Travel

Colombia’s secret Caribbean

Imagine the striking coastal setting of the now-famous Colombian city of Cartagena, its candy-colored Spanish Colonial buildings and leafy plazas, its vibrant nightlife with bars pumping out a mix of reggaeton and salsa. Now imagine all this on a much smaller scale, a bit scruffier, without the scores of cruise-ship tourists on organized excursions. Now you are in Santa Marta, Colombia’s oldest city and one of the Caribbean’s newest hotspots.

Up until a few years ago, this port town 150 miles north of Cartagena was a hotbed of criminal activity, like so many other places in an increasingly calm Colombia. Today, much of the historic center has been freshly scrubbed, parks sprout flowers and greenery and people mingle on the shady edges of the Plaza de la Catedral or relax on benches at the Parque Bolivar (named after Simon Bolivar, who liberated Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador and who died in Santa Marta).

While the city is no longer dangerous — thanks to a strong police presence — even a cursory walk around downtown Santa Marta reveals a place in transition. Artfully restored 19th-century buildings sit alongside crumbling structures. Boutique design hotels like La Casa del Farol, with rooms conjuring Paris or New York, have popped up next to youth hostels. Glassy condos rise along the palm-tree-lined boardwalk, where below, men hawk 10-cent shots of strong black coffee from pushcarts.

Santa Marta’s culinary scene is evolving along with the city. The recently opened Son Tapas introduced the uncommon concept of a wine bar to a place better known for beer and cocktails. Over at Lulo Café Bar, bartenders whip up fresh margaritas using regional fruits like tamarind, carambolo (starfruit) and maracuyá (passionfruit) and serve them alongside the regional specialty, arepas. Ben & Josep’s, with an ideal waterfront location, is rightly famous for its giant steaks and tender filet mignon. And at the Italian joint Donde Chucho — which began as a food cart and is now one of the city’s best-known gourmet restaurants — patrons dig into the signature Chucho Salad, a mix of shrimp, octopus, squid and smoked stingray.

But of course, what draws visitors to the Caribbean is the promise of beautiful beaches. Because Santa Marta is a commercial port, most people head just outside the city — either to the glitzy resort town of El Rodadero, a few miles to the south, or for a more rustic experience, north, to the fishing village of Taganga.

Taganga, a 10-minute ride over the mountains from Santa Marta, recalls a coastal Costa Rican enclave, from, say, 15 years ago. There’s a scrappy, backpacker vibe here, with inexpensive hostels lining the dirt-packed streets and beachfront bars touting cheap drinks. But what’s put this town on the map is its fantastic (and cheap) scuba-diving opportunities: Thousands of marine species live in the waters just off the coast, including exquisite fish (scorpion fish, angel fish, globefish) and hundreds of types of coral. Dive shops have proliferated, offering half-day tours for as little as $80.

In response, Taganga has spiffed up its image somewhat. Directly across from town’s main beach, which serves as a kind of parking lot for fishermen’s boats, the road is newly paved and several cafes provide wireless internet. Local kids have taken advantage of the influx of tourists, and clamor to sell you shell jewelry and carved wood figurines as you step off the bus. Stick to the food kiosks instead, where you can feast on a plate of freshly caught, simply grilled seafood likepargo (snapper), cojinova (a kind of white fish) and lebranche (mullet) for a decent price.

While people do swim in the horseshoe-shaped harbor, most make the 20-minute hike along a coastal path to the prettier Playa Grande (a favorite spot for snorkeling, thanks to the calm waters). Low mountains loom above the white sand – less lush green than scrubby brown, punctuated by shrubs and wildflowers (it gets wildly hot here, with temps regularly in the 90s).

But to reach the area’s most beautiful, isolated swimming holes, you’ll need to book a day trip to Tayrona National Park, 58 square miles of protected ocean and jungle in the shadow of one of the highest coastal mountain ranges in the world, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. (From Santa Marta, it’s a 45-minute bus ride —you can hire a boat from Taganga, though ocean conditions can be rough.)

There’s scant development in the park, just an eco-lodge (not worth the hefty price tag) and several primitive camping sites, along with a handful of shacks to buy food and drink, mostly from locals. And roads are practically non-existent, so be prepared to hike for about an hour through some hardcore jungle before you get to the main beaches at Canaveral and Arrecifes. (Another option, especially if it’s been raining heavily, is to hire a horse, otherwise you’ll be trekking in rather unpleasant, ankle-deep mud.)

Along the trails, be prepared for lots of hungry insects (bring as much bug spray as you can carry), frogs and snakes (many of the poisonous variety) and all sorts of highly toxic plantlife. (On the plus side, you might spot howler monkeys high in the trees.)

What’s the payoff for all this effort? Unpopulated, unspoiled beaches, nestled in rocky coves, where you can float in waters that are warm, calm and utterly pristine. Which is why you came to the Caribbean in the first place.

For more information, including details on travel to Colombia, visit http://www.colombia.travel.

CANDY LAND Your guide to colorful Cartagena

The inspiration for Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s stories of magical realism, Cartagena seduces with its cobblestoned streets, Colonial architecture and balconies dripping with bougainvillea — all surrounded by high stone walls. But since it’s been anointed as the newest South American hotspot, the city has become somewhat of a tourist trap. Pause briefly in one of the plazas and you’re immediately surrounded by vendors hawking gum, cigarettes and jewelry; dine at an outdoor cafe and you’re subjected to endless “entertainment,” followed by request for tips. Don’t despair, the city hasn’t lost its soul — you just have to work harder to experience the real thing.

SEE One of the few plazas where you won’t be mobbed by hucksters, the Plaza de la Trinidad, anchored by the stately yellow 1636 Iglesia de la Santísima Trinidad, is where Cartagena declared its independence from Spain on Nov. 11, 1811. It’s in the working-class El Getsemani neighborhood. Sample some of the typical street food along the plaza’s edges – most of it fried — including chicharon (pork ribs), arepas con huevos and of course, plantains.

DRINK To enjoy romantic sunset views, cocktail in hand, scale the fortress walls to reach Cafe del Mar, overlooking the ocean (cafedelmarcartagena.com). For drinking, live music and dancing well into the night, go outside the walls to Café Havana (cafehavanacartagena.com), where the walls are lined with black-and-white photos of famous Cuban singers and the mojitos are strong.

EAT El Santisimo offers a French twist on traditional Caribbean ingredients in a dining room decorated with folk art; the menu is heavy on seafood, coconut rice and plantains, notably soups and stews, all made with a lighter touch (Calle del Santisimo No. 8-19; elsantisimo.com). For dessert, head to El Portal de Los Dulces, an outdoor candy market, where sweets are on display in glass jars; try one of the many coconut-based treats.

SHOP The Abaco Libros y Café stocks plenty of books by Marquez as well as other other authors – in both Spanish and English – as well as magazines and newspapers; they also make a damn fine cup of coffee (abacolibros.com).

STAY The luxurious Sofitel Santa Clara is housed in a 17th-century monastery; the shady courtyard with its palm trees offers respite from the heat and din of the city — look for the colony of parrots who call this inner sanctuary home. (From $327, Calle Del Torno No. 39-29; hotelsantaclara.com). A slightly more affordable option is the boutique La Merced, housed in an 18th-century mansion. There is a small outdoor pool and the top-floor suite offers magnificent views of the Caribbean (From $290; lamercedhotel.com).