|
This is the place to get away from it all!! The surroundings are beautiful and visitors are few. |
Gairaca Beach |
|
We stayed in a Cabaņa all by ourselves on top of a cliff with beautiful views of the bay and the Sierra Nevada. A quick walk down some stairs is one of the best snorkelling spots in Tayrona Park. The cabaņa is basic, but the surroundings are great and we loved it here! |
Our Cabaņa |
With hammocks to relax in after snorkelling. |
|
Coral reefs surround the bottom of the cliff, as well as the entire side of the bay. Visibility is good, lots of fish (including gorgeous angel fish & cuttlefish and all kinds of jellyfish that didn't seem to sting), best coral is directly in front of point. |
 View of the corel from the cabana. Click here for snorkling photos. |
|
Just behind the cabaņa is another cove (owned by the same man who owns the cabaņa) with the beautiful beach in the bay (Playa del Amor) where you can camp, sleep in hammocks or stay in his new guesthouse. |
Playa del Amor |
Campsites under trees, straw roof for hammocks, blue guesthouse at top |
|
ACCOMODATION: To stay in Gairaca contact Seņor Victor Zuniga ("El Cacique") at the Hotel Delfin in Taganga. If he is not there leave your name and hotel/hotel phone number and he will contact you. He will meet you at your hotel to talk things over and make arrangements. There are 4 options: Cabaņa: (\\$12.00 US per night) This is the most isolated/private place to stay. There is a double bed, small gas stove for cooking, some cooking utensils. No electricity or running water. Water for washing and cooking is brought in from Santa Marta. You can walk a steep path to Playa del Amor and have steps down to snorkelling area. Camping: (\\$0.50 US - 1000 pesos) This is your cheapest option. The camping area is nice and sheltered by trees, but if there are strong winds they are not sheltered enough. There is an outdoor, woodfire cooking area you can use as well as an outhouse. Hammocks: Don't know the exact price. They are strung up under a thatched roof structure. If it's windy they will be pelted by sand. Cooking area and bathrooms are same as for camping. Guesthouse in Playa: This was being constructed when we were here and was very close to finished. It's very nice, though a bit crowded. 3 bedrooms + a room for hammocks. Very nice kitchen and bath. ***You can snorkel from the beach around the point. ***BRING: everything you'll want for food and all the drinking water you'll need (can't over estimate water). Seņor Zuniga will offer to bring you things from Santa Marta should you need them, but he is not very reliable (didn't come back for 4 days when we were there) so don't rely on him for things you'll need. GETTING THERE: There is a road there and there is public transport, no matter what everyone says! - From road in front of beach in Santa Marta take a buseta marked "Almendros" (\\$0.25 - 500 pesos). Ask driver to let you off at corner of Calle 10 & Carrera 11 (just down from Record Super Market). Here ask for the collectivo for Gairaca and Neguange ($1.00 - 2000 pesos). The collectivo leaves between 6:30 and 7 a.m. and returns around 4 in the afternoon (so you can make it a day trip). You will pass through the Tayrona park entrance...we didn't have to pay the 6000 peso fee, but don't know if that's always the case. - When you arrive in Gairaca you will need to take a boat to reach the Cabaņa or Playa del Amor. Boats will try to charge 7000 - 15000 pesos. Try to have Seņor Zuniga meet you - he paid for the boat. He will also offer to go with you from Santa Marta but be prepared to pay his way as well. There is also a trail from the main beach to the cabaņa and on to Playa del Amor (40-45 minutes walking) but it's steep and slippery and would be tough with all your food and stuff. It's fine if you're not carrying much. There are a few places on the main beach where you can buy sodas, but beers and drinking water are tough to find. OTHER: From Gairaca you can easily visit Bahia Neguange (by foot or car) and Bahia Chengue (by boat). |
|
|
|