The peak seasons are Semana Santa (Holy Week), December and January, and all puentes (three-day week- See Climate Charts ( p298 ) ends), when bus transport can be crowded and some hotels full. Mid-June for more information. to mid-July are also crowded during school holidays. Situated right at the equator, the weather in Colombia fluctuates very lit- tle, meaning that anytime is a good time to visit the country. There are two pronounced rainy seasons between December and March and in July and August, but it can (and does) rain at any time of the year. December through to January is a period of almost nonstop partying in Colombia and is a good time to visit if you want to attend the maximum number of festivals on offer (see p17 ). IS IT SAFE? Short answer: yes. Fine print: anything can happen. Just as anything can happen in your home country, so too it can happen in Colombia. Compared with neighboring countries, in particular Venezuela and Ecuador, Colombia is much safer. The average traveler visiting the destina- tions included in this book will run little risk. The principal concern should be safety in the cities. A street-savvy traveler who keeps their wits about them is unlikely to be mugged, and if they are, coughing up what small amount of cash is on hand (try to head out with no more than COP$50,000 in your wallet) should avoid any further confrontation. The risk of kidnapping or guerrilla-inspired violence is negligible. Are you a celebrity, diplomat or uniformed member of the US Armed Forces? If so, perhaps you should reconsider your trip. Remote pockets of the country, especially the high mountains and the deep jungle, continue to be control- led by the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) and/or paramilitaries. These regions include the Chocó, parts of Nariño, Putumayo, and the jungle area east of the Andes (except for Los Llanos and the area 14 GETTING STARTED •• Costs & Money lonelyplanet.com around Leticia). The Pacific coast remains borderline, but is well patrolled by the Colombian marines. Conditions in Colombia could, at least in theory, change rapidly. If you are concerned, check conditions online before going. A good place to start is Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum (thorntree.lonelyplanet.com). COSTS & MONEY By Latin American standards, Colombia is cheap. A backpacker can expect to spend an average of COP$50,000 to COP$100,000 per day, more if you plan on doing a lot of clubbing. If you want a more comfy trip, with midrange HOW MUCH? hotels, some better restaurants and a flight from time to time, you’ll average somewhere between COP$200,000 and COP$300,000 per day. Some resort Set meal COP$3000-7000 areas, especially along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts, have all-inclusive Internet cafe (per hr) resort packages that cost COP$200,000 to COP$300,000 per person, which COP$1200-2000 is pretty good value anywhere. Dorm bed COP$15,000- Remember that bus ticket prices are always negotiable. Start with a polite, 22,000 ‘Hay discuenta?’ (Is there a discount?) then move on down the line. Prices will immediately drop at least 30%. This doesn’t work during holiday periods Six-pack of beer when buses are full. COP$9000 Postage for a letter to the TRAVEL LITERATURE US COP$10,000 Most recent literature on Colombia consists of journalists’ accounts of the so-called ‘war on drugs,’ and US involvement in the country. A highly recommended personal account is More Terrible Than Death: Violence, Drugs, and America’s War in Colombia (2003) by Robin Kirk. A similar book, Killing Peace: Colombia’s Conflict and the Failure of US Intervention (2002), by Garry Leech, offers a condensed analysis of the United States’ involvement in Colombia. Another controversial book on the subject is America’s Other War: Terrorizing Colombia (2005) by Doug Stokes, a critical account of US policy in Colombia that gets its message across by using declassified documents. The reading is a little dry and academic, but the tone is unmistakably critical of US involvement. For more left-wing reading, check out Mario Murillo’s Colombia and the United States: War, Terrorism, and Destabilization (2003). For a history of Colombia’s recent troubles through the eyes of those af- fected, read The Heart of the War in Colombia (2002) by Constanza Ardila Galvis. Colombia: A Brutal History (2004) by Geoff Simons is also worth a read.