Colombia

By Christopher P. Baker

2012

First Published

3.74

Average Rating

320

Number of Pages

9H46M

Audio Length

Recently considered one of the world's most dangerous places, Colombia has emerged from a long history of violence. Here, in this diamond-shaped tropical nation about the size of California and Texas combined, you can find sweeping rain forests teeming with exotic animals and birds, glistening snows capping the summits of Andean volcanoes, and dozens of colorful indigenous cultures that predate the conquistadores. A cornucopia of natural wonders side by side with sleepy colonial villages and vibrant cosmopolitan cities, Colombia—a country of 46 million people—is a South American giant just awakening to its vast potential. Award-winning travel writer Christopher Baker is a foremost expert on Colombia, and he takes you through the country's vast and varied landscapes with astute guidance, making sure you don't miss the must-do sights, and lesser ones as well. Among the special features are mapped walking tours of Bogotà's old city and historic Cartagena; a mapped driving tour of San Andrès; experiential sidebars on birding, cooking Colombian cuisine, and visiting the emerald mines; insider tips from National Geographic experts; and a hefty Travelwise section that features handpicked hotels and restaurants.

Avg Rating

3.74

Number of Ratings

5 STARS

16%

4 STARS

53%

3 STARS

26%

2 STARS

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

Christopher P. Baker

Author · 9 books

Christopher Paul Baker (born in Yorkshire, England, on 15 June 1955) is a travel writer and photographer currently specializing in the Caribbean and Central America. He is a contributor to magazines and other publications worldwide, and is the author of travel guidebooks (for publishers such as Lonely Planet and Moon Publications) and a literary travelog. Baker was educated at Rastrick Grammar School, in Brighouse, Yorkshire. In 1976 he received a BA (Honours) in Geography from University College London, during which time he participated in a university exchange program at Krakow, Poland; and in two Sahara research expeditions. The following year he attended the graduate Centre for Latin American Studies, at the University of Liverpool, where he received a Masters. He returned to the University of London, received a teaching diploma from the Institute of Education in 1978, and spent brief periods teaching at schools in London between periods of travel in Europe and North America. His first travel article appeared in the Brighouse Echo as dispatches from the United States. The Lowell Thomas Award 2008 ‘Travel Journalist of the Year,' Christopher P. Baker is one of the world's foremost authorities on Costa Rica and Cuba. He has authored and photographed guidebooks to Costa Rica, Cuba, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Panama in the National Geographic Traveler series, as well as five other guidebooks on Costa Rica and Panama, plus the Costa Rica Pura Vida! travel app. He is also the author of the award-winning Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro's Cuba, published by National Geographic Adventure Press. His more than 20 other books include the coffee-table book Cuba Classics: A Celebration of Vintage American Automobiles. He has also written and photographed for more than 200 publications, from National Geographic Traveler to Newsweek, and has given talks about Cuba at National Geographic headquarters, the National Press Club, and the World Affairs Council, among other prestigious organizations. Christopher has been profiled in USA Today and featured on the National Geographic Channel, NPR, and dozens of other radio and TV outlets.