Tayrona National Park: Jungle Meets Caribbean Sea
Tayrona National Natural Park — 35 km from Santa Marta — protects the magnificent coast where the Sierra Nevada descends directly into the Caribbean; the combination of pristine beaches, coral reefs, and tropical forest makes it Colombia's most popular national park
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Playa Cristal
Playa Cristal - the most famous beach in Tayrona - has crystal clear water, coral blocks and the jungle that comes to the waterline; the combination of snorkeling quality, the beauty of the beach and the surrounding forest is exceptional even by Caribbean standards
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Jungle Trail to the Beaches
Access to Tayrona's beaches requires hiking through the park's forest — from El Zaíno, the entrance to Cabo San Juan takes 2-3 hours; the trail through tropical dry forest with iguanas, monkeys and macaws is as much of the experience as the beaches
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Cabo San Juan del Guía
The iconic Cabo San Juan - a rocky promontory with hammocks strung between the trees, two beaches separated by rock and the park's most atmospheric campsite - is the destination for Tayrona hikers; the headland's location and views are extraordinary
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Howler Monkeys in the Forest
Tayrona Forest has large populations of black howler monkeys - their dawn call, described as the sound of a distant jungle roar, echoes through the forest before sunrise; the monkeys are common on the forest paths and in the park's campsites
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Coral Reef Snorkeling
Coral reefs at Playa Cristal and near Cabo San Juan – protected from fishing and development by the national park – have recovered to unusual health for the Caribbean; the coral, parrot fish and sea turtles are accessible by snorkel from the beach
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The Tairona ruins in the park
Tayrona National Park contains Tairona archaeological sites - the terraces, stone paths and ceremonial structures of the ancient Tairona villages that preceded the park are found throughout the forest; Pueblito is the most accessible location, 2 hours from the coast