Caribbean Coast
Cartagena & Around
Cartagena
Islas del Rosario
Playa Blanca
Volcán de Lodo El Totumo
Northeast of Cartagena
Santa Marta
Minca
Taganga
Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona
Palomino
Ciudad Perdida
La Guajira Peninsula
Riohacha
Cabo de la Vela
Punta Gallinas
Valledupar
Southeast of Cartagena
Mompós
Southwest of Cartagena
Tolú
Islas de San Bernardo
Turbo
Capurganá & Sapzurro
Caribbean Coast
Why Go?
Sun-soaked and stewed in culture, Colombia’s dramatic Caribbean coastline is its dazzling crown, capping the country with myriad ecosystems, from the dense jungles of the Darién Gap on the border with Panama, to the hauntingly atmospheric desert of La Guajira near Venezuela.
The crown jewel along the coast is Cartagena, a colonial city with a beauty and romance that’s unrivaled anywhere in Colombia, despite the enormous numbers of visitors it attracts. A yet undiscovered version can be enjoyed by journeying inland to find gorgeously isolated colonial Mompós, a sleepy hamlet lost in the jungle whose star is truly in the ascendant. Other attractions are more natural: the Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Tayrona, a wonderful stretch of perfect beach and virgin rainforest, and the thrilling and arduous Ciudad Perdida (Lost City) trek, which will satisfy adventurers wanting to discover the remnants of an ancient civilization against a stunning mountain backdrop.
When to Go
- Dec & Jan The beaches are at their best at Christmas as the humidity drops.
- Feb–April The dry season means that you’ll rarely have your day interrupted by a downpour.
- Sep & Oct Prices are at their lowest and you’ll have many places to yourself.
Best Places to Stay
Highlights
1 Cartagena Soaking up the history as you stroll the colorful colonial streets of this unforgettable Spanish-fortress city.
2 Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Tayrona Beach-hopping through the magical coves of this coastal national park.
3 Ciudad Perdida Trekking through thick Colombian jungle to the mysterious pre-Columbian capital of the Tayrona people.
4 Mompós Discovering the region’s most charming colonial town and site of a tourism boom.
5 Minca Escaping the heat of the coast in this mountain refuge and chilled-out backpacker haunt.
6 Punta Gallinas Traversing the feral seaside desertscape of La Guajira Peninsula to the stunning sand-dune beaches of its northern tip.
7 Capurganá and Sapzurro Straddling the Colombia–Panama border in the tranquil villages and excellent beaches around the Darién Gap.
Cartagena & Around
This dramatic and historic slice of Colombia’s Caribbean coast is centered on the fabulous colonial city of Cartagena, whose raw beauty, superb food, thumping nightlife and historical significance bring a steady stream of visitors year-round. Capital of the Bolívar department, Cartagena is by far the biggest attraction in this area of Colombia, and rightly so: few in number are those who are underwhelmed by this gritty, romantic and thoroughly Colombian place. Around Cartagena is a slew of worthwhile day trips, including the lovely Islas del Rosario, the curious Volcán de Lodo El Totumo and the fabulous stretch of white sand that is Playa Blanca. You won’t ever find yourself off the beaten path here, but you’ll quickly understand just why so many people find Cartagena and its surroundings so alluring.
Cartagena
%5 / Pop 971,500 / Elev 2m
Cartagena de Indias is the undisputed queen of the Caribbean coast, a fairy-tale city of romance, legends and superbly preserved beauty lying within an impressive 13km of centuries-old colonial stone walls. Cartagena’s Old Town is a Unesco World Heritage site – a maze of cobbled alleys, balconies covered in bougainvillea, and massive churches that cast their shadows across leafy plazas.
This is a place to drop all sightseeing routines. Instead of trying to tick off all the sights, just stroll through the Old Town day and night. Soak up the sensual atmosphere, pausing to ward off the brutal heat and humidity in one of the city’s many excellent bars and restaurants.
Holding its own against Brazil’s Ouro Preto and Peru’s Cuzco for the continent’s most enthralling and impressively preserved colonial city, Cartagena is hard to walk away from – it seizes you in its aged clutches and refuses to let go.
History
Cartagena was founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia on the site of the Carib settlement of Calamari. It quickly grew into a rich town, but in 1552 an extensive fire destroyed a large number of its wooden buildings. Since that time, only stone, brick and tile have been permitted as building materials.
Within a short time the town blossomed into the main Spanish port on the Caribbean coast and the major northern gateway to South America. It came to be the storehouse for the treasure plundered from the local population until the galleons could ship it back to Spain. As such, it became a tempting target for buccaneers operating on the Caribbean Sea.
In the 16th century alone, Cartagena suffered five sieges by pirates, the most famous (or infamous) of which was led by Sir Francis Drake. He sacked the port in 1586 and ‘mercifully’ agreed not to level the town once he was presented with a huge ransom of 10 million pesos, which he shipped back to England.
It was in response to pirate attacks that the Spaniards built up a series of forts around the town, saving it from subsequent sieges, particularly from the biggest attack of all, led by Edward Vernon in 1741. Blas de Lezo, a Spanish officer who had already lost an arm, a leg and an eye in previous battles, commanded the successful defense. With only 2500 poorly trained and ill-equipped men, don Blas managed to fend off 25,000 English soldiers and their fleet of 186 ships. The Spaniard lost his other leg in the fighting and died soon after, but he is now regarded as the savior of Cartagena. You can see his statue outside the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas.
In spite of the high price it had to pay for the pirate attacks, Cartagena continued to flourish. The Canal del Dique, constructed in 1650 to connect Cartagena Bay with the Río Magdalena, made the town the main gateway for ships heading to ports upriver, and a large part of the merchandise shipped inland passed through Cartagena. During the colonial period, Cartagena was the most important bastion of the Spanish overseas empire and influenced much of Colombia’s history.
The indomitable spirit of the inhabitants was rekindled again at the time of the independence movement. Cartagena was one of the first towns to proclaim independence from Spain, early in 1810, which prompted Bogotá and other cities to do the same. The declaration was signed on November 11, 1811, but the city paid dearly for it. In 1815, Spanish forces under Pablo Morillo were sent to reconquer and ‘pacify’ the town and took it after a four-month siege. More than 6000 inhabitants died of starvation and disease.
In August 1819, Simón Bolívar’s troops defeated the Spaniards at Boyacá, bringing freedom to Bogotá. However, Cartagena had to wait until October 1821 for liberation, when the patriot forces eventually took the city by sea. It was Bolívar who gave Cartagena its well-deserved name of ‘La Heroica,’ the Heroic City.
Cartagena began to recover and was once again an important trading and shipping center. The city’s prosperity attracted foreign immigrants, and many Jews, Italians, French, Turks, Lebanese and Syrians settled here. Today their descendants own many businesses, including hotels and restaurants.
Cartagena Old Town
1Top Sights
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
1Sights
1Old Town
Without a doubt, Cartagena’s old city is its principal attraction, particularly the inner walled town consisting of the historical districts of El Centro and San Diego. El Centro in the west was traditionally home to the upper classes, and San Diego in the northeast was previously occupied by the middle classes. Both sections of the Old Town are packed with perfectly preserved colonial churches, monasteries, plazas, palaces and mansions, with balconies and shady patios that overflow with brightly colored flowers.
Getsemaní, the outer walled town, is less obviously impressive with its modest architecture, but as it’s far more residential and less sanitized, it offers plenty of atmosphere and is well worth exploring. In recent years it has become the home of backpackers in the city, and gentrification has come astonishingly quickly – the area is full of trendy restaurants, packed cocktail bars and salsa clubs, and almost as many boutique hotels as the inner walled town. A beautiful walkway, the Muelle Turístico de los Pegasos, links Getsemaní with the Old Town.
The Old Town is surrounded by Las Murallas map Google map, the thick walls built to protect the town against enemies. Construction began towards the end of the 16th century, after the attack by Francis Drake; until that time Cartagena was almost completely unprotected. The project took two centuries to complete due to repeated damage from both storms and pirate attacks. It was finally finished in 1796, just 25 years before the Spaniards were eventually expelled.
oPalacio de la InquisiciónMUSEUM
(map Google map; Plaza de Bolívar; adult/child COP$19,000/16,000; 
h9am-6pm)
The Palace of the Inquisition may today be one of the finest buildings in the city, but in the past it housed the notoriously grisly Inquisition, whose bloody task it was to stamp out heresy in colonial Cartagena. The palace is today a museum, displaying the Inquisitors’ gnarly instruments of torture, some of which are quite horrific. The museum also houses pre-Columbian pottery and historical objects dating from both colonial and independence times, including arms, paintings, furniture and church bells.
Although the site was the seat of the Punishment Tribunal of the Holy Office from 1610, the palace wasn’t completed until 1776. It is a good example of late-colonial architecture, noted particularly for its baroque stone gateway topped by the Spanish coat of arms, and the long balconies on the facade.
On the side wall, just around the corner from the entrance, you’ll find a small window with a cross on top. Heretics were denounced here, and the Holy Office would then instigate proceedings. The principal ‘crimes’ were magic, witchcraft and blasphemy. When culprits were found guilty, they were sentenced to death in a public auto-da-fé (execution of heretics, often by burning them at the stake). Five autos-da-fé took place during the Inquisition until independence in 1821. About 800 folk were condemned to death and executed. The Inquisition did not judge the indigenous people.
A good model of Cartagena from the beginning of the 19th century and an interesting collection of old maps of the Nuevo Reino de Granada from various periods are also on display. There are some English translations, but guides (COP$40,000 in English) are available for a fuller experience. Go in a group if you can: these prices count for up to five people.
Convento & Iglesia de San Pedro ClaverMUSEUM
(map Google map; %5-664-4991; Plaza de San Pedro Claver; adult/child COP$12,000/8000; h8am-8pm)
Founded by Jesuits in the first half of the 17th century as Convento San Ignacio de Loyola, this convent’s name was later changed in honor of Spanish-born monk Pedro Claver (1580–1654), who lived and died here. Called the ‘Apostle of the Blacks’ or the ‘Slave of the Slaves,’ the monk spent all his life ministering to the enslaved people brought from Africa. In 1888 he was the first person to be canonized in the New World.
The convent is a monumental three-story building surrounding a tree-filled courtyard, and much of it is open as a museum. Exhibits include religious art and pre-Columbian ceramics; a section devoted to Afro-Caribbean contemporary pieces includes wonderful Haitian paintings and African masks.
You can visit the cell where San Pedro Claver lived and died in the convent, and also climb a narrow staircase to the choir loft of the adjacent church. Should you need one, guides (COP$35,000 in English for a group of up to seven) are available at the ticket office. Completed in the first half of the 18th century, the Iglesia de San Pedro Claver has an imposing stone facade, and inside there are fine stained-glass windows and a high altar made of Italian marble. The remains of San Pedro Claver are kept in a glass coffin in the altar. His skull is visible, making it an altar with a difference.
Plaza de BolívarPLAZA
map Google map; Formerly the Plaza de Inquisición, this leafy and shaded plaza is surrounded by some of the city’s most elegant balconied colonial buildings. It’s one of Cartagena’s most alluring plazas and offers wonderful respite from the Caribbean heat. A statue of the eponymous Simón Bolívar stands in the middle of the plaza.
Museo del Oro ZenúMUSEUM
(map Google map; Plaza de Bolívar; h9am-5pm Tue-Sat, 10am-3pm Sun) 
F
This museum is like a miniature version of Bogotá’s world-class gold museum, Museum del Oro. Though small, it offers a fascinating collection of the gold and pottery of the Zenú (also known as Sinú) people, who inhabited the region of the present-day departments of Bolívar, Córdoba, Sucre and northern Antioquia before the Spanish Conquest. Some pieces are exquisitely detailed.
Should you be heading to Bogotá, this gold museum offers just a taste of the bigger and grander one there. It’s also a superb spot to cool right down as the air-con is set to arctic levels.
Iglesia de Santo DomingoCHURCH
(map Google map; Plaza de Santo Domingo; adult/child COP$12,000/8000; h9am-7pm Tue-Sat, noon-8pm Sun)
Santo Domingo is reputedly the oldest church in the city. It was originally built in 1539 in Plaza de los Coches, but the original building succumbed to fire and was rebuilt in its present location in 1552. Builders gave it a particularly wide central nave and covered it with a heavy roof, but it seems they were not too good at their calculations as the vault began to crack afterwards.
Massive buttresses had to be added to the walls to support the structure and prevent it from collapsing. The builders also had problems with the bell tower, which is distinctly crooked.
The interior is spacious and lofty. The figure of Christ carved in wood is set in the baroque altar at the head of the right-hand aisle. The floor in front of the high altar and in the two aisles is paved with old tombstones dating mostly from the 19th century.
The church was previously only open during Mass, but you can now take a 20-minute self-guided audio tour, offered in most European languages.
Puerta del RelojGATE
map Google map; Originally called the Boca del Puente, this was the main gateway to the inner walled town and was linked to Getsemaní by a drawbridge over the moat. The side arches of the gate, which are now open as walkways, were previously used as a chapel and armory. The republican-style tower, complete with a four-sided clock, was added in 1888.
Plaza de los CochesPLAZA
map Google map; Previously known as Plaza de la Yerba, the triangular plaza just behind Puerta del Reloj was once used as a market for enslaved people. It is lined with old balconied houses with colonial arches at ground level. The arcaded walkway, known as El Portal de los Dulces, is today lined with confectionery stands selling local sweets. The statue of the city’s founder, Pedro de Heredia, is in the middle of the plaza.
