The only risk with Colombia is wanting to stay.
“The only risk with Colombia is wanting to stay.”
That tagline is catchy, but not 100% true.
Colombia definitely wins when it comes to biodiversity, sexy ladies shaking it to raggaeton music, and serving up the world’s best empanadas (sorry Venezuela…). But when I polled my Colombian TikTok account asking what Colombia is known for I got the following responses:
Coffee, drugs, cocaine, coca, coke, men traveling here for sex, Pablo Escoba, Shakira, Sofia Vergara, Encanto, Colombian waist trainers, “romancing the stone” (?), debate of the origins of arepas which I personally dont give a damn just gimmie.”
So not all of Colombia’s claims to fame are benign. But the reality is that it’s a mix of beauty and danger. Which, I think human nature leads us to love.
Here, in the second most biodiverse country per square kilometer on Earth, cloud forests, Caribbean beaches, and world-famous coffee farms are all a day’s journey apart, and simultaneously near the site of something that has happened in the country’s tragic and recent past. From its historic cities and street food to music, drink, Colombia’s history is both painful and powerful.
So what is Colombia most known for?
And are these reputational aspects fact or fiction?
📍 Country: Colombia; Capital & Largest City: Bogotá
💰 Currency: Colombian Peso (COP); 1 USD ≈ 4,000 COP
👉 Quick math: think of 10,000 COP ≈ $2.50
🛒 But how much does it really cost?: Colombia is wayyyy cheaper than the U.S. Think Detroit prices but you’re living like a king.
🗣️ Language: Spanish (English is spoken in tourist areas, but not widely outside cities)
🛬 Airport: El Dorado International Airport (BOG) for the political capital of Bogotá, but Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH) for the best airport in the cultural capital
🕒 Time zone: Colombia Time (COT); same as Central Time (no daylight saving)
🚕 Transportation: Taxis, buses, Bogotá’s TransMilenio, Medellín’s Metro & cable cars — Uber exists but is legally gray
☀️ Best time to visit: December–March or July–August (dry season, ideal for travel)
🌡️ Weather & 🏔️ Altitude: Tropical climate; varies widely by altitude. Bogotá is cool (8,600 ft), Medellín is springlike, Cartagena is hot and humid year-round.
🍽️ Typical foods: Arepas, bandeja paisa, empanadas, ajiaco, tamales, exotic fruits like lulo and guanabana, fresh juices, and Colombia’s famous coffee
Colombia’s natural wonders
Your Colombian friends who brag about their country being home to the second-highest biodiversity on Earth – they’re not actually full of shit. Their claims are backed by data from international conservation organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Here are some biodiversity accolades to prove it:
🌎 Overall biodiversity: With only 0.7% of the planet’s land surface, Colombia hosts about 10% of the world’s biodiversity.
🦋 Butterflies: Colombia ranks #2 globally for butterflies, with 3,642 recorded species, including hundreds of endemics.
🐸 Amphibians: It ranks #2 worldwide for amphibians, with 803 species, of which 400+ are endemic to Colombia.
🐟 Freshwater Fish: Colombia has 1,435 species of freshwater fish, the fourth-highest total globally, mostly livin’ it up in the Amazonian and Orinoco basins.
🐆 Mammals: With 528 mammal species, Colombia is at #6 worldwide, with jaguars, pink river dolphins, and spectacled bears, oh my!
🦎 Reptiles: We’ve got 601 reptile species, putting us in the top 10 countries globally for reptile diversity.
🌿 Plants: Colombia has over 26,000 species of vascular plants (basically: a plant), but it places us at #2 in the world for plant diversity. Of course, after Brazil.
🧬 Endemism: Colombia has over 9,000 endemic species, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth – and that’s pretty fucking cool if you ask me.
🐦 Bird species: Colombia is home to 1,966 bird species, which is more than any other country in the world – and nearly 20% of the world.
💐 Orchid Species: Colombia has 4,270 species of orchids, the highest number globally, with 1,543 endemic species found nowhere else.
🏞️ Ecosystem Variety: Colombia contains 314 distinct ecosystems, including Amazon rainforest, Andean páramos, Caribbean and Pacific coasts, tropical dry forests, cloud forests, and deserts – making it one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes globally.
Who cares? You might ask. Well, 2 main groups of people: #1) birders, and #2) anyone who has ever benefited from modern medicine. Colombia’s incredible biodiversity isn’t just beautiful – it saves lives. These thousands of endemic plant, animal, and microbial species are a goldmine for pharmaceutical research and development, offering untapped potential for treatments in everything from cancer to infections.
