Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [137]
Bayview Hostel ( 421 9128; www.bayviewhostel.com; Carrera 4 No 17B-57; dm incl breakfast COP$20,000, s/d COP$30,000/50,000; ) One of the few good Colombian-run hostels in town, this is another colorful place with a big communal kitchen and simple rooms. The swimming pool is the icing. If you get tired of that, grab a movie from the DVD library and call it a night.
Ballena Azul ( 421 9090; www.hotelballenaazul.com; cnr Carerra 1 & Calle 18; r with/without air-con COP$100,000/60,000; ) Its ads would have you think this is South Beach – not quite – but it is the most stylish place to stay. The whitewashed colonial-like home evokes a Santorini feel and it’s right on the beach, with an annex next door. The restaurant is the classiest spot in town.
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Eating
There are a slew of open-air budget restaurants along the waterfront, where comida corriente with fresh fish starts at COP$$8000.
La Baguettes de Maria (Calle 18 No 3-47; mains COP$5000-10,000; lunch & dinner Sun-Fri, dinner Sat) A true traveler’s paradise – scrumptious beef, chicken and veggie fillings piled high on baguettes and served in brown paper bags, run by a friendly South African and his Colombian wife. Don’t miss the amazing peach iced tea, either. It also does french fries eight ways – perfect to nurse your hangover.
Geoffrey’s ( 421 9092; Calle 12 No 4-07; mains COP$5000-14,000; dinner) Not many hostels can boast a French chef, but this restaurant at Divanga (opposite) can do just that. Chicken coconut curry, steak with creamy pepper sauce – this stuff is too good. It draws both guests and visitors alike, both for the prices and the excellent fare.
Bitácora ( 421 9121; Carrera 1 No 17-13; mains COP$7000-18,000; breakfast, lunch & dinner) Semi-stylish spot serving everything from filet mignon smothered in bacon and mushrooms to veggie lasagna. The sundaes are quite a hit as well. At night, it’s good for a drink before El Garaje gets going.
Ballena Crepes ( 421 9090; cnr Carerra 1 & Calle 18; mains COP$7900-39,000; breakfast, lunch & dinner) The Ballena Azul hotel’s more casual (and some say better) restaurant, across the street from the hotel, is the most varied in town. A healthy list of cheaper options like crepes, burgers and sandwiches sit alongside more expensive seafood choices, all served under a thatched roof by the bay.
Las Velas ( 421 9072; Carrera 1 No 18-95; mains COP$12,000-47,000; breakfast & lunch to 7:30pm) Right on the beach next door to Casa Blanca, Las Velas is known for it’s seafood cazuela (stew) and lobster in coconut sauce. If you don’t like it, you don’t pay!
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Drinking
El Garaje ( 421 9003; Calle 8 No 2-127; 8:30pm-late Wed-Sat) This is the spot in Taganga, well worth the trek from Santa Marta on Wednesday as well, when Santa Marta is dead. It’s a sprawling bar under thatched roofs, full of picnic tables and the occasional live tree growing up from the floor. Good fun.
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Getting There & Away
Taganga is easily accessible; there are frequent minibuses (COP$1000, 15 minutes) from Carrera 1C and Carrera 5 in Santa Marta. A taxi costs COP$7000. You can also arrive by boat directly from Cabo San Juan de la Guía in Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona for COP$35,000 – much smarter than doing the reverse, Click here.
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PARQUE NACIONAL NATURAL (PNN) TAYRONA
One of Colombia’s most popular national parks, Tayrona grips the Caribbean coast like a jungly bear hug at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The park stretches along the coast from the Bahía de Taganga near Santa Marta to the mouth of the Río Piedras, 35km to the east, and covers some 12,000 hectares of land and 3000 hectares of sea.
The scenery varies from sandy beaches along the coast in the north to rainforest at an altitude of 900m on the southern limits of the park.