Restaurants in Minca

Travel Guide Minca

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Restaurants in Minca cater to every budget and taste. Here you can read our tips for the best restaurants, cafes and ice cream parlors in Minca.

We have been to Minca twice: the first time in 2019 and the second time at the end of 2023. The last time we noticed that many new restaurants established themselves in Minca. For a small village like Minca, there is quite a lot of choice, including Parilla (grill restaurants), Mexican, Lebanese and traditional Colombian food. Even if you have certain dietary requirements, such as vegetarian and gluten-free, you can go to a number of restaurants in Minca. Eating in Minca is not an evening filled experience, as most restaurants close at 8:30 pm.

Our tips

COFFEE AND ICE CREAM

CAFICOSTA

Caribbean Coffee Shop

Caficosta is open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.. This is a nice place for a good cup of coffee. The café is modern and spacious with a nice interior. You can also buy packs of coffee to bring home.

LA MIGA

Panaderia

The specialty of this little bakery is its chocolate rolls. You can order them for take out or eat them on the cozy terrace, accompanied by a coffee or chocolate caliente

IL GELATO NEVAO

Ice cream parlor

Here you can go for a real Italian ice cream. The ice cream parlor is on a side street and can be recognized by its colorful murals.

RESTAURANTS

HOTEL MINCA LA CASONA

Oour favorite in Minca

You don’t have to stay at the hotel to try their breakfast, lunch or dinner. We ate several times at hotel Minca la Casona. and each time we liked the food very much. The grilled chicken was the juiciest we have eaten in Colombia! But the real recommendation is the breakfast. Not only for the delicious waffles, but especially for the many hummingbirds that make a real show of “presenting”  themselves at breakfast! Hummingbirds fly by throughout the day, but they are especially active during breakfast. In any case, we couldn’t get enough of the view and on our next visit this restaurant will definitely be at the top of our list again! You’ll find Hotel Minca almost as soon as you enter Minca, on the right. It is a bit hidden, due to the long driveway to the hotel.

LAZY CAT

Happy hour, happy prices!

Lazy Cat is a well known name among travelers. Here you can enjoy international dishes in a relaxed atmosphere and sip on a nice cocktail. Our favorite: the Lazy Cat Margarita with corozo, a typical purple fruit of the Caribbean coast. Normally you pay COP24,000/$6 each, but between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. we paid COP30,000/$7.50 for 2 Margaritas. Furthermore, there are special prices during happy hour for Mojitos and burgers. Vegetarian and vegan meals are also on the menu.

RESTAURANTE MARHABA

El auténtico sabor libanes

We liked the idea of eating something a little different from traditional Colombian food during our tour of the Caribbean coast, so we went to eat at this Lebanese restaurant. We had the Shawarma roll pollo with an Aguila beer. You can order the Shawarma roll in different sizes and the medium roll was fine (and affordable) for us for a small appetite. We paid COP23,000/$5.75 for the roll + beer.

DUNI DE LA SIERRA

Vegetarian

DUNI can be found behind the church in the park. Here you can have breakfast and lunch and there is a lunch special every day. One of the house’s specialties is the arepa. Duni uses local, organic products. There are also gluten-free options.

BURURAKE

Grill restaurant

Meat lovers beware! For a juicy piece of meat from the grill, Bururake is the place to be. The meat is prepared for you in the open kitchen. The restaurant is located in the back garden of the restaurant, by the river.

CHIQUITA BRAVA

This cafe with a cozy terrace, near the Hotel Minca la Casona, is something you see almost as soon as you enter Minca. It’s a nice place for a cocktail or a locally brewed beer with a pizza.

#ColombiaMyWay Tips

Going to Minca? Then check out our tips for transportation in Minca, what to do in Minca, where to stay in Minca and practical information about Minca.

What to do in Minca, Colombia

Travel Guide Minca

What to do in Minca, Colombia

Home 9 Tag: Colombia

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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      Salsa dancing in Cali

      Travel Guide Cali, Travel Stories

      Home 9 Tag: Colombia

      Want to learn to dance salsa in Colombia? There is no better place to dance salsa than in Cali! Here you can read about our own salsa adventure in Cali.

      At the end of the evening there was a kind of dance battle between the best couples of the evening. Everyone gathered in a circle around the dancing couples.

      Salsa bucket List
      Like many other travelers, Cali was on our bucket list because of salsa dancing. We stayed at The Pelican Larry hostel, where they also offered salsa lessons. From beginners to advanced, everything is possible and any shame and insecurities can be thrown overboard before you step into the door. Amazing!

      I’m not kidding when I say you literally step into a dance scene from Dirty Dancing II. Well, after first having a beer at the bar and watching all those people dancing, we too felt like throwing our Dutch hips into the “battle”.

      Patient teachers
      We didn’t have to wait long, because before we knew it, we were being asked to dance by two Colombian boys. Still somewhat shy, we hesitated for a moment, but both of us quickly decided that we were going to make a bold move. With endless patience, fun and passion for salsa, the boys taught us the basics and we were soon in the middle of the crowd.

      After about three songs, it was time to hydrate, because man…. all those dancing people made for a high temperatures in the room. Not much later, the next Colombian guy approached us and asked if we wanted to dance. This way you switch dance partners several times during the evening (also nice for the locals not to have to dance all the time with a beginner -:)). Yet they don’t say a bad word about it and teach you with the biggest smile!

      Dance battle
      At the end of the evening, there was a sort of dance battle between the best couples of the evening. Everyone gathered in a circle around the dancing couples (a bit like what happens in Step Up when people are challenged to a dance battle). Yelling, screaming, whistling: everyone was totally absorbed in what was happening on the dance floor. Then a winner of the evening was chosen and the evening came to an end.

      Amazing atmosphere
      It was enchanting. My travel companion and I both didn’t bring a phone (unfortunately), so we have no images of the evening itself. Maybe that’s why we were totally immersed into the dancing and atmosphere.

      In our opinion, your trip to Colombia is not complete without immersing yourself in salsa culture!

      Written by Mellijn
      Travel date January 2018

      photos @La Topa Tolandra and The Pelican Larry hostel)

      #ColombiaMyWay Tips
      (Updated August 2025)

      Read more about Cali in our travel guide Cali.

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      Jeanette and Shelly

      Writers and Travelers, Colombia My Way