All about Palomino
In this travel guide (updated March 2025) you will find tips for fun things to do, hotel and restaurant tips and useful facts for planning your trip to Palomino.
Palomino is a village of 6,000 inhabitants located between Santa Marta and Riohacha. Because of this location, the village is also called the “gateway to la Guajira.” Palomino is a popular place to spend a few days relaxing on the beach while touring the highlights of northern Colombia, such as Tayrona National Park, the Lost City trail and La Guajira.
With its laid-back atmosphere and cozy hostels, Palomino has become a popular spot among backpackers in recent years.
What to do in Palomino?
8 Tips for fun things to do
1. Go tubing on the river
The most popular activity in Palomino! In a large rubber inner tube, you float down the Río Palomino. Along the way, you can enjoy the jungle views for about 2 hours.
How does it work?
You rent a tube in Palomino and after this you are taken by a moto cab to a high point by the river. After this it is a half hour walk to the starting point. The trip ends on the beach of Palomino. The price for the trip is around COP50,000/$13. This includes the tube, life jacket and ride by motorcycle (outward). You can also do this with an organized trip with a guide.
Best time to go?
Early morning. The sun is bright and there is no shelter during the trip. Also, at this time you are most likely to see monkeys and birds. In the dry season (January to March), the water may be low, requiring you to walk certain stretches.
2. Learn to board surf
Never been on a board before? No problem! Colombians are patient teachers -:) Boardsurfing lessons can be arranged through your hostel or at one of the surf schools, such as TIDE Escuela de Surf.
3. Go horseback riding
One of the most fun ways to enjoy the beach of Palomino, is on the back of a horse, for example with this horseback ride. Another special experience, is a ride in the mountains and jungle surrounding Palomino. Horseshoe tours, which is owned by a Dutch lady called Loïs, organizes trips from her finca on the Río Salvador, 7 kilometers from Palomino. Multi-day trips in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are also possible.
4. Practice your Spanish and immediately support a social project
Casa Cocotte is a restaurant run by French lady Sophie, where local employees learn the business and increase their chances of getting a job in tourism. The restaurant also includes a Centro de Idiomas, where locals can learn English and you, the traveler, can brush up on your Spanish. Join the course, or practice during the weekly practice hour (which ties in nicely with happy hour -:)
5. Get to know the culture of a local indigenous community
There are some tour operators who organize a trip to an Indigenous community in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. For example, to the Seviaka community. For this tour, you will be picked up by motorbike to visit the village and learn about the traditions of the Seviaka people. The tour includes tubing.
6. Visit the Palomino Animal Soul family.
There are many stray dogs and cats in Palomino. So at the village’s only animal shelter, a lot of animals are well taken care of. They also organize walks with the dogs, including a picnic (doggy picnic). Check the availability of the walks in advance with the shelter. The proceeds of the tours go 100% to the shelter of the animals. Check this link for more info.
7. Get up early for a walk on the deserted beach
Walking along the beach when (almost) everyone is still asleep has something special. You can watch the fishermen busy with their traditional nets and enjoy the birds while having the beach to yourself. On a clear day, you can see the peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains from the beach.
8. Take an adventure trip to Cabo de la Vela
This village, in la Guajira, in the middle of the “Colombian desert,” is the habitat of the indigenous Wayuu community. If you want to go completely “off the beaten track,” travel on from Cabo de la Vela to Punta Gallinas at the tip of Colombia: a vast area of deserted beaches and dunes. This area is very much of the beaten track, and a visit must be organized with an agency. This 3 day 2 night tour, offers pickup in Palomino.
The beach
Good to know:
- Due to strong currents and high waves, you cannot swim far out to sea. Keep a close eye on the red warning flags.
- In 2020, the sea swept away much of the beach and palm trees, leaving only a narrow strip of sand in many places.
- Most beachgoers (and vendors) linger at the beginning of the beach. As you walk further out of the village, it gets quieter.
