One of the best plans when you are passing through Santa Marta is to visit Taganga, a fishing village located just 20 minutes from the city center.
Its reputation as a backpacking destination has crossed the country’s borders and has reached the ears of hundreds of travelers from all over the world.
However, if you are planning your first trip to Taganga, you need to know a few things before you venture out to visit it.
That is why, based on my experience.
I share this little guide to Taganga so that you know from the beginning what is waiting for you in this picturesque place.
How to get?
Taganga is reached by taking a bus from the Santa Marta market, located in the center. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes.
What’s Taganga like?
The most popular image of Taganga is that of the port, where you can see the perfect blue of the sea with the boats. However, the other side of the photo is completely different.
And, despite the fact that Taganga is a quiet and charming town, there are some infrastructure problems that overshadow its appeal:
dirty and unpaved streets, half-finished houses, etc.
Its beach is not the best, since the water is a little dirty due to the gasoline from the boats, and it loses its charm with the large number of tourists who board and overflow all the time.
The promenade is one of the best places in town. There are very good restaurants that serve spectacular food.
- The atmosphere is very calm, ideal to rest and forget about the busy city world.
Around the town there are very nice beaches for a quick getaway, such as Playa Grande, located 5 minutes away by boat and a 20-minute walk away.
Likewise, Taganga is the starting point to visit the beaches of Tayrona Park by sea, if you do not have much time to make the tour by land.
What to do in Taganga?
Go to Tayrona
The best plan in Taganga is to pay for one of the boats that will take you and pick you up from the Tayrona beaches.
Depending on the beach you choose to visit, the journey may have a different value and take a little longer.
But leaving from Taganga is the best option, and the fastest, if you don’t have much time on your itinerary.
The most common routes are to the beaches of Bahía Concha, Cabo San Juan and Playa Cristal.
This interests you:
Go up to the viewpoint
From the viewpoint you can see the panoramic view of the entire town.
From there you can take the iconic photo of Taganga and enjoy a dreamy sunset.
The viewpoint is located about 20 minutes walking from the center of town.
Walk along the promenade
This promenade is full of shops, restaurants and faces the Pueblo beach.
There you can buy a souvenir of your stay and eat everything you want. From incredible delicacies from international cuisine to typical coastal food.
In the day it is a good place, but it is better to enjoy it at night.
Diving
Due to its proximity to the Tayrona, from Taganga you can find excursions that take you to dive to different points in the park.
And if you don’t know how to do it, you can take one of the courses and get your diving certificate.
A rising destination
Despite the difficulties in infrastructure, Taganga is one of the best destinations in Santa Marta, and has all the potential to continue developing at a tourist level.
- Today its hotel offer is quite good, the locals are increasingly organized to offer tours and guided visits and more and more travelers decide to visit it.
So if you are not one of those looking for a luxury destination and loves to spend whole days enjoying the beach, the breeze and the sea, Taganga is the ideal place for you.
Do you dare to visit it?
