The 10 best beaches in Colombia

We are going to take a tour of the best beaches you can visit in Colombia.

Juan de Dios Buenaventura Beach

This beach located between the La Sierpe and Uramba natural parks points towards the Pacific Ocean. It stands out because its sand ranges from white to golden tones, and in addition, it also has jungle areas and ecological trails that guide you to other nearby beaches.

Because the beach is between two nature reserves, you should not carry loud sound equipment that will disturb the fauna of the site, or leave food and garbage on the shore. In the same way, it is important to respect the rules of conduct. As it is a national park, you will not see a large number of bathers or street vendors, which sets it apart from the other beaches.

Palomino Beach

Palomino is located in the La Guajira area. Its beaches of white sands and blue waters are characterized by the thick vegetation that covers the banks of the rivers that flow directly into the sea.

An unparalleled attraction is that from the beach you have a view of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, you can see the snow-capped mountains! In addition, the area is a great starting point to get to know the Los Flamencos Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, the Lost City and the Seydukwa and Gotsezhy indigenous villages.

If you go to the beaches of Palomino, an activity that you cannot miss is tubing.It's exciting! It consists of letting yourself be carried away by the current of the river while riding on a tire.

San Andrés Island and Beaches

San Andrés is the capital of an archipelago that includes two other islands, Providencia and Santa Catalina. Without a doubt, San Andrés takes all the credits. It has the most beautiful beaches, with soft white sand, crystal clear water that ranges from turquoise to blue and green as well as an ideal temperature to spend hours swimming and enjoying the warmth that the environment provides.

One of the most appreciable curiosities of San Andrés is to go to the highest point of the island, which is 120 meters above sea level and to be able to observe the seven different colors of sea water!

On the coast of this island we find mangroves, trees that grow in salt water and that you can visit by taking a kayak excursion, also, near the island there are coves, which are small islands that can be reached by walking from the shore or good on boats. Most of these little islands are populated by iguanas, palms and different types of birds.

Another recommendation? Visit coral reefs with hundreds of fish of diverse colors and shapes, like stars and sea urchins.

Barú Beaches in Cartagena

This peninsula is part of the Rosario Islands, located south of Cartagena and which are a real tourist attraction for thousands of people every year. One of the most beautiful beaches in this area is Playa Blanca, which, as its name indicates, has soft white sands. Its waters are transparent, turquoise and blue. It is surrounded by mangroves and coral reefs teeming with life.

It can only be accessed by boat. The peninsula is sparsely inhabited, in fact, only about 10,000 people live in the area. The settlers are distributed in small towns that live on the products of the sea and their crops, away from technology and living together in united communities.

If you want to enjoy your time in the Barú Peninsula, you can practice snorkeling and visualize the wonders of the coral reefs. Another activity is to visit the National Aviary of Colombia, where you will find a variety of bird species, such as flamingos, macaws, peacocks, among others.

San Onofre Beach

In the San Onofre municipality, there is Rincón del Mar, a small populated settlement. All this is pointing to the Caribbean Sea and belongs to the Sucre department. You can easily get there from Cartagena in just two hours.

Some activities that you can develop is to go with a local guide to walk the trails near the beach, and thus get to know a little about the jungle, the mangroves and the wealth of fauna found there. Or plan a horseback ride along the coast and watch the sunset as you ride along the beach.

From San Onofre you can visit various places, such as going to Isla Múcura, Isla Grande and Tintipán, where some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Colombia are located.

Taganga Beaches

This beach is located in a bay near Santa Marta, it is a quiet place, far from those beaches with hundreds of people. Nearby is the Tayrona Park, which is ideal for taking a boat trip and visiting its virgin beaches, which you can only access by boat.

Near this beach there is a town with huts and dirt roads, far from the infrastructure of the city. However, this does not imply that it is an abandoned area, because around it there are places to rest, as well as various restaurants that offer fresh and delicious seafood.

In Taganga you can enjoy walks to the coral reefs and delight yourself with the boardwalks offered by various local boats. Although Taganga is not something of another world, it is a good place to get closer to other places and to spend a single afternoon relaxing.

Bahía Solano

This is the perfect combination of jungle with sea, bordering the Pacific Ocean. In addition, it is home to the Utría National Park. The most important town is Mutis, which despite not having direct access to a beach is characteristic and picturesque in its own way.

The second most important town is El Valle, where most of the hotels are located and which does have beaches, including one of the most beautiful, Playa Almejal, which has several kilometers of soft black sand. Something remarkable is that from this beach you can watch the whales when they are in season.

In Bahía Solano there is also Huina Beach, which unlike Almejal Beach, has golden sand. This is not very big, but it can be quiet so you can enjoy an afternoon sunbathing, it is also ideal for snorkeling, especially when the tide is low and it is easier to observe the coral reefs.

Nuquí

This region is undoubtedly made to get away from the stress of the city and the constant fast life without breathing that we are used to. Nuquí, which is located near the Pacific Ocean, rarely has a telephone signal and you will not always be able to find WiFi in hotels, it is just to relax and enjoy the moment. Due to the latter, it is important that you carry cash with you.

From Nuquí, you can visit various areas, such as the Olympic Beach, or canoe down the river. If what you want is to enjoy the most beautiful beaches and places to explore, we recommend you enter the townships of Arusí, Coquí, Guachalito and Termales.

In Termales you can enjoy surfing, since the waves are quite high, from three to six meters high. Another option is to enjoy the whales when it is their season.

Cabo de La Vela

To visit Cabo de La Vela you have to go to La Guajira, a desert peninsula with large bays and beautiful beaches. There it is common to find the Wayuú indigenous community, dry forests, mangroves and a multitude of flamingos, it is undoubtedly a landscape full of contrasts that must be seen to understand it.

When visiting Cabo de La Vela you will recharge your energies, you can visit the Arcoiris and Ojo de Agua beaches, and even walk to the Pilón de Azúcar and enjoy an unforgettable sunset.

You must bear in mind that this area is quite limited in terms of resources, so you have to equip yourself well with food and water bottles, so that no eventuality happens. On your way to Cabo de La Vela, the social problems that the Wayuú go through will be evident to you.

The wind and waves are extremely active on the beaches in this area, so you can practice kitesurfing without any problem. You can also visit the La Macuira National Natural Park and the Los Flamencos Flora and Fauna Sanctuary.

Providencia Island

This small island is part of the archipelago formed by San Andrés and Santa Catalina, it is only 7 kilometers long and 4 kilometers wide, so much so that you can visit it by bike in less than a day!

One of its peculiarities is that its rocky soil is of volcanic origin. What is large is its 33-kilometer long coral reef, which makes it ideal for snorkeling and diving, so you can enjoy the great variety of fish of all colors, sharks, turtles and even rays.

Keep in mind that when you visit Isla Providencia you should add to your plans knowing Cayo Cangrejo, the beaches of Manzanillo, South West Bay, Maracaibo Bay and Freshwater Bay.

The wealth in terms of beaches in Colombia is remarkable, from the warm Caribbean to the intrepid Pacific, no matter which one you choose, you will win an unforgettable experience.

But it is not only the beaches, it is also the culture around them that makes them magical places, the towns, their inhabitants and their gastronomy are altogether a source of energy that will renew you from the stress of the city that overwhelms you so much.