If you want to experience the magic that is Colombian geography and wildlife, you have plenty of opportunity. About 14% of Colombia’s land (46 million acres across 60+ national protected areas) is protected as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, or nature reserves. You can visit these national parks to experience this wildlife and ultra-varied geography, from the Andes Mountains that Shakira will climb to count the freckles on your body to the Amazon Rainforest to the jungle beaches (or beach jungles?) of Tayrona Park. Colombia is set on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea – and if you’re up for it, you can visit an entire other world in Caño Cristales or Los Nevados.
One of the most important things that Colombia is famous for is that it is considered a global leader in “co-managed conservation,” meaning the government shares management of many protected areas with Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities who’ve lived there for generations. Unlike some more “developed” countries, Colombia respects the fact that local communities know the land best and are crucial to its long-term protection In fact, Colombia was the first country in Latin America to legally recognize Indigenous groups as co-managers of national parks – starting in the 1990s with places like Yaigojé Apaporis National Park.
Lightening
Colombia’s unique geography – mountains, rainforests, and two coastlines – creates ideal conditions for convective storms, which is why it’s one of the most “electrified” countries on Earth. It ranks in the top 10 countries globally for lightning activity, with some sources placing it as high as #3.
⚡Some lightning-fast data from NASA and the World Meteorological Organization:
- Colombia experiences over 1 million lightning strikes per year.
- The western and northern regions (near the Pacific coast, the Magdalena River Valley, and Orinoquía) are the most active.
- The cities of Cali and Medellín see high lightning frequencies in the country.
Personally, I’ve seen a lot of lightning in Medellín and Parque Tayrona, and I was always kind of scared that I was going to get hit. Most of the buildings in Medellín have little lightning rods on them, that I assumed were for Wi-Fi or something but my Colombian friend told me it’s to conduct the lightning into the ground, and my other Colombian friend who has a construction company told me that Colombia has some of the strictest building codes in Latin America when it comes to lightning protection.
Culinary delights: what food is Colombia known for?
While traditional Colombian food isn’t like – out of this world…. Their fusion is pretty amazing, and much more affordable than Europe and North America.
Colombia is known for everything from street food like arepas and empanadas to large party dishes like sancocho to upscale, fancy restaurants like Carmen and El Cielo.
Colombia’s national dish is bandeja paisa – packed with rice, meat, beans, and all the calories, meant to fill up farmers so they could work all day without breaking to eat.
And if you’re on the coast you’ll experience seafood like whole fried mojarra (tilapia).
And ajiaco… My all-time favorite Colombian dish. It’s $7 for a 2-person serving and I would eat it over a fancy meal in El Poblado any day.
For those with a sweet tooth, you’ll want to check out obleas, arroz con leche, and tres leches cake – or for a Weight Watchers-friendly dessert, Colombia has some of the best exotic fruits in the entire world. See: guanabana, maracuyá, lulo, and pitahaya.
Click here for a full Colombian food guide, so that you know what to eat when you’re there.
Famous Colombian drinks: what alcohol is Colombia known for?
This is always a fun one. While Colombia is not known for its craft beer scene (hello again, Club Colombia…), it does have the ceremonious Aguardiente – an anise-flavored liquor (I know, why are they all anise-flavored?). It’s actually pretty low in alcohol – 24–29%, so even if you normally try to steer clear of the shots ritual for whatever reason (like because you’re not in college anymore), you can take part.
Refajo is a popular Colombian drink that mixes beer and Colombiana, a local red cream soda (like a bubblegum-meets-vanilla flavor). It’s light, fizzy, slightly sweet, and super gross – but loved by Colombians. It’s typically paired with grilled meats, like at a barbecue. Optional additions: Aguardiente and lime for an extra kick. With the guaro, however, it’s half beer and half soda, it’s only 2–3% ABV, making it like, a family-friendly alcoholic beverage.
Chicha – a traditional fermented corn drink with roots tracing back to Indigenous cultures like the Muisca is a little bit sweet, slightly tangy, and low in alcohol. It was banned in the 1940s in efforts to erase indigenous tradition and consolidate economic control over alcohol production, but is now experiencing a revival among artisanal brewers and cultural preservationists. You can find it today in local markets, festivals, and trendy bars reclaiming Colombia’s ancestral flavors.
