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 every year.

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 to Tayrona

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

We wrote a list of the best things to do in Santa Marta.

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

Therefore, the city is well deserved by the public transports:

• 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

A) Take the public bus 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

B) 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 the 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)

C) 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

Where to travel after Tayrona

You’ll also be able to easily explore the Eastside of the Caribbean Coast.

Pick the travel guide you are interested in:

• Minca
• Paso del Mango
• Palomino
• Cartagena
• Dibulla
• La Guajira

What’s next

How To Travel From Santa Marta To Cartagena (and more)

How to get from Bogota to Villa de Leyva (2021)?

Tips Bus Medellin Guatape 🚍: How To Get To Guatape (2022)

Palomino Bus 🚌: Where, When, and How

Minca – Santa Marta 🚌: Buses, tips, and private tours

Easiest Ways to travel from Medellin to Capurgana, Colombia

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