Neiva, Colombia in June 2023
The massive semi truck slowly swerved into the opposite lane.
We slowed down and watched as the bulky vehicle smoothly corrected itself.
Inside I thought we were a long way from home.
Hours earlier, before we caught the truck driver texting instead of paying attention, we said goodbye to Neiva. Thankfully there wasn’t an accident and Yesi quickly passed him on the interstate.
That morning, the sun hadn’t peaked its head above the horizon when we packed the car with a week’s worth of belongings. As we drove out of the city of Neiva, the expansive sky gradually brightened. A parade of clouds started to mix with blues and oranges hues.
My girlfriend Yesi was driving. Her mom Piedad was in the backseat. I was in the front passenger seat.
As our silver Nissan cruised out of the city limits and onto the open road, we weren’t on any ordinary car ride.
This was a road-trip to Antioquia.
We’d talked, planned, and made arrangements for months.
Today was the day.
Our car was destined for Antioquia, another of Colombia’s 32 departments or states. Yesi’s best friend Leidy was getting married and we were invited. This would be a trip of many exciting firsts: Our first wedding together as a couple, our longest trip, and the first road-trip for the three of us (Yesi, Piedad, and me). It would also be a long-awaited reunion between three best friends: Leidy, Yesi, and Adriana.
Adriana lives in the US and is another close friend of Yesi and Leidy. She’d be coming to the wedding via a flight to Bogotá then a bus to Honda. We would pick her up in Honda and continue the journey.
The trip itinerary: Neiva to Honda, then two nights in Doradal and four nights in Marinilla. Marinilla is where Carlos, Leidy’s fiancé, is from and also the venue for the wedding.
What’s it like to drive in Colombia?
Until meeting Yesi, I’d never traveled by car in Colombia. After having visited her multiple times I’ve come to realize that overall this country is generally safe. In essence, as long as you don’t keep your valuables in the open (dar papaya) and practice common sense in public space you should be fine. This of course will vary in each city or town.
The road, however, is different story.
Driving in Colombia is nothing short of an adventure. First, you encounter captivating beauty all around you. From majestic mountains, endless farmland, to a brilliantly wide open sky, you will be enthralled with the views. This visual harmony collides with the fact that driving in Colombia at times can feel treacherous.
For one, a large quantity of drivers on the freeway are either semi trucks or shamelessly bold drivers. The trucks moved slowly, often at a snail’s pace. Second, many single-lane stretches and hardly any areas to legally pass slower vehicles make breaking the law was often essential.
This is where the bold drivers come in. Cars will not only pass on a double line, they often would do so on blind turns. Even scarier, truckers will do the same thing. Adding more complexity to the equation are the multitude of motorcycles – in Colombia you will encounter many more than in the US.
Thankfully, Yesi is an excellent driver who is cautious and respects traffic laws. At times we were forced to break the law, not by choice but out of necessity. I would have driven but since nearly all cars in Colombia are manual, including Yesi’s, I wasn’t able to assist. My role was navigator which I was happy to do considering how unfamiliar I was with the style of driving here.
Thankfully, we survived the curves and slow semi’s.
Most of the drive, however, was pleasant with expansive views of beautiful landscapes. Most notably, the the majestic views overlooking the Concorná River. The sites were simply incredible. A big thank you to Yesi for keeping us safe.
Driving time from Neiva to Marinilla
Driving time between Neiva and Marinilla is roughly 8.5 hours. However, we split the trip into two parts. We stayed in Doradal for two nights then completed the second half of the drive to Marinilla. Getting to Doradal, according to Google Maps, takes approximately 6 hours by car. Doradal to Marinilla is around 2.5 hours. One thing to be aware of: Construction. In certain areas, particularly between Honda and Doradal, the roads were even slower due to road maintenance.
Driver’s tip: Be aware that any routes that are close to Bogotá may face moderate to severe delays that Google Maps or Waze won’t pick up. Doradal and Marinilla are northwest of Bogotá, meaning you could encounter delays.
Doradal:
Driving through Puerto Triunfo we entered a smaller municipality called Doradal. This would be our home-base for a couple days. It made you feel like you’ve encountered a sandy beach town and that the ocean was just around the corner. The heat was sweltering and sidewalks bustled with a mixture of tourists and locals.
Scores of people were strolling in swimsuits and water apparel. Besides many street vendors or fast food, there were rows of stores selling inflatables and sunscreen.