Plaza de la AduanaPLAZA
map Google map; This is the largest and oldest square in the Old Town and was used as a parade ground. In colonial times, all the important governmental and administrative buildings were here. The old Royal Customs House was restored and is now the City Hall. A statue of Christopher Columbus stands in the center of the square.
Museo de Arte ModernoMUSEUM
(map Google map; Museum of Modern Art; Plaza de San Pedro Claver; adult/child COP$8000/4000; h9am-noon & 3-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1pm Sat, 4-9pm Sun)
The Museum of Modern Art is a perfectly sized museum, housed in a beautifully converted part of the 17th-century former Royal Customs House. It presents rotating exhibitions from its own collection, including works by Alejandro Obregón, one of Colombia’s most remarkable painters, who was born in Cartagena, and Enrique Grau, another local painter who left a legacy to the museum on his death. There’s also a range of sculpture, abstract art and temporary exhibitions.
Museo Naval del CaribeMUSEUM
(map Google map; Calle San Juan de Dios No 3-62; COP$16,000; h9am-5pm)
Opened in 1992 on the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in the New World, the Naval Museum occupies a great colonial building, which was once a Jesuit college. It features, for the most part, a grand collection of reconstructed cityscapes and boat models from throughout the centuries, but woefully lacks much in the way of actual artifacts (although there are some nice torpedoes).
CatedralCHURCH
(map Google map; Calle de los Santos de Piedra)
Work on Cartagena’s cathedral began in 1575, but in 1586, while still under construction, it was partially destroyed by the cannons of Francis Drake, and was not completed until 1612. Alterations were made between 1912 and 1923 by the first archbishop of Cartagena, who covered the church with stucco and painted it to look like marble. The cathedral was once again closed for a major renovations in 2017, and should look superb when it reopens in 2019.
Iglesia de Santo Toribio de MogrovejoCHURCH
(map Google map; Calle del Curato, San Diego; h10am-10pm)
Erected between 1666 and 1732, this gorgeous church received a full renovation in 2015. Its ceiling is covered with Mudejar paneling, while its pink-and-gold baroque altar is the only one of its kind in Cartagena. During Vernon’s attack on the city in 1741, a cannonball was fired through a window into the church during mass, but miraculously nobody was killed. The offending cannonball is now displayed in a glass box on the left wall.
Casa de Rafael NúñezMUSEUM
(map Google map; h9am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun) F
This charming mansion, just outside the walls of Las Bóvedas, was the home of the former president, lawyer and poet Rafael Núñez. He wrote the words of Colombia’s national anthem and was one of the authors of the constitution of 1886, which was in use (with some later changes) until 1991. The beautiful white-and-green wooden mansion is now a museum featuring some of Núñez’s documents and personal possessions.
It’s hard not to envy his lovely outdoor covered dining room or the huge walk-out balcony. The chapel opposite the house, known as the Ermita del Cabrero, holds his ashes.
Monumento a la India CatalinaSTATUE
map Google map; The monument at the main entrance to the Old Town from the mainland is a tribute to the Carib people, the group that inhabited this land before the Spanish Conquest. The lovely bronze statue depicts Catalina, a beautiful Carib woman who served as interpreter to Pedro de Heredia upon the arrival of the Spaniards. The statue was forged in 1974 by Eladio Gil, a Spanish sculptor living in Cartagena.
1Spanish Forts
Cartagena’s old city is a fortress in itself, yet there are several more fortifications built at strategic points outside the city, many of which are worth visiting. The most famous of these is, of course, the massive Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, which looms over the city and is perhaps the most impressive colonial fortress in South America. Other less-known fortresses are worth visiting for history buffs, but always check the latest safety information with your hotel or a travel agency, as some remote fortresses may not be safe for you to visit alone.
oCastillo de San Felipe de BarajasFORTRESS
(Av Arévalo; adult/child COP$25,000/10,500; h8am-6pm)
This is the greatest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies and it still dominates an entire section of Cartagena’s cityscape today. It should definitely be your first choice of fortresses to visit. The original fort was commissioned in 1630 and was quite small. Construction began in 1657 on top of the 40m-high San Lázaro hill. In 1762 an extensive enlargement was undertaken, which resulted in the entire hill being covered over with this powerful bastion.
It was truly impregnable and was never taken, despite numerous attempts to storm it. A complex system of tunnels connected strategic points of the fortress to distribute provisions and to facilitate evacuation. The tunnels were constructed in such a way that any noise reverberated all the way along them, making it possible to hear the slightest sound of the approaching enemy’s feet, and making it easy for internal communication.
Some of the tunnels are lit and are open to visitors – an eerie walk not to be missed. Take an audio tour (COP$10,000 in English) if you want to learn more about the curious inventions of Antonio de Arévalo, the military engineer who directed the construction of the fortress.
The fortress is a short walk over the bridge from Getsemaní.
1Convento de la Popa
Convento de la PopaCHURCH
(adult/child COP$11,000/8000; h8am-6pm)
On a 150m-high hill, the highest point in Cartagena, stands this convent. The views from here are outstanding and stretch all over the city. The convent’s name literally means the Convent of the Stern, after the hill’s apparent similarity to a ship’s back end. Founded by the Augustine fathers in 1607, it was initially just a small wooden chapel that was later replaced by a stouter construction when the hill was fortified two centuries later.
A beautiful image of La Virgen de la Candelaria, the patroness of the city, is in the convent’s chapel, and there’s a charming flower-filled patio. There is also a chilling statue of a speared Padre Alonso García de Paredes, a priest who was murdered along with five Spanish soldiers for trying to convert indigenous peoples to Christianity.
There is a zigzagging access road leading up to the convent (no public transportation) and paths cutting the bends of the road. It takes 30 minutes to walk to the top, but it’s not recommended for safety and climatic reasons – walking up would be equivalent to a trek in the desert! Take a cab and expect to pay up to COP$50,000. Haggle politely but insistently and you might get it for half that.
1Mercado Bazurto
Mercado BazurtoMARKET
(Av Pedro de Heredia; h24hr)
For adventurous souls only, Cartagena’s labyrinthine central market is both dirty and enthralling, an all-out assault on your senses. If it’s marketable, it’s for sale here: there are endless stalls of fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, and plenty of options to grab a quick bite or juice up on a chilled beverage. Don’t wear flashy jewelry and pay close attention to your belongings. Grab a taxi (COP$7000 from the Old Town) and explore away.
2Activities
Cartagena has grown into an important scuba-diving center, taking advantage of the extensive coral reefs along its coast. La Boquilla, just outside town, is also popular for kitesurfing.
Diving PlanetDIVING
(map Google map; %320-230-1515, 310-657-4926; www.divingplanet.org; Calle Estanco del Aguardiente No 5-09)
This five-star PADI diving school offers two-tank dives in the Islas del Rosario including transportation, equipment, lunch and instructors for COP$400,000. Discounts of 10% are available if you book online.
Kitesurf ColombiaKITESURFING
(%311-410-8883; www.kitesurfcolombia.com; Carrera 9, behind Edificio Los Morros 922, Cielo Mar)
This kitesurfing school is located beyond the airport, off the main road to Barranquilla. It also offers windsurfing, surfing, kayaking and other activities from its beachside premises.
SicoCYCLING
(map Google map; %300-339-1728; www.sicobikerental.com; Calle Puntales 37-09, San Diego; h9am-10pm)
CCourses
Centro Catalina Spanish SchoolLANGUAGE
(map Google map; %310-761-2157; www.centrocatalina.com; Calle de los 7 Infantes No 9-21)
This recommended Spanish school has an enviable location right in the heart of the walled city. It offers a range of courses; a one-week course with 20 hours’ tuition starts at US$239 plus a US$60 enrollment fee. Accommodations can also be arranged and a whole slew of activities is available.
Nueva LenguaLANGUAGE
(map Google map; %315-8559-551, 1-813-8674; www.nuevalengua.com; Callejón Ancho No 10b-52, Getsemaní)
Language courses at this casual but friendly school start for as little as US$185 per week for 20 hours of instruction. This tariff includes one hour’s cooking class per week, to help you improve more than just your Spanish skills.
zFestivals & Events
Hay Festival CartagenaART
(www.hayfestival.com; hJan)
The Colombian version of the acclaimed literature-and-arts festival takes place in January over a four-day period, and includes invited international luminaries giving talks and readings.
Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de la CandelariaPROCESSION
(hFeb 2)
On the day of Cartagena’s patron saint, a solemn procession is held at the Convento de la Popa during which the faithful carry lit candles. Celebrations, the so-called Novenas, begin nine days earlier, when pilgrims flock to the convent.
4Sleeping
Cartagena has a huge choice of places to sleep, though you’ll pay dearly for anything above a hostel or a very simple mid-range hotel, sadly. Catering to wealthy Colombian and US weekenders, the top end is truly stratospheric, and there is now an enormous number of beautifully restored boutique colonial options to choose from. Getsemaní is the main place to find budget accommodations, especially on Calle de la Media Luna.
El Genovés HostalHOSTEL$
(map Google map; %5-646-0972; www.elgenoveshostal.com; Calle Cochera del Hobo No 38-27, San Diego; dm COP40,000-49,000, r from COP$160,000, all incl breakfast; 
a
W
s)
This charming, colorful place has several dorms as well as a number of private double and triple rooms with their own bathroom. The hostel surrounds a welcome plunge pool and is topped off with a small roof terrace. There’s also a full communal kitchen.
Mama Waldy HostelHOSTEL$
(map Google map; %5-645-6805, 300-696-9970; mamawaldyhostel@gmail.com; Calle La Sierpe No 29-03, Getsemaní; incl breakfast dm with/without air-con COP$30,000/40,000, d COP$120,000; aW)
This popular and pleasant hostel in a converted colonial house is a great place to enjoy Cartagena from a chilled and friendly Getsemaní perch. All dorms have their own bathrooms, while private rooms are rather small and a big step up price-wise. Breakfast is included for all guests except on Sundays, when you’ll need to forage up your own.
Hostel MamallenaHOSTEL$
(map Google map; %5-670-0499, 5-660-9969; www.mamallena.travel; Calle de la Media Luna No 10-47, Getsemaní; dm/d/tr/q incl breakfast COP$40,000/120,000/160,000/200,000; W)
This clean and simple Getsemaní establishment has well looked-after rooms surrounding at prettily painted courtyard. The staff speaks English, can arrange tours and buses in Colombia and boats to San Blas and Panama. Laundry is available, lockers are backpack sized and there’s cheap and decent food and drink available on site.
oFriends To BeBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(map Google map; %5-660-6486; www.casadelmangocartagena.com; Calle del Espíritu Santo No 29-101, Getsemaní; dm COP$40,000, s/d incl breakfast COP$160,000/180,000; aWs)
One of Getsemaní’s best midrange deals, this charming place is a beautifully rustic wooden creation within the walls of a colonial mansion. The most impressive rooms are the two at the front of the house, both of which are spread over two floors, and one of which has a private roof terrace and sleeps four. There’s a tiny pool.
oCasa Villa ColonialHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %5-664-5421; www.casavillacolonial.co; Calle de la Media Luna No 10-89, Getsemaní; s/d/tr incl breakfast COP$130,000/220,000/250,000; aW)
Despite steadily rising prices in Getsemaní, room rates here remain reasonable and you’ll get four-star personal service, beautiful communal areas with comfortable sofas, and silent air-con for your money. The best rooms have small balconies onto the courtyard, and there’s a small kitchen for guest use and endless great coffee.
Hotel Don Pedro de HerediaHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %5-664-7270; www.hoteldonpedrodeheredia.com; Calle Primera de Badillo No 35-74; r incl breakfast from COP$235,000; aWs)
An excellent choice if you want somewhere in the Old Town with more than a whiff of history about it, but can’t afford the truly sumptuous boutique-luxury experience that most places in this area offer. The Don Pedro represents great value for money, and included is a good breakfast on the breezy rooftop restaurant.
El Viajero CartagenaHOSTEL$$
(map Google map; %5-660-2598; www.elviajerohostels.com; Calle de los 7 Infantes No 9-45; incl breakfast dm COP$45,000–55,000, d COP$180,000, s/d without bathroom COP$100,000/195,000; aW)
This massive backpacker blockbuster is both the most centrally located and one of the most social hostels in the city. All rooms have air-con – an absolute dream in this heat and at this price. The beds are firm, the kitchen is well organized and spotless, and there’s a very friendly, social vibe in the lovely open courtyard.
Media Luna HostelHOSTEL$$
(map Google map; %5-664-3423; www.medialunahostel.com; Calle de la Media Luna No 10-46,, Getsemaní; dm/r incl breakfast COP$37,500/COP$107,000; a
iWs)
This boutique hostel with a grand colonial feel is undoubtedly the hub of the backpacking scene in Getsemaní. It is centered on its big courtyard, pool table and roof terrace, which is frequently host to big parties. Rooms are clean and well kept, with crisp linens and good mattresses. Look no further if you want to party in Getsemaní.
Hostal Santo DomingoHOSTEL$$
(map Google map; %5-664-2268; hsantodomingopiret@yahoo.es; Calle Santo Domingo No 33-46, El Centro; s/d/tr incl breakfast COP$110,000/150,000/180,000; aW)
Walk through a handicrafts shop to get to this friendly little place. If it were located in Getsemaní, it could only charge half this much for what is simple accommodations, but it’s on a beautiful street in the old town and is steps away from some of the most beautiful buildings in Latin America.
oHotel Casa San AgustinLUXURY HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %5-681-0621; www.hotelcasasanagustin.com; Calle de la Universidad; r incl breakfast from COP$1,130,000; aWs)
Firmly established as Cartagena’s finest hotel, the Casa San Agustin enjoys a central location that would be wonderful for any establishment. However, it’s the unique building (through which the city’s former aqueduct cuts over an angular swimming pool) that creates such an unusual and atmospheric space, not to mention its superengaged and polite staff and club-like atmosphere.
