The Caribbean coast is the most frequented by travellers, and the beautiful colonial city of Cartagena a must see on all vacations to Colombia. Cartagena undoubtedly has it’s share of beautiful cultural attractions, but it’s beaches are rather overcrowded, unrelaxing and the sea is not so clear. Nearby, however, there are some wonderful beaches, such as Playa Blanca, on the Baru Peninsula, a long coconut fringed white sand beach. Better still are the beaches on the Rosario Islands, which is a short 90 minute boat trip from Cartagena. The Rosario Islands are an archipelago of dozens of beautiful coral islands, and the calm waters and peaceful, beautiful beaches are perfect for relaxing. The Rosario Islands make a sharp contrast to the rather chaotic beaches of Cartagena.

A few hours East of Cartagena, Santa Marta is one of Colombia’s most popular beach resorts. Santa Marta is particularly popular with Colombian tourists, and can get rather crowded in domestic tourism season. Rather than staying in Santa Marta, many backpackers choose to stay at the smaller, more peaceful fishing village of Taganga which is just outside of town.  The beaches in both Taganaga and Santa Marta are good, but better beaches found a little further East. Santa Marta is the staging post of trips to the legendary Lost City (Ciudad Perdida) – there’s reasons other than the beaches, and buzzing nightlife, to visit.

An hour East of Santa Marta is Tayrona National Park, where one finds some of South America’s most wonderful beaches. It’s safe to say that all who visit Park Tayrona are truly amazed by the natural beauty and exquisite tropical beaches.  There’s dozens of beaches here, and with a little exploration one can find empty jungle backed beaches it’s normally only possible to dream about.  Most people who visit Tayrona camp (or sleep in a hammock on the beach), but there are a few basic cabanas, in addition to one excellent luxury hotel in the Park.

Further East of Park Tayrona is the La Guajira Peninsula, which borders with Venezuela. A lot of travel guidebooks, such as Colombia’s Lonely Planet, don’t even mention this region, but it’s a fascinating place to visit, and there’s some amazing beaches. La Guajira province is populated almost entirely by indigenous Wayuu Indians. They’re friendly people, and a few have converted sections of their houses to accommodate tourists in basic “hospedajes”.  The landscape consists almost entirely of deserts, and the beaches are huge, and free of anyone other than local fishermen.  La Guajira is a truly memorable destination – and not just for it’s beaches.

West of Cartagena, the coastline is less visited by travellers, but still remarkably beautiful. Covenas and Tolu are small beach resorts that are often used as a gateway for travel to the beautiful San Bernardo Islands, while further West Capurgana has wonderful beaches close to the border with Panama. From Capurgana, it’s even possible to arrange a boat trip to the nearby San Blas Islands in Panama.

Colombia’s Pacific Coast is a rather remote region, and unfortunately many areas are not currently safe to visit. However, both Nuqui and Bahia Solano are deemed to be relatively safe. Nuqui is one of Colombia’s best surfing spots, while Bahia Solano is particularly popular for deep sea fishing. Both have some lovely long and empty beaches, and whale watching is amazing during the months of July to October.