Colombia's secret Caribbean

Beyond raucous Cartagena, the next big thing

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).

Exploring Colombia's Tayrona National Park isn't always easy, but the rewards are great.

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 of 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.