Yet the nearest beach was actually hours away.
The crowds of visitors were stocking up on supplies a different main attraction: Hacienda Napoles.
Hacienda Napoles:
The most infamous character in Colombian history, the drug-trafficker Pablo Escobar, built a mansion a few minutes outside of downtown Doradal. By mansion, I mean his house and a massive plot of land (7.7 square miles in size!). Roughly 93 miles outside of Medellin, this estate was purchased in 1978. Not only was it his home, but it was a symbol of his inflated wealth and greed. The original property had a zoo, private airport, bull-fighting ring, and man-made lakes.
After Colombian police killed Escobor, this luxurious property then belonged to the state. In 2007, it reopened to the public as one of the countries’ largest theme parks. It still has a zoo with exotic animals, a Jurassic Park themed attraction, and African Museum, a large water park, and plenty of activities for all ages. There are even hotels and camping options for people to spend the night.
The four of us spent one day at the waterpark and a second day visiting the various museums. We saw countless wildlife and beat the heat by finding as much shade as possible. It was interesting to meet Vanessa, Escobar’s prized hippopotamus who’s still relaxing in her private lake, and the Memorial Museum. As a foreigner with little knowledge of what happened in the 1980’s, the museum did a great job of showing the harsh reality of his influence. In short, he should never be glamorized.
Santorini Colombiano:
As you drive off of the main street in Doradal, the scenery immediately transports you to the Greek island of Santorini. Curiously, it’s debated that either Pablo Escobar built it or that a group of Colombian engineers designed it. Either way, this artsy neighborhood looks nearly equal to the famed Greek island.
We explored the white-painted buildings and took photos in near lush windows with blue frames. Despite its small size, it’s easy to get lost and discover some beautiful passageway that’s prime for a photo. Whether you want a fancy dinner or an affordable ice cream, this peaceful area can inspire all kinds of travelers.
Marinilla:
Northwest of Dorodal by a certain number of hours, we reached our final destination in Marinilla. Medellin is nearby. This was by far the most organized and clean city I’d ever visited in Colombia. We didn’t have time to see much but it left a strong impression on me.
I was amazed with the immense walking path that crossed the city. Alongside were lush parks and scores of people walking, biking, or running. We even encountered a decorative lighthouse (faro). We stayed in a townhouse outside of the city center with impressive views of neighboring farms, rolling hills, and peaceful landscapes.
Food:
Besides the really kind people, the most notable aspect of Antioquia was the food. I learned early on a typical dish in Antioquia is beans. In fact, Carlos’ family said that beans are often part of each meal of the day, even breakfast. Based on how delicious they were, I could see why.
We also tried minced meat and an amazing chicharrón (fried pork belly). All of this was in the same meal. Leidy’s mother-in-law to-be Juanita was the mastermind our delicious dinner. These are typically part of Antioquia’s most famous dish, la bandeja paisa. This consists of red beans, a fried egg, rice, ground beef, sausage, chicharrón, fried plantain, arepa, and avocado. It’s a dish that’s savory and filling – it will make you skip at least one meals afterwards.
Paisa culture:
In Colombia, people from Antioquia are called Paisa’s. As a foreigner, I felt mixed emotions being in this part of Colombia. To say that the people here were generous and welcoming is a large understatement.
Carlos was thoughtful to invite us to his parent’s home. Juanita cooked us the amazing dinner mentioned earlier and on the day of the wedding, his dad Roberto even helped me iron my suit. Carlos and his family had just met us but they offered so much as if we were long-time friends.
Being in this part of Colombia taught me that, similar to the US, that each region has its own unique dialect. In Antioquia the way people speak is almost melodic. It’s a comforting version of Spanish yet also very fast. Compared to folks in Neiva, I had a harder time understanding people on Antioquia.
Colombia is a country of sayings (dichos) and each department (state) has a book’s-worth of their own. You can say something in Neiva that is perfectly normal but in Marinilla it would be very offensive and vice-versa. Being here for the wedding was a great introduction to regional cultures.
Colombian Weddings:
Thank you for reading! Since this post is getting long, I’m going to write about Leidy and Carlos’ wedding in a different post! If you have any questions or have had a similar experience I’d love to hear from you.
The next post will be a continuation of this one! Have a great day.
P.S.
I’m now writing on Medium! If you want more content about traveling, ideas, and life, check it out! Thank you!
There Dan Was 
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