Nestled between the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Caribbean Sea, this unassuming little town enjoys a perfect location.
Despite Palomino Colombia being closer to Santa Marta than Riohacha, Palomino is actually in the Guajira department. The beach town of Palomino on the Caribbean coast really is the perfect way to wrap up the end of your Colombia trip. Be it vast biodiversity, the remoteness, the sea, authentic hotel options, good food and relaxation, Palomino beach with its palm trees and and solitude is the embodiment of Caribbean travel aspirations.
Palomino is slightly further away from Santa Marta than Tayrona national park is but well worth the extra half-hour in your transfer vehicle. We prefer the accommodation options, they are authentic, brimming with charming costeño hospitality, fresh food, cool drinks and you are right there on the beach. Unlike Tayrona, Palomino does not have a high-energy coastline with perilous undercurrents. For those that want the perfect Colombian beach destination with a chance to cool off in the sea, Palomino is the ideal choice.
Important
- Palomino is on the coast and has an equatorial climate unrestricted by the altitude as the Andean regions are. It can be extremely hot, you should take precautions to protect your skin, avoid sun stroke and keep yourself hydrated.
- We recommend the use of quality insect repellents and can suggest products available in Colombian pharmacies.
- Locals know best. Adhere to recommendations regarding swimming and current sea conditions.
Programme
You will most probably arrive to Palomino overland from Cartagena or by air from other destinations in Colombia such as Bogotá, Medellín or the coffee zone. For an idea of how Palomino could fit into your tour around Colombia, take a look at our round trip The Colours of Colombia. For a coffee and beach experience within a limited timescale, you can also consider adding Palomino onto one of our short coffee tours.
Although we prefer Palomino accommodation to Parque Tayrona we would nonetheless urge guests to undertake a day trip in the park itself, the trails and beaches are wonderful. Most of our guests view Palomino as the perfect way to relax at the end of a multi-destination trip. If you want to keep going, or you are a family with energetic kids, then we can also organise horse riding, tubing down the Río Palomino, mountain biking, kayaking and hiking.
Palomino is also an ideal starting point for a 3, 4 or 5 night trek to La Ciudad Perdida or one of our package tours to La Guajira.
