If you would like practical tips on visiting La Guajira – please see my post on this region of Colombia here.
I wanted to post these photos as a reminder of how beautiful and untouched this paradise is and how fortunate I was to visit (not once but twice!). I hope to take my children back some day and hope that it remains wild and free.
Erika xx
The Guajira Peninsula is an incredibly off-the-beaten track area of Colombia: so much so that it doesn’t even have a track. The area is very remote and the region is the poorest in Colombia so it can be a difficult place to visit and you will need to put up with a lack of creature comforts.
When I first visited the region in 2011 – the peninsula and the jumping off point (Cabo de La Vela) were deserted. Although some basic facilities for tourists existed. I only came across 2 travellers in Cabo de La Vela (a photographer and his girlfriend) and no others on the peninsula itself.
In 2019 when I returned, things hadn’t drastically changed. A windsurfing school had opened in Cabo De La Vela which had led to some more accomodation and a few bars and some basic restaurants. The Guajira Peninsula accomodation in hammocks and tour on the back of a truck was now for 10-20 people at a time (rather than just me on my first trip!) and the local women and children had got wise to the fact that they could charge passing trucks a ‘toll’ to drive through their private land.
The landscapes and the region itself are still magical and out of this world. Take a look at my Guajira Photo Essay for more beautiful examples!
Top Tips for visiting La Guajira:
Where to stay:
You aren’t spoilt with choice for accomodation options in Cabo de la Vela or the Guajira Peninsula. You can sleep in a hammock outside or in Cabo de La Vela you sometimes have the option of a very basic room. Showers are only cold water bucket showers and you also flush toilets using a bucket of water. Be prepared for this!
Its all part of the experience as long as its not for your whole trip. We love sleeping in a hammock on occasion – in Cabo De La Vela you are right next to the water on the beach! You also get a lockable shack to get changed in and store your stuff.
Expect to look like this by the end of your journey:
Getting there and away:
I’m not going to lie – getting to La Guajira is a PAIN. But the journey is all a part of the adventure right? You can probably book a tour in advance from Cartagena or Santa Marta but how I have done it in the past is by getting to Cuatro Vias (a crossroads in rural Colombia), or Uribia and making my way from there. You’ll need at least some basic spanish to do it this way. At this point you can get on a much cheaper tour for both Cabo de La Vela and the Guajira Peninsula if you get offered one; or be able to find transport direct to Cabo de La Vela.You will be able to book an overnight tour from there to the Peninsula. You can only get to the peninsula itself with a tour.
To get to Cuatro Vias: Take a bus from Santa Marta bus station that terminates at Maicao and get off at Quatro Vias (a crossroads in the middle of nowhere – don’t second guess yourself – its the right stop). The bus will take you 4-5 hours so get started early in the morning. This crossroads heads in 4 completely different directions so it has become a bit of a meeting place for the area with market stalls and vehicles going in different directions. From here, someone will ask you where you are going and will arrange a full tour with you (through their guy in one of the nearby towns) or you can get in a taxi/mototaxi which will take you to the trucks carrying supplies and people leaving from Uribia. There may even be transport around heading direct to Cabo de La Vela. The trip to Cabo de La Vela will take you a few more hours depending on your transport – you may have to wait for the trucks to fill up.
Past Uribia your only transport is via motorbike or trucks as the roads turn to dirt tracks.
Your tour to the tip of the peninsula will only be for 1 day/night. Most tour operators will let you stay on another if you wish and you will just be able to pay the accomodation another night directly. However, there is not much to do in the area without transportation and you will have visited all the tourist spots on the truck the day before so 1 night is probably enough. After your night in the peninsula you will likely be transported directly back to Uribia, Riohacha or even Santa Marta so make sure you spend all the time in Cabo de la Vela that you want to before heading over to the peninsula.
Getting around:
You will probably be on a tour – in this case your tour will take you everywhere you may want to go. If not, there you can find moto-taxi’s to bring you to and from your destination or if you are up for it most places are only a hike away through the hot desert. Pilon de Azucar is a great spot to visit around Cabo de La Vela, as is El Faro for sunset.
If you arrive in Cabo de la Vela without a tour and want to get over to the peninsula (and trust me you do!) You can ask your accomodation and they will be able to find a tour going or know of someone in the small town that can arrange this for you.
Food:
A word from the wise – food is actually pretty expensive here compared to the rest of Colombia. There are no shops except for a corner store or two that sell cold drinks for very expensive prices. I suggest stocking up on snacks at a supermarket in Santa Marta before you come. I would also bring all the bottled water you will need during your trip as that is pretty hard to come by also!
I also suggest bringing some extra snacks and water for the locals. Especially once you get to the peninsula you can really see the poverty here and the locals find it really hard to access and afford food and water other than seafood. Try to avoid the ‘sweet tax’ from the local kids and give them something a little more filling and nutritious instead.
