Palomino Colombia was my beach break after traveling through cities and mountains for quite a while. The original plan was to combine this part of the Caribbean coast with Tayrona National Park, but the park was closed exactly during the days I had planned to visit. That was a disappointment because Tayrona was one of the places I really wanted to see. There was nothing to change, though, so Costeño Beach and Palomino became the alternative. Five nights along this part of the coast gave me plenty of beach time, river tubing and a very different side of Colombia. If you are planning the same route, check the Tayrona closure dates first and then work out your transport between Santa Marta, Tayrona and Palomino.
Tayrona National Park and Palomino
Tayrona National Park closes several times each year to give nature and the Indigenous communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta time for environmental, cultural and spiritual rest. The scheduled closure periods are 1–15 February, 1–15 June and 19 October–2 November. Check the official Tayrona National Park website before booking this part of your Colombia trip, because access can also change outside these dates. Missing Tayrona was disappointing, but staying near the park at Costeño Beach was a good alternative. From here you can easily continue along the coast towards Palomino.
Check the Tayrona closure dates before booking flights and hotels. It is much easier to adjust your route before everything else is fixed.
How to get from Santa Marta and Tayrona to Palomino
I flew from Medellín to Santa Marta and booked a private airport transfer directly to Costeño Beach. The flight was smooth and comfortable, and by coincidence I even ended up in first class. With luggage, the private transfer was an easy option and saved arranging several connections after the flight. Santa Marta is the practical airport for this part of the Caribbean coast, especially if you are coming from Medellín or Bogotá. If you prefer public transport, buses run along the main coastal road between Santa Marta, Tayrona and Palomino. Costeño Beach is off the main road, so you will usually need a mototaxi for the last part. You can also check Santa Marta to Palomino buses, departure times and prices on 12Go before you travel.
Book your flight to Santa Marta early if you can. You usually have more choice and better prices. I also like a flexible ticket when the difference is small, especially when the rest of the Colombia route is not completely fixed yet.
Costeño Beach near Tayrona
Costeño Beach is not in Palomino itself. It sits closer to Tayrona, between Mendihuaca and Guachaca, so it is a convenient base if you want to combine the coast with the national park. I stayed at Costeño Beach in a private bungalow surrounded by palm trees. The plan was to use Costeño as a base before sleeping inside Tayrona, but with the park closed there was suddenly more time to relax here instead. The beach is long and there are palm trees everywhere. You don’t need much of a plan here. Read a book, walk along the beach or stay in your hammock for a couple of hours. After traveling around Colombia, doing very little felt quite good.
Surfing at Costeño Beach
Surfing was one of the reasons for choosing Costeño. They offer surf lessons and board rental, but my experience was a little disappointing. The boards I saw had plenty of dings and there wasn’t much choice. The waves were messy, with quite a lot of current, backwash and shore break. Maybe the conditions were simply not good, but the brown water and messy waves reminded me more of my North Sea at home than the Caribbean surf session I had pictured. So don’t choose Costeño only for the surf. Check the waves when you arrive. If they look good, great. If not, enjoy the beach.
Staying at Costeño Beach solo
Costeño was also one of the few places during my Colombia trip where I didn’t make much contact with other travelers. Most people seemed to be there in groups and there was quite a young hostel vibe. For some reason, I suddenly felt a bit old here. Because Costeño is quite remote, breakfast, lunch and dinner are available at the property. The food was very good, especially the vegetarian options. With the beach, palm trees and my bungalow around me, spending some time on my own was not exactly a punishment.
Bring some cash for mototaxis and activities. You can use a card for accommodation and food at Costeño, but cash is useful once you start moving around this part of the coast.
Palomino Colombia beach and town
Palomino has an easy Caribbean feeling with a long beach, palm trees and sandy streets. The town sits between the Río Palomino and Río San Salvador, with the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta behind the coast. Many of the streets towards the beach are unpaved or sandy, so don’t expect a polished beach resort. Hotels, small restaurants, cafés and bars are spread between the main coastal road and the beach.
This relaxed setup was exactly what I wanted. After a lot of cities and mountains, I had started to miss the ocean.
Where to stay in Palomino Colombia
I stayed at Makao Beach Hotel right on Palomino beach. It is a small boutique hotel with modern minimalist design and the sea directly in front. This was much more my style after Costeño. The staff were friendly and helpful, breakfast was good and the beachfront location made it easy to spend most of the day outside. My shower only had cold water, but with the Caribbean heat you get used to that surprisingly quickly. The beachfront hotels also have happy hours around sunset, so order a cocktail, find a hammock and enjoy the view. That part of beach life suited me very well.