Okay lastly – I know we’re talking about booze, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the non-alcoholic Colombian drink, agua de panela. It’s apparently just unrefined cane sugar water, but it tastes to me like what I imagine they serve you when you enter the gates of heaven. Kind of honeyish, and really fucking refreshing. And guess what – sometimes they mix it with cinnamon sticks and Aguardiente to make Canelazo – a sweet, strong, ‘comforting’ drink, like a Latin American hot toddy – often served in clay mugs at holidays, street fairs, particularly in high-altitude towns like Bogotá or Pasto.
Cultural richness and heritage
Colombian culture is rich. Whatever that means to you – if it’s the country’s dark past, its hot sexy nights dancing salsa, or its bright future as a rapidly developing nation and the Silicon Valley of Latin America – it’s all happening with speed and enthusiasm.
One thing these beautiful people have down pat is holidays. Colombians will tell you that they have more than any country in the world. And many are accompanied by some kind of festivity. A few notables are the Carnival of Barranquilla, which is the second biggest in the world (again, after Brazil), Semana Santa (Easter), and Feria de las Flores (when Medellín turns into a giant flower parade). But at a very minimum, they take work and school off like, every other week.
These Colombian traditions are incredible to see, but they reflect something larger that Colombia is known for: a proud and layered Colombian identity that defies stereotypes and values family, food, community, and celebration above all. You will see this if you visit this country, as the Colombian hospitality reflects this.
Another cultural anomaly in Colombia is its evolving relationship with Indigenous peoples, which mirrors the country’s broader tension between modern progress and ancestral roots. Indigenous communities in Colombia (the Wayuu, Embera, Arhuaco, and Muisca) represent deep cultural, spiritual, and ecological wisdom. Historically marginalized, many have fought to retain their languages, territories, and traditions in the face of colonization, violence, and displacement.
Today, however, there’s a growing recognition of their role as guardians of lands and ancient knowledge, especially in preserving Colombia’s natural reserves. While challenges remain (you know, your run-of-the-mill land rights, exploitation, systemic inequality), Indigenous identity is increasingly respected as essential to Colombia’s soul, not separate from it. If you have the chance to visit the places where the Indigenous people live, such as the Wayuu in La Guaiira, the Kogi in Parque Tayrona, or any of the Amazon tribes, expect a life-changing experience.
Colombia’s influence on global music and dance
Every American remembers when Hips Don’t Lie came out. It was a sound we had never heard before. Two sounds, actually: mainly reggaeton and cumbia. Today, you can’t leave your house past 9 PM without hearing those heavy-hitting reggaeton drums, and even my grandma knows who J Balvin is, but at the time these genres just weren’t a thing on the global market.
Modern icons like Shakira, J Balvin, Karol G, Maluma, and Juanes (the guy with the black shirt, remember?) – and even old-timers like Joe Arroyo and Carlos Vives have put Colombia on the map in terms of music and have heavily influenced the global music industry over the last few decades. Remember when the radio was a thing – and it didn’t have any music that wasn’t in English?
But reggaeton is not, by any means, Colombia’s most famous music genre. So what music is Colombia known for? Cumbia, vallenato, champeta, and salsa. That sexy, sweaty, bootylicious salsa. And that yodeling that Shakira does – I’ve researched and asked around a bit because I thought it was just her personal style until I heard other Colombian artists sing like this (Aquí Las Colombianas and Me Robaste El Sueño, for example), and I got a lot of different opinions but it definitely is a result of the migrational mix that makes up parts of Colombia – and I gather specifically the Afro-Caribbean people.
Colombian music history is shaped as a form of storytelling, resilience, and national pride. The best example of this is Joe Arroyo’s song, La Rebelión – considered by some to be the best salsa song of all time). If you don’t speak Spanish you would probably think he’s singing about going out on a Friday to have a great time with your besties (based on the upbeat tempo and overall sound) – but it’s actually the story of an enslaved African couple in 17th-century Cartagena who rise up after a Spanish slave owner hits the wife. The chorus line you hear – “no le pega la negra” – means “don’t hit the Black woman.” Yeah.
Colombia’s music festivals are as diverse as the country itself. Salsa Mayor (November) and MedeJazz (September) at the Plaza Mayor Medellín, the Festival Vallenato in Valledupar (April) honors the country’s beloved accordion-driven folk music, while Bogotá’s Estéreo Picnic (March) draws global stars like Billie Eilish and Rosalía for a Coachella-style experience. Also in Bogotá, Rock al Parque (July) is one of the largest free rock festivals in Latin America, packing Simón Bolívar Park with punk, metal, and indie fans. In Cali, the Petronio Álvarez Festival (August) showcases powerful Afro-Colombian music traditions like currulao and bunde. And Medellín’s Feria de las Flores (August), though best known for flowers, features major concerts across salsa, reggaetón, and vallenato. It’s a full-blown cultural celebration.
