Palomino
A laid-back hippie beach town on the Caribbean coast where you can float down the river on inner tubes from the river mouth, with coconut-lined beaches, yoga, and a backpacker vibe.
Palomino lies in La Guajira department, about 80 km from Santa Marta, and has become a popular slow-travel beach town in recent years. The signature activity is tubing: ride a motorcycle taxi up into the hills, hike through an indigenous village, then float down the Palomino River on a tractor inner tube for about two hours back to the river mouth. The beach is wide and quiet but has big waves and strong currents, so swim with caution. The town has eco-lodges and yoga and surfing lessons. The bus from Santa Marta takes about 2 hours, and most people stay one to two nights.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Quebrada Valencia
- Tayrona National Natural Park
- Arrecifes Beach
- La Piscina
- Ciudad Perdida (Teyuna)
- Cabo San Juan del Guía
- Pueblito (Chairama)
- Cerro Kennedy (Cuchilla de San Lorenzo)