I've found the place I was looking
for, and it’s Barranquilla, Colombia. I've been all over
the world, and I have to say that my trip to Barranquilla
has been one of my best experiences ever. If I had my choices
of places to live in the world, Barranquilla would be at
the top of my list. Barranquilleros are very warm, happy
and friendly people, and the women are absolutely beautiful.
I went to Barranquilla for their annual Carnaval (Carnaval
de Barranquilla), and I had the best time of my life. During
Carnaval, the whole city parties for about 4 to 5 days (both
day and night), and these people definitely know how to
party! You have to experience Carnaval at least once in
your lifetime. If you enjoy music and dancing the night
away then Barranquilla is the place to be.
The nightlife is excellent. The north part of town (El Norte)
is very popular, although you can go just about anywhere
and have a good time. Beautiful women are everywhere, so
wherever you go you’ll definitely see lots of them.
For hotels,
check out my
hotels page. I recommend the Hotel Dann
Carlton, which is right across the street from the Buena
Vista mall. Also, the Hotel El Prado (located in El Norte)
is a good place to stay although the rooms at the Dann Carlton
are much nicer.
Everyone thought I was crazy for wanting to visit Colombia.
The media really portrays Colombia as a bad place to visit,
but it's definitely not. Barranquilla is a very safe place,
and the people are really nice. The Barranquilleros seem
like the happiest people in all of Colombia.
I was the only
blonde-haired gringo in the city during my visit (well,
at least it seemed that way). Everyone welcomed me with
open arms and treated me with the utmost respect.
Neighboring cities Cartagena and Santa Marta are a must
see and are relatively close. Santa Marta is about a 45
minute drive, and Cartagena is about a 90 minute drive. Both have beautiful
beaches and are the places to be if you’re looking for a
very relaxing vacation. If you're planning to go to either
Cartagena or Santa Marta, I highly recommend using
Marsol transport.
Marsol is very reliable and usually has shuttles that
leave several times per day.
Barranquilla
is more of an industrial city and not very touristy compared
to neighboring cities Cartengena and Santa Marta, which
is the way I like it. When I travel I prefer to get down
with the locals and experience the real people and culture.
Barranquilla is also relatively inexpensive compared to
the U.S., so a little money can go a long way.
I visit Barranquilla quite often,
so feel free to
contact me
if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to guide you
in the right direction.
