Advice on visiting San Agustin, Tierradentor, Popaya, Mompos, Barichara

camaleon says on Aug 19, 2004, 13:30:

Book Barichara is a nice place to visit, but you have to book hotels and transportation. Christmas is a hard time (in all the world) to travel.

To Barichara, I recomend you to travel by "Berlinas del Fonce" (trasnport company) from Bogota-Sangil-Bogota (travel time 6:30hrs), and from Sangil to Barichara another bus. Allways try to buy the round trip.

Barichara and Villa de Leyva are very nice towns and very simillar. Villa de Leyva is three hrs. away from Bogota.

Barichara and Villa de Leyva are safe places. I don´t recommend San Agustin yet.

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Gator says on Aug 19, 2004, 15:10:

Be sure to... Nail down reservations especially in Cartagena and Popayan. Christmas time is tough for air reservations. For colonial you can not beat the old walled city/

My suggestions: Villa de Levya and possibly Barichara but do put Villa de Lleva on the list-a delightful place and I can recommend the Hosteria Del Molino La Mesopotamia ( converted 450 year-old sugar mill.)

Flying to Popayan-only one airline makes the trip from Bogotá, Satena Airlines run by the Colombian airforce, try the Hotel Monasterio (my choice) Wonderful colonial city

as Canaleon said I would hesitate on San Agustin
No problem with Mompos

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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ColombiaBoard says on Aug 19, 2004, 18:00:

Plans Your vacations plans sound great but here are some hints:

1. You´ll meet hundreds of thousands of colombians travelling, specially if your travel plans are after dec. 20th, that means, higher prices, crowded hotels, etc.
2. Barichara, Villa de Leyva (and include a day in Tunja, great colonial architecture, wonderful churches) and the surrounding regions are considered safe areas, you´ll be amazed at the beautiful and well preserved colonial architecture.
3. Mompox is also beautiful but a bit far away from everything else
4. You can fly to Popayan and once you´re there inquire about the safety conditions in and around San Agustin - Tierradentro.

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bjorn says on Aug 20, 2004, 09:44:

If you ask someone in Bogota or Medellin they will tell you that it's madness to go to San Agustin and Tierradentro because of the guerilla

If you ask the tourist office and everybody else in Popayan they will say that it's safe for tourist in these areas. Yes, these areas is crowed with guerilla, but according to locals both in Popayan, Tierradentro and San Augustin guerilla has never hassled tourist down here. it's true that locals have been killed and kidnapped, but that's political. I have spoken to foreigner living in San Augustin for years telling me that they never have been hassled by guerilla here. The road between Popayan and San augustin was partly controlled by FARC when i was there november 2003. Although FARC stop buses they don't hassles people. However, I have been told by the tourist office that FARC may hassle US tourist, but that there has never been kidnapping of tourists on this route yet. Of course, you are never absolutely safe, but at least as a non US citizen you are unlikely to get in any trouble. When my bus was stopped by FARC in 2003 (twice) they did not even check my or anybody elses papers

In my view San Augustin is an absolute highlight in Colombia and should not be missed

Bjorn

Bjorn

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elmodefoque says on Aug 20, 2004, 10:37:

And I call myself Colombian and yet, I have never heard of any of those places that you want to visit. Where in tar nation is san angustin, tierradenton ....................? I should be ashamed.
I imagine all these places as little pueblos with a church smack in the middle; a kind of place a non-believer like me would be kicked out immediately or chased down by towns folks carrying torches and barking dogs until I was corner and caught behind a herd of chivos then taken to the town square to be stoned and then hanged.

ASK NOT WHAT THE PUSSY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THAT PUSSY!!!!!!!!!! CAT LOVER

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Gator says on Aug 20, 2004, 12:12:

They are archaeological sites south of Cali Tierradentro and San Agustín are the places to vist if you are into archaeological sites, which I am not. San Agustín is south east of Cali in the Departmento de Huila. Tierradentro in in the Department de Cauca about 30/40 miles west of Popayan.

Amigo, as pointed out by others this is not a real safe area so I would make local inquiries before venturing out. The Gold Musuem in Bogotá has exhibits of the statutes and burial caves from this area. Started out for San Agustían one but was turned back by the military.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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ShazCas says on Aug 20, 2004, 12:33:

San Agustin I think it's worth asking about San Agustin before writing it off as a no-go area. As far as I know, the road to San Agustin is dangerous if you're going there from Popayan, but the route through Neiva from Bogota was fine, the last I heard. And the town itself is not dangerous at all and has never been. Tierradentro is a little more dangerous, though, but again, you should ask.

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SiV says on Aug 20, 2004, 14:34:

I was in San Agustín last puente weekend. The road from Cali is awful (destapada) but there´s loads of military, and is apparently quite safe. The resident´s reckon the area and the roads are clear of the guerrilla, and that tourism is now on the rebound. I saw quite a few non-Colombians there, and there were quite a lot of rolos etc.
The stones are interesting, horse trekking is cheap, and I went white-water rafting. Had a great time, and it´s not expensive, though the journey from Cali (via Popayan) took around 10 hours and was a nightmare. Apparently the road from Neiva is in a lot better condition.

SiV

Stultórum númere infinitum est.

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Gator says on Aug 20, 2004, 14:45:

Correction. Tierradentro should be EAST of Popayan-Sorry nt

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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FrankLeal says on Aug 30, 2004, 13:06:

Come to Barichara and Girón! I see you are interested in visiting the most beautiful colonial towns in Colombia. Well in Boyacá in addition to Villa de Leyva, I also recommend Mongüí, for me it's a beautiful town. And if you come to Barichara and then you go to Cartagena or SantaMarta by bus or by plane you better take it in Bucaramanga my city, it's just 2 and a half hours from Barichara in the way to the north coast. Bucaramanga don't have lots of attractions but you could visit here Girón, also a beatiful colonial town and if you want I could guide you around here.

I will not recommend going to San Agustín nor Tierradentro (unfortunately) because they're far away and they are something dangerous. Mompox is in the way from Bucaramanga to Santa Marta but it's also far away. If I had 15 days to know Colombia, I would expend 3 days in Bogotá, 3 in Boyacá, 2 in Santander, 2 in Medellín, 3 in Cartagena and 2 days in SantaMarta (at Tayrona park, it's a natural wonder!!). Do not hesitate to write me to franklealt at yahoo.com.ar Take care, bye

Francisco

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