Colombia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 523

snakes into one of the club's many nooks and crannies.
Cool off on the outdoor patio if the crowd gets too much.
Tues & Wed 6pm-1am, Thurs-Sat 6pm-3am.

Conveniently, Ciudad Perdida treks
and a whole manner of adventure travel
options are on offer too at bigger shops
on the main drag, along the beach.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By plane A taxi from Santa Marta's Simón Bolívar Airport
(14km) will cost around COP$35,000.
By boat A daily speedboat runs to Cabo de San Juan in
Parque Nacional Tayrona from the waterfront by the tourist
information kiosk at 10.30am (COP$40,000; 1hr); book in
advance at your hostel as spaces are limited.
By bus Frequent buses (COP$1200; every 10min
6am-9pm; 15min) run along Cra 2 to Santa Marta's Cra
1C. Daily minibus transfers to Parque Nacional Tayrona
(COP$17,000 one-way) are arranged through your
accommo dation.
By taxi A taxi between the centre of Santa Marta and
Taganga costs COP$9000. If you're coming from the bus
terminal, it will be around COP$13,000.
Tourist information There's a tourist information kiosk
on the waterfront (8.30am-6pm) where you can pick up
maps of Taganga. The one and only ATM, on Cra 2 next to
the police station, often runs out of money, so it's best to
load up in Santa Marta.

5

TAGANGA
Although no longer as pristine as it
used to be, the lively fishing village of
TAGANGA, 4km north of Santa Marta
(between it and Parque Nacional
Tayrona), is where backpackers come to
party, both before and after they tackle
the Ciudad Perdida hike (see p.530). Built
on the side of a mountain, the town has
an uncanny Mediterranean feel, with
incongruously pleasant unpaved dirt
streets, busy beach, and arid hills
surrounding the horseshoe-shaped bay.
For budget travellers, it's a great
alternative to Santa Marta when exploring
the surrounding area's attractions.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Everything here is pretty much water-
related, whether diving (see box below),
or hitting the beach. Fishermen ply an
easy alternative access route to Tayrona
National Park's southern beaches, the
most popular being the crystalline waters
of Bahia Concha , about an hour away
by boat. Costing at least COP$120,000,
this is a good excursion for small groups.
Accessible by boat (5min, COP$5000)
and foot (20min) is the much closer
Playa Grande , which is modestly sized,
heavily touristed and a bit pebbly, but
still has the makings for a day of sun
and sea. Taganga's main beach is awash
with small boats, many available for hire,
though you'll find people swimming at
the southern end.

ACCOMMODATION
Casa de Felipe Cra 5A No. 19-13 T 5 421 9101,
W lacasadefelipe.com. Three blocks uphill from the beach,
with beautiful views of the bay and a lush, greenery-filled
garden, the rustic rooms at this long-time backpacker fave
fill up quickly so book in advance. Plenty of information
on exp loring the a rea available. Dorms COP$25,000 ,
rooms COP$75,000 , private apartments for 2 people
COP$90,000
Ì Casa Holanda C 14 No. 1B-75 T 5 421 9390,
W micasaholanda.com. Quiet terraces with hammocks
and bay views, perfect for reading, and bright, spotless
rooms with comfortable beds and crisp white sheets. A
two-for-one happy hour in the bar daily from 9 t ill 10pm
livens things up. Breakfast included. COP$90,000

DIVING IN TAGANGA
One of the cheapest spots in the world for scuba certification, both PADI and NAUI,
Taganga has so many dive shops that the prices and services offered by each are pretty
competitive. A four- to six-day certification course costs about COP$650,000 and often
includes basic accommodation, English- or Spanish-speaking dive masters, and six dives
(four open water, two pool). Quality-focused Aquantis Dive Center (C 18 No. 1-39;
T 5 421 9344, W aquantisdivecenter.com) offers the best service in town, with the highest
standard of professional instruction and a great awareness of the needs of both new and
experienced divers. If you decide to opt for one of the other schools, don't just be tempted
by cheap deals: check their PADI or NAUI accreditation, your instructor's credentials, the
instructor-to-student ratio, and ensure that equipment is well maintained.