Two Paper Boats
  • Guides
    • Guides

      Summer Trip to Svalbard – Everything You Need…

      Guides

      Visiting the Ancient City of Al Ula on…

      Guides

      Dhigurah Island, a Quiet Gem in the Maldives

      Guides

      How Livable is Santa Marta, Colombia?

      Guides

      A Day Trip Guide to Machu Picchu

      Guides

      Exploring Quito

      Guides

      Day Trips from Yerevan

      Guides

      Discover Yerevan, Armenia’s Up and Coming Capital

      Guides

      13 of Our Favorite Places in Vienna

      Guides

      Everything You Need to Know About a Costa…

      Guides

      Petra Day Trip & Avoiding Scams

      Guides

      Our Guide to Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor

      Guides

      17 Unique Experiences to Try in Japan

  • Itineraries
    • Itineraries

      One Year Around the World

      Itineraries

      A Chilean Patagonia Itinerary

      Itineraries

      An Itinerary Through Chile’s Lake District

      Itineraries

      Ten Day Galapagos Itinerary

  • South America
    • South America

      Mendoza, the Most Livable Place in South America

      South America

      San Juan del Sur Travel Guide

      South America

      How to Enter Nicaragua by Land from Costa…

      South America

      A Guide to Salento, Our Cocora Valley Base

      South America

      Cocora Valley Hiking Guide and Trail Map

      South America

      3 Day Bogota Travel Guide

      South America

      One Week Medellin Travel Guide

      South America

      3 Day Travel Guide to Colorful Cartagena

      South America

      How Livable is Santa Marta, Colombia?

      South America

      Visiting the Penguins on Magdalena Island

      South America

      Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Puerto…

      South America

      A Chilean Patagonia Itinerary

      South America

      An Itinerary Through Chile’s Lake District

      South America

      A Day Trip Guide to Machu Picchu

      South America

      Witnessing the Worst Protests in Chile in 3…

  • Europe
    • Europe

      A Wes Anderson Inspired Hotel in Oslo

      Europe

      We Bought the Nordic Choice Unlimited Hotel Pass

      Europe

      How Much It Cost Us to See the…

      Europe

      Wilderness Hotel Inari Review

      Europe

      Beginner’s Luck – Seeing the Northern Lights on…

      Europe

      Finnish Lapland in October

      Europe

      Day Trips from Yerevan

      Europe

      Discover Yerevan, Armenia’s Up and Coming Capital

      Europe

      Why Vienna is the Most Livable City in…

      Europe

      13 of Our Favorite Places in Vienna

      Europe

      Dolmabahçe Palace, An Istanbul Gem

      Europe

      Our Guide to Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor

      Europe

      A Winter Weekend in Andorra

  • Middle East
    • Middle East

      Visiting the Ancient City of Al Ula on…

      Middle East

      Honest Thoughts on Traveling in Egypt

      Middle East

      Everything You Need to Know About a Costa…

      Middle East

      Finding the Best Hummus in Israel

      Middle East

      Petra Day Trip & Avoiding Scams

  • Asia
    • Asia

      Dhigurah Island, a Quiet Gem in the Maldives

      Asia

      My Search for Lamprais or “Lump Rice” in…

      Asia

      17 Unique Experiences to Try in Japan

  • Nomad Life
    • Nomad Life

      2020 – Travel Interrupted

      Nomad Life

      Packing Super Light for a Trip Around the…

      Nomad Life

      How We Afford to Travel Full-Time

      Nomad Life

      The Downside of Airbnb’s “Pay Part Now, Part…

      Nomad Life

      Our Favorite Airbnbs in the World

ColombiaGuidesSouth America

How Livable is Santa Marta, Colombia?

by Lu February 12, 2020
February 12, 2020 3.2k views

We spent a productive and incredibly cheap month in Santa Marta, Colombia in January, discovering some aspects of the city we really appreciated as well as others that came as unpleasant surprises.

Let’s start with the good things first.

Budget Friendly

Santa Marta was significantly cheaper than any other city we visited in Colombia.

Our Airbnb cost $790 for 28 days, menu del dias (set lunches) range from 10,000 – 16,000 pesos (about $3-$5) per person, and taxis cost 5500 pesos ($2) for most trips within the city.

IMG_20200110_082013 (1)
IMG_20200110_082100 (1)

While it may not hold the allure Cartagena does for tourists on vacation, it can be a solid option for long term travelers and digital nomads on a budget.

History

Santa Marta is Colombia’s oldest city and the second oldest in South America, dating back to 1525.

IMG_20200122_134529
IMG_20200118_144519 (2)

The old town has colorful colonial buildings and a free museum where you can learn about the history of the region as well as the life and times of Simón Bolívar, liberator of South America, who died in Santa Marta and whose villa still lies on the outskirts of the city, albeit a bit dilapidated now.

Great Food

The food here is really good and international, with lots of vegetarian choices, traditional arepas, burgers, and even authentic Indian fare.

