Colombia’s Caribbean coast is perhaps the country’s best region to visit.  Cartagena is the most well known destination, however, the area north of Cartagena also has tons to offer travelers.  Santa Marta, in particular, should be included as a stop during a visit to Colombia’s Caribbean.  By the way, if you’re flying into Cartagena, like many do, you may want to get this comfortable transfer from Cartagena to Santa Marta and vice versa.  If you’re flying into Santa Marta itself, you also might be interested in this Santa Marta airport transfer. In the meantime, discover these 5 Great Places to Visit Near Santa Marta, Colombia!   Travel Tips:  Going to Cartagena too?  Learn more about planning a trip to Cartagena and see the top activities in Cartagena.  
Santa Marta is known for its unforgettable landscapes, the blue of its seas, the yellow of the sun and the sand / Photo: Canva Pro
  Santa Marta itself has its own charms, with a number of things to do and a pretty colonial waterfront.  However, the best part of Santa Marta is there are a number of great places to visit nearby.  Nature lovers and beach bums will especially enjoy visiting the areas outside of Santa Marta. Here you’re going to be learning about 5 great places to visit near Santa Marta, Colombia.  Some of these can be done as day trips from Santa Marta, while some are best enjoyed spending a night or two there.  Either way, there is undoubtedly something for everyone in these other places to visit close to Santa Marta!  
The Tayrona park is visited by thousands of tourists throughout the year / Photo: Canva Pro
 

1-  Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park is undoubtedly one of Colombia’s most famous and most beautiful natural destinations.  Located about an hour away from Santa Marta, the park is nestled between the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the Caribbean Sea.  It offers amazing, largely undeveloped beaches, amazing landscapes, and a chance to connect with nature. To get to the park, visitors can take a bus or private transportation from Santa Marta.  The Cartagena-Santa Marta transfer can also drop you off at or pick you up from the park if you’re coming from or going to Cartagena. Inside the park there are some eco-hotels and lodges as well as a campsite.  There are also some hostels just outside the park, but it is important to keep in mind it’s a couple hours hike to the main beaches from the entrance. It is also possible to visit some of the beaches of the park via day trips from Santa Marta, which makes for a great option for those trying to give themselves enough time to visit all of these places to see near Santa Marta.  Day tour options for Tayrona include this one to the popular Cañaveral and Arrecifes beaches and this one to the beautiful Playa Cristal.     Travel tip:  You can also learn more about planning a trip to Tayrona here.  
Palomino is the fashionable beach for backpackers from all over the world / Photo: Canva Pro
 

2- Palomino

For those who want to enjoy a relaxed beach town but aren’t as interested in hiking or camping in Tayrona, Palomino is the perfect choice for a destination outside of Santa Marta. This small town is located about 45 minutes more north of Tayrona.  It, in fact, can be reached by taking the same bus from Santa Marta that goes to Tayrona, and this convenient Cartagena-Santa Marta transfer also can be taken to or from Palomino.  Especially if you’re coming or going to Cartagena, that transfer is a great option on a comfortable van with A/C rather than multiple public buses or very expensive taxis! A small town, Palomino in recent years has become a popular destination for those looking to relax and enjoy a chilled out vibe.  There are a number of hostels and eco-lodges both in town itself as well as right on the beach.  There are also a lot of great restaurants in town offering a combination of Colombian and International foods.  At night, there is frequent live music and DJs. Finally, a plan you won’t want to miss in Palomino is tubing down the Palomino River.  The river is shallow and calm, making it perfect to spend a few hours floating down the river from out of town before arriving to the sea.  Just be sure to wear your sunscreen!   Travel tips: Take advantage to discover 10 things you can do in Santa Marta!  
Costeño Beach is located in an area of abundant wildlife and natural beauty / Photo: Canva Pro
 

3- Costeño Beach

For a happy medium between the more rugged nature of Tayrona and the chilled out vibes of Palomino, you could also visit Costeño Beach, next on this list of beaches to visit near Santa Marta.  It also happens to lie on the road between those two places. Costeño Beach aka Playa Costeño, is a nice, windswept, stretch of beach with a number of hostels located a short ways off the road north of Tayrona.  There’s a combination of more beach bar, hippy hostels and nicer, luxury lodges here, making it perfect for anyone.  Surfers also will like the strong waves, although your average swimmer should be careful with the strong currents. All in all, Costeño Beach is a nice stop for a few days of rest and relaxation by the beach and another good stop for those looking for places to visit close to Santa Marta.   Travel tips: Don't forget our walks and tips to visit the Tayrona Park!
Taganga is a small fishing village located in a beautiful bay near Santa Marta / Photo: Canva Pro
 

4- Taganga

Closer to Santa Marta, this small beach town was originally a fishermen’s village before being turned into a popular destination and another one of the great beach towns near Santa Marta.  It sits in a gorgeous little bay between the mountains of the Sierra Nevada.  The view from the road coming into Taganga is one of the prettiest sites in all of Colombia! In town, there’s a nice little public beach area as well as a number of waterfront restaurants perfect for enjoying a nice fried fish lunch and a cold drink with the sound of the waves lapping up on the beach in the background. Given that it is located just over the hills from Santa Marta, Taganga can be visited as a day trip from Santa Marta or even just for a couple hours.  There are public buses that go to Taganga or you can easily get a taxi for a reasonable price. For those looking to spend the night, there are a number of nice hotels and hostels for all budgets in town as well.  There are also plenty of restaurants and even a few nightclubs for those looking to have some fun as well. Taganga has been somewhat overshadowed by Palomino in recent years, but it still makes for a nice destination near Santa Marta.  
Minca is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. What are you waiting for to visit it? / Photo: Canva Pro

5- Minca

Finally, last, but certainly not least, on this list of towns to visit near Santa Marta is a place not at the beach.  It’s Minca, a pretty, little town located in the mountains above Santa Marta.  The cooler mountain air makes it a nice break from the hot Caribbean sun! The town itself is pretty and there are a number of nice little cafes perfect for lunch, or just hangin out, but the best attraction is definitely the nature outside of town.  There are several waterfalls within an hour or two hike from town.  The prettiest is the Marinka Waterfall, and the Pozo Azul is also very nice.  For those willing to get up early, there is also great bird watching in the pretty forest. You can also learn about the coffee production process at La Victoria, and there is even a cacao plantation near town.  There is even a brewery that brews some of the best beer on the Caribbean coast! Minca can be easily visited as a day trip from Santa Marta.  You can get a taxi in town or collective transportation from the market in Santa Marta.  However, even better would be this great day tour that includes transportation to and from Santa Marta, visits to waterfalls, lunch with an indigenous community, and a visit to a cacao and coffee farm.  It’s a great and convenient way to see the best Minca has to offer as a day trip from Santa Marta. There are hostels, hotels, and eco-lodges for all budgets located in town or in the nearby area as well for those who want to spend the night.   There’s no doubt that any of these places to see near Santa Marta would make a fine addition to your itinerary on Colombia’s coast, whether they be as day trips from Santa Marta or spending a night or two there.  You have gorgeous beaches, relaxed vibes, nature, and even mountains.  In other words, something for everyone. In short, you can’t go wrong, and when planning your trip to Colombia, there’s no shortage of great things to see!  You can see more things to do around Santa Marta here or the most popular activities Daytours4u offers in Colombia here.  
 
By: Adam McConnaughhay, a school teacher from the US who lives in Cartagena, has traveled extensively in Colombia, and writes about his experiences at CartagenaExplorer.com.