Bocas de Ceniza-Barranquilla

Travel Guide Barranquilla

Bocas de Ceniza-Barranquilla

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Bocas de Ceniza-where the river meets the sea

Bocas de Ceniza is a fun -off the beaten track- trip, just outside Barranquilla. To get there, take a taxi + mototaxi and hike to the point where you can see the “meeting point” of the Magdalena River and the Caribbean Sea. Here you can find information and tips for a trip to Bocas de Ceniza here.

Bocas de Ceniza gets its name from its ash-colored waters, at the point where the river meets the sea. Bocas de Ceniza was discovered in 1501, and in 1842 the first steamships crossed the river from the sea. Partly due to the construction of a railroad between Puerto Colombia and Barranquilla, Bocas de Ceniza became an important international trade destination.

The expression “it’s not about the final destination but the journey to it,” certainly applies to a trip to Bocas de Ceniza. For our trip, we first caught a cab to the neighborhood of Las Flores. After this, we took a motorcycle for a bumpy ride along the old railroad line to the point where the motorcycle could go no further. During the ride, we enjoyed the scenery, the birds and the skyline of Barranquilla.

From here it was about a 50-minute walk to the lookout point. We passed huts of friendly fishermen repairing their nets, or preparing a meal on the fire.

The last stretch was mostly scrambling over rocks, driftwood and washed-up debris.

A fisherman who was fishing at the very tip helped us climb to the highest rock, the end point of the trail.

Once we arrived at the viewpoint, we were able to take a break and enjoy the nice breeze. Years ago, you could see the separation between the river and the sea very well (and close). Now we could only see the “meeting point” of river and sea in the distance.

Although the views were a bit disappointing, we thought it was a very enjoyable trip. We loved being in nature and experiencing Barranquilla off the beaten path.

It was quite confronting to see the conditions in which the fishermen live and work. While their families live in the city, the fishermen spend their days in primitive shacks without electricity. The mototaxi driver told me that the mototaxis play an important role for the fishermen in Bocas de Ceniza. The mototaxis ensure that bags of ice and other supplies are brought to the fishermen.

After the trip, we enjoyed a cold coke at the restaurant and man did we need that after the hike in the heat!

#ColombiaMyWay tips

Tip #1
Hire a taxi
For the trip to Bocas de Ceniza, we recommend hiring a taxi and ask the driver to wait for you. It can otherwise be difficult to get a taxi back from Bocas de Ceniza to your hotel in Barranquilla. We had a driver who was arranged by the family we were taking the trip with. He made several trips with us that day and we paid COP100,000/$25 for that.

Tip #2
Take a mototaxi
The train that normally travels the trail to Bocas de Ceniza is under maintenance. (July 2025) You can walk the trail along the railroad, or take a mototaxi to the end of the railroad. The trip by mototaxi costs COP25,000 per person. The driver waits for you until you finish. Given the heat, we found it worth the money to hire the mototaxi.

Tip #3
Is Bocas de ceniza safe?
We felt very safe during the trip. The fishermen we met were all very friendly and so were the drivers of the mototaxi. We felt that the drivers also felt responsible for us. I have to add that we made the trip with my travel companion’s (local) family. We got there early on a Tuesday morning and otherwise saw no other tourists on the trail. If I were to make this trip alone or as a couple, I would prefer to go on weekends when it is busier.

Tip #4
What to bring?
Bring plenty of water, sunscreen and a hat because it is very hot on the trail. Because you have to walk over rocks in parts, good hiking shoes are absolutely necessary.

Tip #5
Combine the trip with the Ecoparque Ciénaga de Mallorquín
This is a mangrove park that is located just around the corner. Admission is currently free (July 2025)

Opening hours of the Ecoparque Ciénaga de Mallorquín:

  • Tuesday to Sunday: Open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with the last entry permitted at 5:00 p.m.

  • Monday: Closed. If Monday is a public holiday, the park remains open that day and closes on the following Tuesday instead. 

The park has two main entrances:

  • Sendero Estuario: Accessible from Tuesday to Sunday, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

  • Sendero Manglar: Open on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) during the same hours. 

Even though admission is free of charge, guided tours and ecotourism activities may have associated costs. For more information or to plan your visit, you can visit their official website

Check our Barranquilla travel guide for tips for more fun things to do. Here you can find more information about our roundrip along the north coast of Colombia, with information on Minca, Tayrona National Park and Santa Marta.