IMG_20200122_135808
IMG_20200122_135743
IMG_20200118_123105

We highly recommend Bistro Veg, Maharaja Indian Restaurante, and Porthos – on Tuesdays their amazing burgers are 30% off and they even have a vegetarian portobello mushroom one.

We preferred the restaurant scene in Santa Marta to that of Cartagena, Medellin, and Bogota.

Great Gym

For the fitness oriented, there’s a big gym overlooking the marina with prices starting at 50,000 pesos (about $15USD) for a monthly pass.

Since it’s too hot in Santa Marta to exercise outdoors except very early in the morning, this gym with air-conditioning was a lifesaver.

It has a full range of cardio and weightlifting machines, mats, free weights, and even a rowing machine. It also offers paddle boarding classes in the marina below.

Lively Nightlife

When temperatures cool down in the evening, the old town really comes to life, with tons of outdoor restaurants, bars, street performers, musicians, and vendors selling all sorts of things.

Everybody comes out at night to dine al fresco or just enjoy the setting sun along the waterfront.

So What’s Not to Like?

It may seem like easy living in Santa Marta, but before you jump to book a long stay, here are a few things we found frustrating.

No Hot Water

On our first day, we discovered there was no hot water in the shower.

This apparently is not uncommon in this part of South America; it’s practically citywide in Santa Marta. While temperatures reach above 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside, the water still comes out cool, not warm.

To ensure you have hot water, either stay in a hotel or ask your Airbnb host before booking. Some have installed hot water heaters, but if they haven’t, it’s not always disclosed in the listing.

Crazy Wind

Have you ever been to a place where the weather report was simply Windy every day? Our first week in Santa Marta, the wind howled all night and blew out three transformers in our neighborhood.

During the day while walking down the street we’d have to brace ourselves with our eyes squeezed shut while the wind ripped around us.

The windy season lasts 5 months from late November to early May. We were there in January and experienced forty mile an hour gusts for over a week, but then it calmed down during our last two weeks, so it can be highly variable.

Bad Beaches

The Culture Trip called Santa Marta “Colombia’s premier beach destination.”

Maybe so for Colombia, but if you’ve been to any other beaches in the world, Santa Marta’s are not that nice and more importantly, the sea water is too dirty to swim in, due to the city’s problematic sewer system.

When you search for Santa Marta online, you might see pictures of the beaches at Tayrona National Park, but it’s misleading to equate the two.

Tayrona is a half hour drive away, the entrance fee is quite high for foreigners, the park closes for a month starting at the end of January, and daily capacity is limited, so reserve in advance.

Dirty Tap Water

The tap water is not safe to drink or even cook with. We were advised not to consume it even after boiling.

The national government of Colombia has sent millions of dollars to this region to improve the water infrastructure, but the funds haven’t been used for that purpose.

The water is largely untreated and comes from very dirty rivers. When the water level is low, which happens during droughts, the tap water comes out brown as silt and dirt gets stirred up in the pipes.

Santa Marta has been plagued by droughts in recent years, especially during the dry season from December to April.

Purified water is sold in 5 liter plastic bags. We bought them from our local minimarket for 2700 pesos each, and they delivered them on a bike, which was good as we went through about one a day.

Fruit Seller

Every morning starting before 8am and going til nearly noon, we were awakened by the yell of “aguacate aguacate, papaya papaya!” signaling the arrival of the fruit sellers.

Several of them all blare the same recording from a loudspeaker. They come every day, even on Sundays.

But it’s not like they’re providing an indispensable service or selling their fruit for reasonable prices – we never saw anyone buying from them.

Our Conclusion

If you’re a digital nomad traveling through South America on a tight budget and you need a place to park yourself for a while, Santa Marta could be worth considering.

We ate healthy, exercised, and got a lot of work done, all for very little.

Still, we wouldn’t come back for another long stay. We like hot water too much!

More Information on Visiting Colombia:

Guide to Salento, Our Cocora Valley Base

Cocora Valley Hiking Guide and Trail Map

3 Day Bogota Travel Guide

One Week Medellin Travel Guide

3 Day Travel Guide to Colorful Cartagena

To see where we are now, follow us on Instagram.

Lu

previous post
Visiting the Penguins on Magdalena Island
next post
3 Day Travel Guide to Colorful Cartagena

You may also like

Summer Trip to Svalbard – Everything You Need to Know

December 7, 2022

Visiting the Ancient City of Al Ula on Our Own

June 28, 2022

Dhigurah Island, a Quiet Gem in the Maldives

June 21, 2022

Mendoza, the Most Livable Place in South America

August 18, 2020

San Juan del Sur Travel Guide

March 8, 2020

How to Enter Nicaragua by Land from Costa Rica

March 6, 2020

A Guide to Salento, Our Cocora Valley Base

February 29, 2020

Cocora Valley Hiking Guide and Trail Map

February 25, 2020

3 Day Bogota Travel Guide

February 20, 2020

One Week Medellin Travel Guide

February 16, 2020

2 comments

Pati August 8, 2021 - 6:08 pm

I love Santa Marta and I think it is quickly becoming a very popular destination for digital nomads. But I’m glad you mentioned the downsides as it is all about priorities. I didn’t mind the cold water, but I have travelled along the coast for over 2 months so I guess I just got used to it. Santa Marta has a great vibe and slightly bohemian feel so it would be a good fit for a more relaxed digital nomad like me lol I am in Medellin now and as much as I love it and it feels extremely civilised after I slept in rooms without walls and walked bare feet for nearly 3 months, I miss Santa Marta and if I had to choose between the 2 – it would be Santa Marta 🙂

