Colombia`s Caribbean Coast - Diving, Trekking and Beaches

Our time in the Colombian Caribbean ended up being an action packed two weeks of scuba diving, jungle trekking and beach appreciation in the beautiful Tayrona National Park. We whetted our appetites for diving by spending five days in the quirky fishing village turned 'diving ghetto' of Taganga near Santa Marta, Colombia. This small dusty village was solely the haunt of Colombian fishermen a mere five or so years ago before the tourism and diving boom. We embarked on our Open Water certification with the lovely Ximena from Octopus Dive Centre who put us at ease and had us qualified in no time at all. We were particularly enamoured with the pufferfish and moray eels on offer as well as the myriad of tropical fish!





After four days of deep sea dips we decided to embark on the sweaty, bug infested jungle trek to Ciudad Perdida in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. The trek is only 44 kms return but winds through campesino plantations of coffee, cacao, corn and sugar cane, before crossing the ancestral grounds and villages of the fascinating Kogui indigenous people. The Kogui´s unusual lifestyle includes segregated living for men and women and a complex spiritual belief system led by shamen that venerates Mother Earth. They are reputed to be one of the last remaining pre-Colombian peoples in South America and still live in isolated villages in the mountains. We were fortunate to encounter many Kogui´s in their cream coloured smocks and wellie boots (their one modern concession) along the trail.

After three days of bug bites, waterfalls and nine river crossings we climbed the final 1,200 (!!!) stone steps to the first series of rounded green terraces that make up The Lost City. The 1,100 year old ruins were drenched in unruly vines, tropical flowers and moss, which combined to make this archaeological site the most magical we have visited on our trip. Not one 'do not do X, Y or Z' sign impeded our exploration or cluttered our photographs. We spent the morning exploring and were bemused by the ever present Colombian military perched with large machine guns all around the site. The day was beautiful and the trek was worth every last buggy, muddy step!

In an effort to sooth our bites and aching muscles we deemed it prudent to visit the renowned Tayrona National Park for a spot of hammock camping. The park and beaches were stunning and the monkeys were in attendance as we meandered through the park. The only thing we hadn´t banked on was the small detail of it being a long weekend, and as such the normally placid campground was a tent ghetto of televisons, spaced out backpackers and Colombian families on holiday from Cartagena. We still managed to find a slice or two or paradise, some excellent snorkelling and a cerveza or three. After two blissful days of sun and sand we packed up and headed for the colonial gem that is Cartagena.

Cartagena was a bouganvillea bonanza, fortified colonial gem with vivacious Caribbean flair. We loved the food, the Cubanesque music, the street performers, the architecture and the gold leafed chocolate treats. It was the perfect fuel to walk the perimeter of the fortified wall and take in the Tall Ships in the harbour that we imagined to be captained by pirates! It was one of our favourite cities on the continent and we were sad to be waving goodbye to South America after 10 magical months, as we boarded the twin-prop plane to Panama city.

Southern Colombia and Venezuela

The border crossing from Ecuador was no problem despite fears of a torrid time. Surprisingly we were greeted by welcoming immigration guards and offered loads of help as to how to explore the country and given free postcards. Our first bus ride was without incident, no drug busts, no FARC, no danger, no problems! We quickly realised that fear of Colombia is completely unfounded. Indeed, the latest tourist campaign proclaims that 'the only risk is that you won't want to leave!'. We arrived in Popayán and were surprised to find a beautiful colonial town with stunning buildings covered in a pristine whitewash. Colombians seemed geniuniely interested in our presence and it was obvious that they were not too jaded from the gringo trail yet. We were also mightily impressed with the Colombian food as we dined on a tasty mix of banana, rice, meat and beans. They also have a gaseosa equivalent to IRN BRU which had me harking for a fish supper to go with it!

We then found one of those special places where you forget what day it is. San Agustin was a gruelling seven hour bus ride over a road that resembled a piece of Swiss cheese. However, we arrived in the ultimate hippie paradise with rolling, lush green mountains, coffee plantations, eccentic French hosts and freshly baked bread to start every day. We had a hammock in the front of our room gazing out of the verdant hills and we spent hour after hour in complete relaxation. Nearby was one of Colombia's most treasured archaeological sites, a large collection of stone heads and tombs dating back from before Christ, and in the same vein as those in Easter Island. Lydia was in pre-Colombian heaven. To get round some of the sites we mounted jaunty horses and trailed around the stunning country scenery. The valley of the waterfalls was particulary impressive with cascading waterfalls plunging every 100m. We also took the plunge down the Rio Magdelena, and after our Chile rafting prowess it was a piece of (exciting) cake!

