Chances are, if you´ve heard anything about Colombian tourism, you´ve heard something about Tayrona National Park.
Tayrona National Park, photo-by-beautyrevolver.com
Tumbling down to golden beaches and aqua Caribbean Sea from one of the highest coastal mountain ranges in the world, Tayrona National Park covers 15,000 hectares of equatorial rainforest bursting with biological diversity and archeoligical treasures.
Once a battleground between FARC rebels and right-wing Paramilitaries, the Colombian government took back the prime territory in 2003 during a military crackdown that drove the vast majority of guerilla activity to the countries southern jungles. Since then, one of South America´s best kept secrets has been increasingly whispered around, and the park has built itself up to be one of the world´s hottest new destinations.
These soft-pedalled paths also connect the various beaches of Tayrona, enclosed by smooth sea-sculpted boulders and fringed with hammock-perfect palm trees. The bigger beaches such as Arrecifes are more apt for piña coladas and sun-bathing while smaller secluded bays such as La Piscina provide tranquil natural pools for swimming and snorkelling. Abundant tropical marine life has resulted in scuba diving becoming a popular activity in the park. In this underwater wonderland you can observe turtles, parrotfish, giant brain coral formations, a Spanish galeon shipwreck and many other aquatic intrigues. Several tried and trusted dive schools now offer courses for eyebrow-raising good prices.
With the boom in tourism, accomodation prices are unfortunately not quite so eyebrow-raising, though refrain from being jaw-dropping. At around $300 a night, the Ecohabs Resort is at the top of the range. Inspired by the constructions of the Tairona, a vast group of pre-columbian indigenous chiefdoms, the luxurious wooden bungalows are privately perched on the mountainside with extravagant amenities and a breathtaking view of the ocean.
There´s one other highlight of Tayrona National Park which quite possibly shines brighter than all others. Dubbed ´the new Machu Pichu´, La Ciudad Perdida, or ´The Lost City´, is a 1200 year old archeological marvel believed to have once been the political centre of the Tairona. The Kogui and Arhuaco tribes who occupy the land today kept the site a secret for centuries before it was discovered in 1972 by treasure hunters. The regional conflict continued to keep people out and it was not until 2005 that tourist hikes became totally safe. Now guided groups leave daily for an incredible 5-day jungle hike to the ancient Lost City.
Tayrona National Park is located just 20 minutes from Santa Marta, the oldest city in Colombia and the death-place of Simón Bolivar. To check out the article 5 Hush-hush Hotspots on the Colombian Caribbean Coast click here.
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