The Caribbean coast around Palomino (Colombia)

From Bogotá we flew about 1.2 hours to Santa Marta in the north of Colombia on the Caribbean coast. From there we drove along the coast to the east to Guachaca. Right on the beach, we spent two days with a cocktail under palm trees.

Right next to Guachaca (a little further east) was Tayrona National Park. Allegedly the most beautiful beaches in Colombia are there. The extensive hiking trails in the park led us through dense coastal jungle to lighter palm forests. When we left the forests behind us, a paradisiacal picture presented itself. Bright sandy beaches, lined with coconut palm trees and large rocks, merged into a turquoise blue sea. These were truly some of the most beautiful beaches we had ever seen. To have enough time, we stayed in a jungle hostel overnight.

After Tayrona, we continued along the coast. Past Guachaca to Palomino. A small town right by the sea, bounded by two rivers. Almost everything took place on a dusty main road that led to the beach. Jewelery and souvenir stands, various restaurants, and bars alternated on the left and right. We really liked it there, a place where time could easily be forgotten.

You could walk along the dream beaches on both sides for a long time. When the midday heat became too much, you simply strung up a hammock between the palm trees and spent the siesta there.

We made our final stop in Buritaca at the Rio Hostel. It was a great accommodation with a large area right by the river in a small valley. There were also some parties celebrated there, but nevertheless, we managed to get up soon (after two attempts) to take a tour of the surrounding hills. These are the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a massive, solitary mountain range. We hiked up to his cocoa farm and a wonderful viewpoint with a local guide, where we had a surprising encounter. The day before, the guide had found a red baby howler monkey in the forest. An incredible experience, we took care of the little one all day, who was supposed to be taken to a rescue station the next day. Also, his relatives, adult red howler monkeys, paid us a visit and we were able to observe them from very close up.