Like many other travelers, you have been seduced by the pictures of the Parque Tayrona.

Nestled on the Caribbean Coast, between Santa Marta and Palomino, Tayrona attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually.

And the simplest way to get access to the park is to first stop in Santa Marta.

Santa Marta is a tourist hub

Santa Marta isn’t a pleasant city – Except for the area around Parque de Los Novios. Or some beaches near Rodadero.

Still, there are excellent hotels & many highlights to visit all around:

• Palomino
• Minca
• Tayrona National Natural Park
• Taganga
• The lost city
• Cartagena
• Gorgeous beaches

Over the years, more and more tourists have decided to stay in Santa Marta instead of Cartagena.

• There is a national airport with flights from Bogota and Medellin | 1 hour
• There are buses from
  • Cartagena: 4-6 hours
  • San Gil: 13 hours
  • Bogota: 18-20 hours
  • Medellin: 16 hours

Best Ways To Travel From Santa Marta To Tayrona

1# Take the public bus from Santa Marta – Tayrona

There are two places where you can take the bus from Santa Marta to Tayrona:

• At the main bus station – Outside the city
• At the Mercado Publico (Market) | Calle 11 con Carrera 11

Bus Santa Marta – Tayrona: 1 hour | Price: Around 8 000 COP

2# Take a bus to Taganga, then a boat to Tayrona

The boat Taganga – Tayrona is the fastest way to get to Cabo San Juan in Tayrona.

First, travel to Taganga:

• Blue Public buses
• Taxi

Blue Buses To Taganga – On the Carrera 5 | 25 min | Around 2 000 COP

Taxi Santa Marta – Taganga | 20 min | Around 12 000 COP

Once you’re in Taganga, you have to find a boat to Tayrona National Natural Park

• Ask one of the boat companies on the dock. I recommend “Chez Boaz”.
• The last boats leave before 9h30
• The sea is rough from October to March. This boat ride is scary for people who are not used to it
• Boats leave from Cabo San Juan around 4 pm

Boat Taganga – Tayrona | 1 hour | Around 50 000 COP (1 way)

3# Private transports from Santa Marta

Another easy way to travel to Tayrona from Santa Marta is to contact a private transport

• Taxi in Santa Marta | Around 80 000 COP | 45 min

👉 Want to know everything about Santa Marta? Learn where are the best places, and avoid tourist traps and beginner’s mistakes? Nothing could be easier. I put it all together in our guide to Santa Marta.

Tomplanmytrip’s sections

INFORMATION: PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME LINKS ARE AFFILIATE S AND AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, I EARN A SMALL COMMISSION IF YOU MAKE A BOOKING. IT’S A NICE GESTURE TO THANK US FOR THE MANY HOURS WE DEDICATE TO TOMPLANMYTRIP 🙂