ColombiaMyWay

GHL Collection Barranquilla Hotel

Hotels in Colombia, Travel Guide Barranquilla

GHL Collection Barranquilla Hotel

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GHL Collection Barranquilla Hotel

Looking for a comfortable hotel in a good, safe location in Barranquilla? Then check the GHL Collection Barranquilla hotel in Riomar. During our stay in Barranquilla, we stayed 4 nights at this hotel in Riomar, in the north of the city.

Why did we like the GHL Collection Barranquilla hotel so much? It proved to be the perfect base for our family visit/sightseeing trip in Barranquilla. The hotel was comfortable and had a nice rooftop terrace with pool, sauna and restaurant.

From the terrace we could see the river and the monument Ventana Al Mundo in the distance. Because of its location near the sea, there was a nice breeze and a pleasant temperature.

In the evening, it was great to relax with a tropical cocktail. The hotel was a tranquil oasis during our busy stay in Barranquilla.

The room
We booked a very spacious Deluxe King Room. The room had a nice king size bed, a sitting area, air conditioning and a spacious bathroom with a fantastic rain shower. We arrived very early in Barranquilla, around 8:00am and without having to pay extra for this, we were able to check into our room right away. We were so lucky. What a great service!

Location
The hotel’s location on the outskirts of town was ideal for visiting the attractions in northern Barranquilla, such as the Malecón, Bocas de Ceniza, the monuments Ventana al Mundo and Aleta del Tiburón. The major shopping malls Buenavista 1&2, Mall Plaza and Viva Exito are a short cab ride from the hotel.

Because the hotel is close to the Circunvalar (the ring road) we spent less time in traffic in the busy downtown area. The hotel is on a quiet side street and we were not bothered at all by traffic or any other noise. Across the street from the hotel, there was a small shopping center with everything we needed: Supermarket D1, 2 drugstores, coffee shop Tostao where you could buy a nice cappuccino for COP4000/$1 and various sandwiches and snacks. (highly recommended: the Palito de queso) There were also a few fast food places, such as Domino’s pizza and Frisbee chicken.

The restaurant
The breakfast buffet was included in our room rate and consisted of various fruits, fruit juices, yogurt, granola, American pancakes and different types of bread, cheese, eggs and typical Colombian dishes that changed daily, such as arepas and soup. Breakfast at GHL Collection Barranquilla was the most varied of our tour of Colombia’s north coast. You could order drinks and snacks on the rooftop terrace in the evening, and you could also have lunch and dinner at the restaurant.

 

#ColombiaMyWayTips

Tip #1
Check this link for more information and the different room options at GHL Collection Barranquilla Hotel. Here find more hotels in Riomar and in the other districts in Barranquilla, such as El Prado and Alto Prado.

Tip #2
How to get to GHL Collection Barranquilla Hotel?
We had booked a Duster (SUV) service through the hotel for COP55,000/$14. The driver was already waiting at the airport when we arrived. Also relaxed is a prepaid private cab, which you can get here can book.

Tip #3
Transportation in Barranquilla
There was a hotel employee who arranged cabs for hotel guests throughout the day. We also used the InDriver app, but sometimes it was more convenient to order a cab through the hotel. InDriver prices are usually a lot lower than regular cabs, though. A cab via InDriver to shopping center Buenavista, cost us COP8000/$2. A cab in the evening to hotel El Prado cost us COP30,000/$7.50 and back with InDriver the cab cost COP25,000/$6. We also arranged transportation through the hotel to our hotel near Tayrona National Park. This cost us COP420,000/$105.

Tip #4
Check out our Barranquilla travel guide for more information and tips on fun things to do, transportation and Barranquilla’s best restaurants.

Tip #5
Check out more information about the roundtrip along the north coast of Colombia, with information on Minca and Santa Marta.

 

We do not accept direct payments from hotels or destinations for our reviews and we pay for our own stay. Every recommendation is based solely on our own experiences and honest opinions. However, some of our links are affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission if you book through them. This commission comes at no extra cost to you and helps us maintain our website.

Jeanette and Shelly

Writers and Travelers, Colombia My Way

Puerto Colombia-Barranquilla

Travel Guide Barranquilla

Puerto Colombia-Barranquilla

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Puerto Colombia-a fun side-trip from Barranquilla

Going to Barranquilla and want to do something fun outside the city? Then take a short side trip to Puerto Colombia, once Colombia’s main port city.

