Blogs from Parque Nacional Tayrona, Santa Marta, Colombia, South America - page 5

As we returned from our Ciudad Perdida trek the jeep dropped us off at the entrance to Parque Nacional Tayrona. We intended to use the time to relax and shake off the last five days in Colombia’s premier Caribbean national park. On arrival we find ourselves with another hour’s walk into the park - not really what the doctor ordered! As we reached the coast it was plain to see why this area was named as a national park. While the forested mountains of Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada sit in the distance, the foreground consists of flat lush jungle opening out onto coconut-palm shaded bays of white Caribbean sands. We settle for the beachside shelters of Arrecifes, ditching the chance of a thick mattress and resting in the more than adequate hammock! After a couple of ... read more

23rd July, Parque Tayrona, Colombia After a night of broken sleep, we woke up at 6am and thankfully had no bites! Getting to te communal showers was like an assault course. You had to balance yourself across pipes, over sewage with insects below.. All this while being attacked by mosquitos. We had heard about a local Panaderia (bakery) which was supposed to be delicious. We arrived just as he was taking the bread out of the oven. You could choose from cheese, arequipe (caramel) or chocolate!!!!!! The chocolate one was huge and unlike english donuts where you just get a tiny squeeze of jam, these ones were oooozing out! Yummy! We stayed on Arrecifes beach after breakfast but annoyingly it was really overcast. We made our way along the beach and then through a short bit ... read more

So, ich bin wieder einmal in Santa Marta, der schoensten Stadt der Welt!!!! Ich muss das so schreiben, weil mein Blog vom Kolumbianischen Aussenministerium Abteilung Ansehen-von-Kolumbischer-Karibikkueste infiltriert wurde ;) In Wirklichkeit ist Santa Marta nicht die schoenste Stadt der Welt, aber die Beste in Kolumbien, und trotz allem sehr schoen. So, jetzt wird auf Gross- und Kleinschreibung geschissen.... ich bin von bogota mit einem bus nach santa marta (normal 16 stunden), leider ist mein spanisch noch nicht soooo gut, und ich habe die muchacha am schalter nicht genau verstanden. die hat naehmlich gesagt, dass mein bus um 4 nach baranquilla geht, und nicht nach santa marta....haette ich einen bus eine stunde spaeter genommen waere ich nicht nur direkt nach santa marta gekommen, sonder mir waere auch sonst viel buszeit erspart geblieben. mein schoener bus hatte naehmlich ... read more

When we got out of the Lost City, we went directly to Taganga with our friends Anna and Tim, from our trek. Taganga is only a 5 minute taxi ride from Santa Marta, where our Lost City trek embarked from and concluded, but it has an entirely different personality. Rounding one bend along the coast line from Santa Marta, and the dirty, crowded, city feel is replaced by the laid back, sleepy, fishing/beach town vibe. Taganga is an easy place to pass the time, and many travelers make this place an extended stop. There is rarely a cloud in the sky but always a refreshingly cool ocean breeze. Juice vendors line the streets offering fresh, ice cold fruit juices: banana, watermelon, passion fruit, papaya, mango, strawberry, starfruit, cantaloupe. The beach isn´t the best in the world, ... read more

26/01/2009 - Departed from Parque Nacional Tayrona, northern Columbia, at about 9.45am after having muesli bars for breakfast on the rocks watching the sea. Trekked for 1.5 hours to a Pueblito, where we unexpectedly found that the Pueblito is no longer in existence - in fact, the Pueblito are ruins dating back to about 500-800AD (something which they should make clearer on the tourist information!). As a result, there was no hope for a good lunch. We finished our last cucumber with the remaining cream cheese, and ate a couple of muesli bars again. Trekked for another 2.5 hours to reach the main road. Caught a bus to Santa Marta at about 2.30pm. Returned the unused snorkelling gear. Went back to Hospedaje Familiar to eat something (a sandwich with everything for $1.5USD, great value!) and collect ... read more