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The secret is out a long time ago: Colombia is growing as a travel destination, and a recent visit shows more gringos visiting than a few weeks before the global pandemic shut everything down. But now travelers are back, and popular hotels, guesthouses and hostels are booking up fast. The influx of visitors has social and environmental risks, but there are ways to visit this amazing country while minimizing your impact, based on a few examples below.
Vegan restaurants are easy to find and plentiful
Colombian food is simple and often bright: protein with starchy sides like rice, plantains, yuca and potatoes (usually fried) as well as salad or vegetables. But for visitors who prefer to avoid animal products, vegan restaurants are becoming an increasingly popular option—and while Happy Cow is always a reliable source for finding these spots, walking through any neighborhood to find a vegan spot should be a matter of minutes. , not hours.
Take Medellin for example. Like many Colombian cities, Mexican food has been a thing for a long time. Walking around El Poblado, long popular with visitors for its jungle scenery, shelters and nightlife, it’s easy to find vegetarian and vegan options, and requests for food to be vegan are often accommodated. El Pablado itself has at least two places that serve vegan tacos: other popular restaurants, like Criminal Taqueria, will adjust their menu items if requested.
Even smaller towns like the lakeside resort of Guatape have vegan options – and you’re more likely to see locals eating in the restaurants too.
More responsible options for transportation
Public transport is always the best option for getting around, especially if you’re going into the city centers of Colombia, Medellin, Bogotá and Cali, even if COVID isn’t your concern, you’ll have to wear a mask. Diesel emissions from older vehicles mean that many of Colombia’s largest cities are tucked away in the mountains, meaning questionable emissions.
Uber says it is doing its part to meet this challenge. You can’t yet book an electric car in Colombia, but the company offers an “Uber Planet” option for drivers in big cities: Uber says it funds the nonprofit Anaconda Carbon by creating carbon bonds with a 2 percent fee. These bonds finance programs to carry out local climate action projects, enhance biodiversity conservation and reduce the environmental impact of illegal activities such as informal gold mining.
If you use Uber, remember that the company has a close relationship with the Colombian government. For a while, Uber was completely banned, but now the service is available now. But no matter who you talk to, Uber is “illegal.” Drivers often put their phones on their laps or close to the stick shift to avoid getting any attention from the police – they also often ask you to sit in front so you don’t get any attention from the police officers or any taxi drivers. Those who object to the service.
Uber’s other options include Diddy and Cabify, which let you book through a smartphone app but also give you the option to pay the driver in cash.
Medellin’s metro is a gem – fast, efficient and clean, and about 3,000 pesos ($0.75) a ride, and includes transfers to most cable cars (gondola lines), allowing you to see amazing views of the city.
Biking is a great way to learn more about Colombia
While we’re on the subject of transportation, a trip to Colombia wouldn’t be complete without experiencing its cities and terrain on two wheels.
One part of the bike’s popularity was when none other than Colombians themselves, Egan Bernal, won the 2019 Tour de France. Bernal was the first Latin American to win the 2,200-mile (3,500 km) race in a race dominated for decades by the Belgians, Spanish, Italians and, yes, the French.
The increase in the popularity of bicycles can be seen in cities such as Bogotá, which has opened new routes to allow citizens to move freely in the city. Bogota, which started years ago Bicycle path It has expanded its program on Sundays to encourage residents to use roads clogged with cars and trucks to travel on Sundays or by bike, and is now airing daily. Depending on the day of the week, the length of streets closed to cars and open to cyclists has increased fivefold. This is on top of the 300-plus miles (500 km) of permanent bike lanes that criss-cross Colombia’s capital.
Medellin and Cali are among Colombian cities that have closed major roads on Sundays for years, in part to combat stubborn air pollution in those urban areas. The success of those car-free days, or Bicycle pathIt has led cities around the world like Los Angeles to start their own version of Street Open Days.
Public library for all
Colombia still has deep social divisions; He testified when he announced the country’s political leftist president in the recent election. The country of more than 52 million people has one of the world’s widest income gaps between rich and poor. However, some local governments are to be commended for tackling the problem. The municipality of Medellin is one of them.
Among the different programs Medellin’s Parks Library (Library Parks) is one of the most innovative strategies for promoting social welfare. In the last ten to fifteen years, most of these libraries have been built in poor neighborhoods where social services are absent or difficult to access. Most of them are architectural gems worth visiting. Residents agree, and the fact that these libraries have a full calendar of educational and kid-friendly events certainly helps boost their popularity.
Visiting national parks, with restrictions
Colombia’s lush biodiversity is one of the reasons why travelers are increasingly making trips to the country to climb one of the few tropical glaciers, visit the lush Pacific coast or explore the country’s mountainous zones and cafes.
But that wave of demand is coupled with the risk of further ecological damage. To this end, local authorities have set limits on how many people can visit these natural wonders, including Los Nevados and Tayrona.
Image credits: Leon Kay
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