Honeymoon in Quindio: Colombia's Coffee Region

You’ll most likely land in Armenia or Pereira airport, a 30-60 min ride from the Bio Habitat Hotel in Circasia in the afternoon. Take a swim in the pool, eat some food at the restaurant, and enjoy being in the jungle. The rooms at Bio Habitat are made of glass so you’ll be able to enjoy being in nature without being outside.

Breakfast in bed anyone? Order breakfast straight to your suite. Or better yet, if you are staying in the Grand Master Suite, eat your breakfast floating in the infinity pool overlooking the mountains.

Book a couple’s massage/coffee scrub right in the suite. They will start with a coffee scrub all over your body and finish with an hour deep tissue massage. It’s luxurious and romantic - perfect for a honeymoon.

After your massage, ask the concierge to call for transportation to take you to Filandia, a charming town a 30 minute drive from the hotel. It’s a colorful town and some say one of the many towns Encanto is based on. I recommend asking the driver for their phone number, and asking them to come pick you up in a few hours. Agree on a time and place!

Have lunch at Helena’s Adentro, a cute restaurant with an amazing view of the mountains. Try the choripan with Helena’s chorizo and Filandia’s arepas - trust me. After lunch, head right next door for some coffee at Mi Tierra Cafe. Try some coffee from women cafeteras (coffee makers) in Filandia while you enjoy the view!

Wander around Filandia, popping in and out of stores selling coffee, take pictures of the colorful buildings before heading back to your hotel.

Have dinner at the hotel! The Basto Resto Bar does not disappoint. All dishes are made from local, fresh ingredients. Plus some nights they will have DJ’s and its such a lovely ambiance to sit there enjoying the view and night sky.

Spend the day exploring Salento and the Cocora Valley! The Corcora Valley is home to the tallest palm trees in the world set amongst mountains and hills. There are a couple different ways you can do this. If you’d like to take a guided tour of the valley, the concierge can support you in booking a tour guide. Guides will pick you up early in the morning and drive you for about an hour to the valley.

Pro tip: Corcora Valley’s temperature and weather can change in an instant - it can be cold and rainy one minute, and then once you turn the hill it can be sunny and warm. I highly recommend bringing sunscreen, bug repellant, a rain jacket and galoshes if you plan to hike.

If you’d like to make the trip without a tour guide, the concierge can arrange for transportation to pick you up from the hotel and drive you 30 minutes to the main square in Salento. From the main square in Salento, you can take a “Willy”, colorful WD Jeeps that take you straight to the entrance of the valley for about 4000 COP each way. They are supposed to leave every 30 minutes, but usually leave whenever the Jeep is full. Once you arrive at the entrance of Corcora Valley, you can take a guided tour on horseback. The local guides are really knowledgeable of the Valley, sharing the history and stories of how the world’s largest palm trees came to be in this specific part of the world. They will also take you to some of the best views and photo spots! I highly recommend touring the Corcora Valley on horseback (price is determined by how much time you’d like to spend; bring cash and agree on price ahead of tour) especially if you don’t have galoshes or don’t want to hike up mountains. It’s a beautiful hike but keep in mind it can be quite difficult.

After exploring the Corcora Valley, take the Willy jeep back to Salento and spend a little time walking around this cute town. Stop by Cafe Jesus Martin, right off of the main square in Salento. Drink some coffee in their colorful outdoor garden and if you time it right you might be able to participate in one of their coffee tasting sessions. This is also a great place to buy coffee to bring back home. Grab late lunch/dinner at Dona Laurita, a traditional Colombian restaurant with big portions - you’ll be hungry after spending a day hiking in the Corocora Valley.

Spend the evening lounging in the pool, your own private infinity pool or the pool in the hotel’s lobby - perfect way to end a long beautiful day in the Corcora Valley.

A trip to Colombia’s Zona Cafetera wouldn’t be complete without a morning at a coffee farm. You’ll learn all about how coffee is made and even get to pick your own coffee beans. The concierge can arrange for a tour to visit El Recuerdo farm, the best example of sustainable agriculture in the region. Don Carlos’ coffee plantation has more than 200 trees in his coffee crop.

End the day back at the property, spending time visiting the sauna, lounging by the pool, and scheduling a night walk to explore the night ecosystem at Bio Babitat. You might see amphibians, black-headed night monkeys and insects.

Spend your last day really enjoying the property - lounging by the pool, eating delicious food, take a yoga class - before heading out to the airport.