Overflowing with formal, old-world fittings, such as its dazzling library, the hotel has unsurprisingly palatial rooms, including tiled marble bathrooms that heave with designer goodies and all of which boast a rain shower. In-room iPads, huge balconies and heavy wooden canopy beds complete the scene.
oBantúHOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %5-664-3362; www.bantuhotel.com; Calle de la Tablada No 7-62, San Diego; s/d incl breakfast from COP$480,000/539,000; aiWs)
Two wonderfully restored 15th-century homes make up this lovely 28-room, open-air boutique hotel, rife with exposed-brick archways, original stone walls and lush vegetation. Smartly appointed rooms are full of local artistic touches that blend sympathetically with the old building. There is also a rooftop pool, as well as a musical fountain and a swing hanging from the towering courtyard mango tree.
Hotel MonterreyHISTORIC HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %5-650-3030, 318-695-1837; www.hotelmonterrey.com.co; Av del Mercardo No 25-100; s/d incl breakfast COP$320,000/330,000; aWs)
With magnificent views of the walled city, Hotel Monterrey is perfectly located with Getsemaní on one side and El Centro on the other. Rooms are spacious, with high ceilings, comfortable beds and impressive furnishings. Breakfast is particularly good, though it’s also hard to beat an evening cocktail on the rooftop.
San Pedro Hotel SpaBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %5-664-5800; www.sanpedrohotelspa.com.co; Calle San Pedro Mártir No 10-85; r incl breakfast from COP$560,000; aWs)
A wonderful colonial mansion conversion, the San Pedro offers rooms full of antiques, a gorgeous roof terrace with a Jacuzzi as well as a small pool in the courtyard. Perhaps its most unique feature is a superb shared kitchen where you can live out your Masterchef fantasies. Your not inconsiderable nightly rate includes a free hand massage.
Casa CanabalBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %5-660-0666; www.casacanabalhotel.com; Calle Tripita y Media No 31-39, Getsemaní; r incl breakfast from COP$330,000; aWs)
Luxury without absurd cost can be found at this Getsemaní bolthole where sleek design combines with old-world care from attentive staff. Beautiful, minimalist rooms come with high ceilings, lots of wood and stylish bathrooms. The highlight is definitely the wonderful roof terrace, complete with bar, pool and spa (with a free welcome massage for each guest, naturally).
La PassionHOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %5-664-8605; www.lapassionhotel.com; Calle Estanco del Tabaco No 35-81, El Centro; r incl breakfast from COP$327,000; aWs)
Run by a French movie producer and his Colombian partner, this republican-style home dating to the early 17th century features eight uniquely decorated rooms, some with Roman baths and outdoor showers. It’s the canoe-swing in the courtyard, though, that really sets the eccentric, albeit stylish, tone. The pool and rooftop terrace with front-row views of the cathedral clinch it.
Casa La FeB&B$$$
(map Google map; %5-660-0164, 5-660-1344; www.kalihotels.com/casa-la-fe/; Calle Segunda de Badillo No 36-125, San Diego; r incl breakfast from COP$359,000; aWs)
A British-Colombian pair run this boutique B&B decorated with tasteful religious art right in the heart of the Old Town. Eat in the jungly interior courtyard, sun yourself on a lounger or soak in the rooftop plunge pool. Higher-priced rooms have balconies overlooking Plaza Fernández de Madrid.
Hotel Casa de las PalmasHOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %5-664-3630; www.hotelcasadelaspalmas.com; Calle de las Palmas No 25-51, Getsemaní; s/d/tr incl breakfast COP$168,000/193,000/235,000; aWs)
This converted colonial mansion on the edge of Getsemaní oozes charm with its multiple small courtyards, walls heaving with Colombian folk art and a small pool to cool off in during the heat of day. The rooms are a little on the small side, but they’re clean and comfortable. It’s a good place for children, with lots of enclosed space.
5Eating
Food in Cartagena is fabulous, with enormous choice and high quality at all levels. Backpackers should look out for comida corriente (daily set menu) places at midday, where they can eat for around COP$15,000 per person. For those without a budget, the sky is the limit, and you’ll find some of Colombia’s best food here.
Cartagena is also strong on street food: plenty of snack bars all across the Old Town serve typical local snacks such as arepas de huevo (fried maize dough with an egg inside), dedos de queso (deep-fried cheese sticks), empanadas and buñuelos (deep-fried maize-and-cheese balls). Try typical local sweets at confectionery stands lining El Portal de los Dulces on the Plaza de los Coches.
Espíritu SantoCOLOMBIAN$
(map Google map; Calle del Porvenir No 35-60; mains COP$12,000-16,000; h11:30am-3:30pm)
There’s no telling from the outside, but this fiercely popular Centro lunch spot stretches back cavernously, and usually it feels as if half the city is in here for a simple but damn tasty comida corriente each lunch time. Staples include fish filet in coconut milk, fried beef and some excellent salads. Portions are big and the value is terrific.
Restaurante CoroncoroCOLOMBIAN$
(map Google map; %5-664-2648; Calle Tripita y Media No 31-28, Getsemaní; mains COP$5000-15,000; h7:30am-10pm)
This Getsemaní comida corriente institution is always heaving with hungry locals filling up on cheap set meals and delicious daily specials. A great low-cost choice with heaps of Colombian flavor both on and off the plate.
oBeiyuCAFE$$
(map Google map; Calle del Guerrero No 29-75, Getsemaní; breakfasts from COP$9000, mains from COP$15,000; h7am-9pm Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm Sun; W
v) 
S
Excellent Colombian coffee, fresh juices, full breakfasts and an innovative selection of daily lunch and dinner dishes, Beiyu is a little slice of organic, sustainable heaven in the heart of Getsemaní and gets top pick as a place to slowly eat off a late night out. Portions are also supergenerous. If you come, don’t miss the açai bowl!
oGastrolab SurCARIBBEAN, MEDITERRANEAN$$
(map Google map; Calle del Espíritu Santo No 29-140; mains COP$18,000-30,000; h7-11pm; W)
This gem of a place is easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there. In the beautifully lit pebbly back garden of the Ciudad Móvil cultural center, the humming heart of the revivified Getsemaní community, it serves up delicious aranchinas (rice balls), steamed fish, quinoa salad, bruschettas costeñas and pizzas.
The staff is superfriendly and it’s also a great place to come for drinks.
Oh Là LàFRENCH$$
(map Google map; %5-664-4321; Calle Larga No 4-48, Getsemaní; mains COP$18,000-38,000; h8am-10pm Mon-Sat; Wv)
This fabulous addition to Getsemaní’s increasingly varied and interesting dining options brings a slice of Gallic culture to Cartagena’s hippest neighborhood. In a gorgeous converted space with high ceilings and comfortable seating, the restaurant also offers popular cookery classes and focuses on healthy, sugar-free dishes. Its breakfasts are superb, while its seasonally changing lunch and dinner menus offer sublime, innovative dishes.
PezetarianSUSHI$$
(map Google map; %5-668-6155; www.pezetarian.com; Calle Segunda de Badillo No 36-19; mains COP$17,000-23,000; h8am-10pm; Wv) S
Feast on affordable and delicious sushi, ceviche, wok dishes and salads at this ultracentral location. You’ll find little else in this area at this price at all, let alone something totally organic, healthy and fresh. The place looks a little like a fast-food restaurant at first glance, but don’t let this put you off. Service is swift and friendly.
Caffé LunáticoTAPAS$$
(map Google map; %320-383-0419; Calle Espíritu Santo No 29-184, Getsemaní; tapas COP$15,000-20,000, mains COP$26,000-53,000; h11am-11pm; Wv)
A giant, prone Amy Winehouse mural greets you at this fabulous little place, in which the singer looks like she’s about to pounce on prey. Maybe she’s heard about the Tribute to the Arepa (containing avocado, octopus and pork belly) or the Saving the Planet dessert (100% chocolate, apparently), both of which have their fans coming back for more.
DementePIZZA, TAPAS$$
(map Google map; %5-660-4226; Plaza de la Trinidad, Getsemaní; tapas COP$15,000-30,000, pizzas from COP$20,000; h6pm-midnight Sun-Thu, 6pm-2am Fri & Sat; Wv)
Right in the heart of the Getsemaní action, Demente is an open-air (well, has a retractable roof), rather trendy spot where craft beer and great cocktails are served up alongside excellent tapas and some of Cartagena’s best pizza. Service is friendly and swift, and you’re just moments from the party atmosphere outside in the square.
Pastelería MilaBAKERY$$
(map Google map; Calle de la Iglesia No 35-76; breakfasts COP$16,500-28,000, mains COP$17,500-35,000; h8am-10pm; W)
Cartagena’s fanciest patisserie serves up breakfasts and lunches at this fashionable spot in the heart of the Old Town. The distressed walls and wooden beams create a contemporary vibe, while the leather banquettes are grander in style. The combo breakfast (pancakes with dulce de leche, sour cream, scrambled eggs and crispy bacon) might be considered a crime in less permissive jurisdictions.
Kiosco El BonySEAFOOD$$
(Av 1 Bocagrande; mains COP$15,000-30,000; h10am-10pm Mon-Sun)
Owned by ex-Olympic boxer Bonifacio Ávila, this beachside Cartagena institution is famous for its vast fish lunches. It’s thronged with Colombians on weekends.
La MulataCOLOMBIAN$$
(map Google map; %5-664-6222; Calle Quero No 9-58, El Centro; set meal COP$20,000-25,000; h11am-4pm & 6:30-10pm; W)
This stylish and rather eccentric comida corriente option is still outstanding, even if its prices have risen in recent years. A daily set menu offers a handful of excellent choices and fresh juices in an atmosphere entirely too hip for Cartagena’s Old Town. The staff are absolute charmers, the ceiling fans whir and mains are served on pieces of whittled wood.
La CevicheríaSEAFOOD$$
(map Google map; %5-664-5255; Calle Stuart No 7-14, San Diego; mains COP$25,000-70,000; hnoon-11pm Wed-Mon; W)
At the once little-known spot prized by locals, the superb ceviche has in recent years drawn celebrity chefs and travel magazines, meaning that it’s often rather crowded and certainly no longer a secret. That said, each dish is prepared with panache: the octopus in peanut sauce is incredible, as is the black-squid-ink rice and Peruvian ceviche.
El BistroEUROPEAN$$
(map Google map; %5-664-1799; www.elbistrocartagena.wixsite.com/elbistro; Calle de Ayos No 4-46, El Centro; sandwiches from COP$10,000, mains COP$15,000-25,000; h9am-11:30pm Mon-Sat; W)
An eclectic and popular place in shabby-chic premises filled with curios, this charmer sells fresh bread and offers a full menu, which is particularly popular at lunch time when its specials include a soup to start as well as a filling main course. Do not miss the particularly good limonada de coco (coconut lemonade).
Señor ToroSTEAK$$
(map Google map; %5-656-4077; Calle Santo Domingo No 35-55; mains COP$25,000-70,000; hnoon-midnight; W)
This centrally located steakhouse is the most rigorous in the city in terms of sourcing and preparing meat. Nowhere else will you find such perfectly cooked medium-rare porterhouse or entrecôte in the city. There are also ceviche and burgers on the menu if steak isn’t your thing.
oEl BolicheCEVICHE$$$
(map Google map; %310-368-7908, 5-660-0074; Cochera del Hobo No 38-17; mains COP$48,000-60,000; h12:30-3pm & 7-11pm Mon-Sat; W)
This delightful place has slowly made its way onto the tourist map, but it remains relatively obscure and is still not overrun. Come here for superb, imaginatively created and beautifully served up ceviche, the brainchild of owners Oscar Colmenares and Viviana Díaz, whose passion for such ingredients as tamarind, coconut milk and mango makes itself known to every table.
oInternoCOLOMBIAN$$$
(map Google map; %310-327-3682, 310-260-0134; www.restauranteinterno.com; Cárcel San Diego, Calle Camposanto, San Diego; 3-course set meal COP$80,000; h7-11pm Tue-Sun)
Hard to beat for a good story, Interno is a restaurant inside Cartagena’s women’s prison that raises money for the rehabilitation of its inmates, who cook for and wait upon you. Trained by a top Bogotá chef, the cooks prepare set meals that are delectable takes on modern Colombian cuisine, served up on a gorgeously repurposed open-air patio.
You’ll need to make reservations 24 hours in advance with your passport number, and you’ll need to bring your passport with you when you come.
Cevichería Chipi ChipiCEVICHE$$$
(map Google map; %5-660-1156; Cochera del Hobo No 38-86; mains COP$30,000-52,000; h11:30am-3pm & 6:30-11pm Mon-Sat, 3-11pm Sun; W)
As if to underscore this place’s ceviche credentials, its dining room enjoys a somewhat writ-large nautical theme, but it remains a stylish and cool place for a meal. The ceviche is superfresh and delicious, with a big choice of flavors and ingredients. There’s also outdoor dining on the plaza nearby come the evening.
