Santa Marta, Tayrona National Park & Minca
Santa Marta:
A step down from Cartegena, but it's a gateway to the beautiful Tayrona National Park and Minca. The city has a buzz, you experience the locals running around selling coffee and all sorts on the streets, but not much else to see. I wouldn't recommend spending much time here. Most people stay here to lock up their bags whilst travelling to the beaches and jungle treks nearby.
Sleep:
Walked between a few hotels and hostels to figure out the vibe and prices.
Fatima hostel- average, basic design, but decent rooms - double $120,000pesos, dorm $37,000 each
Casa Verde hotel - upper end budget, if you have the money this hotel is beautiful, sadly not in our budget - double $220,000pesos
Dreamers hostel - a big hype, but it's not a big deal. Seems like a good place to meet people to drink and perhaps find a buddy to travel with, but not ideal for couples or older travelers. Breakfast is not included and there were nails and hairs in the bathroom. Staff arn't too welcoming either. They do have a good size kitchen for guests to use and free coffee in the morning.
Hostel de Jackie - average standard, a bit rough around the edges, but was in budget with breakfast included and the hospitality experience was the best. People win people! Double $100,000pesos, dorm $36,000. We stayed in both.
Eat:
Ouzo - lots of online recommendations and it's mentioned in the lonely planet. We normally try and go local, but this place was the same price as everywhere else, it had a good atmosphere and menu was diverse, so we tried it! Food was delicious and good wifi.
Zucchini croquettes and vegetarian pizzetta with honey, truffle oil. ££ 8/10
Ikaro - strongly recommend for any vegetarians or generally healthy eaters. It seemed Colombians were not on this vibe yet, but honestly the food was delicious. We ate here 2 nights. Rarely do I go back to the same place.
Raw zuchinni noodles and quinoa salad with banana and cocoa muffin for desert. £ 9/10
Moving:
Taganga: grab a blue bus with a Taganga sign in the window from the Main Street, Carrera 5, no bus stops just hop on. $1,600pesos single.
To get to Playa Grande, hop on a lancha (boat) from the beach, takes 5mins. Beach is full of locals, good to see, but not if you're looking for turquoise waters and beauty!
Tayrona: walk to mercado bus station, 15min walk from centre of Santa Marta. It's not really a bus station, but the locals will direct you. The drivers will be shouting out Tayrona so it's easy to find. Pay on bus - $7,000pesos single. 1hour ride
Minca: mercado bus station also, here we paid in a little ticket office, so again best to just say Minca and people will point you in the right direction. $8,000pesos single. 40minute ride.
Cartegena: see Cartagena post. Easy to get bus, 3-5hour ride.
Yoga:
Woke up early and rolled out my matt in the kitchen area of dreamers hostel. It's difficult to find a zen and convenient spot for yoga whilst travelling. It's a great test for yogis to focus inwardly and really practice stilling the mind from our senses (pratyāhāra) and external influences (sutra 2.54, & 1.13). I went through a 60minute Hatha sequence, moving the spine in all 6 directions and spent time focusing on my form in triangle pose (trikonsasana) and fish pose (Matsyasana). Dedication to your personal practice!
D.T Rating: 5/10, but need to stop here to see the real beauty - see below
Tips: if you have time, take half a day using the hostel wifi to sort out your trips to Tayrona and Minca. I found it super helpful spending a few hours researching the best hostels, routes and transport etc.
Tayrona National Park:
Tayrona is great for two types of travellers; those that want a little hike to explore and then arrive at a beach to chill and those that want a proper hike through the jungle to discover hidden, deserted beaches.
The latter, do your research and work out a hike route before entering the park as the locals just seem to recommend the easy route and to get boats everywhere. Also, the map isn't sufficient.
Despite being told we shouldn't, we decided anyway to hike into the jungle to Pueblito, and then attempt onwards to Playa Brava. So glad we did. Don't worry about the lack of map, or encouragement, it's actually super easy to detect a path and a great hike.
Our Route:
El Zaino (entrance) to Caranevañal -10 min ride
Main entrance, busy and full of tourists, just get through it to get into the park. They give you a number that they supposedly call out, but I would just stand near the front and suss it out. They check passports and give you a band. $44,000 entrance fee. Get collectivo (shared taxi/bus) to Caranevañal-$3,000 each. Easy to get, they are waiting on road.
Caranevañal to Cabo San Juan del Guía - 1.5 hours
Trail is boarded with wooden planks, super easy, lots of people walking with guides. Personally I don't think you need a guide. Takes between 1.5-2 hours. Village half way up with toilets. Beautiful beach, toilets, restaurant, little shop.
Cabo San Juan deal Guía to Pueblito - 1 hour
Well worth the adventure. It only takes 1 hour, 2.4km, but is a steep incline clambering over rocks. No public set out walk way but the stones form into a natural path. I loved it. Only saw 1 other person on this route, it's beautiful and secluded.
