Santa Marta, located on the coast of the Caribbean Sea and better known as the Pearl of America, will be 497 years old in 2022, being the oldest city in Colombia and one of the most popular places to visit at any time of the year thanks to its great variety. of beaches.
The main advantage of Santa Marta is that it has the best beaches in Colombia , as they have a particular beauty thanks to their crystal clear and refreshing water, accompanied by soft sand along with beautiful landscapes and sunsets to enjoy your vacation.
In addition to knowing the beaches of Santa Marta, you can also visit the beaches of Tayrona Park or Tayrona National Natural Park, which has 16 beaches to visit and spend a pleasant time, where you can enter through yacht rides , boat rides, ground transportation and moving through walks within the park if you want to access other beaches within the same place.
We recommend you visit: Yacht rental in Santa Marta
Some of the most outstanding beaches of Tayrona Park are:
Crystal Beach
Playa Cristal is the commercial name by which this place is known, its original name is Playa del Muerto . This beach is Located in the Tayrona Park, it is one of the most recognized by national and international tourists and one of the best beaches in Santa Marta due to its crystal clear blue water that allows you to see what is on the surface and the variety of corals that live inside.
Playa Cristal can be reached yes or yes through a boat, the traditional tour is entering from the beach of Neguanje just 10 minutes by boat or from the bay of Santa Marta or Taganga in a longer route. If the entrance is through Neguanje, it is necessary to enter through the National Parks entrance, which has a value stipulated by them along with insurance.
Because of this characteristic that Playa Cristal has, it is perfect for snorkeling, boating or diving. Of course, it is recommended to enter in the morning hours to be able to enjoy each particularity that is found within this paradise.
Belt Beach
Playa Cinto , belonging to the Tayrona Park, is one of the most beautiful and quiet beaches in Tayrona . Its crystal clear water, the yellow color of the sand, its vegetation throughout the year and its tranquility stand out. In addition, this is why it is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
It is noteworthy that if you want to sleep in this place you can do it in hammocks that are available, but you must make a reservation beforehand. Likewise, as it is a remote beach you will not find food and other supplies, so it is necessary to go prepared.
Chengue Beach
Playa Chengue is one of the less crowded beaches of Tayrona Park in this place because its entrance is through a demanding path or by boat with strong waves. This beach is small and has fine sand, it has great saltwater vegetation on one side and freshwater vegetation on the other, this is because it has an ideal swamp for bird watching and fishing.
To spend the day you need to bring food and an umbrella, but they do not recommend staying overnight because it is lonely and very far away.
Shell Bay
Bahía Concha, another of the striking beaches of Tayrona Park, is perfect to enjoy a beautiful and peaceful view to relax and have a good time. It is ideal to enjoy with the family, as the sea is calm.
It may interest you: Sailboat tour to Bahía Concha
This beach is one of the easiest to access, it is located a few kilometers from Santa Marta and can be reached in the same way in any type of private car, it is also one of the favorites for yacht rides around the beauty of its waters.
On the other hand, the beaches of Santa Marta that stand out the most are:
The Bay of Santa Marta or 'the Pearl of America'
The most beautiful bay in America, as it is often called, is the first destination that tourists visit when they arrive in Santa Marta, since the well-known 'morro' adorns the beautiful landscapes of this place and makes it a characteristic of the city.
This beach in Santa Marta has a calm and refreshing sea, as well as a gentle breeze depending on the time of year you visit it. This beach, normally because it is close to the port, is not one where its visitors usually bathe, it is more to admire because from here it is possible to see the best sunsets and the Santa Marta International Marina is located there, which is the pier where they are most yachts and sailboats in the city.
Another plan that you can do if you arrive at this beach in Santa Marta is to walk along the new boardwalk that makes it a great tourist attraction. Near this beach you can find restaurants and the entire historic center of the city.
Cocos Beach
This beach is located right next to the Bay of Santa Marta, it is a quieter area and ideal for swimming, to practice some kind of sport in the sand or simply to watch the beautiful sunsets that this wonderful city offers.
Normally the Cocos beach is not a very touristy beach but rather frequented by locals and by the inhabitants of this place.
The Rodadero
El Rodadero is the most visited beach in Santa Marta , becoming a point of reference for national and international tourists and even for Samaritans. It is a calm sea with a wide variety of hotels, gastronomy and activities to do.
On this beach, visitors can rent tents that are located a few meters from the sea, where they will not be permanently exposed to the sun and can relax and consume food and drinks. In addition to this, the Rodadero has a marina from where you can rent boats to take a walk on the sea, take a boat to visit Playa Blanca and the Aquarium, as well as easy and safe water bikes to handle and jet skis.
Inca Inca
The Inca Inca beach is located near the Rodadero, you can access it either by boat, yacht or if you like hiking you can also walk up the hill. The view you will find is spectacular, because from the mountain it allows you to see a large amount of the immense blue sea.
This beach also has tents and restaurants. People will be able to be there from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and the entry of pets, food and alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
Garnet Beach
Playa Granate is not usually very crowded because it is not easy to access it, since you can only go by boat and not all of them go constantly, so you must organize in advance with a boatman to go. But, what makes it extraordinary and pleasant is the solitude, because there is no noise, the sea is calm, a gentle breeze and few know about it.
The beach is located 25 minutes from Taganga and this is where you should reserve the boat. It is recommended to bring food, drinks, umbrellas and not to leave garbage, because in addition to being a single beach it is totally clean.
Taganga
Also called by many "fishing town", Taganga is an excellent alternative to visit from the options that exist on the beaches of Santa Marta ; both for its proximity and for its ease of arrival. A taxi to here charges approximately 15,000 Colombian pesos from the city center, this is approximately 4 dollars.
Taganga is a beach with crystal clear water, it is almost the division between the beaches of Santa Marta and the beaches of Tayrona , it is also a very bohemian and quiet place, with a somewhat "hippie" style where there are also good gastronomic alternatives, it is without Without a doubt, one of the best places to spend the day if you come to Santa Marta or if you are a local in the city.