Taganga: A Paradise Lost

Road into Taganga

The drive into Taganga looked promising; a horseshoe bay nestled into the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  It seemed that the paradise we were in search of wasn’t too much further. 

However, once we arrived, the promise quickly disappeared.  Taganga, once a sleepy fisherman’s village, has been overrun by unregulated tourism. After checking-in and dropping our bags, we set out for the beach finding that the dusty road town leads to a small, overcrowded dusty beach which is unfortunately littered with trash. 

Catch of the Day

While it still maintains some of it’s charm, with the fishermen pulling out and selling the day’s fresh catch nightly and local artisans selling their crafts, Taganga is simply put, a yawn. If you are not coming to dive, there is little else to do all day.

We were told that Playa Grande, about a 15 minute walk, is better, but we found it to be even worse. It is clear that Playa Grande could be a little piece of paradise, but it is so overcrowded with vendors, chairs for rent and tourists that there isn’t even a place to lay your sarong in the sand. The combination of tourists and lack of trash bins leaves this area even more polluted than Taganga.

Taganga Beach Sunset

Despite it's shortcomings, Taganga did have a few redeeming qualities, which kept us hanging around far too long! We found the locals to be friendly;  sharing a beer over the sunset in the bay with them was a great way to end the day. Additionally, a short hike up to El Mirador provides stunning views.  Taganga is known for it’s cheap(though not as cheap as SE Asia) PADI certification courses(though we didn’t partake).  Most importantly for us, lodging in Taganga is cheap. We originally booked a 4 bed fan room for $20,000CP for the both of us, about $10USD per night, but were upgraded to an air-con room on arrival, as a result of the fan not working, for the same price. During our time at Ocean Reef Guesthouse, we've had the room to ourselves. 

View from El Mirador(viewpoint)

Taganga has been a great place to slow down, chill out and do absolutely nothing. For us the lure of saving money in order to prepare for the expensive trip to Tayrona made Taganga well worth our stay!

If you are coming to Taganga simply to relax before heading to the long, hot hike through Tayrona, then Taganaga is the place for you! If you are expecting idyllic Caribbean beaches, then keep searching because you will find this paradise lost.  

Colectivo

**Note: we were expecting to be able to reach Tayrona via public transport from Taganga, but the only way from here is via boat for $30,000-$40,000CPP. If you are taking colectivos, you must take one back to Santa Marta($1,400CPP) , then from Santa Marta to one of the entrances of Tayrona($5,000CPP).**