Santa Marta is a small and relaxed colonial town by the sea, which was in fact the first one to be founded by the Spanish in 1525. It is a four hour drive east of Cartegena. It also serves as a useful stopover point to reach Tayrona and also the fishing village of Taganga.
Tayrona National Park is a beautiful place. Think deserted and rugged beaches, dotted with big boulders and small rock pools. It is where you can share the jungle-fringed (and dare we say it, romantic) beaches with pelicans, enjoy the gentle Caribbean waters and admire the views with a back drop of snow-capped mountains. The national park continues for 85 kms along the Caribbean coast.
This stunning marine and coastal park offers many great trails and nature walks and on a visit here you will find yourself hiking through the jungle and also on the coast before perhaps stopping at a pristine white beach for a break and for a swim. The enormous variety of flora and fauna on offer here, as well as its rich culture make it a must on any traveller’s list whilst in Columbia.
Also, relatively nearby (and Foreign office advice permitting) you will also be rewarded if you go and find the Cuidad Perdida (The Lost City) which is high up in the mountains - is an ancient centre of a once upon a time great Tayrona culture. It was one of the largest pre-Colombian towns discovered in the Americas and thought to have been built between the 11th and 14th centuries.
As well as full day visits to the lost city and to the wonderful beaches, you may also be interested in walking to Pueblito, which during the Tayrona period was an important centre for trading between the communities of the Sierra and those who lived by the sea. Although only one family live here now, there is plenty of evidence remaining from those who used to live here, for example, you can see the canal system, the aqueduct, a series of stone bridges and stairs which made their way down to the sea.
Eco-habs are set in the heart of the Tayrona National Park and they are round ecologically friendly thatched roof two floor cabins on a stone base inspired by Tayrona Indian culture. There are fourteen eco-habs here. More…
La Ballena Azul in Taganga (ten minutes from Santa Marta) is a family run hotel in a wide mountainous inlet looking out to the sea, perfect for those who are looking for a bit of peace an tranquillity in a Caribbean setting. The hotel is set on the beachfront of this traditional fishing village. More…
