“Travel to Santa Marta Colombia ”
Santa Marta Colombia, always has been a city with a great tourist attraction, but in the last years, more and more people have realised that Santa Marta and its surroundings offer one of the biggest natural paradises in Colombia and the world. Beaches , mountains, and natural secrets...
Its strength is the sea, and in Santa Marta you will find the best beaches of Colombia. There are breathtaking untouched beaches of a strong energetic power in the estuary mouths of the rivers, as well as calm beaches with crystal waters for swimming and relaxing. Discover the best beaches of Colombia , those of Santa Marta!
Discover the different beaches of Santa Marta:
http://www.vacacionessantamarta.com/eng/beaches.phpIn Santa Marta, offer and demand of holiday accommodations , tours, and business trips have been increasing considerably. Depending on where you go in Santa Marta, you will find a great variety of accommodations or beaches. If you arrive to Barranquilla from the local airport, you will see the following sectors:
Bello horizonte:This is the closest sector to the airport and it offers several kilometres of beach. Here are located most of the luxory hotels and resorts of Santa Marta.
The advantage of this area is that is not very turistically expolored yet. Thus you can enjoy a calm atmosphere with fewer people at the beaches. So, if you come as a tourist who looks for a private ambience, this may be a good option for you. The beach is long and of white sand, perfect for swimming. It is not the best beach of Santa Marta, but it is easy, comparable with the beach of Rodadero, but with less people.
Recommended hotels in Bello Horizonte:
Pozos colorados:This area is located between Rodadero and Bello Horizonte. It is also a sector with a huge and long, sandy beach, where you will find some top- end hotels and resorts, as well as some of the most exclusive and comfortable cabanas of Santa Marta.
The positive point of this sector is that is is situated more exclusively, you may enjoy a lonlier beach because there usually are neither a lot of people nor are there many restaurants or big stores nearby.
Recommended hotels in Pozos Colorados:
Rodadero:In this town, you will find Santa Marta's biggest hotel and restaurant offer. This marvellous place next to the beach of Rodadero can be discovered from the apartments in the high buildings and enchanting familiar hotels. Rodadero is the most popular choice of Colombian tourism and you can see there travelers from the entire country. Locally, it is known as the mini "colombian Miami" and it is overwhelmed by massive tourism in the high peak seasons of December, January, and the Easter week (Semana Santa).
If you like to enjoy the tourist ambience and offer, this might be the ideal choice, but if you are looking for a place in Santa Marta with a nicer and less crowded beach, you should choose another sector. Fortunately, in Santa Marta you will find what you are looking for, because it has the magic of having everything. The rates in Rodadero use to be more expensive than in other zones of the city, but you can also find furnished apartments at a reasonable price and of a good quality according to the tourist's taste.
Recommended hotels in Rodadero:
Santa Marta Center:The city is experiencing a renaissance by the recovery of its historic centre. The centre of Santa Marta has been improving considerably by reconstructing the parks like the Simón Bolívar central park and the new hotspot Parque de los Novios, what pushed the tourism of the city forward. The streets and avenues of the centre have been transformed and most of them are finally paved. The tourist offer is increasing steadily and there are more and more restaurants and leisure places to discover.
In the centre, you can find stylish familiar hotels in front of the bay, and a broad offer for economic and backpacker hotels and hostels.
The construction of the marine of Santa Marta has progressed a lot and soon the city will experience the arrival of a different, high profile tourism, which will contribute to the improvement of the city. And the city is now getting ready for this.
Recommended hotels in the centre of Santa Marta:
Taganga:This is a fishermen village situated only ten minutes from Santa Marta, and as the city centre, it is also experiencing an improvement process. Its beach broadwalk has been renovated and looks much better now. The main avenue, as well as the shops and restaurants in front of the beach, were also arranged to reach a harmonic general impression for tourists.
The calm town of Taganga is becoming more and more a tourist destination and it is especially preferred by foreign travelers and backpackers. There is a great accommodation offer and there are more and more small hostels to welcome them. There are as well beautiful and cosy houses with a lot of comfort to rent for days, as well as exclusive cabanas with marvellous views of the Caribbean Sea.
The beach of Taganga is good for swimming, but the adjacent Playa Grande is the most recommendable place to spend a wonderful beach day amidst tranquility and an impressive scenery.
In comparison to Rodadero, there is not such a tourist flow and the prices are lower as well.
The advantage of Taganga is its beautiful bay and the fantastic view it offers from many points of the town.
Recommended accommodations in Taganga:
Bonda:This is the first village on the road towards the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, situated close from the bus station in Mamatoco and about 20 minutes from the city centre.
It is a very ecotourist town, where you will find beautiful ecotourist Fincas to rent for days. This area is very natural and little crowded and there is the River Bonda with its chrystal waters to refresh both locals and tourists.
