A few winters ago we took a whole month off and went to Colombia. It was right when Jetblue started flying direct to to Cartagena, so flights were cheap. It was my first time in South America, and it was such a revelation to take short flight in the same time zone and land in a completely different culture. We weren't alone in our thinking - that year Colombia blew up as a tourist destination (it actually already begun, hence the Jetblue flight) so our itinerary was more expensive and a little more crowded than we were anticipating. We mixed it up and got off the beaten path, camping when we could, hiking, and taking in some of the amazing cultural attractions in Cartagena, Medellin, Manizales and Bogota. We were hoping to escape the winter this year for another trip south, however travel funds were still low after moving ($$) and our wedding ($$$$). We are hoping to get away next winter - any recommendations?
