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to the same extent as on San Andres. This island, however, is quite a bit pricier, but also more attractive, therefore worth the extra financial expenditure. Activities can be arranged on the island.

While Cartagena and its nearby islands are certainly the most popular, hot vacation spots in Colombia, they are by no means the only ones. In fact, the country offers so many locals for memorable vacationing that it can be hard to keep track of them all. Cartagena is beyond a doubt the most high-lighted and well known, but there are other regions that swing on the same par with the UNESCO city.

On the country's western extreme, the Pacific coast offers the whale-watching island of Gorgona, which was once used as a Colombian prison. This island, referred to as Devil's Island, sits 56 km from the port city of Buenaventura. While the island is inhabited by surreal beauty, the venture required to arrive is recommended only for the truly committed traveler. Flights or buses can be booked from Bogota, or any other major city, to Cali. But the remainder of the journey from Cali to Buenaventura, can only be reached by road.

Once the port city is reached roughly eight hours after departing Cali, a turbulent, 12-hour boat ride must be booked to reach the island. Reservations for accommodations must be made in advance. It is worth looking into, especially during the peak humpback whale season from August to October. This journey will take a traveler to the middle of nowhere, provided that is what you are seeking.

The Amazon Basin is undoubtedly one of the other most popular natural destinations in the country. Located in the southeastern corner of Colombia, bordering with Peru, Ecuador and Brazil, the Amazon is a must see for any nature enthusiast. Flights depart daily from Bogota and arrive to the Colombian city of Leticia in a matter of less than three hours. Reservations for lodging should be made in advance for any number of the small communities resting on the banks of the tributaries that feed the world's largest, freshwater river system. Accommodations from small, basic cabanas to more moderate hotels with modern amenities can be arranged.

Go online and do your homework. Whatever your tastes may be, you will find this excursion to be one of the best experiences of your life. The Colombian portion of the Amazon has managed to avoid the extensive deforestation that has taken place in neighboring Brazil. Small indigenous communities still use small, hand-carved, wooden canoes as their primary form of transportation in the basin. Community visitations, camping and hiking excursions can be arranged by local guides. Getting into the heart of the Amazon is obligatory for any lover of nature.

These constitute just some of the hot vacation spots in Colombia. While there are countless other great places to explore and experience while in Colombia, a traveler can only take on so much during one visit. Decide for yourself what your principle interests are and use the Internet to study up and determine what is best for your schedule. Try not to rush your trip and plan too much, as you can always come back for additional servings of what this spectacular and diverse country has to offer.

One thing is for certain, after you have been here once, the country's infectious power of attraction will leave a visitor wanting to come back for more. But that is not a problem, with safety measures being taken by the government in the past several years, tourism is doubling nearly every year. So, educate yourself to the possibilities that abound in this country, and devise your itinerary around some of the countless, hot vacation spots in Colombia.

Learn more about this author, David A.G. Fischer.
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