How long to spend at Parque Tayrona? and other questions.

We are planning a trip for 5 days/4 nights to Santa Marta. By the sounds of it, there is not much to see in Santa Marta so we were planning to go to Parque Tayrona and stay on the hammocks there. Is all 5 days/4 night a bot long to spend at the park. Meaning are we going to get bored really fast?

Also, how busy does it get on a holiday weekend? Do we need to worry that we might not be able to get a hammock? We were thinking we might splurge a night or two on a cabana but I can't find any concrete information about how much they cost. I have seen old prices that say 40,000 and more recent prices of about 500,000. Did the price really go up that much?

By adrienne79 on Apr 27, 2008, 08:23 in Travel tips.

Papi de Alejo says on Apr 27, 2008, 09:14:

I can't help much with the questions that you have posed, but I'm headed to Santa Marta at the end of May. My friends there advise that it's the beginning of the rainy season. Perhaps you should take that into consideration when you make your plans.

PdA

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robi666 says on Apr 27, 2008, 09:26:

4 nights in Santa Marta (if you want to have a look at the nature there):

2 nights at El Cabo in parque Tayrona (you can sleep on hammock or in a tent)
1 night in Buritaca (you can sleep at Cabana de Buritaca, cheap hotels, but go to Quebrada Valencia)
1 night in Minca (you can sleep in a finca)

You can easily reach the three places by bus from SM (and a 2 hours walk from Canaveral to El Cabo). To go from Canaveral to Buritaca, do not go back to SM, but take a bus on the way.

In parque Tayrona, there are different kind of accommodations with different prices. Yes, up to 500,000 per night.

"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth. A nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present."

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Gator says on Apr 27, 2008, 10:14:

Yes, IMHO- There are very few amenities-but it is beautiful. Unless you are really, really set on roughing it then head for Cañaverales (can be very dangerous to swim at time due to wave action) but I would suggest two day trips, one to Playa Crystal and the other to Bahia Concha (Boats will take you there, not far, and have a fish lunch) good beach, swimming and snorkeling. I will say this, if you are not bored by doing nothing but being surrounded by natural beauty go for it. BTW, if you have never slept in a hammock you may find it uncomfortable until you get use to it.

Holiday weekends will be very busy-in fact any weekend is busy-$500.000 for a cabana?-I doubt it. That's $277 USD. You must be thinking of the Ecohabs up in the Cañaverales. Not worth the price. A "normal" cabana should run between $70/100.000. Hammock should be no more than $8-10.000 I($4/5USD) sling it between plam trees. We have never done this mainly because Mrs. Gator"s idea of camping out is a Hilton. But she has sisters who have camped out in the area and loved it. Lot of backpackers-mostly German and Israeli.

"Brevior Sltare Cum Deformibus Mulieribus Est Vita!" .

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robi666 says on Apr 27, 2008, 13:04:

Yes, Gator, that kind of price is for Ecohabs in Canaveral.
http://site.aviatur.com/portal.htm
I agree, not worth the price, if not for a very special recurrence, like an honeymoon.

IMHO, the best bay in Tayrona is Bahia Cinto. You can rent an house there.

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Clinman says on Apr 27, 2008, 15:16:

I spent a day at Arecliffes at Parque Tayrona this past Febuary. It is a beautiful place, walked in and rode horse back out...3.8km. The resturant at Arecliffes gave me food poisoning from the shrimp at lunch time ...I never get sick.

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guacharaca says on Apr 27, 2008, 18:14:

Yes, it will be busy on a holiday weekend. Most Colombians bring a tent.

Colombianos: Las armas os han dado independencia, las leyes os daran libertad. (Santander)

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adrienne79 says on Apr 27, 2008, 19:57:

Okay thanks all. After doing research all day, we have decided two nights will be plenty in hammocks. From there we will spend a little time in Taganda and Rodadero.

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