Drugs
So obviously, Colombia is known for drugs. We don’t have to dance around it. Basically the gist is that we all know that there’s cocaine in Colombia but what many people don’t know is that Colombians don’t really do cocaine. It’s more of an export – and they’re the largest exporter of it in the world. (Finally, we’re better than Brazil at something). They do, however, love partaking in marijuana. Of course, I’m generalizing, but that’s what I’ve seen living there.
Colombia is also very famous for Yagé, better known as Ayahuasca – a psychoactive Amazonian brew containing DMT, used in Indigenous spiritual rituals and increasingly in psychedelic tourism. We can classify it as a drug, but it’s seen more as a medicine to its users. People come from all over the world to heal themselves through Ayahuasca rituals that you do with a shaman to guide you through a hallucinogenic physical and spiritual cleansing, which I hear can have amazing effects. I actually always really wanted to do one but I hate throwing up, which is a substantial part of the process.
While marijuana and Ayahuasca are considered medicinal by many, 2C-B on the other hand (ask Tusi aka “Pink Cocaine”), is definitely exclusively a party drug. It’s a very cute, pink synthetic psychedelic with stimulant effects, and it kind of feels like a cross between ketamine and MDMA, and without any real “inebriation.” So I hear 😜. Despite the nickname “pink cocaine,” it’s chemically unrelated to cocaine.
Lastly, Escopolamina is a hallucinogenic drug, supposedly created for things like nasua, but definitely used by criminals to hypnotise their victims so they’ll do things like empty their bank accounts and pass over all their cash. Nicknamed “devil’s breath,” Escopolamina sounds like an urban legend, but is not and, in fact, is something you need to be aware of when visiting Colombia. More on that here.
If you’re going to Colombia, check it these 33 best things to do in Colombia
Bogotá: Technically, the capital of Colombia
Bogotá is known for being the capital and largest city of Colombia, the seat of government, and a major center for finance and business.
But kind of like in California, how it makes no sense that the capital is Sacramento instead of San Francisco, Medellín in the real cultural and economic capital of Colombia. Nevertheless, Bogotá does have a scene, and even Paisas will tell you that their fine dining is better than Medellín. When it comes to street food Bogota is known for its tamales, santafereños, and ajiaco.
If you go to Bogotá, you’ll be ushered quickly to the historic La Candelaria district, where you’ll find street art, museums, and its token ‘colonial charm’ – colonial-era architecture, cobblestone streets, and churches.
It has the world’s largest collection of pre-Columbian gold artifacts, housed in the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), a Botero Museum, which is artist Fernando Botero, who absolutely loves sculpting voluptuous people (to put it politely), and Bogotá is one of the best cities in the world for street art. Pro tip: do a graffiti tour.
To riff off of our last convo about Colombia’s geographic complexity, Bogotá is on the mountainous side of this very wide spectrum, nestled at over 8,600 feet (2,640 meters) in the Andes Mountains. It’s one of the highest capital cities in the world.
Colombia is also known for cycling. I’ve never seen so many people biking on such steep hills as I do every day in Colombia. And then there’s Ciclovia. This won’t be impressive if you’ve spent time in any Latin American country before, but Colombians have a thing called Ciclovía, taking place every Sunday, in which over 70 miles of roads are closed to cars and opened to cyclists, runners, and pedestrians. Medellín has it too. It’s honestly the most amazing tradition, and I think the whole world should adopt it in the USA and every other country in the world.
Pilgrimage site Mount Monserrate is a top tourist attraction, with a church and sweeping views of the city at 10,341 feet above sea level. You can take a cable car, a funicular, or you can hike your ass up the paved / staired 1.5 mile (2.4 km) trail, with a steep and challenging 2,000 ft (600-meter) elevation gain.
If you consider an hour’s drive from Botogtá part of the city, the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá (or “Salt Church”) is an underground cathedral, built inside a salt mine, 650 feet (200 meters) underground. The entire cathedral, including altars, sculptures, and even the cross, is literally carved out of salt and rock. While it’s a functioning Roman Catholic church, it’s also a huge tourist attraction and considered one of Colombia’s architectural wonders.
And last, but definitely not least important, many of Colombia’s top universities and libraries, including the National Library and Universidad de los Andes are in Bogotá.