Check Makao Beach Hotel or compare other beachfront hotels in Palomino on Booking.com. If staying directly at the beach matters to you, check the location carefully before booking because Palomino also stretches inland.
Things to do in Palomino Colombia
You don’t need a long sightseeing list in Palomino. The beach, rivers and Sierra Nevada surroundings are the main attractions. Spend the morning walking along the coast, have lunch in town and keep the afternoon for the beach. If you want something more active, walk to Río San Salvador, go river tubing or look at one of the hikes towards the Sierra Nevada.
Walk to Río San Salvador
One of my favorite walks was towards Río San Salvador, where the river meets the Caribbean Sea. It takes around 50 minutes from central Palomino and gets quieter the further you walk. The ocean was rough here, with shore break and strong water movement, so swimming in the calmer river was a much better option. Conditions can change, so always look carefully before entering either the river or sea.
I found this side much quieter than the Río Palomino river mouth, where you find more people and places to eat. There were plenty of birds around Río San Salvador as well. Take water and sunscreen and bring your camera or phone because the scenery is beautiful. There are plenty of coconut palms along the walk, and I even managed to open a young coconut myself and drink the water. It took a bit of work, but it tasted pretty good after the walk. My small surviving-Colombia moment.
Hiking around Palomino and the Sierra Nevada
If you want more activity, there are also hikes from the Palomino area towards the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Some tours combine jungle walking with visits to Indigenous communities, while shorter nature walks are also possible. Check the route before booking, especially if visiting a community is important to you. I skipped the longer hikes. I didn’t have the time and, to be honest, I didn’t feel like another full day walking uphill either. Beach, hammock and river tubing were enough for me here.
Kitesurfing around Palomino and La Guajira
If kitesurfing is your thing, there are also kite options around Palomino during the windier months. For a bigger kite stop, continue further north into La Guajira towards Cabo de la Vela, one of Colombia’s better-known kitesurf areas. I didn’t do this on this trip, but it is a good option to keep in mind if you want to spend more time along the Caribbean coast.
Where to eat in Palomino
Palomino has plenty of small restaurants around the center and the road towards the beach. I ate at SUA Restaurant, a popular place with a nice setting. My experience was okay rather than amazing. It was extremely busy, the food took a long time and we even had to move tables to squeeze more people in. 7 Mares suited me much better. The women working there were friendly, the place had a colorful Caribbean feel and my fish salad was delicious. For another dinner option, check Casa Cocotte for something a little different or Paluna Beach Rest for dinner closer to the beach.
Palomino river tubing
River tubing is one of the best-known things to do in Palomino, and this was definitely more successful than my surf attempt. The trip started with a motorbike pick-up from the hotel. First came the tube, followed by another motorbike ride towards the Sierra Nevada. The last part was on foot, carrying that enormous tube uphill. I did the climb in flip-flops. Possible, yes. Smart, no. Wear shoes or sandals with some grip and bring as little as possible.
I had expected the route to pass an Indigenous village, but mine didn’t. The explanation was a little vague because other travelers seemed to have booked a similar trip and followed a different route. If visiting an Indigenous community is important to you, ask which route you are booking before paying. Don’t assume every Palomino tubing tour follows the same route.
Bring a dry bag, sunscreen and a waterproof camera or GoPro if you have one. There are plenty of good photo spots along the walk and river, and a dry bag makes life much easier once you are on the water.
Once on the Río Palomino, the hard part was over. The river runs through green scenery with jungle on both sides, and you can hear plenty of birds and other animals around you. Most of the trip was simply floating and enjoying the surroundings. Some sections moved faster with the current, while others were very calm. My guide helped steer the tube towards the deeper parts when needed. River conditions can change, so listen to your guide. For me, the tubing itself was relaxed. The climb beforehand required considerably more effort.
Is Palomino Colombia worth visiting?
Palomino was a good break in my Colombia route. You get the Caribbean coast, palm trees, small restaurants and a few easy activities without needing to plan every hour of the day. Don’t expect a polished beach resort. The streets can be sandy, the ocean can be rough and Palomino feels quite basic in places. For a few days between Colombia’s cities and mountains, that worked perfectly for me. Stay close to the beach, walk to Río San Salvador, try river tubing and make sure you also leave some time for your hammock.
Continue your Colombia Caribbean route
From Palomino you can continue west towards Barranquilla and Cartagena. My route went to Barranquilla for Carnival first and then on to Cartagena. Check 12Go if you want to compare buses and transfers for the next part of your route.
