Enjoying the Mud Volcano in Cartagena

Don’t be surprised, there are many people that have never heard of such a thing before but the Cartagena mud Volcano does exist and is a popular tourist attraction for visitors to Cartagena.

Actually it is not really the Cartagena mud Volcano; it is the Totumo Volcano, Cartagena and is situated about 30 miles outside of the city of Cartagena. Still, what’s in a name, the Volcano is there and the mud is there.

Coming to Cartagena in buses Colombia and then going for a visit to this volcano would definitely be a good day out. It has sightseeing, a mud bath, massage (optional), scrub down and a pleasant lunch after a relaxing day.

The day trip from Cartagena will drive you the 30 miles on a gravel road, through the Colombian countryside of swampy lowlands, to the volcano where you will get your first surprise. The volcano is no towering Mount Etna but a 65 foot mound. From the rim though, you can still see some great scenery of beautiful lakes, lagoons and greenery.

You would have been told to put your swimsuits on at the Hotel and so in some wooden huts to the side of the volcano you are asked to strip down to them and leave your belongings in the hut. You are then assisted into the thick, dark gooey mud inside the volcano. Here comes the second surprise, you don’t sink. You sort of float on the top with occasional bubbles passing up past you; a relaxing pleasurable feeling. It is whilst you are in the mud bath that you offered the optional massage.

After a while of relaxing, you are assisted from the mud into a lake of water. Here comes the next surprise. Some women remove your swimsuits under the water and start to scrub them clean. Whilst this is happening your hair nails and everything else are scrubbed clean. The suits are returned to you and you are led back to the hut to collect your belongings.

On the way back to Cartagena, you stop at a fishing village for lunch, all included in your price of the ticket; an amazing $15.

Medellin Nightlife – Nightclubs in Medellin

The nightlife in Medellin is almost legendary and it alone makes Medellin a place worth visiting.

Whether it is Tango, Salsa or even just a night in the theater, Medellin Colombia nightlife has it all. From Thursday at about 10pm the action starts and rarely stops again until Sunday midnight and there really is something for everyone.

The type and number of nightclubs in Medellin is far too large to name here but as a rule of thumb, the Parque Lleras is considered the center of the city and the further from here the club is, the less foreigners will be in the club.

Medellin Nightlife

To emphasis the variety, here is just a sample of what is available: Amama Unica – Belly dancing, Karma – Reggae, Mia VIP Room – Modern Miami Style, Patio del Tango – Tango, GAR Bar – Salsa and there are a wealth of theaters, some often offering free performances.

Medellin, Colombia

Medellin really is a party town. The discos are always crowded and very loud, so loud that conversation is rarely an option but friendly anyway. The Clubs also offer music but will usually have food available and an atmosphere where conversation is possible.

The usual way for travelers to party in Medellin is to take buses en Colombia  and start at one of the clubs where you relax and have something to eat before moving on to one of the Discos for a lively finish.

24/7

Partying really is a way of life in Medellin and so don’t worry if you have just gotten into town and don’t want to wait till Thursday to get in on the action, there are places that are open all the time, for instance wait out till Thursday with:

Sunday – Karma – What could be better to get you partying than a mix of Reggae music and tropical cocktails?

Monday – La Octava – A friendly bar with Rock music, open 365 days of the year.

Tuesday – El Eslabon Prendido – Get to know the feeling of Medellin with live Salsa music.

Wednesday – B Lounge – Be sure to take a girl with you as this is Ladies night here and all male groups may not be allowed in.

If you arrived at the weekend and you made it this far, then you really are ready for the real Medellin nightlife that starts from Thursday.

Is it safe to travel to Colombia?

When talking about Colombia there is always one thing that comes to peoples mind and that is its safety for tourists. So the question that is always asked first is, is it safe to travel to Colombia?

Before anyone can answer this question, they would have to ask where the tourist was thinking of going. I say this because Colombia is a big country; it is three times bigger than Germany, 40% bigger than France, twice as big as Spain, and Britain is just one fifth its size. This means that even if drug cartels are rampant in parts of the country, there is still a lot of country left to see, that is cartel free.

Because of the Basque separatists (ETA), it would be understandable for you to say you will avoid North Western Spain or South Western France but it is unlikely that you would not visit France or Spain because of the ETA.

Colombia is five times bigger than Ecuador, yet Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico and Venezuela all have a higher rate of kidnappings than Colombia. Would you also not visit these countries?

Another question that is often asked is, is Colombia safe to travel in?

The answer to this is, yes it is equally as safe to travel in as anywhere in Latin America; remember though that anywhere in Latin America it is advisable to travel during the day. The major roads, especially the ones between the major cities, are generally safe at any time.

Yes, because of the high drug activity, Colombia can be unsafe for tourists but only in certain areas (red zones) and these areas are in remote locations, mostly along the borders; although crossing the borders via the major road arteries is reasonably safe.

Visiting Colombia’s major cities on a  Colombia bus  or your personal conveyance is no more dangerous than any in Latin America and so take the same precautions and avoid remote locations especially if the locals say not to visit an area or you see a high police presence.