Good towns between Medellin and Cartagena?

Gator says on Apr 25, 2005, 12:06:

Try these... visit Cali since you will have to pass through on the bus. If you bypass Medellin then you go though Bogotá. Personally I would go Popoyán Cali, Cali Armenia (if you want to bypass Medellin then from Armenia to Ibague to Bogotá it's a very senic route) If not Armenia Medellin then Medellin to either Monteria or Sincelejo then to Cartagena. The Bogotá route would be Bogotá/Tunja(think about a side trip to Villa de LLeva)/Bucaramanga(try the fried ants)/Santa Marta then back to Cartagena. Most "direct"route would be via Medellin.
Only about three "main routes" available due to the mountains. People driving from Cali usuall cut across from Medellin throug Rio Negro then north to Barrancabermeja across to Bucaramanga then to the coast other wise through Medellin vis Sincelejo

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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kcrosman says on Apr 25, 2005, 12:34:

sounds tasty Thanks Gator for the ever valuable info, will be trying my best to research all the towns listed. Can't wait for the COlombia trip, just want to do it right. Fried ants sound great but they can't beat curried cow brain in Sumatra....

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utopiacowboy says on Apr 25, 2005, 13:31:

I highly recommend Monteria although at first glance it has nothing to recommend it. It's an extremely busy, dusty, crowded little metropolis on the banks of the Sinu River. My mother-in-law and her family live there - it's very safe for gringos - you can sit outside at night or walk around without worrying about your safety. It has one of the lowest crime rates in Colombia. The women are gorgeous and everybody knows how to party like true Costenos.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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sandramoreno80 says on Apr 25, 2005, 14:45:

From Popayan I would go up until Cali, its Colombia’s third biggest city and has quite a few interesting sights to see, but if you’re not interested then hop onto another bus that goes to Armenia, if you have time there are some that stop at some of the little pueblos enroute, you should take a look at Buga (not to be confused with Bugalagrande) and it’s “Lord of the miracles” cathedral.

You see that at the bus terminals you have to ask for the buses or colectivos that stop at these small towns because most of the big bus companies operate direct routes aswell as stopping ones. For example Flota Occidental operates a service from Armenia that stops at Pereira, then it stops at La Felisa to pick up lunches that have been ordered for about 5 minutes and continues onto Medellin.

From Armenia you can take a minibus service until Salento, which is a quaint little town and from there you can take a jeep that can take you up to Valle de Cocora.

Then it’s onto Pereira, Santa Rosa de Cabal (for the Termales), Manizales, Medellin.
Little towns in Antioquia (Medellin is it’s capital) to visit are Santa Fe de Antioquia, El Penol, La Ceja, Rionegro. Then it’s onto Yarumal, Caucasia, and through the state of Cordoba until the state of Sucre, a stop at Sincelejo it’s capital, until Carmen de Bolivar and onto Cartagena

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kcrosman says on Apr 25, 2005, 17:21:

All that helps Thank you SandraMoreno, I am travelling right now so hard to always get back to replies, we are in Huaraz, Peru waiting for a night bus to Trujillo so luckily I have had ample time to research Colombia today. It is really hard for me to get info on the the little towns of Colombia which is weird cuz there seems to be the pervasive opionion that the little towns are the gems of Colombia. The few backpackers I have met in SA that have been to Colombia have only been to the big-name cities and a guidebook to an entire continent just doesn't help. Don't know if we have time to visit all of the places you visited, but now I can at least research some specific places. Thanks

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carolain11 says on Apr 25, 2005, 20:44:

Sandra Colombia's third biggest city is Cali, then comes Bucaramanga or Barranquilla, and then perhaps Cartagena

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juanalejo says on Apr 25, 2005, 20:46:

via Bogota If you decide to go via Bogota, after Armenia onto Ibague to Bogota then north towards Bucaramanga and on to the coast. It is the longer way to the coast from Bogota but you can take side trips to both Villa de Leyva and Barichara, which are two of the prettiest towns in Colombia. If you go via Medellin, do not skip Santa Fe de Antioquia and then when near Sincelejo go to Mompox. Then back and on to Cartagena.

