Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [105]
The area has long been Colombia’s tourism bread and butter, drawing more domestic and international visitors than any other part of the country. The crown jewel along the coast is Cartagena, a colonial city with a beauty and romance unrivaled anywhere in Colombia. Under-renovation Santa Marta, the last stop for the legendary liberator Simón Bolívar, also offers a sense of history, but the real reason to visit is nearby Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Tayrona, a wonderful stretch of preserved beach and virgin rainforest. By contrast, Ciudad Perdida (Lost City) is no picnic to reach, but the exhausting three-day trek has become a rite of passage for many travelers.
The lengthy coast covers a range of ecosystems, from the dense jungles of Darién Gap on the border with Panama in the southwest, to the barren desert of La Guajira near Venezuela in the northeast. Both of these areas are now safe for international tourism, and were both worth the wait. From the northernmost point of the continent at Punta Gallinas in La Guajira – the coast’s most stunning landscape by a landslide – and the supremely relaxed beach towns of Capurganá and Sapzurro, these two remarkable areas still feel largely unexplored and poised to lead a tourism renaissance in the country.
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HIGHLIGHTS
Soak up the history as you stroll the colonial streets of sensual old town Cartagena
Beach-hop from El Zaino to Calabazo through Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona
Trek through thick Colombian jungle to the mysterious Ciudad Perdida, the former pre-Columbian capital of the Tayrona people
Traverse the feral seaside desertscape at Punta Gallinas, South America’s stunning northernmost point
Straddle the Colombian–Panamanian border in the tranquil villages and excellent beaches around Capurganá & Sapzurro
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History
The Caribbean coast was inhabited by various indigenous communities long before the arrival of the Spaniards. Two of these groups evolved into highly developed cultures: the Tayrona in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and the Sinú in what are now the Córdoba and Sucre departments. The technological prowess of these people is best demonstrated in the construction of several villages, including Ciudad Perdida.
The coast was the first region conquered by the Spaniards. Santa Marta (founded in 1525) and Cartagena (1533) are the oldest surviving Colombian cities. Both were valuable Spanish staging posts for missions to the interior and port towns from which plundered riches were sent back to the Old World. Inevitable wealth was accompanied by pirate raids and the entire coast, especially Cartagena, was under siege for most of its early settled existence.
After independence, the Caribbean coast continued to thrive economically, helped by the rise of industrial Barranquilla. Coal remains the current cash cow: Latin America’s largest coal-mining operation is the El Cerrejón on the Guajira Peninsula.
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Climate
It’s so hot here, the homeless often beg not for money but for limeade. Temperatures usually hover around Hades, but the sopping wet humidity is the real killer. To beat the heat, do as the locals do and siesta from noon to 2pm, saving your strength for early morning and evening activities. October brings much rain, while December and January offer cool winds that make travel more pleasant.
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Getting There & Away
There are several ways to approach the Caribbean coast. The easiest option is to fly to one of the main cities – there are even some direct flights to Cartagena from North America and Europe,