The major tourist attraction of Bonda is its warm temperature, which is more agreeable than in Santa Marta, as well as the natural springs and archaeological rests. Although it is located 20 minutes from Santa Marta, it is close to the shopping malls, where you can get everything you need, and it is an intermediate place between the city and the Tayrona Park.
Bonda is a recommendable option for travelers who wish to enjoy a calm stay in a natural atmosphere in the mountains, but close from the Caribbean beaches.
There are accommodation facilities for all tastes, but especially you can find the most sophisticated country houses of Santa Marta.
Recommended accommodations in Bonda: Finca Seynekun
Minca:This is a precious ecological town, which is located at the entrance to the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta. The temperature is much more agreeable than in Santa Marta, about 10 degrees less, and thus the nights are considerably fresher so that you will need a sweater.
There is a very exuberant vegetation and the trees are covering everything. You will listen to the sound of the mountain as soon you arrive to the town, where you will feel a special natural energy. There are few houses and fincas in Minca , and thus, nature has been maintained very well in its pure state.
The river Minca joins a lot of the inhabitants because a lot of fincas are built on its banks. From there, you can realise bird watching tours and lots of ecological walks and hikings to explore the waterfalls and the marvellous Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, which is an untouched paradise to discover. In Minca, there is an entire natural universe waiting for you!
After the road which leads to the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, there is another road in direction Riohacha, which takes you to the entrance of the Tayrona National Park. The first point that tourists will see on their way is the sector of Neguanje , which is also the first entrance to the Tayrona Park. There, you may find some spectacular Fincas to rent for days, but the greatest fact is that from there, one may reach some of the most beautiful beaches of Santa Marta, and take a bath in their crystal waters. The best ones can be reached by boat or by an adventurous ecological hike. For some of these beaches, you will need a whole day to enjoy them as they diserve, and it is not possible to visit them all in one day.
The beach of Cinto is of an extraordinary beauty, with transparent waters full of light and a completely natural environment. There, you will find exclusive holiday homes to rent. Playa del Muerto, which nowadays is more known as Playa Cristal, is perfect for a day trip and you get there in 10 minutes by motorboat.
If you don't enter in this area and follow the road, you will get to the zone of Calabazo, where the entrance to the Tayrona Park of the sector Pueblito is located. If you choose this way, you will walk for four hours, what might be a challenge, especially in the first stage. But then, you will be recompensed by visiting the town of the ancient Tayrona tribe, and after you will descend to the spectacular beaches of the Tayrona Park.
In this sector, there are some ecotourist villas of a high quality to rent for holidays or short stays.
Recommended accommodations in the Tayrona Park area:
Bars y restaurants:Most of the really good restaurants of the city are located in the centre of Santa Marta and in Rodadero. These are the sectors with the major gastronomical offer in the town. In the centre of Santa Marta, you can easily get menus for 2000 pesos (1 USD) on the marketplace, as well as delicious filets mignons for 25'000 pesos (13 USD) on the beach broadwalk. The good thing in Santa Marta is that you can get really cheap food. Many restaurants offer a typical lunch from 3500 pesos (2 USD), and there are a lot of food stalls in every corner. Just take care with shrimps and other seafood dishes, because sometimes the cheap may result very expensive.
Generally, the fine restaurants are situated between the centre, the bay and the neighbourhood of Bavaria.
There are some very recommendable ones at the beach of los Cocos, which have specialised in seafood dishes, and on the beach broadwalk, you can get the best steaks in the entire city of Santa Marta!
In Rodadero, the prices are much higher, but the quality is not better than in the city of Santa Marta. Here, it is more difficult to find really economic food, and even the coffee is more expensive! Everything costs a little bit more. There are also some prestigious restaurants with high- quality seafood.
But the best restaurant is located in Minca, next to the river. It is specialised in colombo- italian dishes and it is a paradise for our palate.There has been a shift in the city's nightlife sector in the last years. Now, it is the centre where the great parties of Santa Marta take place, offering lots of bars and nightclubs of all types. Generally, the music is a fusion of hits and Vallenato, but there are also some places which offer exclusively Salsa and other latinamerican music. And there are some discos where the DJ creates a perfect mix for an explosive atmosphere which satisfies both locals and international tourists and fosters the interaction between them.
In Rodadero, there are some nice, big nightclubs, but they only offer a good ambience in the peak seasons, and the rest of the year they are usually quite empty.
In the city of Santa Marta, the most common way to get from one point to another is by taxi, van or bus. The mini busses take you for 1200 pesos per person to any point of the city, which is a very good option especially for longer rides. If you need a transport only for a short distance, it is recommendable to take a taxi. The rate per transfer within the urban zone is 3500 pesos, but if the driver considers you a nice and ignorant tourist, they may want you to pay at least 500 pesos more to recompense the money local people pay less for the same route. The best option is to fix the price before you get into the taxi, or you can also ask for the official rates, which every driver has to show on demand.
There is also a ¨from-door-to-door“ transportation service between the cities of Santa Marta, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Riohacha and other important towns of the caribbean coast. The prices use to be a little bit higher than at the public bus station, but it is a safer and more exclusive service, because they pick you up at any place of the city and let you off wherever you want to in the other city.
