Colombia Caribbean coast and islands

  • Tayrona National Park

Discover lively seaside cities, wildlife-rich lagoons and the untamed beauty of Tayrona National Park. Offshore you’ll find palm-shaded islands with sugary beaches and coral atolls.

Overview

The Caribbean coast is not all about Cartagena, the colonial jewel which is such a magnet for visitors. There, the city beaches are fun but not exceptionally beautiful. East along the coast, the road passes the seaport Barranquilla and the bird-filled marshes and lagoons of La Ciénaga, reaching the pleasant seaside resort of Santa Marta. Just beyond is hilly, jungle-covered Tayrona National Park, embracing one of the most beautiful wild stretches of Caribbean coast. Golden beaches shaded by coconut palms are backed by rugged hills full of monkeys and iguanas. Offshore the Rosario islands are blissful coral atolls, while further afield is the quirky English-speaking volcanic island of Providencia.

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

What our clients say Contact Us

Holidays Caribbean coast and islands

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Mompos

Private Journeys

Colombia

Magdalena River Cruise: Colombia’s Hidden Gems

13 days from £4,500pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Horse-drawn carts in Cartagena, Colombia

Private Journeys

Colombia

Signature Colombia: Culture and coffee

15 days from £3,800pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Cocora Valley

Group - Discovery

Colombia

Weaverbird: Spirit of Colombia

16 days from £3,102pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Things to do

We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.

Accommodation

Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.

Hotel Sirius
Tayrona Eco Habs Canaveral
Maloka Barlovento
Ama Magdalena

Where to go when - our guide to Caribbean coast and islands

Tayrona National Park

The weather in Caribbean coast and islands is wide and varied

Stretched across the length of Colombia’s Caribbean coast are lively seaside cities, wildlife-rich lagoons and the wild beauty of Tayrona National Park. Offshore you’ll find the Rosario islands and Providencia, palm-shaded havens with sugary beaches and coral atolls. These are year-round destinations with plentiful sunshine throughout, though you could plan your visit based around the chance of rainfall. From August - November there are more frequent showers which can be torrential, whilst December - April tend to be the driest. If it’s joyful dance and music that you enjoy, catch the annual exuberant carnival celebrations of Barranquilla in February or March. This is an extremely exciting (albeit very busy) time to visit.

View our Caribbean coast and islands weather guide

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Rosie profile
    Rosie Kay - Travel Expert

    During a career break, Rosie embarked on an unforgettable year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. Now back in the UK, she is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others, helping them discover her favourite place in the world.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

0 1 2 3 4 5