est. 2017
The northernmost tip in South America. Stunning Caribbean beaches. Giant sand dunes. Colombia’s largest indigenous population (the Wayuu). You’ll find all this and more on a tour to the remote and isolated La Guajira.
Getting here isn’t easy, but it is so worth the trouble to visit Colombia’s wild northeast.
“What did you eat in while you were there?!” This was one of the most common questions when I came back from my travels in South America. Nope, this wasn’t questioning if I solely ate on ceviche while in Lima, or how many steaks I fit in while in Argentina. They were all concerned with – how I survived being a vegetarian in meat-heavy continent of South America.
Yes, you’ll pay more than the local food. Yes, it will take a little more effort. Yes, your street eats may be limited. BUT! There is no need to stress over it, as it is possible and not an obstacle.
Colombia’s famous Eje Cafetero. Salento is the star of the show for Colombia’s coffee region, however there’s a small town that is the hidden gem of this region. Located less than an hour from Salento is the charming pueblo of Filandia. As most foreign tourists head to Salento, it is likely you’ll find yourself as one of the only non-Colombian tourists there.
While it’s not on the tourist map (yet), that doesn’t mean you won’t find an abundant amount of activities to do here. Coffee farms, people watching in the plaza, hikes to waterfalls, and home to the BEST FOOD I had in Colombia. Keep reading to see why you must visit Filandia.
Cocaine, Narcos, war, coffee. More likely than not these are the main things that come to foreigner’s minds when they think of Colombia. I can’t even tell you the number of people who said to me “you’re not going to Colombia right?” when I told them I was traveling to South America.
Sure, Colombia is still recovering from the civil war which brought the country into headlines worldwide for all the negative reasons, but it has also really emerged from its troubled past. What if I told you that Colombia is a traveler’s delight. Full of beaches, mountains, deserts – all for an affordable cost. Not to mention, the friendliest people I’ve met anywhere in the world! When it comes down to it, Colombia was my favorite country in South America and I’m already itching to go back.
