Colombia.
So you're heading to Colombia? Let's get it right.
READ MEDELLÍN + GUATAPÉ FREE6 regions, deep
Medellín, decoded
Tayrona + Minca
Coffee Region + the Lost City
The Pacific + San Blas
5 itineraries + the safety brief
Medellín + Guatapé, on us.
This is one section of 6 in the guide.
Once the most dangerous neighbourhood in the most dangerous city on Earth — now a vibrant, graffiti-covered, music-filled hillside reached by outdoor escalators + the Metrocable. The street-art tells the story of the violence + the recovery. Genuinely moving, and now safe to visit by day.
Tip: Take a walking tour with a local guide who lived through it (Zippy Tours, Comuna 13 graffiti tours, ~A$15-A$25) — the context is the whole point. Go by day. Combine with the Metrocable ride up for the views.
Medellín's nightlife is among the best in South America. Parque Lleras (El Poblado) is the backpacker epicentre — bars, clubs, reggaeton. For something less touristy: La 70 + La 33 in Laureles (locals), or the bigger clubs (Salón Amador, Calle 9+1) for proper nights out. Reggaeton was basically born here.
Tip: Pace the aguardiente (anise liquor — dangerous). Go out with people, keep your drink covered, never accept a drink from a stranger, and Uber home (read the scopolamine brief). Thursday–Saturday are the big nights.
One of the best Spanish schools in Colombia + a brilliant way to meet people — and an Aussies In partner. Two weeks runs ~950,000 COP (~A$55/day) including tours, breakfast + lunch. Medellín's clear paisa accent + the social scene make it a top place to actually learn Spanish on the road.
Tip: Members: use code AUSSIESIN for US$20 off your first week. Group classes are the social move; combine a couple of weeks here with a long-stay in Laureles. Mornings of class + afternoons exploring is the rhythm. Book a trial week first.
Medellín's cable cars are public transport that doubles as a sightseeing flight over the hillside comunas. Ride the L line up to Parque Arví — a cool, forested highland park above the city — for the views + a break from the heat. A few thousand pesos on a metro ticket.
Tip: Go on a clear morning for the views. Parque Arví has walking trails + a weekend market. The Metrocable to Comuna 13 (San Javier line) is the other essential ride.
The easy, essential Medellín day trip (2hr each way). Climb the 740 steps of La Piedra del Peñol — a giant monolith — for a panorama over a maze of islands + lakes, then wander Guatapé town's absurdly colourful zócalo-decorated streets. Pablo Escobar's bombed-out lakeside estate (La Manuela) is nearby.
Tip: Go early to beat the crowds + heat on the rock. Doable as a self-guided day (bus from Terminal del Norte ~A$5) or an organised tour. Stay a night to enjoy the town once the day-trippers leave.
The rest of Colombia.
This chapter, the pre-departure checklist, the budget tool and the Colombia chat, sent to your inbox.
5,600+ members, already there.
The guide gets you planned. The chats answer the rest, usually in minutes.
What buyers told us.
The scopolamine safety brief is the kind of thing nobody else will tell you straight. Combined with the El Poblado vs Comuna 13 breakdown it was the first time I felt actually prepared rather than half-bluffing my way through. Cheap insurance for a trip that nearly didn't happen.
Booked the whole trip around the coffee region after reading the Salento + Cocora chapter. Three days that ended up being the highlight of two months on the road. Wouldn't have known Jardín existed otherwise and now it's all I want to talk about.
Caribbean coast stretch laid out beautifully. Tayrona to Cabo San Juan, Minca, the order to do it in. Used the routing almost word-for-word, every recommendation hit, came home wishing I'd doubled the trip.
Loved it. Half a star off because I'd love more on the Pacific whale-watching coast since the rest of the country is covered so well. Otherwise the deepest Colombia content I've found online for any money.
Bought the Italy guide. Then the Vault. Then Pro. That's how good these are. I'm pre-ordering every guide before they exist. The community alone is worth it.
$15 is nothing, I spend more than that on a single brunch. It saved me hours of planning and made the actual trip better. Honestly I'd have paid $50 for any of these guides.
Every hostel, restaurant, viewpoint, transport hub and hike start in this guide — pinned in a Google Maps list. Save it once, your whole trip travels with you offline.
Mistakes the guide saves you from.
Accepting a drink/cigarette from a stranger or a fast-moving dating-app date (scopolamine)
The #1 serious risk — esp. men on apps in Medellín
Walking home after a night out instead of taking an Uber/DiDi
Late nights in Medellín, Bogotá + Cali
Flashing your phone on the street ('dar papaya')
Phone snatchings, common in big cities
Letting the ATM charge you in AUD (dynamic currency conversion)
Every withdrawal you don't decline
High-fee Medellín ATMs (not checking the fee before confirming)
Repeated withdrawals over a trip
Arriving at Tayrona's Cabo San Juan with no cash (no ATMs in the park)
Anyone who doesn't read ahead
Booking the cheapest San Blas boat (safety + food corners cut)
Budget sailors, real safety risk
Street-taxi instead of the app (meter games + safety)
Airport arrivals + nights out
Only doing Cartagena + Medellín + skipping the cheaper, better interior
Short-trip travellers who don't plan
Common questions.
Why pay A$14.99 when there's free info on Reddit?
Is Colombia safe?
Do Australians need a visa?
How much does Colombia cost?
Is Medellín really that good?
What about the San Blas sailing trip?
I'm doing Colombia + Peru + Argentina. All-Access Pass?
Your trip, planned.
Where to go. Where to stay. What to eat. How to get around. What to skip. Every answer in one place — researched by Aussies who've actually been.