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Latest Santa Marta hotel reviews
grandmaR Says: Originally the museum was housed in the customs house. But the customs house is under renovation, so the exhibits have been moved to a bank. We did not go to this museum, although their website says "This is the best museum of gold in the world. It went through some...
mtncorg Says: Several others on VT have noted that when they visited this area, they stayed in the nearby village of Taganga, a few miles north of Santa Marta. The town is a little more comfortable because it is a lot smaller. It is much closer to the most popular Colombian national park,...
richiecdisc Says: The Museo de Oro or Gold Museum is located just off the Plaza de Bolivar in a nicely renovated hacienda-type colonial mansion known as Casa de la Aduana. This former Customs House is reported to have a great collection of pottery and gold from the native Kogi people...
richiecdisc Says: Taganga is a picturesque fishing village with a perfect horseshoe shaped bay that makes for incredibly scenic sunsets. It was surely a paradise fifty years ago but since its “discovery” by gringos at large it has become shall we say a bit less authentic. It has also taken...
richiecdisc Says: La Ciudad Perdida has not only a rich and lengthy history but a storied recent past as well. Though settlement in the vicinity dates back perhaps a far as the 7th century and the actual structures' construction to between the 11th and 14th, the “Lost City” was just that...
the regions jewel: Tayrona National Park
richiecdisc Says: Rightfully one of Colombia's most popular destinations, Tayrona National Park is most closely associated with breathtaking coastal scenery but the park encompasses 12 hectares of land with some of it rainforest close to 1000 meters and lowlands of brown desert-like hills....
I guess the Tayrona were bigger than the Kogi
richiecdisc Says: There is a bit of an odd monument to the native people of this region on the waterfront. I saw it before going into the mountain regions where some of them still live so had no idea what they looked like at the time so thought little of it aside from the fact that it seemed...
Helados de la Casa/Helados Exóticos: Best ice cream in Santa Marta
wolfla Says: I've been here 6 months and just found this place. Here you will find homemade ice cream with the usual and unusual flavors – chocolate, strawberry, avacado, cañandonga (which is a costal fruit, Rocio can show you the large seed pod. It tastes faintly of chocolate and is...
Lulo: Lulo - when you are tired of local food
wolfla Says: This is a small place with good food. It is owned by a Colombian and a woman from the US, so both Spanish and English is spoken. They provide breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can get coffee, smoothies, juices, coctels, beer, gourmet arepas, wraps and panini and pita...
sunset cafe: a stroll on the promenade is free
richiecdisc Says: Santa Marta has its share of pubs and I imagine a few clubs as well. This is after all a beach tourist town and people, especially Colombians love to party when they are on vacation. We saw quite a few people sitting out on the waterfront enjoying the ocean breeze and the...
wolfla Says: You can take a city to city bus from the bus terminal but there is another option to get between Cartegena, Barranquilla and Santa Marta. A "Puerta a Puerta" or Door to Door is a van (sometimes a car) that will pick you up at your door and take you to your destination. It is...
wolfla Says: It's easy to get around Santa Marta. It feels like a big small town. You can easily walk around the historic district without needing transportation. Taxis within the city cost COP $4,000 (little over $2 USD) but if you don't have the correct change they may charge more...
wolfla Says: When I ask locals what people do for Carnival in Santa Marta, they say they go to Barranquilla. Barranquilla indeed has the largest carnival celebration in Colombia and supposedly is second only to Brazil. I nonetheless stayed in Santa Marta and learned why people say they...
wolfla Says: Santa Marta is a pretty safe town. I have lived here for the past 6 months and have noticed that there is more theft at the end of the year than other times of the year. People in general will have more money at the end of the year because they get what is called a "prima"...
the___gecko Says: just in regards to the cop bag search, theyre after ganja. if your a smoker like most back packers are, just hide it somewhere like your camera case or somewhere similar.dont hide it down your jocks though. ive been there 3 times and once the fagot cop grabbed me by the...
richiecdisc Says: While a normal suitcase will get you by in Santa Marta proper and a day pack will suffice on your guided trek of La Ciudad Perdida, to really get a full dose of Tayrona National Park, you're best off having a backpack with you. The park features miles of trails that take in...
Minca - day trip from Santa Marta or stay awhile
wolfla Says: I recommend staying a while but this can definitely be a day trip. It depends on what you are looking for. There isn't much to do in Minca but take long hikes, bathe in a river, watch birds and butterflies and enjoy new scenery, and peace and quiet (ok, like everywhere else...
grandmaR Says: Since I am interested in lighthouses, I always look for them. I took pictures of this one. When I looked at the photos there appeared to be a path to the top of the lighthouse, and the lighthouse looked like it had lights in it.Then I asked at the information desk what the...
richiecdisc Says: At any rate, I really was just looking for a room and soon figured out that the one I already had was a bargain compared to these, not to mention the dilapidated neighborhood factor. I did get to meet some of the backpacker hostel staff who seemed much more intent on...
it wasn't teeming with prostitutes
richiecdisc Says: Santa Marta is a real Colombian city despite its tourist demeanor and is perhaps more alluring in its half-baked state. Some of the town has been spiffed up but some of it remains in a delightfully dilapidated state. Enjoy both while you can, this is a town earmarked for...
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Plan a Santa Marta vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Santa Marta locals
Sierra Nevada de SantaMarta and Tayrona Park - This amazing site, is placed close to the coastline at north of Colombia, between the main cities of SantaMarta, Barranquilla and Valledupar. This is a National Park that includes a big mountain with...
1 member live in Santa Marta
Q: I am going to Santa Marta in a couple months And want to find a funrished apartment to rent for the 2 or 3 weeks I will be there!...
A: I know someone who rents apartments in the Rodadero area (15 from Santa Marta with a better beach). Oscar Barrios Aroca, 311-415-9588. If you don't speak Spanish, I could...
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As Santa Marta Grows into its own Shoes
Santa Marta is a study in contrast. On one hand, it is very much a major tourist destination and even that is two-pronged. It is one of the most popular beach resorts for Colombians who flock to enjoy...
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I've got some interesting experiences in Santa Marta. I'd love to share with you the 13 tips I've written, the 56 photos uploaded, and 5 travelogues I've created.
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I've got some interesting experiences in Santa Marta. I'd love to share with you the 17 tips I've written, the 120 photos uploaded, and 4 travelogues I've created.
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SANTA MARTA - LAST REPOSE FOR LATIN AMERICAN GIANT
Founded in 1525 by Rodrigo de Bastidas - known as Spain’s ‘Noblest Conquistador’ for his refusal to maltreat native Americans even in his quest for gold - Santa Marta is the oldest surviving town...
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