Round trip north coast: from Barranquilla to Santa Marta

Travel Guide Santa Marta

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From Sept. 11 to 23, 2023, we toured along the north coast of Colombia, from Barranquilla to Santa Marta. In Barranquilla we visited relatives of my travel partner. Meanwhile, she showed me some of the sights of “her city.” After this we went hiking in Tayrona National Park, after which a good dose of relaxation was scheduled during our stay at a wellness resort near the park. After this, the round trip along the north coast continued to the mountain village of Minca and Tierra Adentro nature reserve. To conclude the trip, we stayed two nights in Santa Marta, the oldest city of Colombia.

For us, this trip proved to be a perfect combination of city and nature. Would you also like to take a trip like this? Then read about our North Coast roundtrip here and check out our insider tips for fun things to do, transportation and the best hotels.

 

DAY 1-4, BARRANQUILLA

The arrival in Barranquilla was unlike any other city I had been to before, such as Cartagena, Medellín and Bogotá. Barranquilla came across as a bit chaotic, when we drove through the suburb of Soledad to Barranquilla. It was a lively scene with bici-taxis, tuktuks and even horse and carriage, driving through the narrow streets.

Barranquilla is known for its delicious food and the Barraquilleros love to enjoy that food. On every street corner we saw a BBQ restaurant or a toko with a few tables. The Riomar district where our (excellent) hotel GHL Hotel Collection was located, is a fairly new neighborhood, with neat, clean streets filled with trees and more expensive stores. A huge contrast to the chaotic Soledad!

The locals are super nice and have the cheerful character of the Costeños, the inhabitants of the north coast. Barranquilla has relatively few attractions and tourism is not as developed as in nearby Cartagena. We didn’t encounter a single Western tourist during our 4-night stay, even at the hotel, which was frequented mostly by Colombian tourists and businessmen.

During our stay in Barranquilla, we did many fun things with the family. For example, we took a mototaxi to Bocas de Ceniza, where the sea meets the river, we went to eat and watch Colombian soccer on the Malecón, (the Avenida del Rio), posed for a photo shoot at the monument Aleta del Tiburón and took a trip to Puerto Colombia, the city where immigrants first set foot in Colombia. Furthermore, we tasted the atmosphere of carnaval in Barranquilla in the carnaval museum, shopped in the giant shopping malls Buenavista 1 and 2 and Mall Plaza and had a bite to eat in hotel El Prado, Latin America’s first luxury hotel. Read the travel guide Barranquilla for more information and tips.

DAY 5-7 TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK

After the super fun and busy stay in Barranquilla, it was time to say goodbye to the family and we left for the Kantawa Eco Spa hotel, near the Tayrona National Park.

We found this a super place to completely unwind. We relaxed in the pool, while the birds and butterflies were flying back and forth and we spotted a squirrel during a walk in the beautiful garden.

We hiked in the jungle of Tayrona National Park, home to various beautiful beaches, such as Playa Arrecife and the popular Cabo de San Juan beach. Along the way we saw monkeys (white-shouldered capuchin monkeys), which we were able to spot at very close range. After a hike in the Tayrona park -which involved a lot of sweating with the humidity of 79%! -, body and soul were well pampered in the pool with hydromassages, a superdeluxe jacuzzi and a massage “by the river”.

We didn’t do that, but it is also possible to stay overnight in Tayrona National Park, including at Playa Arrecifes, Cabo de San Juan or Playa Brava.

Read the travel guide Tayrona National Park for more information and tips.

DAY 8 MINCA, center

After a wonderfully relaxing stay at Kantawa Eco Spa hotel, we left for Minca. Before spending a few nights at the Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro would stay, we had booked 1 night in the village of Minca at Hotel Minca-la Casona, the only hotel in the middle of the village.

We wanted to look around the village before heading to the nature reserve. I had been to Minca once 4 years ago and I was curious to see if much had changed in that time. I noticed how many restaurants and stores had been added. Minca is booming! Despite being a small village, we really enjoyed wandering around.