Puerto Colombia is known for its long muelle (pier), which was once the longest pier in the world.

The city has an important significance in Colombia’s history, as it is on this muelle that the first immigrants set foot in Colombia.

From its founding in 1888 until the opening of Bocas de Ceniza in Barranquilla in 1936, Puerto Colombia was Colombia’s most important port, thanks in part to its railroad.

Puerto Colombia’s beach is a favorite with the Barranquilleros, who, for lack of beach in their own town, like to come and enjoy the sandy beach on weekends. Parallel to the beach is a long boulevard.

The taxi we had ordered through InDriver dropped us off at the square after the half-hour ride. The first thing we saw were colorful murals depicting the history of Puerto Colombia.

What immediately stood out was how large and clean the square was. The family of my travel companion with whom we made the trip told me that the square was completely renovated after the Corona epidemic.

The square is a hot spot especially at sunset, where families gather, children take music lessons and couples stroll on the pier.

Eye-catchers in the square are the various statues representing former immigrants.

In the old train station you can find information boards about the interesting history of Puerto Colombia. Also listed here are the names of families who emigrated to Colombia from America, Syria, Curaçao and Germany, among others.

 

ColombiaMyWay Tips

Tip #1
How to get to Puerto Colombia?
We took a taxi via InDriver from El Prado (COP30,000/$7.50) and after about 40 minutes we arrived at the central square. The ride was longer than expected because there was a lot of traffic in El Prado. On the way back, we were dropped off at our hotel in Riomar. Since the driver then did not have to drive through the busy downtown area, we were there in about 20 minutes.

Tip #2
We did the trip around sunset which is highly recommended. The temperature was nice and the square was bustling with people.

Tip #3
There are no restaurants at the square, but you can buy a snack or something to drink.

Tip #4
Do you have your own transportation or have arranged a taxi for the day? Then a visit to Puerto Colombia can be combined well with a lunch stop at Castillo de Salgar. The castle was built by the Spanish in 1848.

Tip #4
Want to stay overnight in Puerto Colombia? Then check here for the different options.

Tip #5
Check here for more information about the roundtrip along the north coast of Colombiawith information about Minca, Santa Marta and Barranquilla.

ColombiaMyWay

Kantawa eco spa hotel Tayrona National Park

Travel Guide-Tayrona-National-Park

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Hotel tip Kantawa Eco Spa hotel - Tayrona National Park

Are you going to Tayrona National Park and would like to enjoy the wellness facilities of an eco spa hotel after an intense hike in the park? Then Kantawa Eco Spa Hotel is highly recommended. Here you can enjoy the swimming pool with hydromassage showers and sun beds, jacuzzi, massages, sauna and Turkish bath.

Kantawa Eco Spa Hotel is located in Calabazo, a 5-minute drive from the Calabazo entrance to Tayrona National Park and a 10-minute drive from the main entrance (Zaino) to Tayrona National Park.

Upon arrival at Kantawa Eco Spa Hotel, staff member César gave us a tour of the property so we immediately knew where to find all the spa facilities. When we visited the hotel in September 2023, the hotel was constructing an additional spa area with heated pool.

At this beautiful place you will completely relax. The hotel has a beautiful garden, where you can see all kinds of birds and butterflies. During a walk in the grounds we also saw a cute squirrel. By the river you can chill in the giant hammock.

The wellness facilities
Near the river is a special room where you can have a massage (which my travel companion can warmly recommend), while you relax with the sound of the river.

The ultimate chill place for us was the jacuzzi, which you have to reserve. After  you made your reservation, the jacuzzi is prepared and brought to temperature especially for you. Bathing in all the foam, overlooking the nature, was the ultimate experience for us at Kantawa eco spa hotel.

The same protocol is followed for the sauna and Turkish bath: an hour in advance you indicate that you want to use it and the sauna and Turkish bath are prepared for you. What we noticed was that the wellness facilities were well maintained and very clean. The use of the wellness facilities was included in the price, only for the massage we had to pay extra.

Rooms
We had booked a double room. The room was basic, but had a refrigerator, air-conditioning and wifi. There were nice bathrobes waiting for us.

In front of our room was a common terrace.