Tour Santa Marta:There is no doubt that Santa Marta is one of the cities with major natural treasures of the world, an ideal place to give a surprise to all tourists who visit the enchanting Colombian Caribbean.
Santa Marta has the privilege of having the best beaches of Colombia and the highest coastal mountain chain of the world.
This Sierra Nevada is an entire paradise to discover and after several years of bloody conflicts, this area has finally become safe and thus very interesting for travelers and adventurers who want to enjoy its natural magic.
From there, you can get to the Lost City, the hidden archeological treasure which was the ancient home of the Tayronas.
In Santa Marta, there is a big tours offer for real adventurers to explore Ciudad Perdida by a six day long, challengeing hike of unforgettable experiences.
There is also the possibility to visit the Lost City by helicopter.
Here, you will find the best selection of tours in Santa Marta, from the classic day- trips to the Tayrona Park and its surroundings to more sophisticated and exclusive trekkings and tours.
For the first time in Santa Marta, there are tours for the fans of game- fishing and there is as well the opportunity to realise exciting excursions to the different beaches of Santa Marta by a yacht with all comforts.
There are also tours by cross- country vehicles and bikes, and tours according to the client's preferences. And trekkings to the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta to enjoy a truly natural, mystical, and magical atmosphere…
We are proud to present you here the major tour offer of Santa Marta, which belongs to the best and most complete tours of Colombia because of its variety as well as the biodiversity of the environment.
Gastronomy:
The gastronomy of Santa Marta is special because of its simple dishes and the delicious seafood menus with coconut rice, which can be enjoyed in all restaurants along the beach sectors. The Sancocho¨is a vegetable soup with some chicken or fish, and usually it is prepared on the open fire. It is a very typical and economic Colombian dish which suits all types of meetings and on weekends, you can enjoy it notably in the towns on the way to the Sierra Nevada, in Bonda and Minca.
In Santa Marta, people use to get up early because it is much better to be on the street in the more or less shady morning hours, before the sun persues you without any mercy. Thus, local people all take it easy by walking slowly and always with a towel for the sweat in their hands.
The people of Santa Marta are relaxed and with a nice sense of humor. They are not the most disciplined workers and there is a high percentage of local men who are dedicated to the ¨re- search¨, what means that they use to be in places of the city to see if there might result some pesos. This is an informal labour and it does not really improve the account of a family. Because of this, in many cases women are the main workers and carry most of the familiar responsibility.
Children are treated like small kings and queens, and some might be too pampered by their mothers. Thus, lots of them hardly can leave the familiar atmosphere.
The most important annual festival of Santa Marta is the Sea Party. After a stop in 2008, it was realised again in 2009, but unfortunately without much success.
These parties are dedicated to the Caribbean Sea and consist of a mix between water sports competitions and social events for the local entertainment. There usually are tents and beach stalls with music, and depending on the event, you have to pay or it is for free. The beach broadwalk is full of people and there's a great ambience. All bars and nightclubs open to welcome locals and tourists to enjoy long and cheerful nights. But generally, the Celebrations of the Sea need to be improved a lot.
The carnivals are also an important local event when all everyday activities stop for a few days. There are stalls with music groups playing in different places of the city, street performances and some prepaid exclusive shows like in the vacational centre ¨los Trupillos.
The festive processions take place mainly on Saturday, where you may watch the performances of professional carnival dancers.
In these days, the whole city of Santa Marta is a party, and here it is common that the greatest party can be enjoyed within the big families at their homes. The people sit in front of their houses, watch the spectacles, and play domino, and the small businesses contribute with their own music, everything in a absolutely local tradition.
In the Christmas and New Year time, the city gets prepared for welcoming to the thousands of tourists who arrive at the coasts of Santa Marta.
There are also more and more people who realise their wedding and beach parties at an exclusive beach of Santa Marta. This is a great opportunity to create a unique experience.
The Vallenato is still the most popular music, even for young people, what converts this regional rhythm into the musical reference of Santa Marta. They particularly like the songs about love, dislove, all with a quite complaning sound, which captures the hearts of the people of the coast.
Salsa and the carnival music are very cheerful rhythms as well, and they are more interesting to dance to.
Other music styles are still a minority, so don't forget your i- pod!Security:
One can say that Santa Marta is a safe city for tourists. Travelers are seldom victims of a criminal actions, and when, it use to be low- volume crimes.
Where to sleep in Santa Marta:
In Santa Marta, there is a big offer of variegated accommodation. You can find really cheap hostels for 12000 pesos (6 USD) per room and night, as well as exclusive suites for up to 600`000 pesos per day.
Here, you will be able to find all information to rent an apartment in Santa Marta , or to rent an exclusive or ecotourist accommodation next to the beach and the Caribbean Sea.
You can search both by rates and by sectors, and you can book your hotel in Santa Marta online.