Family Vacations to Colombia

Colombia – Family Vacation Guide

Colombia is full of surprises and most of them work in favor of fantastic family vacations, whether you want Caribbean islands and beaches, great colonial cities, tropical jungle, Pacific coastline or climbing in the Andes. Some rugged adventures are better for older kids and teenagers, but children of all ages are warmly welcome everywhere in this friendly South American country.

Why Go

Rich History

Cuidad Perdida (Lost City of the Tayrona) is in the Sierra Nevada Santa Marta and the site is known as Colombia’s Machu Picchu.

Nature and Biodiversity

Colombia has 41 national parks, including Las Hermosas in the central Andes and Tayrona in the Caribbean.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

There are eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Colombia including Cartagena’s Walled City and the Coffee Landscape of the western Cordillera de los Andes.

Beaches

Colombia has Caribbean and Pacific Coasts. The Caribbean’s best for beach resorts and the Pacific has most eco-tourism and outdoor adventure.

Bogotá

Colombia’s lofty capital sits on the Sabana de Bogotá plateau. At first sight, all your preconceptions will be confirmed: it’s an enormous, sprawling city and, apart from the surrounding green hills, seems far from pretty. But if you’re with older kids, it’s worth digging a little deeper – even just for a day or two.

Visit La Candeleria, the city’s historic district, for colourful colonial architecture and a remarkable collection of 17^th century churches.
Spend an evening on Plaza Bolívar: traffic’s stopped from 5 p.m. and the streets and squares are filled with musicians, performers and food stalls. Everything from llamas to locals will amaze kids.
Don’t miss: Museo Nacional de Colombia; the 360˚ view from Mirador Torre Colpatria; the Zipiquirá Salt Cathedral.

Cartagena

If you only visit one Colombian city, it should be Cartagena. Often said to be the loveliest city in the Caribbean, the walled old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and its long ramparts are fun to walk (at least a little of) with kids.

Bocagrande, south of the walled city, has a wide choice of family accommodations.
Make a point of touring the city’s endless plazas, they’re where to see city life at its most local and lively.
Explore the historic quarter on foot, the maze of cobbled streets and colonial buildings is Cartagena’s biggest attraction.
Don’t miss: the Palacio de la Inquisición; Plaza de los Coches and Portal de los Dulces; the 17^th century cathedral on Plaza de Bolívar; Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas.
For Caribbean beaches, catch a boat to the Islas Rosario for a day. This archipelago of 27 tiny islands lies just south of Cartagena Bay. Playa Blanca on Barú is good for families. Several islands also have eco-lodges and small, independent hotels.
Cartagena has warm temperatures year-round and is driest from November to late April.

Santa Marta

Santa Marta’s the oldest city in Colombia and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, but stunning beaches rather than colonial heritage are the attraction here. If visitors aren’t descending to laze around on the white, white sands, they’re more than likely heading in the direction of Parque Nacional Tayrona or trekking to Ciudad Perdida in Sierra Nevada Santa Marta.

The Playa Blanca area to the west of the city center is good for resort hotels and family holiday apartments.
The best beaches by far are in Tayrona National Park, 45 minutes east of Santa Marta.
Santa Marta has typically Caribbean weather and the most sunshine from November to March and highest rainfall in July and August.

Tayrona National Park

With tropical jungle, white-sand beaches and protected marine reserve, Tayrona National Park is Colombia’s best known conservation area and one of the most popular places to visit in the country.

Tayrona’s eastern coastline is the park’s most accessible area and the best beaches are Cabo San Juan de Guia; La Piscina for swimming and snorkeling; and Arrecifes for sunbathing (strong currents make swimming here dangerous).
There are several campsites around the main beaches and a few basic lodges.
Visit the ancient Tayrona village of Pueblito; a well-marked hike from Cabo San Juan.

San Andrés & Providencia

Closer to Costa Rica than Colombia, the tiny Caribbean islands of San Andrés and Providencia have a unique culture, Raizal, and the main language spoken is Creole-English. Both are popular with visitors for gorgeous white-sand beaches and outstanding coral reef diving and snorkeling.

Direct daily flights from Bogota to San Andrés take two hours and the island’s coast is trimmed with beach resorts and hotels.
Providencia is smaller, more traditional and sits on the world’s third largest coral reef.
San Andrés is popular for duty-free shopping, boat trips to iguana-rich Johnny Cay, fresh seafood, snorkeling and round-island cycling.

Educational Value for Kids

Take a walking tour of Cartagena’s Old Town and the city ramparts, engaging local guides bring the colonial history to life for kids.

See humpback whales migrating along Colombia’s Pacific coast between July and November.

Go horseback riding in Tayrona Park’s tropical jungle, the wildlife is astonishing.

Getting Around

Public transport and official taxis are the best way to get about cities like Bogota, Cartagena and Santa Marta. Renting a car in Colombia isn’t a good idea with kids: The roads in remote regions can be poor or difficult to navigate and there are high levels of crime in some areas. Flights from Bogota to most other cities and the Caribbean coast and islands are inexpensive and frequent. There are also several tour operators specializing in family holidays and most include transfers and transport in packages.

Family Vacations to Colombia

Colombia – Family Vacation Guide

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Why Go