There are several options. These include a room with a private jacuzzi and this freestanding cabaña by the river.

Restaurant
The restaurant provides breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is not a restaurant where you can just sit down for lunch and dinner. The friendly staff comes and asks what you want to eat and what time and then they make sure it is ready when you come.

Breakfast includes fresh fruit, coffee or hot chocolate, orange juice and eggs of your choice.

On our last day, we were asked if we wanted to try the specialty of the Caribbean coast, and yess…we wanted to! We got a nice crispy arepa con huevo with suero, a kind of sour cream.

WhatsApp service
The service of Kantawa Eco Spa Hotel was excellent. For example, through the convenient app service, we could ask for the jacuzzi to be prepared. We could also ask for other things, such as extra towels. When my travel companion was not feeling well, we could even place an order for medicine. Normally the droguerias have a delivery service, but they did not deliver at the hotel. Therefore, someone went to pick up the medicine for us! This service was very affordable and cost COP20,000/$5. When I realized after leaving the hotel that I had left my bikini on the terrace, César even arranged for the bikini to be delivered to our hotel in Santa Marta. Again, we paid only COP20,000 for this!


During our stay (in the rainy season), there were heavy rainstorms from about 3 in the afternoon, with thunderstorms. This also caused the power to go out a few times, but fortunately Kantawa Eco Spa hotel has a generator, which was quickly switched on. As a result, we still had electricity and wifi!

#ColombiaMyWay Tips

Tip #1
Check this link for more information and the different room options at Kantawa Eco Spa hotel.

Tip #2
Transportation to Tayrona National Park
You can catch the buses from Santa Marta which are on their way to Tayrona National park, or you can ask your hotel to call a taxi for you. A taxi to the main Zaino entrance cost us COP30,000/$7.50. Coincidentally, our taxi driver lived next to the park and when we went for a drink at the restaurant after our hike, he was sitting here as well and took us back to the hotel.

Tip #3
How to get to Kantawa Eco Spa Hotel?
The hotel is about a 50-minute bus ride from St Marta (COP10,000/$2.50) Calabazo is a 10-minute drive before Zaino, where most travelers go. If you travel by bus, ask the driver explicitly to drop you off earlier than Zaino, otherwise he will drive past the Kantawa Eco Spa Hotel. We were coming from Barranquilla and had arranged private transportation. This was not cheap: the ride cost COP420,000/$110 for the two of us, but this was worth it to us. It was a very comfortable ride and in about 2 hours we were at the hotel.


Check out our Tayrona travel guide here, with information and helpful tips for visiting the park. Check out more information about the trip along the north coast of Colombia, with information on Minca, Santa Marta and Barranquilla.

 

ColombiaMyWay

Tierra Adentro Nature Reserve in Minca

Travel Guide Minca

Tierra Adentro Nature Reserve in Minca

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Hotel tip Nature Reserve Tierra Adentro in Minca

Looking for a beautiful, quiet place in the mountains during your roundtrip along the north coast of Colombia? Then read here about our stay at Nature reserve Tierra Adentro in Minca in September 2023.

When we were planning our trip, this nature reserve caught our eye immediately. The description of the natural reserve appealed to us; cabañas in the middle of nature with views of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and within walking distance of the waterfall Cascada Marinka. The fact that the nature reserve also takes care of rescued  animals on the premises, only made us more curious and we decided to book 2 nights. In combination with a night in the village of Minca, we thought this would be the perfect stop on the north coast to enjoy nature.

There was one more thing: Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro is completely “off the beaten track” and you can only get there by mototaxi or 4-wheel drive car. We arranged transportation by 4×4 through the hotel. Driver Jesús came to pick us up at Hotel Minca- la Casona. His solid car was definitely a must, because it was an intense drive of over half an hour on a bad road, so we were glad to be in a good car. Jesús was very experienced and manoeuvred the car past boulders, potholes and through streams that flowed onto the road.

This drive was an adventure in itself and after we passed the Marinka waterfall, it was another short drive to the nature reserve. Once we arrived, it was an oasis of calm. We installed ourselves on the terrace -with huge hammock- and spent the rest of the afternoon just enjoying the amazing view and the sound of the river and twittering birds.