In the morning we had breakfast at the hotel, which really comes highly recommended. The food is delicious, but it’s all about the hummingbird “show”. The many hummingbirds feed on the trays of sugar water, a delight to see! With the mountains of the Sierra Nevada as a backdrop, the hotel’s terrace is a great place to be on at any time of day, but in the morning the hummingbirds are most active. Before we left for Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro, we wanted to take a coffee tour do at Finca La Victoria. One of the drivers from the company Motomink took us to the finca and had promised to wait for us until the tour was finished. The drive through the mountains and bamboo forests was beautiful. During the coffee tour, the guide explained to us all about the interesting history of Finca La Victoria and the coffee process. After this we got back on the motorcycle for the beautiful ride through the mountains. Tip: you can also spend the night near the coffee inca, in Casas Viejas.

Read the travel guide Minca for more information and tips.

DAY 9-10 MINCA, RESERVA NATURAL TIERRA ADENTRO

Through Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro we arranged transportation to the reserve by 4×4. This solid car was absolutely a necessity, because it was a bumpy ride to the hotel. Driver Jesús was very experienced and maneuvered the car along boulders, potholes and through streams that flowed into the road. This ride 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 peace. We installed ourselves on the terrace with huge hammock and spent the rest of the afternoon just enjoying the amazing view.

A fun activity at the nature preserve is a short tour of the animal sanctuary. This gives you a better understanding of the background of the animals, which are rescued from illegal trade, have been hit by vehicles, or attacked by other animals. Through a small path you can walk to a small creek, from where you have a beautiful view of the forest. A must-do is a visit to the Marinka waterfall. From Tierra Adentro, it’s only a 10-minute walk to the Cascada de Marinka waterfall.

I almost didn’t recognize the entrance of the Marinka waterfall anymore, because recently all kinds of artwork had been placed at the entrance. There were also several additional big hammocks installed, so you now have a nice view of the waterfall from several spots.

From Tierra Adentro, you can also hike to Mirador Los Pinos.

Here you can read more about fun things to do in Minca.

DAY 11-12 SANTA MARTA

Santa Marta was the finale of our trip along the North Coast, before we got back on the plane to Bogotá and then back to Curaçao. This was a city of which I had hardly any expectations. Most travelers stay only one night in this city in transit to refuel from an intense trip to Ciudad Perdida or Tayrona National Park. Because of this, we heard few stories about Santa Marta from other travelers. Nevertheless, we found it a great place to stay. Our hotel Catedral Plaza was in a great location in the historic center, near Santa Marta’s Malecón. This boulevard is a nice place to watch the sunset. Carrera 3 is a very pleasant street with many restaurants and street performers in a setting of colorful murals. There is also a (free) Gold Museum in Santa Marta, but unfortunately it was closed when we were there.

Read the Santa Marta travel guide for more information and tips.

#ToColombia Tips

Tip #1
You can also start your trip in Cartagena instead of Barranquilla. Cartagena is more focused on tourists and there are more sights. If you prefer to experience a more local atmosphere, without the many travelers, Barranquilla is a great starting point for your trip. Also, if you want to shop, Barranquilla is a very good destination, which is a lot cheaper than Cartagena.

Tip #2
Transportation:
Airplane
*We traveled from Curaçao to Colombia and caught a flight first from Curaçao to Bogotá (Wingo US$150pp round trip) and the next day a domestic flight to Barranquilla (Wingo, US$45pp one way.) From Santa Marta we flew to Bogotá (Wingo, US$47pp one way) and the next day on to Curaçao.
*From Curaçao there is also a direct flight with EZ Air, but since we had the time and EZ Air’s tickets were 2x as expensive in our travel period, we felt it was worth the detour via Bogotá.

Colectivo and private transport
From Barranquilla to Tayrona / Minca we traveled by private “Duster” transport (SUV). From Minca to Santa Marta we traveled by colectivo (mini) bus.

