After browsing through this thread, I find it interesting that RVF members, outside a few (Scotian for instance), don´t go off the beaten path too often. Well, off course for the average tourist Colombia already is something different and places like Barranquila are not exactly tourists destinations, but what I mean is that RVF presence is heavely focused on the largest cities.
I think the reason for this is obvious. Most go for limited time vacations, we don´t have many of the 1 year long backpacker types around here, who have all the time in the world to check out some random places. Nevertheless, it makes me wonder about 2 and third tier city talent in Colombia.
For my part I can say that Popayan is pretty good, decent quality (but less than Cali) and the city center is nice. Pasto I would say is a big city, but definitly to be avoided unless maybe if you want to go see the blancos y negros carnival. The girls are ugly though, indigenous types overall. Ipiales is shit as well, but the cathedral is nice. Worth a day trip if you are in the area. Buenaventura/Tumbaco I haven´t been but I have lived on the other side of the border and it is well known that these are real shitholes with a lot of criminal activity going on. Girls are not bad though if you like darker skin. Still, probably not worth a visit, unless for some out of the ordinary ghetto visits. El bordo is a nice small town, but still too much FARC presence for you to be able to go hike the mountains for instance. People are extremely friendly though and talent is not bad.
Other third tier cities it would be interesting to hear off: Ibague, Sogamoso, Tutunendo, Sincelejo, San Jose de Guaviare, Cucuta, Valledupar, ... Basically if you divide Colombia in East and West with a straight line (Bogota being the center), the whole East side is pretty much undiscovered, mostly because it is jungle area, fairly dangerous, small cities/towns, but who knows it might be cool to visit.
I think the reason for this is obvious. Most go for limited time vacations, we don´t have many of the 1 year long backpacker types around here, who have all the time in the world to check out some random places. Nevertheless, it makes me wonder about 2 and third tier city talent in Colombia.
For my part I can say that Popayan is pretty good, decent quality (but less than Cali) and the city center is nice. Pasto I would say is a big city, but definitly to be avoided unless maybe if you want to go see the blancos y negros carnival. The girls are ugly though, indigenous types overall. Ipiales is shit as well, but the cathedral is nice. Worth a day trip if you are in the area. Buenaventura/Tumbaco I haven´t been but I have lived on the other side of the border and it is well known that these are real shitholes with a lot of criminal activity going on. Girls are not bad though if you like darker skin. Still, probably not worth a visit, unless for some out of the ordinary ghetto visits. El bordo is a nice small town, but still too much FARC presence for you to be able to go hike the mountains for instance. People are extremely friendly though and talent is not bad.
Other third tier cities it would be interesting to hear off: Ibague, Sogamoso, Tutunendo, Sincelejo, San Jose de Guaviare, Cucuta, Valledupar, ... Basically if you divide Colombia in East and West with a straight line (Bogota being the center), the whole East side is pretty much undiscovered, mostly because it is jungle area, fairly dangerous, small cities/towns, but who knows it might be cool to visit.