Agua de MarTAPAS$$$
(map Google map; %5-664-5798; www.aguademar.com.co; Calle del Santísimo No 8-15; tapas COP$18,000-35,000, mains COP38,000-46,000; h6-11pm Tue-Sun; Wv)
This gorgeous and inventive place is one of Cartagena’s most interesting restaurants, sporting titular water features and a very cool gin bar (the friendly owner will create a mind- and wallet-blowing gin-and-tonic combination just for you). The gourmet tapas menu is full of interesting flavors, and is particularly strong on seafood, as well as having plentiful vegetarian choices.
A RITUAL HIGH: COCA LEAVES
As you travel up and down the Caribbean coast, you might see Kogi people hopping on local buses with bags full of seashells – but they’re not collecting them as ornaments. The indigenous groups of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta collect them for a sacred, ritualized method of consuming coca known as the poporo.
The active alkaloids in coca leaves are a powerful stimulant when chemically refined into cocaine. When the leaves are chewed alone, they have little effect. However, when chewed together with an alkaline substance, their active ingredients are multiplied, enabling users to walk many miles without rest or food, even at altitude – handy if you live in the world’s highest coastal mountain range.
For the poporo, thousands of seashells called caracucha are collected, roasted over a fire and then pounded into a fine powder. This powder is then placed into a hollowed-out gourd, known as a totuma, which represents femininity. Men receive this as they come of age.
Women of these tribes collect coca leaves and dry them by placing them into mochilas (bucket-shaped, woven shoulder bags) packed with hot stones. Men then take a large wad of leaves, put them in their mouths, and dip a small stick into the totuma to gather some of the powdered shell, which they suck off the stick. Any excess spittle and powder mix is wiped back on the outside of the gourd, causing it to grow – symbolizing wisdom. They then chew the mixture for up to 30 minutes, as their basified saliva causes the coca leaves to release their active components, giving users a slightly cocaine-like high. It is believed the poporo instills knowledge, just as reading a book or going to college increases students’ intelligence.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Cartagena bumps and grinds through its long, sweaty nights. There’s a long-standing bar scene centered on the Plaza de los Coches in El Centro for salsa and vallenato, while most of the hotter and hipper action can be found in thumping Getsemaní these days, where the venues are bigger and the crowd younger. Weekends are best, though the action doesn’t really heat up until after midnight.
oAlquímicoCOCKTAIL BAR
(map Google map; %318-845-0433; www.alquimico.com; Calle del Colegio No 34-24; h5pm-2am Sun-Thu, 5pm-3:30am Fri & Sat)
A welcome addition to the Old Town’s drinking scene, this smart place occupies three floors of a gorgeous colonial building. The ground floor is a sleek, low-lit lounge bar perfect for an aperitif, while upstairs there’s a kitchen and pool table, and one more floor up is the always-packed roof terrace bar where they serve imaginative aguardiente cocktails.
The entire space is easily one of Cartagena’s most sophisticated options and the roof terrace is perfect for tropical nights.
oCafé HavanaCLUB
(map Google map; http://cafehavanacartagena.com; cnr Calles del Guerrero & de la Media Luna, Getsemaní; cover COP$10,000; h8pm-4am Thu-Sat, 5pm-2am Sun)
Café Havana has it all: live salsa from horn-blowing Cubans, strong drinks, a gorgeous horseshoe bar surrounded by brilliant eccentrics, wood-paneled walls and a ceiling full of whirring fans. While it’s no secret these days, it’s still worth a pilgrimage, and while it’s hard to imagine Hillary Clinton pulling up a pew here, that’s exactly what happened when she visited Cartagena.
Bazurto Social ClubCLUB
(map Google map; www.bazurtosocialclub.com; Av del Centenario No 30-42; cover COP$5000; h7pm-3:30am Wed-Sat)
Join the crowds at this lively spot where locals dance in unison under an enormous glowing red fish to live champeta music; sip knockout cocktails; and catch up on the Getsemaní gossip. The music is great and after a few drinks you’ll find yourself being dragged in, though your ears will likely ring for days.
Donde FidelBAR
(map Google map; %5-664-3127; El Portal de los Dulces No 32-09, El Centro; h11am-2am)
Don Fidel’s extraordinary collection of salsa music keeps a constant stream of visitors to this much-loved, if rather sketchy, Old Town institution. The bar hosts smooching couples dancing in alcoves under portraits of the owner, lots of confused tourists as well as many old Cartagena faces. The vast seated terrace is perfect for people watching.
Tu CandelaCLUB
(map Google map; %5-664-8787; El Portal de los Dulces No 32-25, El Centro; h8pm-4am)
Wall-to-wall reggaeton, vallenato, merengue and some decent salsa. Tu Candela is always cramped – but the atmosphere is cool and anything goes. This is where Barack Obama’s errant Secret Service detail famously began their cocaine-and-prostitute exploits, and it’s easy to see why: this place is off the hook.
Convert the cover charge to cocktails at the bar.
The Beer LoversCRAFT BEER
(map Google map; %5-664-2202; esq Calles Gastelbondo & Factoría; h9am-11pm, until 1am Thu-Sat; W)
This raucous and rather dark place has a huge selection of craft beers from around the world, including dozens of local brews, and is the best bar in town to explore the craft beers of Colombia and beyond.
Quiebra-CantoCLUB
(map Google map; %5-664-1372; Camellón de los Mártires, Edificio Puente del Sol, Getsemaní; h7pm-4am Tue-Sat)
It gets tight with an eclectic crowd of all shapes and sizes at this excellent Getsemaní spot for salsa, son and reggae. It’s on the 2nd floor overlooking Pegasos and the clock tower. Purists insist the salsa here is hotter than at rival bar Café Havana, but its crowd tends to be less exciting.
León de BavieraBAR
(map Google map; %5-664-4450; Av del Arsenal No 10B-65; h4pm-4am Tue-Sun; W)
Run by an expat German named Stefan, this is one of the city’s few true watering holes. The intimate space fills quickly with locals swilling back 3L tubes of European and local brews. The waitresses are dressed in their St Pauli Girl’s best.
Café del MarBAR
(map Google map; %5-664-6513; Baluarte de Santo Domingo, El Centro; cocktails COP$20,000-35,000; h5pm-1am; W)
Ocean breezes swoop in off the coast and bring a relaxing freshness to this touristy outdoor lounge perching on the western ramparts of the Old Town. Dress up a notch or two and be prepared to pay COP$10,000 for a beer if you want to blend in. The view is unbeatable.
3Entertainment
Cartagena’s local football team, Real Cartagena, plays games at Estadio Olímpico Jaime Morón León (Villa Olímpico), located 5km south of the city. Games run throughout the year. Buy tickets at the stadium. A taxi there will cost around COP$12,000.
7Shopping
Cartagena has a wide range of shops selling crafts and souvenirs, and the quality of the goods is usually high. The biggest tourist shopping center in the walled city is Las Bóvedas map Google map; (Playa del Tejadillo), which offers handicrafts, clothes and other kitschy souvenirs. You’ll find more interesting things for sale by wandering elsewhere in Getsemaní, San Diego and El Centro, however.
ÁbacoBOOKS
(map Google map; %5-664-8338; cnr Calles de la Iglesia & de la Mantilla; h9am-9pm Mon-Sat, 3-9pm Sun; W)
This gorgeous bookshop-cum-cafe has a good selection of books on Cartagena and a few English-language choices, including everything ever written by a certain Gabriel García Márquez. There’s also Italian beer, Spanish wine and strong espresso.
El ArcónANTIQUES
(map Google map; %5-664-1197; www.arconanticuario.com; Calle del Camposanto No 9-46, San Diego; h9am-noon & 1-7pm Mon-Sat)
This impressive place housed in a handsome colonial mansion is the best antiques shop in the walled city, a veritable treasure trove of art, furniture and various curios that’s well worth searching out if you’d like a truly memorable souvenir of your time in Colombia.
Colombia ArtesanalARTS & CRAFTS
(map Google map; www.artesaniasdecolombia.com.co; Callejón de los Estribos No 2-78; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm Sun)
A set of several stores in the Old Town offers an excellent selection of brightly hued Colombian handicrafts from all over the country. The salespeople are extremely knowledgeable and can offer fascinating insights into the making and background of each piece.
8Orientation
Travelers mainly focus on the walled city, made up of El Centro, San Diego and Getsemaní. To the south, the peninsula of Bocagrande – Cartagena’s Miami Beach – is where fashionable cartageneros sip coffee in trendy cafes, dine in glossy restaurants and live in the upscale luxury condos that line the area like guardians to a New World. Few visitors stay here, but it’s a viable, safe and glamorous alternative to the walled city.
Do be aware that Cartagena’s streets have both names and numbers. We’ve used the names of each street, as these are the ones most commonly posted on the streets themselves.
8Information
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Cartagena is the safest metropolis in Colombia – around 2000 police officers patrol the old city alone. That said, don’t flaunt your wealth, and stay alert at night in less-populated areas such La Matuna, the modern strip between Getsemaní and the old city. You are more likely to be irritated by peddlers than become a victim of any crime. Aggressive hassling in the streets by unofficial vendors selling tourist tat, women or cocaine is definitely the main nuisance here. A simple ‘No quiero nada’ (‘I don’t want anything’) should shoo them away.
MEDICAL SERVICES
In a medical emergency you will often be taken to Hospital Naval de Cartagena (%8-655-4306; http://honac.sanidadnaval.mil.co; Carrera 2 No 14-210, Bocagrande; h24hr), which also has a hyperbaric chamber.
MONEY
Casas de cambio (currency exchanges) and banks are ubiquitous in the historic center, especially around Plaza de los Coches and Plaza de la Aduana. Compare rates before buying. There are many street ‘moneychangers’ fluttering around Cartagena offering fantastic rates; they are all, without exception, expert swindlers, so don’t even think of changing money on the street. There’s a real lack of ATM machines in El Centro and San Diego; however, there’s a proliferation on Av Venezuela.
TOURIST INFORMATION
The city’s main Tourist Office (Turismo Cartagena de Indias; %5-660-1583; Plaza de la Aduana; h9am-noon & 1-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm Sun) can be found on Plaza de la Aduana. There are also small booths in Plaza de San Pedro Claver and Plaza de los Coches.
VISA INFORMATION
Migracíon Colombia (%5-666-0172, 5-670-0555; www.migracioncolombia.gov.co; Carrera 29d No 20-18; h8am-noon & 2-5pm) can be found some way from the Old Town, but is where you should head for immigration issues and visa extensions.
8Getting There & Away
AIR
All major Colombian carriers operate flights to and from Cartagena’s Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (%5-693-1351; www.sacsa.com.co; Calle 71 No 8-9) . There are flights to Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, San Andrés and many other major cities with Avianca (%5-655-0287; www.avianca.com; Calle 7 No 7-17, Bocagrande) and Copa (%5-655-0428; www.copaair.com; Carrera 3 No 8-116, Bocagrande). Internationally the city is connected to Panama, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and New York.
The terminal has four ATMs and a casa de cambio (in domestic arrivals) and multiple car-hire agencies in the terminal building or immediately nearby.
BOAT
Sailboat is a great way to get to Panama and also a unique way to experience San Blas. Various boats leave from Cartagena to Panama via the San Blas Archipelago and vice versa; the schedule is set a few months ahead and has boats departing almost every day in both directions. The trip normally takes five days and includes three days in San Blas for snorkeling and island-hopping. Trips come in at around US$550 per person, but can range from US$450 to US$650 as there are many factors involved.
Most boats arrive to the Panamanian ports of Porvenir, Puerto Lindo or Portobello. It’s easy to connect to Panama City from all three.
The industry has been transformed in recent years by Blue Sailing (%300-829-2030, 310-704-0425; www.bluesailing.net; Calle San Andrés No 30-47), a Colombian-American run agency that has sought to legalize what had been an unregulated business. Blue Sailing currently represents over 22 boats, and ensures all have proper safety equipment for open-sea navigation. It monitors boats’ location and uses licensed captains. It is therefore highly recommended to find a boat for the trip through Blue Sailing to ensure a safe and legal crossing.
Other agencies and hostels in Cartagena offer boat crossings but do ask about safety equipment and the captain’s license. Ideally check online for any reviews of the boat and crew before committing to anything.
There are different boats departing each week, even in low season; simply email an operator with your preferred departure dates and the staff will hook you up with a boat that best fits your needs. It is important to book in advance, especially in December through March as the boats tend to book out weeks prior to departure.
The sailboat trip is a popular way to visit San Blas even for those that didn’t originally plan on traveling to Panama. There are few airlines that offer cheap flights back to Colombia from Panama City. Viva Colombia, Wingo, Air Panama and Avianca are the most common.
For those passengers traveling with vehicles, various shipping companies offer container sharing or ‘roll on, roll off’ services between Cartagena and Colón (US$700-US$1200, 6-8 days including loading/offloading). Passengers can take the sailboat across to meet their vehicle. It’s easy and inexpensive to reach Colón from Puerto Lindo or Portobello.
BUS
If heading to Barranquilla or Santa Marta, the easiest option is to leave from the Berlinastur Terminal (%318-354-5454, 318-724-2424; www.berlinastur.com; off Calle 47 & Carrera 3), a short taxi ride from the Old Town. Air-conditioned minibuses depart from here every 20 minutes from 5am to 8pm, stopping first in Barranquilla (COP$20,000, two hours) and then in Santa Marta (COP$40,000), four hours).
An even better, but pricier option for this route is the MarSol (%5-656-0302; www.transportesmarsol.net; Carrera 2 No 43-111) bus to Santa Marta (COP$48,000, three hours), Taganga (COP$50,000, three hours), PNN Tayrona (COP$67,000, four hours) and Palomino (COP$77,000, five hours). It picks you up from any hotel or hostel in Cartagena, skips Barranquilla entirely and then drops you at any hotel or hostel in Santa Marta or beyond. There are two buses a day; simply call a day ahead to reserve your seats.
