Palomino beach provides travellers with yet another Caribbean get away devoid of the grime and ostentatious tourism of Taganga and without the remote location and national park fees of Tayrona National Park.
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Colombia’s Caribbean coast boasts a plethera of beaches, each with its own character, pluses and minuses. Palomino is no exception and is a great spot to go if you are looking for a quieter beach that maintains its picturesque allure.
Located an hour and a half bus ride north of Santa Marta, Palomino is an ideal destination for any traveller seeking reprieve from the constant hassle of beach vendors or what travel guide Lonely Planet calls the “hedonism” of Taganga.
Although Taganga remains superior to Palomino when looking for impressive seafood, partying or SCUBA diving, its beaches are more serene and idyllic due to the lack of tourist shops and constant stream of vagabonds selling trinkets or whatever else they can offer.
Palomino even has a few advantagaes to its highly acclaimed neighbor, Tayrona National Park which is well known for its glorious white sand beaches and out of the way location. For one, there is no entrance fee which will usually cost visitors around 20 bucks for a Tayrona park wristband. Getting to Tayrona also requires either a boat ride to its beaches or a fairly long hike through the jungle, niether of which are required to enjoy Palomino’s offerings.
Despite its relative isolation, a few of Tayrona’s beaches can also get crowded with other backpackers searching to get away, especially during the high season at Cabo San Juan de la Guia. Cabo San Juan is beautiful and permits swimming unlike several Tayrona beaches but, consequently attracts the most people making it feel somewhat like a jam-packed concert campsite in the middle of paradise.
Lodging
The small beach strip offers a handful of places to stay for reasonable prices that are easy to navigate once you find the beach. Although there is a limited range of choices in Palomino, the cabañas are quaint, the hammocks dangling under palm roofs provide guests with an ocean breeze, and the mostly simple rooms are relatively charming and located near the shore, take your pick.
The few establishment owners all seem friendly, willing to help and even offer names and recommendations for other places to stay and eat if what you are looking for does not fit their perameters. If what you are looking for is a luxurious or extravagant resort however, Palomino is not your place to go. Try Rodadero with its skyscraper resort complexes instead.
Food
Similar to luxury resorts, if you are seeking a revered restaurant, Palomino is also not your ideal beach spot. Most of the cabañas that offer lodging also either have their own restaurant’s menu, a kitchen for you to cook in, or both. Restaurant Maria de la Playa offers pizzas and cocktails and is one of the “nicer” places to eat on the beach. One can also venture into the town of Palomino for food where they will find mostly typical greasy but good Colombian fast food such as empanadas, patacones and papa rellena. A few small vendors also sell a variety of vegetables, fruit and fish if you are looking to cook something simple in one of the hostel kitchens.
Location
The beach itself is hidden from the main road. It is about a 15 minute walk that separates the tucked away gem from the inconspicuous town of Palomino that’s located along the road like so many others on the way from Santa Marta to Rioacha. One would really never guess what is lying behind the jungle that covers the existence of the beach.
When arriving in Palomino you can get a moto taxi for $2,000-$3,000 pesos ($1.50 US) instead of walking with bags. Once visitors are dropped off from the main bus motos usually approach without being solicited, asking if you need a lift to the beach.
Buses leave Santa Marta that pass Palomino to get to Rioacha frequently, making it extremely accessible for anyone to reach on a budget. It should cost no more than 8,000 pesos, a little over $4 dollars from Santa Marta.
It is important to note that the closest ATM is in Santa Marta or Riocha, both about an hour and a half away so make sure you have enough funds before leaving.