Tip #3
Weather: we traveled in the rainy season. In itself we could do anything we wanted as long as we planned the activities in the morning, because in Tayrona and Minca it rained in the afternoon from about 3 o’clock, often accompanied by thunderstorms. This also caused the power to fail quite often. Our hotel near Tayrona National Park (Kantawa Eco Spa hotel) had a generator, so we were not bothered by this. In the morning the weather was usually beautiful. In Barranquilla and Santa Marta, we did not have a drop of rain. We understood from the locals that it had rained a lot in Barranquilla during August.

Tip #4
Check out more travel itineraries along Colombia’s north coast.

Practical information about Minca

Travel Guide Minca

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Here you will find practical information about Minca: useful information about the climate and the best time to travel to Minca, how many days do we recommend to stay,  does Minca have ATM’s to withdraw cash, what about supermarkets and how is the wifi in Minca. You can find an answer to this and much more in this article. 

Climate

Climate
Due to its higher elevation, at about 650 meters, it is cooler in Minca than Santa Marta and its surroundings. Therefore, Minca is the perfect place to breath in some fresh air while making a round trip along the Caribbean coast of Colombia. May-September is the hottest period, the coolest months being January and February. December through April is the dry season, September through mid-November is the rainy period, with October being the wettest month.

Best travel time

Minca can be visited all year round. When it’s rainy season (Sept-mid-Nov), it generally doesn’t rain so much that you have to limit yourself in your planning. You can just go out and bring your rain jacket.  We were in Minca in August/ September twice, and the occasional shower didn’t bother us at lot as it didn’t last long. When it rains, it’s mostly in the afternoons, sometimes accompanied by thunderstorms and power outages, as happened last time we were in Minca in September.  If it has rained a lot, the roads can get muddy, so you will probably need to take a jeep instead of a mototaxi when looking for transport options. Also hiking paths can get muddy, so if hiking is your main purpose of the trip, you might want to travel outside of the rainy season. Minca is busiest on weekends, vacations and Puentes (long weekends).

How many days do you need?

1 day

If you don’t have much time but still want to see a lot, you can do a day tour by mototaxi to see most of the sights. Other ideas for fun things to do in one day: a hike to Cascada de Marinka or a combined trip with coffee finca Victoria with Pozo Azul. Check here for more tips on what to do in Minca.

2 days or longer

Minca is a relaxing place to stay for a few days, chill in your hotel and spread the excursions over several days. What we did ourselves and what worked out very well was to spend 1 night in a hotel in the village and then 2 nights in a nature reserve in the country side. Being in the village, made it easy to arrange transport to waterfalls and coffee and cacao fincas in the area. In the nature reserve it was awesome to relax in the giant hammocks, spot birds and hike. Click on the link for more info on hotels and hostels in Minca.

Practical info A-Z

What to bring
  • Cash! Not all accommodations and restaurants accept credit and debit cards, and there is no ATM in Minca. There is a Multipagos office where you can withdraw money with your debit card, but the transaction fees are pricey. (on the picture, you can see the transaction fees of september 2023). If you want to pay by credit card in restaurants and hotels, there is often a 5% surcharge
  • Anti-mosquito/insect spray and after-bite. We were stung severely by some kind of sand flies. The bites itched a lot and the after-bite provided relief.
  • Rain jacket when traveling in rainy season
  • Hiking shoes
  • Flip-flops or sandals when you intend to visit the waterfalls 
Vaccinations

No yellow fever or other vaccinations are required for Minca. Look here for more information about the medical care in Colombia.

Wifi

Wifi is not available everywhere in Minca, especially at the accommodations located outside the village. Also in the village, internet is not always stable. We have been to Minca twice during the rainy season, in August/September. The last time the power went out a few times in the afternoon after some thunderstorms and we were temporarily without internet. 