For other destinations, including for cheaper tickets to Barranquilla and Santa Marta, you’ll need to head to Cartagena’s Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena (%304-577-5743; www.terminaldecartagena.com; Calle 1A No 3-89). It’s on the eastern outskirts of the city, far away from the center – give yourself 45 minutes to get there in all but the darkest hours.
Several bus companies serve Bogotá and Medellín throughout the day. Among them, Expreso Brasilia (%5-663-2119; www.expresobrasilia.com; Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Calle 1A No 3-89) heads to Bogotá (from COP$90,000, 18 hours, six buses daily) and Medellín (from COP$50,000, 12 hours, six buses daily). Unitransco (%5-663-2665, 5-663-2067; Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Calle 1A No 3-89) serves Barranquilla (COP$15,000, 2½ hours, hourly) with continuing services to Santa Marta (COP$3,000, four hours, hourly). Caribe Express (%5-371-5132; Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Calle 1A No 3-89) runs a 7am service to Mompós (COP$65,000, six hours, daily) and a 6:30am service to Tolú (COP$35,000, three hours, daily). For Riohacha on La Guajira Peninsula, Expreso Brasilia and Rápido Ochoa (%5-693-2133, 312-843-1249; Terminal de Transportes de Cartagena, Calle 1A No 3-89) both have hourly departures (COP$40,000, eight hours).
On overland trips to Panama, take one of the hourly buses to Montería (COP$60,000, five hours), where you can switch for one of the hourly buses to Turbo (from COP$35,000, five hours). It’s worth noting that if you do not leave Cartagena before 11am, you risk missing the last bus for Turbo and will have to sleep in Montería. From Turbo you can take the boat to Sapzurro the following morning, from where there are regular launches to Obaldia in Panama.
Buses to Playa Blanca (Calle de la Magdalena Concolón, La Matuna) (COP$1500, 70 mins) for those who aren’t keen to take the boat excursion there, leave throughout the day. Look for vehicles marked ‘Pasocaballos’ and tell the driver where you’re headed so you can be let off.
8Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
The 3km trip to and from the airport in Crespo is serviced by frequent local buses. There are also colectivos to Crespo (COP$2000), as well as nicer air-conditioned shuttles called Metrocar (Av Luis Carlos López; COP$2000), both of which depart from Monumento a la India Catalina. (For Metrocar, look for the green-signed buses.)
By taxi, there’s a surcharge of COP$5000 on airport trips. It costs COP$10,000 to COP$15,000 from the center to the airport, while coming from the airport into town official taxis charge set amounts according to the distance and time of day. Expect to pay between COP$10,000 and COP$15,000 to Getsemaní, San Diego and El Centro, but be sure to get a receipt from the dispatch office at the airport first, to ensure you know how much the journey should cost.
TO/FROM THE BUS STATION
Large green-and-red-signed Metrocar buses (Av Santander; COP$2000) shuttle between the city and the bus terminal every 15 to 30 minutes (COP$3000, 40 minutes). In the center, you can catch them on Av Santander. A taxi from the bus station to El Centro costs COP$15,000 plus an additional COP$5000 after 8pm.
Islas del Rosario
This archipelago, about 35km southwest of Cartagena, consists of 27 small coral islands, including some tiny islets. The archipelago is surrounded by coral reefs, where the color of the sea is an incredible combination of cerulean and turquoise. The whole area has been declared a national park, the PNN Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo (www.parquesnacionales.gov.co; COP$7500). Sadly, warm water currents have eroded the reefs around Islas del Rosario, and the diving is not as good as it once was. But water sports are still popular and the two largest islands, Isla Grande and Isla del Rosario, have inland lagoons and some tourist facilities, such as hotels and a resort. The islands can be visited in a day trip from Cartagena, although to really appreciate them and to avoid the crowds, consider spending a night or two here.
TTours
The usual way to visit the park is on a one-day boat tour of the islands. Tours depart year-round from the Muelle Turístico de la Bodeguita map Google map in Cartagena. Boats leave between 8am and 9am daily and return roughly between 4pm and 6pm. The cruise office at the muelle (pier) sells tours (from COP$60,000 per person including lunch). There are also a number of smaller operators offering tours from the pier, often at lower prices.
Popular budget hotels in Cartagena sell tours, too, and may offer lower prices – COP$50,000 is common. Tours usually include lunch, but do not include port taxes and the national park entrance fees and aquarium entry; check with your tour operator to confirm. Some higher-end hotels offer their own boat transfers from Cartagena.
The boats all take a similar route to the islands, though it may differ a little between small and large boats. They all go through the Bahía de Cartagena and into the open sea through the Bocachica strait, passing between Batería de San José and, directly opposite, the Fuerte de San Fernando. The boats then cruise among the islands (there is generally Spanish narration along the way) and stopping at the tiny Isla de San Martín de Pajarales. Here there is an aquarium (COP$30,000) and a shady wooded area to chill out in or a beach for you to swim at while you wait for the trip to continue. The boats then take you to Playa Blanca, on the Isla de Barú, for lunch and two hours or so of free time.
4Sleeping
Most hotels are on Isla Grande, and tend to be very rustic no matter how much you pay – and at the top end this is not an insignificant amount.
Eco Hotel Las PalmerasGUESTHOUSE$$
(%314-584-7358; Isla Grande; hammock/r per person incl full board COP$80,000/120,000) S
This Isla Grande ecotourism option is run by the charming Ana Rosa. It’s all very basic and rustic, but it’s a wonderful place to disconnect from the world. Canoe tours are offered on the nearby lagoons; there’s good snorkeling nearby; and you’re just a five-minute walk away from Playa Bonita, the best on the island.
Hotel San Pedro de MajaguaHOTEL$$$
(%5-693-0987; www.hotelmajagua.com; Isla Grande; r & bungalows from COP$520,000; aW)
This high-end option offers stays on Isla Grande in chic stone bungalows with fiber-woven roofs and minimalist decor. There are two beaches and a restaurant. It’s a very fabulous experience and feels much like being on a private island.
Coralina IslandBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(%313-245-9244; www.coralinaisland.com; Isla del Rosario; r from COP$680,000; W)
This place, despite its high price, is actually very rustic, located inside the national park and constructed to blend in with the surroundings. The cabañas are charmingly simple and perfect for real disconnection. There’s free snorkeling equipment and some lovely beaches: the hotel will arrange a private transfer from Cartagena if you’d prefer not to take the normal boat.
Playa Blanca
Playa Blanca lives up to its name – it is indeed a lovely stretch of sugary sand and one of the finest beaches around Cartagena. Sadly development is encroaching and it can feel extremely overcrowded during high season and on the weekend, so it’s best to visit during the week and outside of December and January.
The beach is located about 20km southwest of Cartagena, on the Isla de Barú. It’s usually a stop for boat tours heading to the Islas del Rosario; when the boat tours arrive, peddlers descend upon the tourists, which has the potential to turn an otherwise idyllic beach into a two-hour challenge. The only thing worth buying is cocada, a sweet coconut treat that comes in a variety of flavors. Playa Blanca is also good for snorkeling, as the coral reef begins just off the beach. You can rent gear for COP$5000 on the beach.
4Sleeping & Eating
The beach has some rustic places to stay; before 10am and after 4pm the place is wonderfully deserted.
A few simple beach restaurants serve up fresh fish and rice for around COP$20,000. If you’re on a tour, check with your operator if lunch is included.
La EstrellaCABIN$
(%312-602-9987; hammock COP$10,000, d from COP$50,000)
If you want to stay close to the water, José, a friendly local, offers nice tents under thatched roofs that sleep three to four people, typical hammocks (with mosquito net) and a sand-floored hut or two.
8Getting There & Away
The easiest way to get to the beach is on a tour, but you’ll find it far more peaceful at other times. Head to Av El Lago, behind Cartagena’s main market, Mercado Bazurto, in a taxi (COP$8000), and ask the driver to let you off at the boats to Playa Blanca. Boats depart (when full) between 7:30am and 9:30am daily except Sundays. The trip takes one hour. Expect to pay COP$25,000, but never pay anyone until you reach the beach.
Alternatively, buses (COP$1500) marked ‘Pasocaballos’ leave throughout the day from the corner of Av Luis Carlos López and Calle del Concolon in La Matuna. Ask the driver to let you off at the ferry across Canal del Dique (COP$1500). Once on the other side, take a moto-taxi (COP$15,000) to Playa Blanca. This route takes about three hours.
Volcán de Lodo El Totumo
About 50km northeast of Cartagena, a few kilometers off the coast, there is an intriguing 15m mound that looks like a miniature volcano. However, instead of erupting with lava and ashes, it spews forth lukewarm mud, which has the consistency of cream. You can climb into the crater and frolic around in a refreshing mud bath; the mud contains minerals acclaimed for their therapeutic properties. Once you’ve finished, go and wash off in the lagoon, just 50m away.
The volcano is open from dawn to dusk and you pay a COP$10,000 fee to have a bath. Bring plenty of small bills to tip the various locals who will pamper you during your time here – massaging you rather inexpertly, rinsing you off, holding your camera and taking photos. All in all, it’s a lot of fun and a rightly popular day trip from Cartagena.
8Getting There & Away
A tour is by far the most convenient and fastest way of visiting El Totumo, and no more expensive than doing it on your own. Several tour operators in Cartagena organize minibus trips to the volcano (COP$30,000 to COP$40,000, depending on whether lunch is included). Tours can easily be purchased through almost any hotel.
Northeast of Cartagena
The departments of Atlántico and Magdalena sit northeast of Cartagena, where the highest coastal mountain range in the world, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, begins to rise from the sea. The increasingly charming Santa Marta, a colonial city, and the beautiful coastal and mountainous attractions around it – namely Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Tayrona, Ciudad Perdida, Minca and Palomino – are some of Colombia’s most visited attractions.
Santa Marta
%5 / Pop 450,000 / Elev 2m
Santa Marta is South America’s oldest European-founded town and the second most important colonial city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Despite its long history and charming center, it gets a bad rap from many travelers, who rightly cite its unsightly urban sprawl and terrible traffic as reasons not to hang about here. The secret to Santa Marta is to use it for what it does well: hotels, restaurants and bars, and then get out to the slew of superb destinations nearby during the daytime.
That said, following an impressive sprucing up of its colonial heart, Santa Marta has gained a bit more of its own charm, and you might well find yourself spending more time here than you imagined. The climate is hot, but the heat here is drier than in Cartagena, and the evening sea breeze keeps the city cool after dark.
History
Rodrigo de Bastidas planted a Spanish flag here in 1525, deliberately choosing a site at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to serve as a convenient base for the reputedly incalculable gold treasures of the indigenous Tayronas.
As soon as the plundering of the Sierra began, so did the inhabitants’ resistance. By the end of the 16th century the Tayronas had been wiped out, and many of their extraordinary gold objects (melted down for rough material by the Spaniards) were in the Crown’s coffers.
Santa Marta was also one of the early gateways to the interior of the colony. It was from here that Jiménez de Quesada set off in 1536 for his strenuous march up the Magdalena Valley to found Bogotá two years later.
Engaged in the war with the Tayronas and repeatedly ransacked by pirates, Santa Marta didn’t have many glorious moments in its colonial history and was soon overshadowed by its younger, more progressive neighbor, Cartagena. Despite this, on December 17, 1830, one Simón Bolívar died here, having brought independence to six Latin American countries. His body was later returned to Venezuela in 1842, where it continues to lie in a mausoleum in his native Caracas.
1Sights
There’s little to see in Santa Marta itself, though it’s worth having a stroll along the seaside boulevard Av Rodrigo de Bastidas (Carrera 1C) and Av Campo Serrano (Carrera 5), the main commercial street. The beach resort of El Rodadero, 5km south of the center, is popular with holidaymakers.
oQuinta de San Pedro AlejandrinoMUSEUM
(%5-433-1021; www.museobolivariano.org.co; Av Libertador; COP$21,000; h9am-4:30pm)
This hacienda is where Simón Bolívar spent his last days in 1830 before succumbing to either tuberculosis or arsenic poisoning, depending on who you believe. The hacienda was owned by a Spanish supporter of Colombia’s independence who invited Bolívar to stay and take a rest before his journey to exile in Europe, but Bolívar died before he could complete the journey.
Several monuments have been built on the grounds in remembrance of Bolívar, the most imposing of which is a massive central structure called the Altar de la Patria, inside which a haughty Bolívar looks down.
Just to the right of this is the Museo Bolivariano, which features works of art donated by Latin American artists, including those from Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, the countries liberated by Bolívar.
Highlights among the wares in the house include an absolutely decadent marble bathtub. The hacienda was established at the beginning of the 17th century and was engaged in cultivating and processing sugarcane. It had its own trapiche (sugarcane mill) and a destilería (distillery).
The outstanding grounds, home to Santa Marta’s 22-hectare iguana-filled Jardín Botánico, are also worth a stroll. Some of the property’s trees warrant a trip out here alone. The quinta is in the far-eastern suburb of Mamatoco, about 4km from the city center. To get here, take the Mamatoco bus from the waterfront (Carrera 1C); it’s a 20-minute trip (COP$1600) to the hacienda.
Museo del OroMUSEUM
(map Google map; Calle 14 No 1-37; h9am-5pm Tue-Sat, 10am-3pm Sun) F
This excellent museum tells the history of Santa Marta and the surrounding region. It is housed in the impressively renovated Casa de la Aduana (Customs House), which features in the Gabriel García Márquez novel No One Writes to the Colonel. The display includes Tayrona objects, mainly pottery and jewelry, but also a magnificent room of gold items. Upstairs there’s a more detailed history of colonial Santa Marta.