Medellín: From cartels to comeback story
Medellín is known as the city of eternal spring, and it does have nice weather. Most of the time. But when it rains, it jungle pours, and as mentioned, the lightning there is out of this world.
El Poblado is strata 6, where you’ll find fancy restaurants, ultra luxe hotels, 7 giant shopping malls (one with one of the country’s best plastic surgery centers just casually in it) and digital nomads who have kind of ruined the city a little bit over the past 5 years (I’m one so I can say that).
While El Centro (downtown, strata 1) has more authentic finds like Plaza Botero (an urban garden full of the oversized people statues), a series of gondolas that you can take to ride over the very poor neighborhoods, and Comuna 13, which used to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Medellín (which used to be one of the most dangerous cities in one of the most dangerous countries), but is now a thriving cultural epicenter with kind of a hip-hop vibe. Lots of graffiti-type art, juxtaposed next to a supermodern elevator system that runs through the neighborhood. Not so fun fact – the Colombian government actually bombed Comuna 13 in 2002, killing 11 civilians.
This dark-past-to-prototype-urban-innovation theme is very Colombian but I would say it transpires most strongly in Medellín, and I think we all know the story by now so I won’t give him the satisfaction of retelling it once again.
I could go on forever about Medellín, but I already have so instead of doing it again here, I’ll direct you to this article about 21 Cool Things to do in Medellín.
Cartagena: colonial beauty & Caribbean vibes
Cartagena is like no other city in Colombia, or the world, for that matter. It’s a city inside of a fortress basically. This Walled City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where cobblestone streets, pastel facades, and bougainvillea-draped balconies transport you to another era, which – if I have to make a comparison, I would say is reminiscent of Havana – but with modern comforts like AC and Wi-Fi. It’s definitely one of my top 5 cities in the world.
Cartagena’s nightlife is legendary, with buzzing rooftop bars and salsa clubs, and its dining scene is top-notch. Also, it has amazing shopping. Not a ton – but really high quality for super fair prices.
I will say – even though I don’t want to – that Cartagena has suffered a bit after the pandemic and feels more dicey than it used to. So go – enjoy – but use caution.
And while we’re in the spirit of being honest about one of my favorite cities in the world, I gotta say that the beaches are not good. They’re not particularly pretty and with the aggressive vendors selling nonconsensual massages, the rocky sand, and the lack of infrastructure, it gives more of a trashy Mexican spring break resort vibe. So go to Cartagena – but not for the beaches. Not exactly.
Because if you want the best of both worlds I do have a solution for you. Just a short boat ride away, the Rosario Islands await, offering crystal-clear waters, snorkeling, and day-party energy in stark contrast to Cartagena’s colonial calm. Paradise.
Cartagena is a captivating blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms, Spanish colonial architecture, and sensory overload in the best possible way.
Calí: salsa, heat & Afro-Colombian culture
So Calí is easy: it’s the Salsa Capital of the World. That’s it.
Jk, they also have the Feria de Cali (the city’s electric December festival), the Calí cartel, and a deeper Afro-Colombian influence on food, rhythm, and street life than other non-coastal cities.
To be honest, Calí is the city I knew least about – so I’ll leave it up to the experts to share what I’m sure is a plethora of exciting history, culture, and things to do there.
Yes, Colombia is known for drugs – and for a time, it was the epicenter of the world’s cocaine trade, thanks to Pablo Escobar and the violent legacy of the cartels. But while narco history shaped global perception, it doesn’t define the Colombia of today.
Modern cities like Medellín have undergone massive transformation, turning from war zones into global models for urban innovation. Narco tourism still exists, of course, but it’s more narco-lite now. The country has moved on – reclaiming its story with resilience, creativity, and fierce cultural pride. Learn the history, sure, but don’t glorify it. Colombia’s power lies not in its past, but in how it’s risen from it.
So, what is Colombia known for?
From cloud forests to cumbia, indigenous wisdom to flower parades, Colombia is complex, captivating, and constantly evolving. And it has endless things to do here.
Be informed, be respectful, and prepare to be surprised. Because while getting Escopolamina’d is a valid concern, falling in love with the people. You can read more about Colombia safety in this article, but in reality – the energy, and the sheer beauty of the place is the greatest risk of all. Right?
Book your flight to Colombia now and see for yourself:
As always, if you have any questions or want specific recommendations leave them in the comments and I’ll respond.
If you want to message me privately, I’ll respond on Instagram @Le_Gipset
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