Supermarkets

There are no supermarkets in Minca, but there are small “tiendas,” where you can buy basic groceries such as water, snacks and bread. La Miga is a small bakery, where you can buy bread and delicious chocolate rolls.

Drinking water

The water from the tap is not drinkable unless the hotel or hostel offers filtered water.

#ColombiaMyWay Tips

Going to Minca? Then check out our tips for what to do in Minca here, the best restaurants in Minca, transportation and where to stay in Minca.

What to do in Minca, Colombia

Travel Guide Minca

What to do in Minca, Colombia

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What to do in Minca? There are many fun things to do around the mountain village of Minca. If you love nature, this is definitely the place for you. Check here our tips for what to do in Minca, walking, with an organized tour or on the back of a mototaxi!

6 Must do’s

1. Relax in the iconic giant hammocks at hostal Sierra Minca (Casa Elemento)

You don’t have to stay at the hostal to relax in the giant hammocks of hostal Sierra Minca (formerly Casa Elemento).  With a day pass, you can stay as long as you want in the hostal high in the mountains above Minca. You can get there with a 30 minute ride by mototaxi. If you would decide to walk, it’s a tough 3-hour hike uphill.

Information (2025)

  • Price mototaxi: around COP35.000/$8
  • Basic Day Pass: Around 15,000 COP /$4. This pass gives you access to the hostel’s facilities, including the hammocks, swimming pools, and panoramic mountain views
  • Day Pass with Lunch: Around 40,000 COP /$10 USD. This option includes the basic access plus a meal at the hostel’s restaurant.
  • Best times to visit hostal Sierra Minca:
    -Around 9 a.m., when it is still nice and quiet
    -For the best views go around sunset
  • Tip: Book a moto taxi for a half or full day and also stop at the other highlights in the area, such as Mirador los Pinos, waterfalls and coffee fincas.
  • Check out our travel story for an example of such a day tour.

 

2. Hike to the Marinka waterfall

 From Minka, hike to the Cascada de Marinka in about an hour. There are two waterfalls you can go to, a restaurant, restrooms and a viewpoint (mirador). There are also several large hammocks in which you can relax.

In late 2023, several works of art were installed, made of colorful caps. Therefore, the entrance cannot be missed!

Info

  • Ticket price: COP16,000/$4 (2025)
  • Prefer to take the mototaxi? The price is around COP15.000/$3.75
  • Best time to visit: early; around 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. and off weekends

Insider’s Tip:
Stay overnight at the gorgeous Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro. From this lodge in the midst of nature, you can walk to Cascada Marinka in only 10 minutes.

    3. Spot birds

    Minca and its surroundings belong to the best places in Colombia for bird watching, including hummingbirds, parrots and toucans. True enthusiasts can spot birds accompanied by an experienced guide on a tour. In nature reserves such as Sol de Minca and Tierra Adentro (see photo) you can also spot birds, during a walk on the grounds, or even from the comfort of your lazy hammock. The best place in the village to see hummingbirds is Hotel Minca La Casona, where hummingbirds feed from trays of sugar water (especially a “show” during breakfast). Hotspot among avid bird watchers is the exclusive ProAves bird sanctuary & ecolodge El Dorado, a 2-hour drive from Minca. This reserve has the highest number of bird species in all of Colombia.

    4. Chill in the pools of Pozo Azul

    The pools and small waterfall of Pozo Azul, are popular with locals and tourists alike and are easier to reach than the waterfalls at Cascada Marinka. You can reach Pozo Azul in 30-45 min. walk from Minca.

    Info

    • Free access
    • Prefer to take the mototaxi? The price is around COP12000/$3 (15-20 minutes)
    • Best time to go: early or after 4 p.m. and outside weekends and vacation periods. Pozo Azul is on the route of tour buses coming from Santa Marta, so it can get quite crowded here.

