Tourists who want to see a different kind of Colombia can now enjoy
their holiday on a farm in the middle of former coca plantations near
Santa Marta.
Zunilda San Martin used to work on a coca plantation in the foothills of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Now the mother of seven children manages the eco-tourism finca ‘Aluna’ for national and international tourists who are looking for the beautiful nature of the mountains.
The lodges are part of a project that seeks to involve local people directly in the tourism sector. “We want tourists who come to Santa Marta to discover the area’s attraction beyond the beach and the sea breeze. There is a whole unexplored sector of nature tourism … offering visitors a different and unique experience,” Javier Gomez, president of the Colombian Federation of Eco- and Adventure Tourism, told newspaper El Espectador.
There are several eco-tourism fincas no more than 30 minutes away from the Tayrona Park offering accomodation, catering, relaxation, observation of flora and fauna (e.g. bird watching) or riding a horse on hidden mountain trails.