Meals are made at your accomodation – or at anyone else’s! Almost every shack along the beach will serve you food. Your options are usually fresh whole fried fish or lobster. If you are vegetarian or have any sort of dietaries good luck. The fish is amazingly fresh and tasty and the lobster is cheaper and fresher than you will find elsewhere. Enjoy the delicacy while its available!
What to bring:
What to expect:
Expect to experience total wilderness – I’m not sure there are many places left around the world that feel this untouched. Soak it all in and enjoy the ride (even if your butt hurts from all that bumping around on the back of a truck and even if you haven’t showered in a week)!
Erika xx
I apologise in advance…this is a loooong list.
Colombia is a big country, but its also filled to the brim with amazing places. I couldn’t possibly reduce this list down at all from here.
This list is a result of 2 trips to Colombia (one in 2011 and 2019). Most of the places in this list I visited in both these trips and the ones I didn’t I regret not going to twice. I would visit all of these areas again in a heartbeat.
Make sure you allow time to visit all of these locations when you go to Colombia – or like me you will have to go back!
Bogota
I have to start with the capital: Bogota is a super cool city – high altitude and chill vibes. Check out its bars and restaurants, find your inner artist in Candelaria or do what the fit locals do and get a workout in by climbing a mountain.
If you want to find out more about Bogota – see my post on my latest trip here.
San Gil and Barichara
Go to San Gil for the adventure! Once you have had your fill of white water rafting and paragliding, and you need to give your heart a rest; then do a hike (or catch a taxi) to Barichara – the sweetest little mountain town. The best place to spend some time doing nothing and soaking in the views.
Medellin
Medellin has come a long way since its past as the centre of the Colombian drug wars. Its a young, modern, happening university town with a giant market, interesting architecture, some amazing social programs for previously dangerous neighbourhoods and some fun Botero scupltures in the central city. You can even take a really interesting tour about Pablo Escobar.
Cartagena
Ahhh Cartagena – the jewel of Colombia. Don’t come for the beaches – there are much better beaches elsewhere along the Caribbean coast. The colonial city really has that romantic feel and the whole walled area is utterly spectacular.
For a unique experience you can catch a boat from Cartagena and stay at a hostel on a rock in the middle of the ocean (well not quite – the land is pretty close) but its still a wild time! As a bonus – its right next to the most densely populated island in the world Santa Cruz del Islote.
Guajira Peninsula
La Guajira is so off the beaten track that there is no track. When I first visited in 2011 you could walk for hours and not see another soul. Tourism has hit now – Cabo de la Vela is an epic place to windsurf and there are ‘truckloads’ of tourists a day (not tour buses – literally tours organised on the back of trucks). It still remains very isolated and secluded. There are no roads through most of the desert and no public transport to any of it. In terms of what there is to do. It’s a desert by the beach – the scenery is spectacular everywhere you look.
See here for my post with details on how to travel this tricky region or here for some more inspiration in photos!
Tayrona National Park
You need to hike for a few hours to reach the coast of Tayrona National Park (or take a very terrifying boat) which is what has stopped this park from being overrun with tourists. It’s still pretty busy. There are also minimal facilities when you arrive. You can sleep in a tent or a hammock and just enjoy the tranquility and swimming in the warm Caribbean water.
See my post here for more info on how to visit this amazing national park!
Palomino
Palomino is Colombia’s version of Bali. It has such a cool hippie vibe but is also very touristy despite its tiny size. There are a few beach resort style accomodations if you like that sort of thing. Its a great beach, very family friendly and super close to Cartagena if you only have a short time in Colombia.
Guatape
Views for days! You have to climb up 700 steps to see them though. Are you up for the challenge? The town of Guatape is also brightly coloured and adorable – to see it all you have to do even more walking. Make sure to pack your walking shoes!
Check out my blog post here on visitng Guatape on a day trip from Medellin.
Salento
Cowboys – tick. Coffee – tick. Hiking – tick. Mountains – tick. Palm trees – tick. Hummingbirds – tick. What more could you ask for?
Relax, learn about making really good coffee and see the worlds biggest palm trees on a really nice hike through the forest (even if you don’t like to hike).
Cali and San Cipriano
Come to Cali for Salsa, street hamburgers, and Giant cat sculptures. While you are here, take a trip to San Cipriano – a little village in the middle of the forest with a calm lazy river to raft along and a motorcycle train. If you want some tips on visiting Cali and things to do see my post here.
Ipiales
Ipiales is a horrible town – and I don’t say this lightly. I am someone who takes pride in finding the wonderful about places that others think are dangerous, ugly or boring. But Ipiales literally has nothing going for it. It is an unsafe border town which is dangerous to be out and about in after dark (and by that I mean after 5pm…). There is nothing to eat except for a couple of dirty, horrible takeout joints that serve inedible food (and I love junk food..). Even getting to Ipiales is dangerous (although it is much safer than it used to be).