    5. Enjoy an ice-cold locally brewed beer

    Most cafes in Minca, sell the beer from local brewery Cervecería Nevada, with names like the Happy Tucan and Happy Coca. Local ingredients are added to the beer, such as coffee and coca leaves. A unique feature of the beer: it is brewed with mineral water from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The brewery is located next to coffee finca la Victoria, so you can also sample a beer at the finca’s restaurant, el Bistro de la Victoria.

    6. Check out the tastiest restaurants

    Time for snacks and drinks? Then check out our favorites here:

    #1 Hotel Minca la Casona
    Good Colombian food with a great view of the mountains and the many hummingbirds. (especially during breakfast)

    #2 Lazy Cat
    Favorite among travelers for its laid-back atmosphere and cozy happy hours with special prices on Mojitos and burgers.

    Read more tips for the best restaurants and cafes in Minca.

    Organized tours

    Tours

    There are several tour operators in Minca who can take you to do bird watching, hike to waterfalls or do a motorcycle or jeep tour. With this Best of Minca Motorbike tour you can ride a motorcycle yourself, or get on the back of an experienced driver if you have no experience.

    You can also visit coffee and cocoa farms, with this full-day tour, where you will also go swimming in the river. With this coffee and cocoa tour, also includes a jungle trek.

    DAY TOUR BY MOTORCYCLE TAXI

    The moto taxi is a convenient and fun way to see the best sights around Minca in a day or half a day, such as Cascada de Marinka, Pozo Azul, coffee finca la Victoria, cacao finca la Candelaria and  at the Sierra Minca hostal. Curious? Then read the travel story about our own experience.

    COFFEE TOUR FINCA LA VICTORIA

    La Victoria is one of the oldest coffee fincas in Colombia. The 45 minute tour includes a guided walk through the historic coffee farm with equipment from the early 1900’s. You get insights into their traditional production methods, and you can enjoy a cup of their locally brewed coffee. The tour can sometimes be done in English, but when we were there, we were the only non- Spanish-speaking travelers and the tour was  done in Spanish. After the tour, you can have something to eat and drink at El Bistro de la Victoria. Tip: the coffee tour is perfect to combine with a visit to Pozo Azul, because you pass by it on your way to the finca.

    Information (2025)

    • Price coffee tour around COP15,000/€3.75
    • Price mototaxi: around COP15000/€3.75 (30-40 mins)
    • If you want to walk, it is 1.5 hours uphill. Back is about 50 minutes
    • Best time to visit: The finca can be visited year-round, but between November-February there is the most action on the finca, due to the harvest time of the coffee beans.

    Cacao tour finca La Candelaria

    During the tour (40 min.) you will get to see the process of roasting the cacao beans, chocolate milk -from scratch- will be made for you and you will get a choco face mask. After the tour, you can have a cup of coffee or chocolate tea on the terrace and try the homemade chocolate cake.

    Information (2025)

    • The tour is done several times a day. Not always possible in English
    • Price cocoa tour: around COP25,000/$6, minimum 2 people 
    • The entrance to the coffee and cacao finca is an hour’s walk from Minca.(15 min. by mototaxi) From the entrance, you have to walk for another fifteen minutes up coffee and cacao plantations.
    • Price mototaxi: around COP20.000/$5 

      Now that you’ve read about what to do in Minca, you may also find the following tips interesting, about transportation in Minca, the best restaurants in Minca, where to stay in Minca and practical information about Minca.

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      Where to stay in Minca, Colombia

      Travel Guide Minca

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      Where to stay in Minca, Colombia?

      There has been a huge increase in the number of hotels and hostels in Minca in the past years. Therefore, the offer can be a bit overwhelming. Here, we give you tips that might make it a little easier to choose your accommodation in Minca.

      #ColombiaMyWay tips

      Tip #1
      Check the distance of the hotel/hostel to the center of Minca
      Many of the hotels are beautifully located in the middle of nature, but are very isolated. Maybe that is what you are looking for, but you will be dependent on the hotel for food and drink. If you want to go to the village, you would then need to take a mototaxi or jeep. To make it easier to choose, we have listed the distance of the various accommodations to the village in the hotel tips below.