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Miguel says on Apr 25, 2005, 23:36:

Colombian Cities Rank 1. Bogotá
2. Medellín
3. Cali
4. Barranquilla
5. Cartagena

"There is nothing lower than the human race...except for the French." - Mark Twain 1878-79

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sandramoreno80 says on Apr 26, 2005, 00:33:

My post does not dispute that, I wrote that Cali is Colombia's third city.

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Miguel says on Apr 26, 2005, 01:43:

Sandra That was in response to Carolain 11's post.

"There is nothing lower than the human race...except for the French." - Mark Twain 1878-79

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carolain11 says on Apr 26, 2005, 07:47:

oops my bad, sorry bout that Sandra, guess I was very sleepy and didn't read well, but Miguel, I think Bmanga is bigger that CTG

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Miguel says on Apr 26, 2005, 09:08:

Top 5 Colombian Cities by Population The chart from which I posted the top 5 may not have included the final 2004 census; if anyone has the stats, please post them.

Thanks...M

"There is nothing lower than the human race...except for the French." - Mark Twain 1878-79

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Gator says on Apr 26, 2005, 09:48:

See Post Below-sorry nt

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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Gator says on Apr 26, 2005, 09:49:

What the H _ _ _? Estimated 01.2005

Bogotá: 7.102.600
Cali: 2.392.900
Medellin: 2.000.100
Barranquilla: 1.389.500
Cartagena: 952.100
Bucamaranga: 571.800
Santa Marta: 481.500

06/2003

1 Bogotá DE 6,850,205
2 Cali VAL 2,287,819
3 Medellín ANT 1,955,753
4 Barranquilla ATL 1,329,579
5 Cartagena BOL 902,688
6 Cúcuta NOR 682,671
7 Bucaramanga SAN 553,046
8 Pereira RIS 420,415
9 Ibagué TOL 412,820
10 Santa Marta MAG 406,231
11 Bello ANT 372,857
12 Pasto NAR 365,121
13 Manizales CAL 351,878
14 Neiva HUI 335,248
15 Soledad ATL 326,067
16 Villavicencio MET 305,476
17 Armenia QUI 303,939
18 Soacha CUN 298,138
19 Valledupar CES 292,760
20 Montería COR 264,252

Principal Agglomerations (Like SMA's in the USA)

Departments 06/2003
1 Bogotá DE 7,448,271
2 Medellín ANT 2,958,240
3 Cali VAL 2,401,110
4 Barranquilla ATL 1,751,684
5 Bucaramanga SAN 979,040
6 Cartagena BOL 976,882
7 Cúcuta NOR 814,079
8 Pereira RIS 649,778
9 Armenia QUI 474,313
10 Manizales CAL 451,001

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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Miguel says on Apr 26, 2005, 10:26:

Gracías Gator... You be THE GATOR; thanks again; now we can put that subject to rest.

"There is nothing lower than the human race...except for the French." - Mark Twain 1878-79

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vanwely says on Apr 26, 2005, 12:04:

UtopiaCowboy and Monteria

Utopia -

My Novia is from Monteria and she received her VISA TODAY. I will be going to pick her up soon. Also have read your posts on visajourney.com - Our first experience at the embassy was pretty rotten but today she said it went well and fast.

I agree with you that the resident of Monteria are muy amable but the mosquitos are the size of birds.


Vanwely

Colombia - Tierra Querida

Colombia - Tierra Querida

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utopiacowboy says on Apr 26, 2005, 21:41:

Felicidades, Vanwely! It's a rare gringo who brings home a costena from Monteria, that's for sure! I sent you a PM with my email - please email me - I am curious if your girl knows my wife's family on her mother's side.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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