The Colombian Caribbean

In this post, we'll explore the Colombian Caribbean—the northernmost region of Colombia—on a route that will take us from Santa Marta to Palomino, passing through Taganga and the wonderful Tayrona National Park.

SANTA MARTA

Santa Marta definitely lacks charm. It has a beach that would be a real treat if it weren't for the swarm of ships plaguing its coastline. As if you could go swimming here.
But it's not all bad. It has a beautiful cathedral and one of the liveliest nightlife districts in the world (Parque de los Novios)—though it's perhaps more of a place to eat than to party.

Santa Marta is a great base for exploring what the northern part of the Colombian Caribbean has to offer (excluding Cartagena from this post)

PALOMINO

This small town is a 2-hour bus ride from Santa Marta. While it’s possible to visit as a day trip, it’s best to stay overnight, since there are accommodations to suit every taste (camping, hostels, ecotourism sites…).

The bus costs 9,000 COP$; you get on the bus, and a man goes from passenger to passenger collecting the fare. The driver keeps my change and pretends not to notice so he doesn't have to give it back to me, thinking I'm a gringo. To the amusement of the rest of the passengers, I shout at him (in perfect Spanish) not to “forget” to give me my change. He reluctantly agrees… here, if you don’t run, you’ll get run over.

We're going to Palomino because it has a HUGE beach, even though it's DANGEROUS.

Be very careful about venturing far out to sea, even when the green flag is flying, because you might not make it back….

THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN: TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK

This is the highlight of the Colombian Caribbean and a must-see in this area: wildlife, beaches, camping… it’s wonderful

How do I get there from Santa Marta?

El bus desde Santa Marta cuesta 7.000 COP$ y tarda 1 hora en llegar. Si no vas a acampar es conveniente llegar lo más pronto posible porque si no corres el riesgo de quedarte sin entrada en temporada alta y, además, el Parque cierra a las 17:00 así que si quieres verlo todo toca madrugar (abre a las 7:00-8:00, depende de qué entrada elijas)

The visit

The bus drops you off at the entrance to El Zaino (the most popular entrance, at the eastern end of the park); from there, it’s a 2½-hour brisk walk to the other end of the park that’s open to visitors (Cabo de San Juan de Guía). Along the way, you’ll come across some amazing beaches…

…and wildlife that is no less amazing

Let's check out some of its beaches

The first, Cabo Cañaveral, allows swimming but not overnight stays unless you've rented a bungalow; the next two (Piscinita and Piscina) are the busiest: the first is more sheltered and the current isn’t as strong, while the second is located in a wide bay, and although they’ve installed a breakwater to reduce the current, it’s still dangerous, and you shouldn’t stray too far from the shore. In conclusion, it’s the quintessential Colombian Caribbean atmosphere—perfect for enjoying yourself and relaxing….

For more information, visit this website: https://www.parquetayrona.com/es/

THE COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN: TAGANGA

Travel guides say it’s a backpacker’s paradise, a typical Colombian Caribbean town… well, I don’t know what their idea of heaven is, but personally, it didn’t impress me much: a dirty beach, too many street vendors… I suppose it gets much better at night because there really were a lot of bars.

Taganga is right next to Santa Marta; you can get there by bus in 20 minutes for 1,400 COP$. At the port, you can buy tickets to the surrounding beaches: from Playa Grande for 7,000 COP$ round-trip (the beach isn't anything special) to Playa Cristal for 30,000 COP$ (much better 😊)

Y esto es lo que pude conocer del Caribe en Colombia, sin perjuicio de que hay sitios increíbles todavía por ver como Buritaca o la Quebrada de Valencia (en la carretera entre Santa Marta y Palomino) para el que disponga de tiempo.

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And if you want to know more about Colombia: https://999millas.net/category/paises/colombia/

Texto y fotos : Mike !