      Tip #2
      Spend the night in a nature reserve in Minca
      We have been to Minca twice. The first time we stayed overnight at Sol de Minca, an ecolodge in a nature reserve. For us, the location was ideal: in nature, but within walking distance of Minca, 15 minute walk. Here you can read       our tips and information about Sol de Minca.

       

      In September 2023, we went to Minca for the second time and stayed in two accommodations: First one night in the center of Minca at Hotel Minca-La Casona and then we went off the beaten track to Reserva Natural Sierra Adentro.

      This nature reserve is a half-hour 4-wheel drive from Minca and a 10-minute walk from waterfall Cascada Marinka. Read here about our own experience at Reserva Natural Tierra Adentro.

      Tip #3
      Check the hotel tips below for accommodations for every budget and taste.

       

      $ price range up to $30

      $$ price range $30 – $50

      $$$ price range above $50

      Minca

      $

      $$

      $$$

      More hotels in Minca
      #ColombiaMyWay Tips

      Decided to go to Minca? Then check out our tips for what to do in Minca, the best restaurants in Minca, transportation and practical information about Minca.

      Practical transportation guide in Minca, Colombia

      Travel Guide Minca

      Practical transportation guide in Minca, Colombia

      Home 9 Author archive for J ( Page 22 )

      How to get to Minca? Here you will find information about all the ways to get to Minca and about transportation in Minca itself.

      When planning your trip to Minca, keep in mind that you must travel via Santa Marta. Buses and cabs leave from the market in Santa Marta. Read here how to get to Santa Marta 

      Santa Marta-Minca by taxi
      A taxi from the city center to Minca takes about 35 minutes and costs around COP80,000/$20 (2025). You can also arrange private transportation in advance online from Santa Marta to Minca via this link.

      Santa Marta-Minca by colectivo bus
      Price around COP10000/$2.50 (45 minutes). Once in Minca, you can take a moto taxi to your final destination, unless you are staying in a hotel in or near Minca.

      Transportation in Minca

      If you walk around Minca, you will notice that the mototaxi is the most common means of transportation. The motorbike can go anywhere and the drivers are used to avoiding potholes in the roads. The moto taxis are easy to book in Minca. Motomink is the official mototaxi cooperation in Minca and offers fixed prices for different destinations in the region. We had a good experience booking 2 mototaxis to Finca la Victoria for the coffee tour, where the drivers waited for us, until the tour was over. If you want to book a ride from your hotel, your hotel can also call a mototaxi for you. Hotels usually work with regular, trusted drivers and are more expensive. Transportation by 4×4 is also possible.

      Prices Motomink (one way/ updated July 2025)

      • Cascada Marinka COP15,000/$3.75/20 mins
      • Pozo azul COP12,000/$3/15-20 mins
      • Coffee and cocoa finca La Candelaria COP20,000/$5/30 mins
      • Coffee finca La Victoria COP15,000/$3.75
      • Hostel Sierra Minca COP35,000/$9/30 mins
      • Mirador Los Pinos COP30,000/$7.50/45 mins
      • Mundo Nuevo Cop20,000/$5/15 mins
      • Tierra Adentro COP25,000/$6.25/30 mins

      Want to see several places in one day? Then you can also hire a driver for a half or full day and make it a sightseeing tour. Look here for more info about the tour by mototaxi that we made.

      #ColombiaMyWay tip

      Add Minca to roundtrip along the Caribbean coast
      Minca is a nice stop between a hike in Tayrona National Park, a trek to Ciudad Perdida or an off-road trip to La Guajira. Between all this action in tropical temperatures, it’s great to spend a few days relaxing in Minca and breathe in the fresh mountain air. Minca has some nice hostels and hotels where you can completely unwind. Check the link for different itineraries including Minca.