Pueblito to Playa Brava - just over 1 hour
Arrived in Pueblito, a few huts and some stone rings home to an indigenous tribe. No pictures, or really hanging around here as the locals move you on. It is much more difficult to detect the route from here on to Playa Brava. The trail becomes soil and leaves, a lot less climbing but more ups, downs and turns. We felt lost at times but just went with it and eventually arrived at the beautiful Playa Brava to find a few little wood huts and hammocks. Relieved that we had found somewhere to sleep. 1 hour
... asked a local indigenous sitting in a house for directions to Playa Brava. With no map, we were solely relying on his ambiguous directions (pass the wooden gate, take a left, then a right onto a once flowing river).
Playa Brava to Calabazo (other entrance) - 2.5 hours / 6.7km
The next day we decided to hike back a different route to another entrance of the park. Pleased we did as we saw more of the national park and the exit wasn't crowded like El Zaino at all. The route is quite obvious, there is a mud track most of the way, except when you reach the rivers which you need to cross. People sell water on the way, but for double the normal price, so stock up or accept the price. Another beautiful route and would strongly recommend.
Highlights:
Cabo San Juan Del Guía
Busy beach, lots of people camping over, but very beautiful. Turquoise waters, golden sand and the jungle behind you. We took a pack lunch and some avocados, but there is a restaurant there if you prefer.
Playa Brava
The best bit by far. Only 2 other people on the beach. This place is a hidden gem, well for now, the beach is beautiful, the local lodging has a few private huts and hammocks and they serve breakfast and dinner. Perfect to relax and connect with nature. Sleeping in the wild.
Not super cheap - spent $228,000 in total (1 night, dinner for 2, waters and a juice)
Sleep:
Camping, hammocks, or straw huts. Simple! There are tents at Cabo San Juan del Guía that you can rent.
Eat:
Packed lunch - definitely recommend buying food at a supermarket in Santa Marta and then making sandwiches to take with you. Also, take lots of snacks and as much water as you can carry. I always have snacks on me just in case. Long walks, treks in the heat and long bus journeys can take it out of you.
Moving: (also see Santa Marta section above)
From/to Santa Marta: walk to mercado bus station, 10-15mins. Everyone shouting Tayrona or Minca. Very easy. They wait until the bus is full and then you're off. 40mins
From/to Palomino (read my next post for more on Palomino): walk up from the beach to the main road. Wait on the side of the road until any big bus drives past in the right direction and stick your hand out. Pay on the bus. Around $8-10,000pesos
Yoga: all about variety
Very busy two days hiking through the jungle. It's not easy keeping up your yoga routine when you're getting up super early to start hiking. When we arrived at the beautiful Playa Brava I was able to find time to practice. How could I not!
At sunset - I went through a Yin yoga flow to the rhythm of the waves to relax my body and mind after a long day of hiking.
Sunrise - a much longer practice involving sun salutations, Hatha flow including many standing postures, pranayama and meditation. It's not everyday that you are on one of the most beautiful beaches and landscapes in the world. I had to make the most of it!
D.T Rating: 8/10
Minca:
Up in the hills...
Going to bundle everything into one for Minca. We were only here for two days and it rained the entire time, but it was magical. A place of pure relaxation.
We stayed at Casa Loma and would strongly recommend it. I was recommended by two very close friends - the best form of marketing.
Situated above the town up a lot of steep, small steps, but it's worth it. Tough walk with a big back pack, 6 litres of water and a watermelon! (I wasn't kidding when I said I always have snacks on me).
Set within the mountains, surrounded by trees with a cute hippy vibe. They have a small communal area with hammocks, tables and comfy chairs. You help yourself to beers, and ask for coffee, all added to your bill to pay when you leave.
They have a couple of private cabañas open to the jungle and dorms. All with mosquito nets. Each private cabaña has a name, when you arrive ask if El Mirador is free as it has the best view. You will definitely find little gecko poos on your bed! :) just brush them off and tuck yourself in.
One veggie option is served for dinner each night if you want to stay and eat there. It's good and cheap ($18,000pesos) Breakfast too! ($8,000)
There is a sunset viewing area to relax and a platform, extended out at the top of their land, for yoga. It was just wonderful.
I spent most of my time reading, meditating and doing yoga here. Both days I rose before the sun and practiced 90 minutes of yoga.
Even though these were both my personal practices not teaching, I talked myself through many of the postures, transitions and feelings of asanas out loud to hear myself using different words and sentences. Also first attempts using GoPro to review and improve my form.
We walked to the waterfalls on one of the days. Played in the water and then got caught in a storm. The water was crashing down the mountain like I've never seen. The water stream was so strong that it covered the paths so motorbikes, and us on foot, couldn't cross. We took shelter in a wooden shack just off the track that was actually a 'country pub' run by an English guy (side note: he runs crazy survival courses out in the jungle and ocean, if you're interested check them out - DC Bushcraft & Survival). A coffee and many hours stranded meant I read chapters 1 and 2 of the yoga sūtras for the third time. My yoga teachers Marianne and Ron Wells were right, you feel something new and gain a different perspective every time you read them!
Go up to Casa Elemento to get a picture on huge hammocks overlooking the valley.
Oh, and last thing! There is a wholefoods cafe called Duni at the bottom of the steps from Casa Loma. Picked up a takeaway sandwich from here - best sandwich yet! Homemade whole meal bread, melted cheese, tomatoe, rocket and truffle oil. 10/10