The resort
This is a small resort with 8 double rooms and 2 cabañas, accommodating a total of 22 guests. We had the Superior Double room with terrace, which turned out to be a good choice. Right next to us was such a similar room, but we had no neighbours during our stay, so we had a lot of privacy.

There was a larger building a little higher up where the other double rooms were located. Those rooms shared a common terrace and it seemed to be a bit busier there. Because of the higher location, the view from here was also very nice.

There is also a family room, the Cabaña Jardín. Located near the animal shelter, the cabaña has a private pond (where you can watch the geese chill out), with an umbrella and sunbeds.

The room
Our room was very comfortable with a minibar, coffee maker, good wifi, TV (Spanish-language channels only) and there was an umbrella and a poncho for us. Outside there is a seating area with table and chairs and a sitting hammock. The shower had (lukewarm) hot water and the towels and bath products were of good quality. The bathroom also had a dehumidifier which kept it from getting damp. The water at the resort is filtered, so you can drink the water from the tap. We found it a bit hot in the room and asked for a fan, but it is also possible to leave the door open as the bed has mosquito netting.

The restaurant
The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Since there are no other restaurants nearby (except at Cascada Marinka), we ate all meals at the restaurant. You won’t find traditional Colombian cuisine here. Meals are geared toward travellers, with various international dishes, such as quesadillas. Breakfast included fruit, juices, granola with milk and almond milk. After this, we had the option of pancakes with fruit or eggs.

During breakfast, mama peacock and her little one adorably paraded by!

What did we do in Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro?

1) We relaxed a lot and enjoyed nature!
This is the ultimate place to unwind. The mountain views, the birds and the sound of the river provide the ultimate relaxing feeling. The terrace is a wonderful place for a cup of coffee or a -locally brewed- beer. We saw colorful butterflies, hummingbirds (who were feeding on the trays of sugar water on the terrace) and parrots flying around.

A short walk from the cabin, we found a small quebrada (creek), a beautiful serene place to enjoy the peace and the jungle like setting.

2) We learned about the rescued animals in the animal shelter
Receptionist Maira gave us a tour of the various animals that were brought to the wildlife sanctuary after being injured or seized in illegal trade.

Maira told us how the animals ended up in the nature reserve. The animals include monkeys that were confiscated at the Santa Marta airport and parrots, toucans and geese.

Bambi, the adorable 8-month-old baby deer, was taken in after she was attacked by a dog. She was only too happy to let us pet her!

The birds have “free days,” where they fly around freely and return to their cages on their own. Twice a week a veterinarian comes to Tierra Adentro to check on the animals, so they are well taken care of.

3) We walked over to the waterfall Cascada de Marinka
This waterfall is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Going back takes you a little longer because it is uphill.

I had also been to Cascada Marinka 4 years ago, but now I almost didn’t recognize the place. Recently, all kinds of artwork have been placed at the entrance, made of colorful bottle caps. The eye-catcher is the hot air balloon.

More giant hammocks have also now been installed, so you can now have a nice view of the falls from several places, from the lazy hammock.

There is also a mirador (viewpoint) and a restaurant. The entrance fee is COP10,000/$2.50. Update July 2025; the entrance fee is now COP16.000/4$.

#ColombiaMyWay tips

Tip #1
Check this link for more information and the different room options at Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro.

Tip #2
We paid (COP100,000/$25) for the drive by 4×4 from Minca to Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro. If you travel with a backpack, you can also catch a mototaxi for about COP25,000/$6 per person (Motomink). MotoMink operates near the main bridge in Minca. Keep in mind though, that the ride is very bumpy. If it has rained a lot, the road may be very bad and you are better off with a 4×4.

Tip #3
If you like hiking, you can hike further up to Mirador Los Pinos from Reserva Natural Sierra Adentro.

Tip #4
Next to Tierra Adentro is a coffee plantation. Upon request, you can take a coffee tour with Jose.

Tip #5
We used the hotel’s laundry service. For COP30,000/$7.50, a large bag full of laundry was done.

Tip #6
Check out our travel guide Minca, with tips on what to do in Minca and the surrounding area and much more.

ColombiaMyWay

We do not accept direct payments from hotels or destinations for our reviews and we pay for our own stay. Every recommendation is based solely on our own experiences and honest opinions. However, some of our links are affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission if you book through them. This commission comes at no extra cost to you and helps us maintain our website.

Jeanette and Shelly

Writers and Travelers, Colombia My Way