TTours
Santa Marta’s tour market revolves around Ciudad Perdida treks, but the same agencies who offer these can also arrange various other hiking trips, plus bird-watching, mountain biking and visits to Minca and PNN Tayrona. Speak (in Spanish) with José ‘Chelo’ Gallego (%320-580-4943., 311-622-9813; jose087301@hotmail.com) for tailor-made trips to the mountains. He’s an expert with many years’ experience. Other highly recommended agencies for local tours include Aventure Colombia map Google map; (%5-430-5185; www.aventurecolombia.com; Calle 14 No 4-80) and Expotur.
4Sleeping
Santa Marta’s tourism industry is booming these days and as such there’s a wide range of hotels and hostels, many of which are some of the best on the coast. There are lots of options in the center of town, but also plentiful choice outside the center also worth considering.
oMasaya Santa MartaHOSTEL$
(map Google map; %5-423-1770; www.masaya-experience.com; Carrera 14 No 4-80; dm COP$40,000-50,000, r incl breakfast COP$120,000-200,000; aiWs)
This fabulous hostel takes some beating. It’s a clever and stylish multilevel conversion of an old mansion in the center of town, and has a bunch of superb-value dorms and gorgeous private rooms for those on a more generous budget. There’s a busy rooftop bar, three plunge pools, a large outdoor kitchen and activities galore. Breakfast on the roof is an extra COP$8000 for those staying in dorms. The staff is kind and knowledgeable and the vibe superb.
Drop Bear HostelHOSTEL$
(%5-435-8034; www.dropbearhostel.com; Carrera 21 No 20-36, Barrio Jardín; dm with air-con/fan COP$35,000/30,000, r with air-con/fan from COP$120,000/80,000; aWs)
Although it’s housed in the former mansion of a drug cartel family, there couldn’t be anything less shady about this bright and breezy hostel. Ask for a tour if you’re interested – Australian owner Gabe believes there’s still money hidden somewhere in the walls. Despite being located in a suburb, the big rooms, great pool and superfriendly atmosphere keep travelers returning.
Some of the private rooms, barely changed since their ’80s heyday, are quite fabulous, and you might find you have a bathroom larger than most hotel rooms in Colombia. Definitely a quirky place, it’s a good mix of a chill-out and party hostel, and will appeal to anyone who enjoys character. A taxi here from the center is COP$6000.
DreamerHOSTEL$
(%300-251-6534, 5-433-3264; www.thedreamerhostel.com; Diagonal 32, Los Trupillos, Mamatoco; dm from COP$38,000, d from COP$126,000; aWs)
A very high-end, self-contained and intelligently designed hostel with rooms clustered around one of Santa Marta’s best swimming pools. Even the dorms get air-con, a clean shared bathroom and good beds. It’s hugely popular with discerning travelers. The Italian owners oversee the kitchen, so the food is great, too.
It’s a little way out of town, but in fact it’s really well located for trips to Ciudad Perdida, PNN Tayrona, Minca, and some of the better beaches in the area, meaning you don’t have to face the crush of the city’s traffic every time you head somewhere.
Casa VerdeHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %313-420-7502, 5-431-4122; www.casaverdesantamarta.com; Calle 18 No 4-70; r incl breakfast COP$184,000-217,000, ste COP$270,000; aWs)
If you’re what the relaxed and attentive live-in owner calls ‘a retired backpacker,’ then this cute nine-room spot – with pebble-lined walls and floors, smart bathrooms, crisp bed linen, and intelligently designed and pristine whitewashed rooms – is for you. Lounge in the cooling pool near the lobby or chill and enjoy city views on the new roof terrace.
La Brisa LocaHOSTEL$$
(map Google map; %317-585-9598, 5-431-6121; www.labrisaloca.com; Calle 14 No 3-58; dm with/without air-con from COP$45,000/30,000, r with/without bathroom COP$120,000/100,000; aiWs)
The ‘crazy breeze’ is the choice for a young, festive crowd who crowd into the 100 or so beds here. Dorms run from four to 10 beds, and there’s an array of private rooms too, all with firm beds, high ceilings, ancient tilework, and in-room lockers that even allow you to charge you phone securely while you’re out.
The hostel is centered on the lively bar, which has a friendly vibe, a pool table and lewd cartoons on the wall. There’s also a large rooftop that hosts big parties on the weekends.
oCasa del FarolBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %5-423-1572; www.lacasadelfarol.com; Calle 18 No 3-115; r/ste incl breakfast from COP$240,000/330,000; aWs)
This 12-bedroom boutique hotel inside a mansion that dates from 1720 is run by the energetic Sandra, a Barcelona native who is quietly revolutionizing Santa Marta’s hotel scene. The large rooms are individually decorated and named after a different city, and all have ancient tiled floors, high ceilings and roof beams. Staff is uniformed and the epitome of politeness.
The rooms share a fantastic roof terrace with sumptuous cathedral views and plenty of recliners for lazy sunbathing. There’s also an excellent courtyard restaurant here. Sandra also runs Casa del Agua map Google map; (%5-432-1572; www.lacasadelagua.com.co; Calle 18 No 4-09; r incl breakfast COP215,000-395,000; aWs), Casa del Arbol (%5-422-4817; www.lacasadelarbol.com.co; Calle 21 No 2A-38; r incl breakfast COP215,000-395,000; aWs) and Casa del Piano map Google map; (%5-420-7341; www.xarmhotels.com; Calle 19 No 4-76; r incl breakfast COP215,000-395,000; aWs), three similarly priced and stylish converted mansions in the city center.
5Eating
Santa Marta has some of the best food on the coast. An influx of Latin and North American restaurateurs has simplified the menus, focusing on ambience, classic cooking and stylish presentation. Parque de los Novios is the heart of Santa Marta’s eating scene.
oÀ DerivaFRENCH$$
(map Google map; %304-548-9062; Calle 19 No 3-25; mains COP$20,000-30,000; h5-11pm Thu-Mon; W)
This rather dark and glamorous place is named after the Vincent Cassel movie of the same name, and has a definite sophisticated and alternative vibe that you won’t find elsewhere in town. The downstairs restaurant offers a delicious and frequently changing menu of French and international dishes. Upstairs there’s an excellent cocktail bar as well.
oIkaroVEGETARIAN$$
(map Google map; %5-430-5585; www.ikarocafe.com; Calle 19 No 3-60; mains COP$12,000-32,000; h8am-9pm Mon-Sat; Wv) S
A traveler’s dream after a Ciudad Perdida trek: this friendly, breezy place offers excellent coffee, delicious salads, sandwiches (made on homemade bread), smoothies, breakfasts and burgers – all meat and fish free. There are multiple vegan options, craft beer and cocktails, not to mention giant lounging areas to sprawl on.
oOuzoMEDITERRANEAN$$
(map Google map; %5-423-0658; Carrera 3 No 19-29, Parque de los Novios; mains COP$20,000-45,000; h6-11pm Mon-Sat; W)
Ouzo offers a stripped-back, classic Greek and Italian menu that includes superb pizza from a wood-fired oven and a good wine list. The octopus is slow-cooked for two hours in a garlicky broth, then slammed on the coals to sear and seal in the flavor. Great service, and a superbly designed interior means the heat stays in the kitchen.Due to its immense popularity, there’s now a new upstairs section called Il Balcon, with outdoor seating overlooking the Parque de los Novios. Reservations aren’t a bad idea for the evenings.
AmargoTAPAS$$
(map Google map; %5-431-6121; Calle 14 No 3-74; tapas COP$15,000-23,000; hnoon-11pm Mon-Sat; W)
This rather fabulous and laid-back place has the feeling of a neighborhood bar that just happens to serve up top-notch tapas and have an outstanding collection of gin. A great place for a simple dinner and some stellar G&Ts; feast on tapas such as crab-and-apple salad or breaded calamari, or try one of their fabulous sandwiches.
Donde ChuchoSEAFOOD$$
(map Google map; %5-421-4663; Calle 19 No 2-17; mains COP$25,000-55,000; h11am-11pm Mon-Sat)
Serving the best seafood on the coast, Donde Chucho is a local legend. Start with the signature ensalada Chucho (shrimp, octopus, calamari and manta smoked in olive oil) and move on to róbalo au gratin (mozzarella and parmesan). Divine, although you’ll need to budget plenty of time for your meal – the service is relaxed and all dishes are prepared to order.
BARRANQUILLA: COLOMBIA’S BIGGEST PARTY
Barranquilla, Colombia’s fourth-largest city, is a hardworking port town located on the delta of the massive River Magdalena and laid out in a tangled ribbon along mangroves and the Caribbean Sea, sweltering and hustling in the blinding sun. The birthplace of Colombian pop goddess Shakira, Barranquilla is actually most famous for its annual carnaval (www.carnavaldebarranquilla.org; hFeb), when the town clocks off, puts on its glad rags and goes wild as it throws the country’s biggest street party.
The Mardi Gras celebration is held in February on the four days before Ash Wednesday, so the date changes each year. Much like the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, there are street bands, masquerade and fancy dress, live performances, and a riotous, slightly unhinged atmosphere as the town drinks and dances itself into the ground. It can be rough and ready, and you need to keep an eye on your possessions and your companions, but let your hair down and it could be a highlight of your trip.
The center of budget accommodations is on and around Paseo Bolívar (Calle 34), but this area is seedy. If you’re coming for Carnaval, be sure to secure your hotel reservations months in advance, or you’ll have no chance at all. The charming Italian-run Meeting Point Hostel (%5-318-2599, 320-502-4459; www.themeetingpoint.hostel.com; Carrera 61 No 68-100; dm/r from COP$30,000/90,000; aW) is probably the best value and certainly the most sociable place to stay on Baranquilla’s otherwise lackluster accommodations scene. There’s an excellent breakfast, clean rooms, friendly multilingual service and a very pleasant backyard to relax in.
While Barranquilla attracts big crowds for Mardi Gras, at any other time of the year there are very few visitors, and most travelers skip the town altogether (there’s very little to see compared with elsewhere on the coast). If you do come, you’ll find a city proud to be the home of costeño culture, and one full of excellent restaurants, lively bars and a smattering of decent museums.
6Drinking & Nightlife
There’s lots going on in Santa Marta after dark, with a young population and a number of lively bars and clubs scattered throughout the center. Parque de los Novios serves as an informal gathering place where young and old can meet before dancing until dawn.
La PuertaCLUB
(map Google map; Calle 17 No 2-29; h6pm-1am Tue & Wed, to 3am Thu-Sat)
Students and gringos eye each other up and get happily trashed in a beautifully benign Colombian style. Soca, salsa, house, hip-hop and reggae warm up the packed dance floor.
CrabsBAR
(map Google map; Calle 18 No 3-69; h8pm-3am Wed-Sat)
A perenially busy bar with pool table, outdoor smoking terrace, decent-priced beers and spirits, and a good crowd of locals to party with.
8Information
4-72 (%5-421-0180; Calle 22 No 2-08; h8am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Fri, to noon Sat) Post office.
Aviatur (%5-423-5745; www.aviatur.com; Calle 15 No 3-20; h8am-noon & 2-4pm Mon-Fri) A place to reserve accommodations run by the agency inside PNN Tayrona
Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia map Google map; (%5-423-0758; www.parquesnacionales.gov.co; Calle 17 No 4-06) This office of the national parks service gives some basic information about PNN Tayrona.
Policía Nacional (%5-421-4264; Calle 22 No 1C-74)
8Getting There & Away
AIR
The Aeropuerto Internacional Simón Bolívar (%5-438-1360; http://smr.aerooriente.com.co; Km 18 Vía Ciénaga Santa Marta) is 16km south of the city on the Barranquilla–Bogotá road and must be one of the few airports in the world right on the beach. City buses marked ‘El Rodadero Aeropuerto’ will take you there in 45 minutes from Carrera 1C. Flight destinations include Bogotá and Medellín.
BUS
The bus terminal (Calle 41 No 31-17) is on the southeastern outskirts of the city. Frequent minibuses go there from Carrera 1C in the center, or you can take a cab (COP$6000).
The main bus companies all offer several daily connections to the following:
| Destination | Fare (COP$) | Duration (hrs) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barranquilla | 13,000 | 2 | hourly |
| Bogotá | 70,000 | 18 | hourly |
| Bucaramanga | 60,000 | 9 | two daily |
| Cartagena | 24,000 | 4 | hourly until 5:30pm |
| Medellín | 90,000 | 15 | five daily |
| Riohacha | 18,000 | 2½ | every 30 minutes |
| Tolú | 50,000 | 7 | three daily |
To get to Palomino, take the Mamatoco bus from the market in Santa Marta (COP$7000, two hours).
Minca
%5 / Pop 1200
Perched 600m high up in the Sierra Nevada above Santa Marta, Minca is a small mountain village famous for its organic coffee, incredibly varied bird life and – perhaps more importantly – for much cooler temperatures than on the roasting coast below. The town, which until a few years ago could only be reached on a dirt road, is delightful, surrounded by thick cloud forest and soaring mountain peaks. Despite being recognized by Unesco as a biosphere reserve since 1980, it’s only in the last few years that Minca has grown as a traveler destination, with a slew of new hostels and hotels opening.
It’s now well and truly on the map, however, and specializes in ultra-remote traveler retreats scattered around the steep mountainsides surrounding the town. A great base for mountain biking, bird-watching and hiking, Minca also offers delightfully warm locals who seem genuinely happy to see visitors.
