BOGOTA, Colombia -- There was a time when few tourists would consider a visit to this South American country, which has earned a reputation as an unsafe destination. But that's beginning to change -- in large part due to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's success in dealing with the various armed groups responsible for many of the country's troubles.

Colombians are once again travelling around their country with more ease, while foreign visitors are venturing beyond popular places such as Cartagena to find all sorts of unique and unusual attractions. Here are just a few:

WEIRD SWIMMING HOLE

One of the most unusual things you can do in Colombia is immerse yourself in a volcano of mud!

Volcan de Lodo El Totumo, 50 km northeast of Cartagena, does not spew lava and ash but lukewarm mud -- a result of the pressure of gases emitted by decaying organic matter underground. Put on your swimsuit, climb to the top via specially built stairs, then descend into the crater. Enjoy the view of surrounding lakes and trees. You may find swimming difficult though. The mud is so thick it's hard to move around. Locals will offer you a massage and help you wash off the grey goo in a lake afterwards.

The rewards of this messy affair? Smooth skin and a good story to tell your friends back home.

"The little hell"

Call it Colombia's version of Stonehenge. The centuries-old Muisca Astronomical Observatory near Villa de Leyva contains about 30 cylindrical stones, measuring about 2 metres in height and arranged in two parallel lines.

For the Indians, it functioned both as a ritual site and a way to determine the seasons and planting time by measuring the length of shadows cast by the stones. The site is also known as "El Infiernito" (literally "the little hell") -- a name given by the Spanish who wanted to steer natives away from their own spiritual beliefs and coax them into worshipping in a church.

UNUSUAL CATHEDRAL

Forget bricks and mortar. The famous cathedral in Zipaquira, 50 km north of Bogota, is made of salt! One of Colombia's top tourist attractions, it features 14 chapels, ceilings that reach 18 metres in height and pillars that are 8 metres in diameter.

The cathedral, built in an area noted for its salt mines, is entirely underground, and can accommodate 8,400 people. Weddings and baptisms take place here along with regular church services. There's even a conference centre separated from the rest of the cathedral by glass doors. The salt cathedral opened in 1995 and can be visited on an organized tour. There's also a salt museum nearby.

Things go better with coca

Among the stalls at the Sunday Usaquen market in north Bogota selling local foods, cakes, fruits, and an array of handmade crafts, is one that advertises te de coca (coca tea).

Turns out there's more to the coca plant than cocaine. On a display table are no fewer than 10 different coca products for sale -- all legal of course. They include cookies, wine, tea, a spray for pain relief, and a beverage in a can called coca sek that looks like a soft drink. A banner lists the many health benefits of coca: Increases energy, lowers cholesterol, acts as antidepressant, alleviates a variety of pain, good for migraines, Parkinson's, asthma, and the list goes on.

SIMON BOLIVAR SLEPT HERE

History, tranquillity, and therapeutic waters are what you'll find at Hacienda Casona del Salitre in Paipa -- the perfect place to stay if you're looking for a relaxing getaway.

For something a little different, spend the night in the Simon Bolivar room. According to a plaque at the entrance to the property, the liberator and his army spent two nights here Aug. 3 and Aug. 4, 1819. Bolivar's room, on the second floor, has a hammock on the balcony and faces a beautiful courtyard with an old eucalyptus tree. The room, like the others here, is colonial in style and has a cozy fireplace. Enjoy an aromatic tea, go horseback riding, swim in the thermal pool, or visit the 200-year-old church on the grounds built by the Jesuits.

Average room rates are about $60 per night -- a bargain for the quality. A five minute drive away are several public thermal pools.

EAT AND PLAY

The first hint of something unusual about La Jugueteria (the Toy Room) restaurant in Bogota begins in the parking lot, where hundreds of dolls and toy trucks are affixed to an exterior wall. Enter via the front door by turning the handle -- a Donald Duck-shaped knob -- which triggers a toy Popeye character to rise up on a string.

Inside, more dolls hang from the rafters, glass cabinets are crammed with model ships and other collectibles, and a toy train chugs along a track above tables where diners enjoy savoury meals to the sound of salsa music.

Quirky? Yes. But the real reason to visit is for the food -- a mainly traditional Colombian menu -- which is delicious! For drinks, try the mora (blackberry with milk). As for the bill, it was delivered inside a colourfully painted wooden box along with two red heart-shaped suckers.

WEIRD EXHIBIT

Some birthday present! Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar was shot and killed on Dece. 2, 1993, the day he would have turned 44. The jacket he wore on that fateful day is now on display behind a glass case at the Museum of Police History in Bogota.

Next to the jacket is a wooden beam stained with Escobar's blood. Also on display is the sophisticated communications system he used -- similar to the technology employed by authorities who spent more than a year trying to capture him.

Escobar's desk, full of secret compartments, is here too. Its maker, we were told, had to be killed, otherwise its design would no longer be a secret. Yikes!

"Some say he (Escobar) could've been president because he gave so much money away," a guide explained. "He even offered to pay down the Colombian debt but the government didn't accept that."