• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
FREE REPORT
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE
*No spam: We will NEVER give your email address to anyone else.
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
Live and Invest Overseas
  • HOME
  • COUNTRIES
    • Top Destinations
      • Portugal
      • Panama
      • Belize
      • France
      • Colombia
      • Dominican Republic
      • Thailand
      • Mexico
      • Spain
      • Argentina
    • Browse All Countries
    • Best For
      • Retire Overseas Index
      • Health Care
      • Cost of Living
      • Investing in Real Estate
      • Editor’s Picks For Retirement
      • Establishing Residency
      • Starting an Online Business
      • Single Women
      • Playing Golf
  • BUDGETS
    • Super Cheap ($)
      • Cuenca, Ecuador
      • Chiang Mai, Thailand
      • The Philippines
      • Las Tablas, Panama
      • Granada, Nicaragua
    • Cheap ($$)
      • Algarve, Portugal
      • Medellin, Colombia
      • Boquete, Panama
      • Carcassone, France
      • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Affordable ($$$)
      • Abruzzo, Italy
      • Barcelona, Spain
      • Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
      • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
      • Costa de Oro, Uruguay
    • Luxury On A Budget ($$$$)
      • Ambergris Caye, Belize
      • Paris, France
      • Panama City Beach Area
  • Real Estate
  • ARCHIVES
    • Living & Retiring Overseas
    • Raising A Family Abroad
    • Foreign Residency & Citizenship
    • Offshore Diversification
    • Our Latest On Coronavirus ⚠️
  • Making Money
    • International Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Employment
    • Investing
  • CONFERENCES
  • BOOKSTORE
No Result
View All Result
Live and Invest Overseas
No Result
View All Result

Santa Marta, Colombia: Hidden Caribbean Beaches And Jungle

Santa Marta, Colombia—A Top Weekend Escape

Lauren Brown by Lauren Brown
Aug 14, 2019
in Colombia, Travel
0
tayrona national park

iStock/Rudimencial

213
SHARES
3k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

If you’re a water lover like me, your first impression of moving to Medellín, Colombia may have gone something like this…

“The mountains are beautiful, but where’s the closest beach?”

Luckily every single location in Colombia is accessible by a quick hour (or less) plane ride—inexpensively on Avianca Airlines or VivaColombia airlines.

My mother is an even bigger beach fanatic, so, when my parents visited my home in Medellín, we made plans to go to the beach for a few days. Our destination was Santa Marta—a city located on the Caribbean Sea in the northern department of Magdalena. Santa Marta was the first Spanish settlement in Colombia and is also known for being a busy port. While the city is small, the surrounding area offers beaches, hikes, scuba diving, snorkeling, and other adventures and activities perfect for any vacation style.

While there are many hostels, hotels, and bed-and-breakfasts closer to Santa Marta city, we opted to stay in the Zuana Resort as part of a time-share exchange. This resort offered both hotel and condo-style rooms overlooking multiple pools and its own private beach. It was exactly what the doctor ordered after being in the mountains for over a year. We spent our days by the pool and beach and then ventured into the historic downtown for dinner.

Only a short cab ride away, the city of Santa Marta is perfect to explore in the late afternoon on foot. The city center is quaint, featuring narrow roads, old Spanish architecture, and squares surrounded by restaurants—from pizza joints to trendy burger bars to more upscale Italian and Mediterranean food.  As we finished dinner, more and more bars began to open their doors. We didn’t stay to join in the evening entertainment, because we had plans to get to Parque Tayrona the next morning…

Tayrona is a national park of approximately 12 square miles, located about 20 miles from Santa Marta. Here, lush green jungle meets the Caribbean, giving way to hidden beaches—some of which are only accessible by boat.

As you hike into the park, you’ll come across beaches of various sizes, restaurants, and even small hotels and lodging areas. The hike is relatively flat, and much of it has been turned into a boarded walkway making it an enjoyable walk for all ages and athletic ability. If you prefer, you can explore the park on horseback. The flora, fauna, and ocean scenery are absolutely breathtaking—and the mix of jungle noises and crashing waves relaxing—so many park visitors opt to stay the night.

