Santa Marta, the beach town where life becomes simple
An impressive place where the Caribbean Sea and snow meets, a destination hard to forget and risky that you may not wanna leave.
Santa Marta is a magical destination in Colombia, where the wisdom of nature and the indigenous converge creating a unique positive energy. Each step towards its interior is an encounter with the beauty and exuberance. It has the highest elevation near the sea, independent of the Andean mountain range.
The oldest colonial city in South America is full of magic, hard to describe its unique architectural heritage, beautiful landscapes and a great cultural legacy with its colonial treasures, make this natural paradise an ideal destination to enjoy and relax.
The city with a village spirit, located on the shores of the bay of Santa Marta on the Caribbean Sea, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, whose peaks can be seen on clear days from the beach.
At present, there are about thirty thousand indigenous people of the Kogi, Arhuaco, Kankuamo and Wiwa ethnic groups, the “older brothers” living in Santa Marta. It was declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage in 1979.
What are the most popular attractions among the backpackers (diving/surfing/skiing/climbing/hiking etc.)
Santa Marta has a good combination between landscapes, beaches, culture, history and other options like dive, adventure sports, hike and visit places where the jungle meets the sea. Also, birds observation, historical tours, the Tayrona culture and its colonial treasures.
What are the “must see” attractions?
- Tayrona National Natural Park and its Crystal Beach
- Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Lost City trek (4–6 days)
- Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (Simon Bolivar’s house)
- Museum of the Sea
- Santa Marta Cathedral
- Casa Museo Gabriel García Márquez
- Taganga Bay (And Playa Grande)
- Historic Center
- Parque de los Novios (at night)
- Playa Blanca (skip the Aquarium) and Bahía Concha beaches
- Rodadero neighboorhod (Bay and Salguero beach)
- Malecón de Bastidas and La Marina
What are the best restaurants for backpackers? What those restaurants has to offer? (Mediterranean/Italian/Caribbean/ any another type of cuisine).
The cultural mix of indigenous, Spanish and African traditions, form a typical gastronomic legacy. In the Samaria cuisine the seafood, rice with coconut and the preparations made with: ‘Guineo verde’ (banana without ripening), are basic ingredients of the Caribbean flavor that characterizes each one of the dishes of this region. In the same way, the combination of exotic preparations give as a result outstanding dishes based on citrus juices, pepper and fine herbs.
There are good options everywhere but the city center and the streets around the Parque de Los Novios are the hot spots! The cheapest restaurants are around the budget hotels, particularly on Calles 11 and 12 near the waterfront. Some good restaurants are (all types of budget): Ouzo, Lulo and 3 Sensaciones (the best ones for all types of taste), Restaurante Bar Burukuka (nice view of Rodadero and gets the party mood Thursday to Saturday), Donde Chucho and La Sartén Dorada (best seafood on the coast with a good price), Cevicheria Juancho (typical colombian ceviche), El Rego Gastro Bar (delicious food), 039 Restaurante (tasty colombian cuisine), La Muzzería (pizza and typical dish cayeye), La Perla de Santa Marta (very good spot in the center!) and El Amanuense Libros y Café (to chill).
What are the best nightclubs? What did you specially liked about them?
The most famous nightclub (and my best choice) is La Puerta at Parque de Los Novios area. It plays Caribbean music and is frenquented by locals and foreigners. The hostel Brisa Loca has good parties also. Some other options are: Miko (eletronic music), La Escollera (crossover club), Barbas (local and crossover rumba), Iguanas Santa Marta and La Azotea (classical Samarian choices).
What are the best bars? What did you specially liked about them?
By following the Marina of Santa Marta, the pedestrian streets in the center of town or the renewed and lovely Parque de los Novios you will find the best bars in town. Some of them are brand new and others ones, classics: Ziruma Sky Bar (for a fancy night), Charlies Bar Santa Marta (for Happy Hour), Antike y Pike (karoke and drinks), Crabs (old/trendy bar with pool table, outdoor terrace and video screens playing rock classics), Son Tapas (salsa spirit) and any other that has tables outside with live music.
What are the coolest places around the city you’ve visited?
The city is the main spot to explore the surroundings: Tayrona Park, La Guajira, Minca, Bonda, Costeño Beach, Buritaca, Palomino, Quebrada Valencia and others places. In general the travelers come and go to Santa Marta as they head to different destinations.
Where backpackers usually continue after the place you’ve been?
There are three main destinations: Tayrona National Park, Cartagena and La Guajira (Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas). Other destinations are the same ones mentioned before.
From where they are usually coming?
Santa Marta combines travelers from Colombia itself (Bogotá and Medellín, specially) and foreigners backpackers. They usually come from Holland, England, Switzerland, Germany, US, France, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela and Brazil.
What did you feel was missing in the city? What could make your visit to a perfect one?
Feels like the city is used to people visiting it, but the profile can be describe as tourist (high budget, hotel, restaurants and taxi services). In the other way, there is still a lot of potential for services and products to attend the backpackers world (low cost accommodations, restaurants, bars, tours, activities and so on). As an example, the public transportation still a bit messy and hot (no air conditioner). For someone that doesn’t speak Spanish can be hard and stressful to use it.
If Selina will set a hostel there — how do you imagine it?
I imagine a hostel that not only provides accommodation but is also a reference of backpackers/travelers environment. For its location, staff and services provided (for example bar with balcony/terrace, weekly or monthly parties, activities and a help desk with touristic information for guests and people who frequent the local). The hostel can provide services, tours and activities that develop this market for backpackers because there is real potential over there (for example a pub crawl, local gastronomic and street art tours, a full moon party at the terrace, a day-trip to Playa Blanca or Minca with activities and food included)!
Eventually, please write in your own words your opinion and describe your personal experience
Santa Marta feels like home for me! A mix of “big” city with village spirit, beautiful scenery and good vibes. There are so many things to visit and explore that the locals doesn’t know how big is the potential of this place. If someone ask me “what’s your favorite city in Colombia?”, I would say “La Samaria”. It isn’t perfect, there is a lot of things to do to improve a traveler experience but it has a energy and a simplicity hard to find somewhere else.
Cheers,
Ariadne Nardeli (Brazilian Backpacker Researcher for Selina Hostel)