Reply
Lu August 14, 2021 - 3:24 am

Haha yes Medellin is very civilized. The vegetarian food in Santa Marta was excellent! I miss that. My favorites were Salento and Bogota 🙂

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Travelgrams

Popular Posts

  • The Downside of Airbnb’s “Pay Part Now, Part Later” Option

    June 23, 2019
  • Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Puerto Williams

    January 26, 2020
  • Our Guide to Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor

    January 31, 2019
  • Our Favorite Airbnbs in the World

    June 15, 2018
  • Visiting the Penguins on Magdalena Island

    January 28, 2020
  • Petra Day Trip & Avoiding Scams

    February 10, 2019
  • 17 Unique Experiences to Try in Japan

    November 1, 2018
  • Discover Yerevan, Armenia’s Up and Coming Capital

    August 14, 2019

  • Privacy Policy

COPYRIGHT © 2022 TWO PAPER BOATS


Back To Top
Two Paper Boats
  • Guides
    • Guides

      Summer Trip to Svalbard – Everything You Need…

      Guides

      Visiting the Ancient City of Al Ula on…

      Guides

      Dhigurah Island, a Quiet Gem in the Maldives

      Guides

      How Livable is Santa Marta, Colombia?

      Guides

      A Day Trip Guide to Machu Picchu

      Guides

      Exploring Quito

      Guides

      Day Trips from Yerevan

      Guides

      Discover Yerevan, Armenia’s Up and Coming Capital

      Guides

      13 of Our Favorite Places in Vienna

      Guides

      Everything You Need to Know About a Costa…

      Guides

      Petra Day Trip & Avoiding Scams

      Guides

      Our Guide to Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor

      Guides

      17 Unique Experiences to Try in Japan

  • Itineraries
    • Itineraries

      One Year Around the World

      Itineraries

      A Chilean Patagonia Itinerary

      Itineraries

      An Itinerary Through Chile’s Lake District

      Itineraries

      Ten Day Galapagos Itinerary

  • South America
    • South America

      Mendoza, the Most Livable Place in South America

      South America

      San Juan del Sur Travel Guide

      South America

      How to Enter Nicaragua by Land from Costa…

      South America

      A Guide to Salento, Our Cocora Valley Base

      South America

      Cocora Valley Hiking Guide and Trail Map

      South America

      3 Day Bogota Travel Guide

      South America

      One Week Medellin Travel Guide

      South America

      3 Day Travel Guide to Colorful Cartagena

      South America

      How Livable is Santa Marta, Colombia?

      South America

      Visiting the Penguins on Magdalena Island

      South America

      Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Puerto…

      South America

      A Chilean Patagonia Itinerary

      South America

      An Itinerary Through Chile’s Lake District

      South America

      A Day Trip Guide to Machu Picchu

      South America

      Witnessing the Worst Protests in Chile in 3…

  • Europe
    • Europe

      A Wes Anderson Inspired Hotel in Oslo

      Europe

      We Bought the Nordic Choice Unlimited Hotel Pass

      Europe

      How Much It Cost Us to See the…

      Europe

      Wilderness Hotel Inari Review

      Europe

      Beginner’s Luck – Seeing the Northern Lights on…

      Europe

      Finnish Lapland in October

      Europe

      Day Trips from Yerevan

      Europe

      Discover Yerevan, Armenia’s Up and Coming Capital

      Europe

      Why Vienna is the Most Livable City in…

      Europe

      13 of Our Favorite Places in Vienna

      Europe

      Dolmabahçe Palace, An Istanbul Gem

      Europe

      Our Guide to Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor

      Europe

      A Winter Weekend in Andorra

  • Middle East
    • Middle East

      Visiting the Ancient City of Al Ula on…

      Middle East

      Honest Thoughts on Traveling in Egypt

      Middle East

      Everything You Need to Know About a Costa…

      Middle East

      Finding the Best Hummus in Israel

      Middle East

      Petra Day Trip & Avoiding Scams

  • Asia
    • Asia

      Dhigurah Island, a Quiet Gem in the Maldives

      Asia

      My Search for Lamprais or “Lump Rice” in…

      Asia

      17 Unique Experiences to Try in Japan

  • Nomad Life
    • Nomad Life

      2020 – Travel Interrupted

      Nomad Life

      Packing Super Light for a Trip Around the…

      Nomad Life

      How We Afford to Travel Full-Time

      Nomad Life

      The Downside of Airbnb’s “Pay Part Now, Part…

      Nomad Life

      Our Favorite Airbnbs in the World