Beaches on the Caribbean coast of Colombia

Home 9 Cartagena and Caribbean coast 9 Beaches on the Caribbean coast of Colombia

Something for everyone

Caribbean beaches come in all shapes and sizes: idyllic white sand beaches on a tropical island, deserted beaches in the “desert“, dream beaches with the jungle as a backdrop and city beaches with highrise hotels. Here you will find information about beaches in the area of Cartagena and Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Tayrona National Park, San Andrés and Providencia Islands and the beaches on the northernmost part of Chocó.

Beaches of Cartagena and Barranquilla

Barranquilla and Cartagena themselves have few beaches. In Barranquilla, locals like to go on weekends to the beach at Puerto Colombia. In Cartagena, you can catch a cab to Bocagrande, also called “Little Miami beach.” (10 minutes). From the Muelle Turistíco de la Bodeguita in Cartagena you can also catch a boat to the Rosario Islands, Colombia’s most visited national park with 27 islands (boat trip 1h). At this pier you can also catch a speedboat to Playa Blanca, a white-sand beach on Isla Barú, a peninsula south of Cartagena (30 min.).

Photo: Beach in Bocagrande – Cartagena

Other beaches on the Caribbean coast

Costeño Beach and Guachaca

Surroundings Tayrona National Park

Costeño Beach and Guachaca are relaxing beaches a 15-minute drive from Tayrona. This makes them a convenient chill spot before or after a trip to Tayrona or Ciudad Perdida.

 

Rodadero beach

Santa Marta

Favorite vacation spot among Colombians. Here you will find highrise hotels and all kinds of activities such as boat trips, diving and other water sports.

Palomino

Santa Marta-Riohacha

Village at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Convenient beach stop before or after a trip to la Guajira. Check our travel guide Palomino for great tips.

 

San Andrés

San Andrés and Providencia islands

The archipelago-a former English colony-is located op 800km north of Colombia and 150km east of Nicaragua. San Andrés is very popular with Colombian tourists. Neighboring island Providencia is quieter and, in addition to its beautiful beaches, is known for good diving and snorkeling.

Capurganá

Chocó– near Panama

Capurganá is located in the northernmost part of the Chocó region. This is an “off the beaten track” destination, reachable only by plane or speedboat. Here you can enjoy white sand beaches in a beautiful setting, with the jungle in the background.

Sapzurro

Chocó– near Panama

Like Capurganá, is Sapzurro a village in the northernmost part of the Chocó region, where the jungle ends at the beach. Reachable by boat from Capurganá in about 10 minutes.

 

#ToColombia tips

Tip #1
Some of the most beautiful beaches in Colombia, are located in Tayrona National Park. such as Bahía Concha, Playa Cristal, Playa Cinto, Playa Cabo San Juan and Playa Brava.A fun way to sail to Bahia Concha is with a sailing trip to Bahia Concha, Tip: From December to April there is a lot of wind, so then before booking a boat trip to the beaches, check the forecast for wind and waves.

Tip #2
Beaches such as Playa Blanca, Bocagrande, Rodadero and Palomino can be very crowded, especially on weekends and holidays. There are also many beach vendors, looking to sell their items and services (very persistently). These range from souvenirs to food and drinks to massages. For a more relaxed beach experience, go early in the morning during the week.

Tip #3
Check out our Top 5 – Beaches of Colombia, including 4 beaches on the Caribbean coast.

 

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