Are you looking for the next undiscovered travel destination? Here it is — Bahia Solano, on Colombia’s Pacific Coast. After a week spent touring the coastline, I feel I barely scratched the surface. Here are the highlights (and yes, it’s safe):

In This Colombia Article You Will Discover:

Reasons to Travel to Colombia

Whales & Turtles

Regional Eco-Lodges

Colombia is Safe!

Colombia is one of the world’s next Big Travel Destinations. Off-radar for too long, following decades of violence, Colombia is back in a big way — this is illustrated by the nearly two million tourists who visited in 2012. However, hotspots like Cartagena and Bogota hog most of these travellers. If you want to get off-the-beaten-path in an already off-the-beaten-path country, try the Pacific Coast.

I recently spent 10 days in Colombia, most of which was occupied with touring eco-lodges in the Bahia Solano region. It was safe and it was glorious.

Imagine: butterflies so bright they seem to glow; whales flipping their tales and singing (yes, you can hear them!); Olive Ridley turtles locked in a mating embrace; boundless nature preserves exploding with life; empty beaches with temperate seas; remote eco-lodges that welcome you like family; unique cultural experiences; dense rainforests with fascinating endemic species; and so much more.

Scroll through these 12 photos, brush up on your Spanish (seriously) and get ready to chalk up some Travel Cache. It’s time to explore Colombia:

(Click Here For Part Two of my Colombia Photo Essay)

(Click Here to Read About My Adventure In-Depth)

Looking for more of Colombia? Check out my Colombia Travel Video.