Off-Beat Couple's Travel Blog
Planning a trip to Colombia? We spent 1 month backpacking in Colombia and fell in LOVE with this amazing country. It was our favorite South America travel destination! Here’s a super detailed 1 month itinerary for backpacking in Colombia, including Cartagena, Minca, Santa Marta, Parque Tayrona, San Gil, Medellin, Salento, and Bogota.
During our month of backpacking, we slept in a LOT of beds in Colombia, and stayed at at a LOT of different hostels. From cramped party hostels to isolated hilltop retreats, it seemed like no two hostels in Colombia were the same. To make things easier for you, dear reader, we’ve come up with the best list of hostels in Colombia: where to stay, and where NOT to stay!
Tucked away in the Eje Cafetero/coffee region of Colombia lies the little town of Salento. This town has become a major stop for travelers due to its proximity to the famous Valle de Cocora, myriad coffee farms, and stunning views of the area’s rolling green hills. Our experience in Salento was amazing, and one of the major reasons for that was our hostel, La Serrana Hostel and Eco-Farm.
I love coffee. So when we were planning our trip to South America, my first port of call was to visit a Colombian coffee farm in Salento. Having now been there and done that, I can safely say that Colombia coffee is right up there… [read more]
It has officially been 1 month since we took off for South America with only what we could fit in our backpacks. Our first destination? Colombia. We got a lot of weird looks when we told our friends and family we were starting in Colombia; looks that said things like “but you know there’s plenty of coke in San Francisco, right?” Well, friends and family, our month in Colombia was spent coke-free, but we did end up with a lot of questions. Like, why are the coins all random sizes? What’s tranquilo? And what’s with all the honking??
The Valle de Cocora hike in Salento, Colombia is famous for its 200 foot tall wax palms. What people don’t tell you is that the hike also includes a difficult & dangerous uphill trek through deep, thick mud in a rainy cloud forest! Know what to expect. Tips for hiking Valle de Cocora, what to pack for the Valle de Cocora hike, and more information.
![[FLASHBACK] Copenhagen, 2016: 4 months into our year-long honeymoon. #ad Reeling from the disastrous end of our adventures in South America, we graciously accepted tickets home for Thanksgiving. We missed our families. We were exhausted. And we were, for some reason, FIENDING for Cinnamon Toast Crunch. We needed a break, but we fully intended to return to South America and pick up where we left off.
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Instead, we booked a cheap flight to Copenhagen. (Because there is always a cheap flight to Copenhagen, from either coast.)
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2 weeks after leaving summery Santiago, Chile we disembarked into the cold 3PM twilight of Copenhagen, Denmark. Christmas Market season had just begun, and the city was decked in holiday cheer and Hygge. We slipped and slid down icy cobblestone streets with steaming mugs of gluhwein clutched in our gloved hands (logistics spoilers: we stocked up on cold-weather gear on Black Friday. Hayyy!).
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Over the next week, we fell head over heels in love with Copenhagen, with its castles, its canals, its tiny mermaid statue, its Theme Park in the center of the city (the 2nd oldest in the world!), its ridiculously good coffee, its fancy open-faced sandwiches (smørbrød is the OG avo toast, don't @ me), its somewhat random self-governed anarchist commune, even the hordes of Danes on bikes whizzing past us. The culture shock revived our waning excitement for long-term travel, and we've had a deep love for Copenhagen ever since.
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Although we haven't had a chance to return (except for a few connections through the airport, which is always a treat because it is the BEST airport), we're forever eyeing flights to Copenhagen, waiting for the right time to come back. And now that we've got a copy of the @MoonGuides Copenhagen & Beyond book, we've got everything we need to plan our next trip! The guide includes a detailed local's guide to Copenhagen, plus several chapters on day trips from Copenhagen, including our favorite: the fairytale castle that served as the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet.
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Is Copenhagen on your bucket list? (Ahem: IT SHOULD BE) If not, tell us about a trip that was exactly what you needed in the comments below. #travelwithmoon](http://scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/c0.112.900.900a/s640x640/74351742_593890494681783_595532788178232489_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=103&oh=ef94d872ca21b56c65af0db2bdb7d448&oe=5E6C4537 "[FLASHBACK] Copenhagen, 2016: 4 months into our year-long honeymoon. #ad Reeling from the disastrous end of our adventures in South America, we graciously accepted tickets home for Thanksgiving. We missed our families. We were exhausted. And we were, for some reason, FIENDING for Cinnamon Toast Crunch. We needed a break, but we fully intended to return to South America and pick up where we left off.
.
Instead, we booked a cheap flight to Copenhagen. (Because there is always a cheap flight to Copenhagen, from either coast.)
.
2 weeks after leaving summery Santiago, Chile we disembarked into the cold 3PM twilight of Copenhagen, Denmark. Christmas Market season had just begun, and the city was decked in holiday cheer and Hygge. We slipped and slid down icy cobblestone streets with steaming mugs of gluhwein clutched in our gloved hands (logistics spoilers: we stocked up on cold-weather gear on Black Friday. Hayyy!).
.
Over the next week, we fell head over heels in love with Copenhagen, with its castles, its canals, its tiny mermaid statue, its Theme Park in the center of the city (the 2nd oldest in the world!), its ridiculously good coffee, its fancy open-faced sandwiches (smørbrød is the OG avo toast, don't @ me), its somewhat random self-governed anarchist commune, even the hordes of Danes on bikes whizzing past us. The culture shock revived our waning excitement for long-term travel, and we've had a deep love for Copenhagen ever since.
.
Although we haven't had a chance to return (except for a few connections through the airport, which is always a treat because it is the BEST airport), we're forever eyeing flights to Copenhagen, waiting for the right time to come back. And now that we've got a copy of the @MoonGuides Copenhagen & Beyond book, we've got everything we need to plan our next trip! The guide includes a detailed local's guide to Copenhagen, plus several chapters on day trips from Copenhagen, including our favorite: the fairytale castle that served as the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet.
.
Is Copenhagen on your bucket list? (Ahem: IT SHOULD BE) If not, tell us about a trip that was exactly what you needed in the comments below. #travelwithmoon")