The EcoHabs—little huts perched overlooking a secluded beach of Tayrona—are one option. Each hut has a view of the ocean, a terrace with hammocks, private room, and bathroom… and there’s an onsite restaurant and spa.

Another popular day trip from Santa Marta is the fishing village of Taganga, located only a 10-minute taxi ride away. This town is a favorite of backpackers as it has many dive shops and cheap bars and restaurants. Here you can also get your diving certificate. The many fishing boats on the ocean make Taganga a great spot for spectacular sunset views while you sip a cold beer and savor freshly caught fish at the beachside restaurants.

For those seeking real adventure and a hardcore hiking experience, look no farther than the Lost City hike. Think Inca Trail without the tourists. The ruins are different to what you’ll see at Machu Picchu, but many go just for the hike itself—you’ll cross rivers and streams and often come across indigenous people living deep in the jungle (a true Indiana Jones experience).

When you need a break from big-city life in Colombia, Santa Marta is a quick and inexpensive flight from Medellín or Bogotá.

Be warned: One weekend won’t be enough.

Lauren Brown

Comments

Tags: beaches in Colombiabeaches near Medellínmoving to Colombiamoving to Medellíntraveling to Colombia
Share86Tweet53
Previous Post

4 Tips To Help You Stay In Touch With Family When Overseas

Next Post

Enjoy Italian City Living For Less In Turin, Northern Italy

Lauren Brown

Lauren Brown

Since high school, Lauren Brown has been an avid traveler and passionate about the Spanish language. Lauren followed professional opportunities in sales and business development to Latin America and decided to stay there. Lauren has lived one year in Mexico, two years in Colombia, and is now living in Chile. Living abroad has allowed Lauren to pursue many diverse passions and professions including writing, personal training, running coaching, and consulting in sales and marketing for international startups.

Related Posts

Belem Tower, Lisbon, Portugal.
In Focus: Europe

The Ultimate Portugal Info At Our 2021 Portugal Virtual Conference

by Kat Kalashian
April 13, 2021
0

Don’t judge a country by its food. Or, at least, not by the first dish you experience. On my first...

Read more
Siena, Tuscany, Italy

The Best Option For Exploring And Traveling In Tuscany, Italy

March 23, 2021
Sea of Cortez, Mexico.

Top Countries Where U.S. Dollars Get You A Big Discount

March 9, 2021
Praia dos Aveiros Beach, Algarve, Portugal.

11 Reasons Why Living In The Algarve Region Has No Match

March 7, 2021
Fishermans beach Praia dos Pescadores Albufeira Algarve Portugal.

Living In The Algarve Where Every Day Feels Like August

March 1, 2021
Beautiful Caribbean sight with turquoise water in San Pedro island, Belize.

What The Future In Belize Looks Like: The Booming Real Estate Market

February 18, 2021
Cozy old street with pink house at the sunny sunrise, quarter Montmartre in Paris, France.

The Top 5 Places Bike Tourism Enthusiasts Should Visit

February 2, 2021
Next Post
Diners outside a restaurant in Turin, Italy

Enjoy Italian City Living For Less In Turin, Northern Italy

A world full of fun, adventure, and profit awaits! Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we'll send you a FREE report on the 10 Best Places To Retire In Style Overseas Today.

Start Your New Life Today, Overseas

how to retire overseas

LIOS Resources


  • New To LIOS
  • Ask An Expert
  • Media Center
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs

Quick Links


  • Best Places To Live
  • Best Places To Retire
  • Finding A Job Overseas
  • Real Estate

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and get your FREE report: The 10 Best Places To Retire Overseas In 2021

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Unsubscribe

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Countries
  • Budgets
  • Archives
  • News
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Members Area
  • Contact Us

© 2008-2021 - Live and Invest Overseas - All Rights Reserved.

WANT TO RETIRE OVERSEAS?

Sign up for our free daily e-letter, Overseas Opportunity Letter, and we’ll immediately send you a free report on the 10 BEST PLACES TO RETIRE in style overseas. Each day you’ll learn about the best opportunities for international living, retiring overseas, offshore diversification and asset protection, and investing in real estate around the world.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.