1Sights
Cascada de MarinkaWATERFALL
(COP$4000; h8am-6pm)
This lovely spot is a 1½ hour walk from Minca – or a 10-minute moto-taxi ride (COP$7000) – and is a surprisingly impressive set of two waterfalls, with rather cold bathing pools beneath each. It can get crowded, so go early in the day or after 4pm to avoid other people. There’s a small on-site cafe.
Finca La VictoriaFARM
(tour COP$10,000; h9am-5pm)
Founded in the late-19th century, this family-run coffee plantation offers interesting 40-minute tours (usually available in English) in which the coffee-production process is carefully explained. Upstairs there’s a charming cafe perfect for a cup of on-site produced coffee or delicious cake. It’s a steep 1½-hour-long walk from Minca to get here, or take a motorbike (COP$10,000).
Pozo AzulNATURAL POOL
F This fun natural pool and small waterfall is a popular sight for locals and tourists alike, though it can get very full on weekends and during high season. It’s a 30-minute walk from town: simply continue straight on and follow the road once you’ve crossed the yellow bridge in the middle of Minca. A moto-taxi costs COP$7000.
2Activities
Bird-watching, hiking and mountain biking are the most popular activities in Minca, and can be organized by almost any hostel or hotel. Minca is also well located for the Ciudad Perdida trek, and makes for a good place to relax and unwind afterwards.
Marcos Torres LópezBIRDWATCHING
(%314-637-1029; marcostorres92@yahoo.com.co)
Marcos doesn’t speak English, but he has the sharpest eye in Minca, so much so that he gets international clientele traveling here just to bird-watch with him. He charges just COP$160,000 for a full-day bird-watching trip to El Dorado, including lunch and transport.
Fidel TravelsTOURS
(%321-589-3678; www.fideltravels.com)
Fidel Travels has an office just by the church and offers bird-watching tours, visits to the La Victoria coffee farm and trips to Pozo Azul, a gorgeous spot for swimming. There’s also a highly recommended full-day combo tour, which takes in all the main sights of Minca in one day.
Lucky ToursMOUNTAIN BIKING
(%310-397-5714)
Based in the Tienda Café de Minca, this mountain-bike specialist outfit is run by Andrés, who can take you on some superb trips, including a route called the Kraken, a ride that takes you through 11 different ecosystems, and the Clockwork Orange, another world-class bike route.
Jungle Joe Minca AdventuresTOURS
(%317-308-5270; www.junglejoeminca.com)
Joe Ortiz can fix you up for a day of tubing, canyoning, horseback riding, rappelling, mountain biking or bird-watching. English speaking and very helpful, Joe gets wonderful reviews from past clients.
4Sleeping
Minca has blossomed in recent years and how boasts some of the best hostels along the coast, and doubtlessly many of those with the best views. While there are many hostels in the town itself, the very best options are up on the mountains, and often involve a motorbike ride.
(%300-360-4212; www.mundonuevo.com.co; dm/d COP$35,000/70,000) S
This fantastic place is all about creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly project that gives back to the community that it’s a part of. Housed on a former cattle farm, Mundo Nuevo seeks to be self-sustainable for food, water and energy. Its mountain setting is gorgeous, and anyone coming here will be amply rewarded by immediately feeling part of a team.
It’s a COP$20,000 moto-taxi ride from Minca.
oCasa ElementoRETREAT$
(%313-587-7677, 311-655-9207; www.casaelemento.com; above Minca; hammock/dm COP$25,000/40, cabañas from COP$150,000; s)
When they say ‘above Minca’ they are not kidding – just getting to this fantastic place is a great adventure and ensures that only the truly intrepid arrive. Created and run by an international crew, Casa Elemento has an incredible position with extraordinary views and is the perfect place to escape the world. From Minca, it’s a 30-minute, COP$15,000 motorbike ride.
The accommodations are simple and hostel-like, with a small pool, toilets that have views direct into the jungle and a busy restaurant-bar-hangout. The centerpiece is an enormous hammock where a dozen people can comfortably fit and drink in the views, and there are also zip wires between trees connecting platforms that are perfect for bird-watching. There’s no wireless, which makes for an extremely social atmosphere, and otherwise the main activity seems to disconnecting from the world. Walk back down to Minca by all means, but only masochists walk up – take a motorbike.
Casas ViejasHOSTEL$
(%310-828-0761, 321-523-7613; casasviejasminca@gmail.com; dm COP$35,000, tent for two people COP$40,000, d with/without bathroom COP$130,000/90,000) S
This extraordinary place is perfect for isolating yourself in the mountains above Minca. It’s got a self-contained hippyish feeling, with a spectacular location, communal fire pit and good food. Choose from rooms in a dorm, double tents to share and private rooms. Three meals are served up communally and delicious locally grown coffee is free.
You are properly isolated here though, and costs of meals add up quickly. A moto taxi here costs COP$20,000 from Minca and is quite a thrilling ride (try to keep your luggage to a minimum). The arduous walk takes at least two hours.
Minca EcohabsCABAñAS$$
(%317-586-4067; www.mincaecohabs.com; r incl breakfast from COP$145,000; W)
On a steep hillside with views towards the Caribbean and Santa Marta, this long-standing hotel was recently taken over by a Santa Marta hotelier who has attempted to reinvigorate the place. The 2-floor rooms are made of entirely natural fibers, have screened windows, balconies, fans, electricity and fridges. It’s a wonderful place to really drink in Minca’s unique location.
Hotel MincaHOTEL$$
(%317-437-3078; www.hotelminca.com; s/d incl breakfast COP$85,000/150,000; Ws)
This 13-room place is the closest thing Minca has to a formal hotel. It has large, simple rooms in a colonial-style building that was once a convent, surrounded by thick vegetation. Breakfast on the balcony is an incredible spectacle as dozens of hummingbirds come to feed from sugar water put out for them by staff.
WORTH A TRIP
ARACATACA: MAGIC & REALITY
Welcome to Macondo. Locals, maps, bus drivers and government officials will tell you it’s really named Aracataca, and residents themselves rejected a name change in a 2006 referendum, but anyone who has read Gabriel García Márquez’s masterpiece, One Hundred Years of Solitude, might be interested to know that the great author’s place of birth was also the inspiration for the fictional town of Macondo, so beautifully described in the novel.
While Cartagena and Mompós are the main Gabriel García Márquez destinations in Colombia, with gorgeous Mompós looking today pretty much as Macondo is described, Aracataca is a place for diehard fans to head to. This workaday and fairly unlovely town may not have much in terms of atmosphere or architecture, but it boasts the interesting and well-curated Casa Museo Gabriel García Márquez (%(5) 425-6588; http://casamuseogabo.unimagdalena.edu.co; Carrera 6 No 5-46; h8am-1pm & 2-5pm Tue-Sat, 9am-2pm Sun) F, a faithful reconstruction of the Nobel Prizewinner’s childhood home.
The museum is housed in a reconstruction of the house where García Márquez was born in 1927. The original house was sold by the family and knocked down decades ago, and even though the current structure is a fake, each building has been faithfully re-created. Panels (in Spanish only) describe various scenes from books that were set there and link the various buildings to episodes in Gabo’s work.
There are several simple places to eat around the museum, including a number of panaderías (bakeries) on the main square, Plaza Bolívar. There’s also a highly recommended restaurant, El Patio Mágico de Gabo & Leo Matiz (%301-571-7450, 301-739-7516; Calle 7 No 4-57; set meals: COP$25,000; v), for those who’d prefer a longer lunch.
It’s possible to visit Aracataca independently by bus from Santa Marta’s market (COP$9000 1½ hours, hourly) or from Baranquilla’s bus station (COP$17,000, 2½ hours, hourly). There are also two buses a day to/from Cartagena (COP$29,000, five hours). Leaving from Aracataca, head for the Berlinave Terminal (Carrera 1 & Carrera 2E).
5Eating
There are a few restaurants and plenty of small cafes and bakeries in Minca, although as yet none of the culinary sophistication that can be found in Santa Marta or Cartagena. Most hotels and hostel serve meals, so there’s never any problem finding somewhere to eat.
Lazy CatINTERNATIONAL$
(Calle Principal Diagonal; mains COP$12,000-25,000; h9am-9pm; Wv)
This expat-run backpacker favorite is a great spot in the center of town for breakfasts (COP$8000-10,000), superb local coffee, smoothies, sandwiches, burgers, quesadillas and wok dishes. There’s a lovely balcony overlooking the valley below, and the eponymous lazy cat can usually be found lounging around the place somewhere.
oCasa d’AntonioSPANISH$$$
(%312-342-1221; www.hotelrestaurantecasadantonio.com; mains COP$30,000-60,000; hnoon-3pm & 6-11pm; W)
Antonio has recently moved from his hilltop perch to the center of town, and this makes the native Málagan, delicious Spanish-style seafood even more accessible. Do try paella de mariscos or pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus) if you have time for a leisurely meal.
8Getting There & Away
Colectivos and shared taxis to/from Santa Marta arrive and depart from the center of Minca throughout the day (COP$8000, 30 mins), and you’ll rarely have to wait much longer than 20 minutes for them to depart when full. A taxi to Santa Marta is around COP$40,000.
In Santa Marta, Minca-bound colectivos and shared taxis leave from outside the market on the corner of Calle 11 and Carrera 12. A faster option for the same price is the moto-taxi to Minca. However, these depart from Yucal, a barrio on the outskirts of town, so you need to take a COP$6000 taxi from anywhere in Santa Marta to get there.
Taganga
%5 / Pop 5000
Once a tiny fishing village, Taganga seemed to have hit the jackpot when it became a big backpacker destination in the early 2000s. It drew a diverse crowd, and quietly boomed as hostels and restaurants prospered with the endless stream of visitors.
Taganga today is something of a cautionary tale about the overdevelopment of small towns, though, and in the past few years the village has gone from a near-obligatory backpacker stop to a rather depressing place where poverty is rife and much of what originally attracted visitors has disappeared. That said, there are still a number of travelers who continue to come here for cheap accommodation, partying and diving, as well as those who love being so close to PNN Tayrona, just a short boat ride away. Its hostel owners are a determined bunch and are doggedly fighting to restore Taganga to its former glory.
2Activities
Taganga is a popular scuba-diving center due to its low low prices, and there are several dive schools offering diving and courses. Four-day open-water PADI courses range from COP$800,000 to COP$1,000,000.
Poseidon Dive CenterDIVING
(%314-889-2687, 5-421-9224; www.poseidondivecenter.com; Calle 18 No 1-69)
Well-equipped and experienced dive school; open-water courses cost COP$1,150,000. A two-tank dive is COP$240,000.
ExpoturTOURS
(map Google map; %5-421-9577; www.expotur-eco.com; Calle 18 No 2A-07)
TTours
Taganga remains a popular and competitive place to buy Ciudad Perdida tours, and a couple of Santa Marta–based tour companies have offices here selling trips.
4Sleeping & Eating
Casa de FelipeHOSTEL$
(%316-318-9158, 5-421-9120; www.lacasadefelipe.com; Carrera 5A No 19-13; dm from COP$27,000, s/d from COP$45,000/50,000, apt from COP$65,000; iW)
This French-run hostel is the best budget option in town. It’s also very secure, though be sure to take a taxi here after dark. It’s in a beautiful house on lush grounds above the bay, and boasts great staff, pleasant rooms, a good bar, a kitchen, cable TV, numerous hammocks, an excellent breakfast and friendly folk from around the world.
Divanga B&BGUESTHOUSE$$
(%5-421-9092; www.divanga.com; Calle 12 No 4-07; incl breakfast dm without/with air-con COP$42,000/47,000, s/d without/with air-con COP$90,000/120,000; aWs)
Run by French resident Lucie who has spent 20 years in Taganga and is a passionate campaigner for the town, this charming and colorful place has 13 rooms, most of which surround a swimming pool, as well as two ‘kiosks’ (raised, thatched-roof cabins). There’s a rooftop deck and bar that catches the sea breeze and serves up a large breakfast.
oPachamamaFRENCH$$
(%5-421-9486; Calle 16 No 1C-18; mains COP$20,000-35,000; h5pm-midnight Mon-Sat; W)
With Tiki stylings and a laid-back vibe, Pachamama may look like an indoor beach bar, but casual as it may be, this is easily the culinary highlight of Taganga. The French chef has produced one of the most creative menus on the coast; the tenderloin in red-wine-and-mushroom sauce is sensational, and the tuna carpaccio is perfect.
BabaganoushINTERNATIONAL$$
(Carrera 1C No 18-22; mains COP$20,000-30,000; h1pm-11pm Thu-Sun, 6:30-10:30pm Wed; W)
This cosy rooftop restaurant has great bay views and an eclectic menu that keeps the crowds returning again and again. Try the excellent falafel, the perfectly cooked filet mignon or the sublime Thai green curry. It’s up the hillside on the road towards Santa Marta.
8Information
In recent years Taganga’s security situation has deteriorated seriously. Be mindful at any time of day, and don’t leave the main streets if you’re on your own. Do not try to walk to Playa Grande, even though it’s only a 1km stroll from the town; there have been numerous reports of robberies in broad daylight here. Always take taxis after dark.
There’s only one ATM in Taganga, and it’s usually broken or empty. The nearest reliable ATMs are in Santa Marta.
The tourist information point (Carrera 1; h9am-6pm Mon-Sat) is directly on the beachfront as you arrive from the main road.
8Getting There & Away
Taganga is easily accessible; there are frequent minibuses (COP$1600, 15 minutes) from Carreras 1C and 5 in Santa Marta. A taxi costs COP$10,000.
