The country is a stunning, delightful, and safe destination again

Despite Hollywood’s obsession with Pablo Escobar (and don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of Narcos and Pedro Pascal), I’m here to tell you that Colombia has emerged from its shadowy past and is a stunning, delightful, and safe travel destination. I had the pleasure of visiting recently to check out the main cities of Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena. I traveled with our local ground operator and was able to experience many of the unique day tours and activities that Global Basecamps can arrange here as part of a custom private tour to Colombia. I also had the opportunity to inspect many hotels and meet our amazing local guides and drivers. It was my first overseas trip post-pandemic and Colombia welcomed me with open arms, a warm heart, and of course, plenty of fresh coffee.

Six Vietnam War Veterans Return to the Country 50 Years After the War's End

It was always going to be an emotional trip. When six men, veterans of the Vietnam War, decided to return to the country almost 50 years after the war’s end, it was bound to stir up difficult memories. They had been members of the Swift Boats, a famed U.S. Navy unit named for the high-speed aluminum boats deployed to patrol the 10,000 square miles of shallow waters of the Mekong Delta, the Ca Mau Peninsula, and other inland waterways of Vietnam. For those not old enough to remember the Swift Boat, check out Wikipedia.org for a refresher.

Temple in Luang Prabang   Photo by Molydar SOUAMA on Unsplash

The country checks all the boxes but also offers many unanticipated pleasures of its own