Santa Marta - Parque Tayrona
(Santa Marta Photos)

The principal reason for visiting Santa Marta would be for its proximity to the wonderful Parque Nacional Tayrona, and, perhaps more specifically, the beaches of Tayrona. The park is less than an hour from Santa Marta. Probably the best way to get there is via public transport. Buses go back and forth fairly frequently, dropping you off at the main gate, which is actually at the eastern end of the park. There is the same discriminatory pricing policy (as found in Argentina) in place to enter many of Colombia's national parks. For Tayrona, it was in the region of US$20. From the gate it is a small hike along a road to the beginning of the park's various trails.

Now, in retrospect this is what I should have done. However, I chose to take a tour led by an older gentleman who was nicknamed "Abuelo" (grandad) by the mostly Colombian group. The transport was in a Chiva (a bus with long, transversely arranged benches and open sides, no aisle - also used as 'party buses' as they can be seen circling Bogotá with music blaring and intoxicated passengers bouncing up and down). There was nothing wrong with the tour, but I could have saved some money going it alone. I did meet several nice Colombian families who took me in and gave me juice, and a ride in a chiva is always fun. So I was not complaining.

There often seems to be some doubt or confusion as to whether the park is open due to security issues. This may have been the case a couple of years ago when the guerrilla forces were in the area, but the impression I got is that things are pretty safe now, as safe as they can be in Colombia.

To get from the park's small car park to the beach requires an hour to hour and a half hike through dense jungle along a well trodden path. Meanwhile you are constantly being passed by people on horseback and mules carrying to the various beach-side settlements. The mules, often going in pairs, seem to run on auto-pilot. There are several paths that lead to various beaches. Signage along the trail, when it appears, is pretty good. Though, you cannot depend on it.

Our trail led us to Arrecifes, one of the main Tayrona beaches. Here there is a large campsite, and you can also rent hammock space and a hammock. I guess some people bring their own hammocks. There are also basic cabañas if you are not into really roughing it. Other facilities include a restaurant. The beach itself is fairly large. However, the water is perilous. You pass a many signs saying that swimming is prohibited due to the strong currents and undertow. Many have lost their lives here, strong swimmers included.

We continued west along the beach and then in land slightly to join up with another trail. After about 45 minutes or so we finally arrived at our final destination and lunch spot - Cabo San Juan de Guia. Cabo is probably the most popular of the camping sites and beaches in Tayrona. The site is a little smaller than Arrecifes, but the water is calm and safe for swimming. The site boasts a restaurant and shop as well as basic shower and toilet facilities. 20 or so hammocks are lined up in a row under a thatched roof shelter immediately next to the restaurant. There were also a couple of travelers with the typical 'dread-locked and pierced' aspect selling the standard range of arts and crafts such as bracelets, earrings, t-shirts etc - no doubt to fund their gypsy lifestyle.

The restaurant has quite a varied menu, though slightly pricey menu with dishes that were almost twice as expensive as those I found in Santa Marta. I put my lunch order in and went for a swim. Cabo has two small crescent shaped beaches. As I walked along to beach in search of somewhere to 'safe' to leave my pack I could not help but notice the number of cigarette ends stubbed out in the sand. How is it some smokers can be so disrespectful. I would have expected this on the beaches of Santa Marta, but not here.

I did have a very relaxing time wallowing in the calm, clear waters of Cabo. And aside from my short dive in Santa Marta, this was the only opportunity I took to test Colombia's Caribbean waters. This was probably the closet I will ever get to the Caribbean.

At about 3:30pm our guide, Abuelo, rounded us up and pointed us toward the trail. I thought I heard him say something about keeping left. I started out following the nice family who gave me the tamarindo juice. However, after stopping to take a couple of photos, I found myself on my own, not that this bothered me. I made the best of this solitary moment. Though, it was not long before the young Swiss couple from Zurich passed me as I was attempted to photograph an 'ant highway' which crossed the path. I had been making every effort to step across these industrious insects when I came across them.


I caught up with the the Swiss who had stopped at a fork in the trail. There was no sign, of course. Do we go left or right? It was not long before someone else, equally confused, came up behind us. Abuelo had said stay left, hadn't he? So the decision was made to take the left fork and the four of us continued on together. It was not long before I started to feel that this was not the way we had come. Where as the route we had taken to Cabo took us further in land, this was clearly the coastal trail. But, no matter, we continued. The trail took us passed a couple of attractive and secluded little beaches. At every beach I made inquires with the oyster sellers as to whether we were heading in the right direction. We were, however, the others did not appear to be all that convinced. The Swiss couple spoke only rudimentary Spanish and the girl, a hair stylist from Bogotá, spoke virtually no English. This could be an interesting group to get lost with in the Jungle!

It was not long before we rejoined the original trail that led us back to the beach at Arrecifes. At the Arrecifes camp site we found most of the others, and it turned out that we had gone right way. It was their intention that we see some of the other beaches. The hairstylist looked relieved and this only improved her confidence in me.