"Tayrona National Park, Colombia's Caribbean Coast" Top 5 Page for this destination Parque Tayrona by Kindra

Anyone that has been to or is from Colombia will tell you that Tayrona National Park is a must-see if you are making a trip to Colombia; it may even be your main reason for visiting Colombia! Provided that the weather cooperates, it is sure to enchant you, particularly if you are a beach bum like myself that loves white sand beach, crystal clear waters and the isolating-jungle factor. Unlike many national parks, Tayrona is open to overnight visitors and I recommend that you spend at LEAST a few nights in the park so you can really get the full experience. There are two main camp sites: Arrecifes, a 45 minute hike from the main Park Entrance which has larger facilities (cabins, hammocks, large clean and private washroom areas, restaurants) but is in a less beautiful area in front of an unswimmable beach (many people have died on this beach) whereas San Juan del Cabo is set in a gorgeous setting a good 1.5 hours hike (or a terrifying 2 hour+ boat ride from Taganga which I can't warn AGAINST enough) with minimal facilities though the scenery makes any roughing worth it. Read up on my tips to get more information.

The Caribbean Sea from lookout hammocks, SJdelC

This beach area is absolutely stunning. There are two main beach sites that are divided by a large rocky area jutting out into the sea, and on top of which a hammock area and small cabanas are built. There is one restaurant with a decent variety of food at decent (though not so cheap) prices and generous portions, a small store for goods and snacks, toilets (in the area of 4 or so) and 3 outdoor showers. There are also facilities for camping in tents and hammocks and another area for renting hammocks behind the restaurant. We chose to sleep in the hammocks up over the sea - the mosquitos here are nil though you are likely to experience a lot of dampness and it is absolutely FREEZING here at night- bring warm clothes and a sleeping bag if you have. The hammocks down below are subject much more to mosquitos, heat, other types of pests and are located right beside the glaring light of the restaurant (until 10 pm or so).

Arrecifes is not as popular a camp due to its location on an unswimmable beach. In lower season, many of its sleeping facilities are not even open (as in the week after Semana Santa when we were there).

Staring out into the Caribbean at La Piscina

What else is there to do in Tayrona but be a beach bum? Be an active bum beach of course! La Piscina is a gorgeous natural swimming pool located 15 minutes from San Juan del Cabo where, with your own snorkeling equipment, you can follow an aquatic path through coral and fish. In addition, there is a 1-1.5 hour hike up to El Pueblo, the ruins of a Tayrona Indian settlement that is still inhabited by a few Koggi Indian families who administer the site.

• Pros:Isolated, gorgeous, spectacular, beautiful!
• Cons:Can be a difficult hike or horrible boat ride to get there
• In a nutshell:Unique and must be experienced