BUT, it is all worth it to see the most beautiful church I have ever seen in my life. Plus you have to pass through Ipiales if you want to go overland into Ecuador so that is a pretty good reason to visit too. See my post on Las Lajas Sanctuary here for more info.
I have to admit there are still a couple of great places I am yet to visit but desperate to go to. If you have the time I recommend checking out Minca and the San Andreas Islands and letting me know what you think – Im planning to hit these spots up next time I am in the area!
Erika xx
I can’t get enough of the dancing in Brazil, the flamboyant gays and transvestites, the friendly people and the ability to drink on the beach/street/wherever you like. Unfortunately, I have no idea whether I am experiencing Brazil in the midst of carnival or Brazil as it usually is. I guess I will have to come back some other time to find out.
I also cannot get enough of Brazilian barbecue – which is a bit of a shock – because eating a huge pile of meat, and only meat, for a meal generally is not my cup of tea.
Ipanema is beautiful place – Copacabana not so much (but can be more exciting and vibrant)
I can not get over how I cannot find coffee ANYWHERE. I know it is hot but I still need my coffee fix! Also, it is silly to wish for but if they spoke Spanish in Brazil it would be wonderful. I can’t understand a word of the Portuguese – I definitely don’t think the two languages are as similar as people say they are!
Also, the batons which the police carry are pretty scary 😛
Tomorrow I leave for Mexico!
Until Next Time,
Erika xx
After a long sleep in, we woke up just in time for dinner: tonight, we tried a ‘per-kilo’ buffet – an entirely new experience for me! The meal was charged at whatever the weight of your plate was once piled with food. I of course took this as a challenge to figure out which types of food would be the lightest, and to eat mostly these foods…
The next morning, we were entertained by the cat before we had even left the hostel. It went absolutely crazy, its eyes were rolling into the back of its head and it was running into tables and everything. I think It has been drinking the spa water – poor thing. Other than the crazy cat show, our morning was incredibly unsuccessful. We attempted to find a pretty neighbourhood called Sant Theresa to walk around and have lunch at, but unfortunately got a little lost and ended up walking right into the outskirts of a favela (a brazilian slum). In case you did not know this, going anywhere near a slum in Brazil is probably not a good idea. After realising we had no idea how to walk around the favela, we headed into the center of town to visit the museum and art gallery – both of which were closed. At least we got the hang of the transport systems, had a great time seeing the city, and met a very friendly brazilian in a Robin Hood costume!
We spent the afternoon in Ipanema with some friends from the hostel. We visited the gorgeous beach, purchased souvineirs from the hippie market and gawked at the crazy costumed people walking around and the street party going on. I would recommend the neighbourhood of Ipanema to EVERYONE. After having a bit of a boogie and using up the last of our money, we were starving and needed to find an ATM. Unfortunately, this was more difficult than we thought it would be. Luckily, we found one when I was about to faint with starvation, and sat down to eat meat on a stick at a street stall, washed down with a cold beer. Trying to get home was a nightmare due to the street party, there was no way we were getting a taxi or a bus! So we walked home around the lake, which was a gorgeous walk but took us a bit over an hour. Oh well, what did we expect?? ITS CARNIVALE!! (can you tell I’m a tiny bit excited?).
Until next time,
Erika xx
Half asleep at the airport the next morning, Peter ordered an orange juice and ended up with a ham and cheese sandwich, but customs was a breeze and we were quickly shoved in a ride to our hostel when we arrived in Rio De Janeiro. Lagoa Guest House was a teeny tiny little white house in the middle of the city, surrounded on all sides by huge apartment blocks that towered over the little building. First thing we did in Brazil was, of course, DRINK. We were here for carnival after all! Plus who can turn down an incredibly strong ‘welcome drink’ Caipirinha. Once we had settled in, our first stop was Copacabana Beach.
Our first few hours in Brazil and we are in a bus accident. Another bus driver drove into the back of our bus as soon aas we had stepped on! Not exactly a good omen but it was exciting at least…We were a little confused but everybody was friendly and helpful, gesturing for us to wait outside the bus until were were eventually on the road again. I think we first realised how craazy Brazil was when the other bus took off without a word to our driver about the accident, just carrying on with his day.
Copacabana Beach was mindblowing – people were absolutely everywhere. A large proportion of these people were huge women in teensy weensy little g-string bikinis and old men sitting in bars in their speedos. We picked up our tickets for carnival, took a look at the beautiful Copacabana Fort, got dressed up and headed to a Scala ball.
Peter was – his words – patted down by a big black man at the door, and then we were in. We had a great time. The ball looked like a high school prom, we met a great canadian couple living in Cuba and danced all night.
Until next time,
Erika xx
THE ONLY ERIKA IN THE VILLAGE 