Latest News

A diesel tanker washed ashore in Santa Marta during the tropical storms. Photo: Peter Emblin

Tropical storms batter Colombia’s Caribbean coast, flooding tens of thousands of homes

By Richard Emblin - February 4, 2026

Powerful storm surges and weeks of unusually intense rainfall have triggered widespread flooding across Colombia’s Caribbean coast, affecting more than 50,000 families, damaging homes and infrastructure, and placing hundreds of thousands of livestock at risk, authorities said. The floods have hit the Magdalena River basin and large swathes of northern Colombia, forcing beach closures in […]

Why a Strong Peso Is Making a Colombia Vacation More Expensive

By Timothy Langham - January 14, 2026

For much of the past decade, Colombia built a reputation as one of travel’s great value destinations: culturally rich, visually stunning, and refreshingly affordable. A strong U.S. dollar, competitive hotel rates, and inexpensive food and transport helped turn cities like Medellín and Cartagena into global favorites, while smaller destinations thrived on a steady flow of […]

Stain on Hay: Should María Corina Machado Refuse the Literary Festival?

By Richard Emblin - December 17, 2025

For a literary festival, silence can be more revealing than speech. The decision by three writers to withdraw from the 2026 Hay Festival in Cartagena over the presence of María Corina Machado, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the most prominent figure in Venezuela’s democratic opposition, has exposed a paradox at the heart of […]

In separate accidents this month 75 foreigners pulled from open sea near Cartagena

By The City Paper Staff - March 21, 2025

Seventy-five foreign tourists have been rescued in two separate maritime accidents near Cartagena’s Barú Peninsula. A boat carrying 38 Europeans capsized Thursday, following a similar March 2 incident. Authorities cite rough seas and stress stricter maritime safety measures.