From Taganga there’s a daily boat to Cabo San Juan del Guía in PNN Tayrona. This leaves at 11am each day, and returns at 4pm from Cabo San Juan, though in the high season the boat makes three trips in both directions per day. The one-way cost is COP$50,000; the trip takes an hour and boats leave from the tourist information point.
Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona
Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona is a magical slice of Colombia’s Caribbean coast, with stunning stretches of golden sandy beach backed by coconut palms and thick rainforest. Behind it all rise the steep hillsides of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world’s highest coastal mountain range. The park stretches along the coast from the Bahía de Taganga near Santa Marta to the mouth of the Río Piedras, 35km to the east, and covers some 12,000 hectares of land and 3000 hectares of coral-rich sea.
The park gets extremely crowded in the high season (Dec-Jan), and it’s worth pointing out that vicious currents mean that most of the gorgeous beaches are not suitable for swimming, though you can take a dip and snorkel (with great care) at a select, safer few. Despite these issues, Tayrona is an immensely attractive place and one that’s rewarding and exciting to explore.
1Sights
The Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona (www.parquetayrona.com.co; adults/under 26 & students COP$42,000/8500; h8am-5pm) can be entered at several different points, but wherever you enter, you’ll need to pay the entrance fee (adults/under 26 and students COP$42,000/8500). This fee is valid for as long as you care to stay inside the park, and you can also leave the park and re-enter at another entrance until 5pm on the day of purchase. Upon entering you may be searched for alcohol and glass bottles, neither of which are permitted.
oCabo San Juan del GuíaBEACH
Cabo San Juan del Guía is a beautiful cape with an absolutely knockout beach. It’s also by far the most crowded area of the park. There is a restaurant and campsite here, including hammocks in a curious structure on a rock in the middle of the beach, where it’s possible to spend a very atmospheric night. Swimming is also possible most of the time, but don’t go too deep.
Playa CristalBEACH
(Bahía Neguange)
This gorgeous slice of beach on Bahía Neguange used to be known as Playa del Muerto – Beach of the Dead – little wonder they decided on a name change. It’s a wonderful place to spend the day on the beach, and there are several shacks serving up fresh fish and cold beers. You’ll need to take a boat across to the beach (COP$60,000 for up to 10 people), so it’s worth hanging around for others wanting to make the trip.
La AranillaBEACH
This is an attractive beach in a tiny cove framed by massive boulders, with chunky sand and glints of fool’s gold dancing in the water. It has a sweet little restaurant with great sea views from its tables. It’s a good alternative to the mass-tourist–festival vibe at nearby San Juan del Guía.
CañaveralBEACH
The beaches in Cañaveral are very beautiful – golden sand and blue water – but there is no shade, and swimming can be dangerous because of treacherous offshore currents. There are numerous places to stay here.
PueblitoVILLAGE
From Cabo San Juan del Guía, a scenic path goes inland uphill to the small indigenous village of Pueblito, providing some splendid tropical forest scenery and getting you to Pueblito in an hour and a half. In the tranquil village you can see traditional houses and various sites sacred to residents, making for an interesting change of pace to the beach.
The path from Cabo San Juan del Guía is definitely more challenging than others in the park – the majority of the uphill climb is over stones, some of them massive. It is not an easy trail and you can forget about it when it rains or if you have a large pack. It’s also possible to reach Pueblito from the main road at the Calabazo entrance, from where it’s a two-hour hike.
4Sleeping
There are multiple options for spending a night or two in the park, though they are either exceptionally expensive or very basic. Castilletes (%313-653-1830, 300-405-5547; www.campingcastilletespnntayrona.blogspot.com; campsite/tent per person COP$20,000/30,000), the first point reached after entering from El Zaíno, offers peaceful camping with sea views; Cañaveral is where the fancier options are, while Arrecifes and Cabo San Juan del Guía are the most popular spots for backpackers.
Camping Don PedroCAMPGROUND$
(%315-320-8001, 317-253-3021; campingdonpedro@hotmail.com; Arrecifes; hammocks COP$15,000, campsite per person with/without tent hire COP$20,000/18,000, cabañas per person incl breakfast COP$60,000)
Of the three places to stay and eat in Arrecifes, this is the best. It’s reached via a 300m split off the main trail just before Arrecifes. The spacious grounds are well maintained and have an abundance of fruit trees. Cooking facilities are available to guests, while excellent meals, including superb fresh fish, cost an average COP$15,000. The welcome is warm.
Camping Cabo San Juan del GuíaCAMPGROUND$
(%333-356-9912; www.cabosanjuantayrona.com; Cabo San Juan del Guía; campsite COP$30,000, hammocks with/without view COP$30,000/25,000, r COP$200,000)
Most backpackers end up at this campground, which has the air of a music festival in high season. There are two gorgeous swimming beaches here as well as a busy but mediocre restaurant. For COP$30,000, you can sleep in the hammocks high atop the mirador (lookout) on the rocks above the beach, giving fantastic views of the sea, beaches and mountains.
There are also two private double rooms on the top floor of the mirador.
(%314-626-9789; http://barloventotayrona.com; Km 33 Via Riohacha; s/d/tr incl half-board from COP$330,000/450,000/695,000)
Finca Barlovento may well be the single most beautiful spot in the area, and is located just outside PNN Tayrona right on the beach at Playa Los Naranjos. Here, where the Río Piedras bursts out of the Sierra Nevada and empties into the Caribbean, you’ll find this architecturally unique home, clinging to a cliff face.
The property is divided into the original house and the maloka, an indigenous-style thatched structure divided into private rooms. The properties feature open-air beds that jut out on a deck over the sea and the food is simply sensational.
oEcohostal YulukaHOSTAL$$$
(%310-361-9436; www.aviatur.com; Km 28 Via Santa Marta; incl breakfast dm COP$40,000, r from COP$160,000; W)
This gorgeous place has been very stylishly created to cater for discerning backpackers who want to explore the park without giving up all comforts. It’s all very rustic in style, but supremely comfortable, with large private bathrooms, spacious dorms and even a slide into the pool. All beds come with mosquito nets and food is great.
Cayena Beach VillaBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(%314-800-5471; www.cayenabeachvilla.com; KM 39 Villa Troncal Caribe; r incl half-board from COP$500,000; aWs)
Located some way outside the park, Cayena Beach Villa opened in 2016 as a self-contained luxury option. It’s right on the seafront with a gorgeous slice of beach in front of it; rooms are huge and impressively designed, with double showers overlooking a fabulous large pool. It’s a great place to relax and tune out if you can afford it.
EcohabsCABIN$$$
(%5-344-2748; www.aviaturecoturismo.com; Cañaveral; 4-person cabañas incl breakfast from COP$695,000; W)
This colony of luxurious cabañas is a five-minute walk from the car park that marks the end of the drivable road into the national park. Each two-story cabaña is in the style of a Tayrona hut, has a minibar, a large shaded terrace, small flatscreen TVs and spectacular views. It’s by far the nicest spot to stay inside the park.
5Eating
There are several beachside restaurants within the park, serving up fresh fish and less-fresh chicken dishes. Campers can try to self-cater, but facilities are very basic, and so most eat at the simple campsite restaurants. Note that it’s forbidden to bring your own alcohol into the park, though it’s for sale at most places.
Estadero Doña JuanaSEAFOOD$$
(Playa Cristal; mains COP$20,000-40,000; h11am-4pm low season, 7am-4pm high season)
Take a boat from Bahía Neguange over to gorgeous Playa Cristal and head straight for Doña Juana’s makeshift beach restaurant. You’ll be taken to the kitchen, shown various fish and asked to choose one; it will arrive 20 minutes later, mouthwateringly prepared.
8Getting There & Away
You can get to El Zaíno (COP$7000, one hour) by Palomino buses that depart regularly from Santa Marta’s market; just let the driver know where you want to get out. From El Zaíno, catch the jeep that shuttles between the entrance and Cañaveral (COP$3000, 10 minutes) or walk the 2.5km.
Palomino
%5 / Pop 6000
Palomino doesn’t look like much as you pass through it on the main Santa Marta–Riohacha highway, but lurking on one side of its urban sprawl is one of Colombia’s most perfect beaches, while on the other are the dramatic Sierra Nevada mountains, a place the local indigenous people still guard carefully from outsiders. Palomino makes a wonderful base from which to explore both, with a number of great places to stay and a backpacker vibe you’ll not find in many other places along the coast.
Along Palomino’s palm-backed beach you’ll also find fishermen using traditional nets, while in its mountainous hinterland indigenous tribes live a traditional way of life as they have done for centuries. With seven different ecosystems between the beach and the glaciers of the Sierra Nevada, it’s no surprise that ecotourism has slowly come into its own here, making Palomino an almost obligatory stop for Colombia travelers.
Be aware that swimming from the beach in Palomino is only rarely possible, as currents are treacherous: look out for the red flags, and do not go into the water beyond the shallows if they’re flying. Take care even at other times, too. Other than lounging, the main activity here is tubing down the river from the mountains to the coast.
4Sleeping
Palomino has some of the best traveler hostels and most laid-back beach hotels in the country. Most places we recommend are on the beach, but all can arrange trips into the mountains for activities, including hiking, tubing or white-water rafting.
oTiki Hut Hostel PalominoHOSTEL$
(%314-794-2970; www.tikihutpalomino.co; dm/d incl breakfast COP$40,000/$160,000; Ws)
Our favorite of Palomino’s hostels, Tiki Hut is a beautifully designed place set around a large pool with charming staff and comfortable, rustic rooms that feature mosquito nets for all. Less brilliant are the not-fully-enclosed toilets in the big dorms, but we can live with them if you can. The beach is a 2-minute stroll away.
The Dreamer HostelHOSTEL$
(%300-609-7229, 320-556-7794; www.thedreamerhostel.com; dm/d incl breakfast from COP$32,000/95,000; Ws)
This popular party hostel is centered on a large garden with a pool and the beach a short wander away. The tile-floored, fan-cooled rooms are spacious and have thatched roofs. There’s a supersocial vibe, plenty of activities to keep you occupied, a busy bar and a good restaurant.
Finca EscondidaHOSTEL$
(%315-610-9561, 310-456-3159; www.fincaescondida.com; hammocks COP$25,000, dm COP$35,000, r from COP$160,000; W)
Run by a friendly international crowd, this large beachfront complex includes a number of rooms in various shapes and sizes, the better of which are huge and enjoy large balconies. The feel is rustic, with wooden buildings set in grounds full of fruit trees. A host of activities from surfing to pilates is offered, making it a firm backpacker favorite.
The attached restaurant, which has tables on the beach, is one of the best in town, and does excellent fresh fish and seafood served with ice-cold beers.
La SirenaLODGE$$
(%310-718-4644; www.ecosirena.com; r/cabaña incl breakfast from COP$120,000/225,000; W) S
Airy beachside cabins with lots of space and a healthy, holistic vibe. The rooms have outdoor bathrooms and mosquito nets, and the larger cabañas are well worth the extra money. It’s set amid a peaceful garden and takes its environmental impact seriously. There’s a minimum two-night stay (three in high season). The small, mainly vegetarian cafe here also comes highly recommended.
Reserva Natural El MatuyCABIN$$
(%317-504-9340, 315-322-0653; www.elmatuy.com; cabañas per person incl full board from COP$186,000; W) S
The gorgeously rustic beach cabañas here all come with embroidered bedspreads, outdoor bathrooms and porches with hammocks. Some way from the hostels and beach hawkers, El Matuy is a great place to unplug and disconnect. Indeed, electricity and wireless are only available at reception; elsewhere after dark the only light is provided by candles.
Aité Eco HotelHOTEL$$$
(%321-782-1300; www.aite.com.co; d/cabaña/ste incl breakfast from COP$428,000/489,000/514,000; aWs)
Palomino’s smartest option is this wonderful 15-room oasis, located on a secluded hillside a pleasant walk down the beach from the hostels. The hotel and its facilities are on the top of a small ridge, though the loveliest rooms are arguably the beachside cabañas, which literally open onto the sea. The entire place is highly stylish and very charming.
5Eating
Nearly all hostels and hotels serve three meals a day, so many travelers simply eat where they’re staying. Nearly all hostels allow nonguests to dine with them as well, and as such there are relatively few independent restaurants in Palomino, with a couple of notable exceptions.
oSuáCOLOMBIAN$$
(mains COP$18,000-35,000; hnoon-11pm Wed-Sun; Wv) S
Now enjoying a gorgeous new location with a lovely garden, Suá is is a collectively run project with impeccable environmental and sustainability credentials, including a great vegetarian selection. The fare is inventive, with a fully translated English menu that includes specialties such as prawns marinated in garlic, sea salt and butter, and beef loin in a red wine and spice sauce.
Pizzería La FronteraPIZZA$$
(Carrera 6 Calle 1A-90; pizzas COP$10,000-30,000; hnoon-11pm; v)
This brightly lit shack between the main road and the beach may not look like much, but serves up the best pizza in town. It’s usually packed come the evening and has a friendly, sociable vibe.
8Getting There & Away
There is no bus station in Palomino, but regular buses in both directions run along the main road. Destinations include Santa Marta (COP$9000, two hours), PNN Tayrona (COP$6000, one hour) and Riohacha (COP$8000, 1½ hours). The best place to pick them up is at the top of Carrera 6.
If you’re arriving in Palomino, you can walk down to the beach or grab a moto-taxi to drive you the 500m there (COP$2000) . Buses and motorbikes run all day and until late at night – not a bad option if you have luggage.