santa marta (city), CO

This page is dedicated to the city of Santa Marta itself. People will talk about it. But I wouldn’t recommend staying in it. Let me tell you why. I don’t think there is really any reason to spend much time in the large coastal city of 500,000 people. Its full of skyscrapers, oceanfront condos, and yes, I’ll give it to you some nice beaches. The airport probably has the best view of any airport I have ever seen. Right on the water and pretty amazing. Santa Marta the city is relatively unimportant to visit. The thing however that makes Santa Marta great, is its proximity to everything else that’s amazing about the Northern Coast of Colombia. Within about an hour and a half you could be in Minca, Tayrona, Palomino or Buritaca. The residents of Santa Marta are pretty lucky when it comes to their geographical proximity to some amazing things to see. From a tourism perspective though? I would say you can avoid the city of Santa Marta itself and move on for greener pastures to the North. You will meet people who are either going to stay in Santa Marta or who just came from staying there. The ones who just came from staying there will tell you that it wasn’t worth it and skip it. So I would listen to them.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

LOCATION - Santa Marta is located on the Northern Coast of Colombia. Theres an international airport here and likely if you want to come to the area and are not coming from Cartagena you will just take one of the cheap domestic flights from all over Colombia that could get you here. However, if you are coming from Cartagena, its only about a 4 hour drive so a bus is easy.
- BY BUS - Just google bus and its really simple. Busses leave all the time and shouldn't cost you more than $10.
- DRIVING - If you are driving its a simple 4 hour drive. You will go through Barranquilla, spent a bunch of money on tolls which is classic Colombia. But its an easy, wide and nicely paved road.

ACCOMODATION - There are plenty of accomodation options. But most people stay at one of the two below if they are looking to stay budget. They are both nice options.
- Masaya - Good chain option in Colombia.
- Viajero - Probably the most popular for backpackers here in Santa Marta.

EATS - Didnt spend any time here.

NIGHTLIFE - Not sure, but I am pretty sure there will be a clubby scene and the hostels will have bars.

SIGHTS - The things around the city are absolutely amazing. They each that I mention below have their own pages and I will link them. Theres tons more.
- Tayrona - Stunning National Park
- Palomino - A few hours ride but Colombia's best backpacker beach town.
- Minca - Up the hill from Santa Marta. The best little hippy beach town.
- Buritaca - River town with party hostels and tubing.
- Sierra Nevadas - There will not be a page dedicated to this but if you are interested in checking it out I have linked another blog. Lying only a spitting distance from Santa Marta is Colombia's highest peak. Colombia's tallest mountain range is the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, which is located in the Caribbean plain. The highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are Pico Cristóbal Colón and Pico Simón Bolívar, both at an elevation of 5,775 meters (18,947 ft). Pico Cristóbal Colón is the highest mountain in Colombia and one of the world's five most prominent peaks.
- The Beach - the beach out front is actually pretty nice.

SURFING - No waves, but a few hours north in Palomino is the only hope for surf in the whole country.