Here’s how to plan your trip to Palomino
How to get to Palomino
Below you can find the approximate distances and prices of transport to and from Palomino (updated March 2025)
By bus:
From Tayrona: 1u (COP7,500/€2)
From Santa Marta: 2h (COP30,000/$8)
From Riohacha: 2h (COP25,000/€7)
From Cartagena: 6u (COP68,000/$17)
From Baranquilla: 4h (COP59,000/$15)
Climate and best travel period
It is hot and humid all year in Palomino. September through November is the rainy season, with October receiving the most rain. January through March has the least rainfall. You can visit Palomino just fine during the rainy season, as it usually clears up quickly after a shower. If you want to avoid crowds, go to Palomino during the week. During weekends and puentes (long weekends around holidays), many Colombians come to Palomino and the beach can get quite crowded. It is particularly crowded during Semana Santa (Easter week), Christmas, New Year’s Eve,
How long to stay and where to stay overnight?
If you come to Palomino to chill on the beach, a day or 2-3 will probably be sufficient. If you want to do some active trips alongside this, stay a little longer. There are plenty of hostels and hotels to choose from. Because Palomino is so small (there is 1 main street), you can easily walk to the beach and eat out. You don’t have to walk further than 15 minutes. There are also moto cabs to take you.
$ Price range up to $30
$$ Price range $30 – $50
$$$ Price range from $50
#ColombiaMyWay Bonus tips
#1 Prefer to stay in the middle of nature?
Then check ONE Santuario Natural. This luxurious, small-scale hotel is only accessible by 4×4. If you book a stay here it includes all meals.
#2 Learn more about Tairona culture
Stay at Hotel Taironaka Turismo Ecológico y Arqueología. This eco hotel is located on the Don Diego River a short 20-minute drive from Palomino. In the archaeological museum near the hotel you will find more than 300 objects from the former Indigenous Tairona community. You can also go tubing in the river and bird watching.
Look here for more hotels in Palomino
Restaurants and bars in Palomino
For a small village like Palomino, there are many restaurants, from simple ones where you can eat the local specialty -fish with coconut rice and patacones-, to French-Caribbean restaurants. Many of the restaurants in Palomino, belong to a hotel or hostel. Even if you are not staying there, you can join them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Opening hours can change depending on the season. There is no vibrant nightlife in Palomino, as bars close at 11 p.m.
Casa Cocotte
This restaurant by French lady Sophie, has a daily changing (small) menu of fresh dishes, beautifully served. The service consists of students in training.
SUÁ Cocina Conciencia
Ceviche is one of the specialties, but you can also go there for a good burger and vegetarian options. Extra cozy during cocktail happy hour and evenings with live music.
Happy hour at Makao
Cocktails on the beach…Need we say more? You can also stay there to eat, the menu is international.
Tiki hut Restaurante
The restaurant at the popular Tiki hut hostel, features a menu of Caribbean and local dishes.
Loma Restaurante Bar
Pizzeria by the owner who learned the trade in Napoli. Pizzas are baked in a wood-fired oven.
La Happycleta
The menu includes shrimp burgers, pizza and vegetarian options. Have regular live music and also host meditations.
Practical info A-Z
Drinking water
Water from the tap is not drinkable. If you don’t trust the hygiene anywhere, watch out for ice cubes, salads and uncooked vegetables.
Packing list
- Sunscreen
- Hat or cap
- Anti-mosquito spray; not only against mosquitoes, but also against sand flies
- Extra: drinks and waterproof bags to keep things dry during the tubing trip
- Flashlight (or flashlight cell phone)
ATM machine?
There is no ATM in Palomino and credit cards are only accepted at most of the larger hotels and restaurants. Therefore, bring all the cash you think you will need.
If you do need to withdraw money, you can do so in the village of Mingueo, a 20-minute ride by moto cab.
Souvenirs
In Palomino, you can buy the famous mochilas, bags made by the Wayuu community.
Safety
There is a lot of poverty in Palomino. The locals depend largely on tourism, which has sprung up in a very short time. Palomino is safe, but stay on the main road at night and don’t wander around after dark. There are few street lights, so it is quite dark in places. Don’t forget to bring your cell phone or flashlight.
Wifi
Power outages (and therefore wifi outages) are common. There are hotels and restaurants with wifi but the connection is usually not stable
Stores
There are small stores in Palomino, where you can buy basic items, but no big supermarket.
Swimming
Due to strong currents and high waves, you cannot swim far out to sea. Keep a close eye on the red warning flags.