Bogota was our next stop and worringly one of those cities where your parents say 'you're not going to Bogota, are you?' It turned out to be a large city with a beautiful bohemian and historical heart, ringed by mighty steep mountains at high elevation. We enjoyed a fantastic Thai curry and soaked up the vibe before heading to the impressive Salt cathedral on the outskirts of town. The enormous polished towers of salt made us feel like insignificant specks of pepper in a moody, dark and mysterious underground world. We also thoroughly enjoyed the Museum of Gold, perhaps one of the best exhibits we have seen in South America. If you love bling then this is the place for you. At one point in the 'total immersion' room we were literally surrounded in the glow of this fascinating precious metal. Bogota also provided the world with the voluptous genius of Fernando Botero, Colombia's most famous artist. We couldn't help but smile as we admired all his larger than life paintings!

After Bogotá we decided to bite the bullet and head for Venezuela. We were probably 'on guard' more at this border crossing than any other we have been at. It was somewhat amusing as we crossed the bridge between these two rogue countries and saw a line of men wading through the river with large boxes being carried above their heads. Obviously the border patrols were not as strict as we had perceived. We had a thorough bag search from curious border guard but apart from that everything went smoothly and we had no reason to be so concerned. Our first stop was Mérida which was at the heart of the Venezuelan highlands. The town is famous for its Guinness record breaking ice cream shop which has more flavours than any other (over 600 flavours including tuna fish, onion, beef and cheese!) and the longest and highest Teleferico in the world. Unfortunately the Cable car had been closed for 2 years due to maintenance but the ice cream store delivered on all fronts.

Now, some of you may have heard of Venezuela´s charismatic leader Mr Hugo Chavez, the leader of the Bolivarian revolution, who created the national slogan 'Patria, Socialismo o Muerte' (Patriotism, Socialism or DEATH!). With such encouragement as this, it was essential to get intimately aquainted with 'Hugonomics'. Hugo, in his usual bravado, has massively overvalued the local currency against the US Dollar. This means if you withdraw money from a cash machine Venezuela is prohibitively expensive. However, the ingenious locals have got round this problem by creating an extensive black market system where the exchange rate is closer to 8 Bolivars to the dollar instead of 3 to the dollar. The downside is that we were forced to take part in several illegal transactions with shifty characters at airports, markets or central plazas and carry a plentiful supply of foreign cash. Fortunately we were not subjected to any robberies or express kidnappings and everything worked itself out. Indeed, we found the Venezuelans to be great hosts and extremely helpful, despite the rantings of their Iran-loving leader.

Without doubt, the highlight of our stay in Venezuela was the amazing discovery of Choroní, a beach village amidst the lush tropical vegetation of Henri Pittier National Park. The warm Caribbean waters, palm fringed coastline and plunging rainforest took our breath away. Completely unspoilt (because so few travel to Venezuela!), the fishing community was rustic and full of character. The fun loving fishermen would down a mickey every night and bash away at musical logs to assist their boisterous sing alongs. We've also nicknamed it the chocolate coast due to the sublime pure cacao ice creams that you could buy for pennies. Venezuelas' cacao is rated as the best in the world and we are in full agreement with that!

The journey to Choroní was also highly memorable. The packed, 'pimped up' chicken bus wove through the mountainous jungle while the stereo blasted reggaeton to the delight of the young locals. Indeed, they took upon themselves to use the bus as an impromptu night club complete with pole dancing, at 7:30 on Sunday morning!

Following our Venezuelan adventure we took a black, clapped out Caprice Classic with velour seats to the border and were relieved when we got through the dodgy border town of Maicao unscathed. We had made it back into Colombia! We will remember Venezuela fondly for its majestic sunsets, mountainous landscapes and amazing beaches. Also, if you like beat up old American muscle cars you will find them in abundance. If you fancy an exciting, off-the-beaten-track vacation Venezuela has it all!