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Barranquilla and Santa Marta: Coastal Day Trip
4.5
133 Ratings
Cartagena de Indias
Explore Barranquilla and Santa Marta from Cartagena. Discover history, culture, and entertainment on this immersive day trip. Connect with locals and travelers alike.
Explore Barranquilla and Santa Marta from Cartagena. Discover history, culture, and entertainment on this immersive day trip. Connect with locals and travelers alike.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Letras Barranquilla - The journey begins with a two-hour drive from Cartagena to the Barranquilla letters, where visitors will spend about 20 minutes capturing memorable photos.
- Monumento Ventana Al Mundo - At this stop, the guide will provide a historical overview of Barranquilla and the significance of this monument, known as the window to…
- Letras Barranquilla - The journey begins with a two-hour drive from Cartagena to the Barranquilla letters, where visitors will spend about 20 minutes capturing memorable photos.
- Monumento Ventana Al Mundo - At this stop, the guide will provide a historical overview of Barranquilla and the significance of this monument, known as the window to the world.
- Aleta del Tiburón Junior de Barranquilla - This monument is a must-see for soccer enthusiasts. The guide will discuss Colombian soccer and highlight Junior de Barranquilla, one of the top national and international teams. A popular saying goes, “Junior, your dad.” Visitors can take memorable photos here.
- Malecón Tourist León Caridi - This location offers a stunning panoramic view of the Magdalena River and features various spots to enjoy traditional Colombian Caribbean cuisine. It’s a perfect place for taking memorable photos.
- Shakira Statue - Visitors will have the opportunity to take memorable photos at this site.
- Santa Marta - The tour continues with a two-hour drive to Santa Marta, leading to the first stop in the city.
- Carlos El Pibe Valderrama Statue - A photo stop is made here, accompanied by a brief overview of Carlos el Pibe Valderrama, one of Colombia’s most renowned players.
- Parque de Los Novios - Visitors can take memorable photos at the dome of the bride and groom.
- Pumarejo Bridge - The tour passes by with a brief overview of the Pumarejo Bridge.
- Museo del Oro Tairona - Casa de la Aduana - A stop is made at the gold museum for a free visit, showcasing pre-Columbian exhibits and information about indigenous peoples.
- Catedral de Santa Marta - The tour includes time around the Basilica of the Cathedral of Santa Marta for souvenir photos and a brief overview.
- El Rodadero - The final stop includes lunch at a hotel near the most beautiful bay in America, allowing visitors to enjoy the stunning beaches before returning to Cartagena, which takes four hours.
What's Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
Additional Information
Explore and become acquainted with two of the most significant cities on the Colombian coast and globally: Barranquilla and Santa Marta. These cities are situated on Colombia’s northern coast and can be visited on a day trip from Cartagena. Uncover the highlights of each city, delving into their history, cultural scenes, football, and entertainment….
Explore and become acquainted with two of the most significant cities on the Colombian coast and globally: Barranquilla and Santa Marta. These cities are situated on Colombia’s northern coast and can be visited on a day trip from Cartagena. Uncover the highlights of each city, delving into their history, cultural scenes, football, and entertainment. Gain insights into the history of ancestors, cultural aspects, and iconic, captivating locations where interaction with local, national, and international visitors is possible.
Location
Monumento Torre del Reloj
The clock tower would be the main meeting point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(133 Ratings)
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Analia_f
Feb 24, 2026
Long but worthwhile day - The first thing I'm gonna say is that they did everything detailed.
It is a very long but very good excursion.
The driver was excellent!!
The coordinator, explanatory and correct.
The guide who accompanied us in Santa Marta is from another planet!!: attentive, very friendly, educated and fun.
It is an excursion that can be tiring, but it is worth it!
Breakfast is good.
Lunch is rich and complete.
If you are reading this review because you have doubts about going or not, do not go around, go and enjoy... it is worth it!
Review provided by Viator
Sandeep_g
Feb 21, 2026
Absolutely awesome! - Full day tour starting 4:20 am till 8 pm from Cartagena! Loved all the spots. English guide would have been better but Spanish guide was good too!
Review provided by Viator
W9909jklorenaf
Jan 9, 2026
A good experience - A good experience very well organized very punctual with the times, very rich food in general very well , wear comfortable clothes and good hydration
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E8487gijesusr
Dec 2, 2025
The best, the best.!!! - I loved the trip, it was an unforgettable experience, my guide Alex was very attentive in everything....!
If I return I would book again with you 10/10!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daniel_v
Jan 26, 2026
Nice tour - Very nice experience, visit the 3 Colombian pearls. Departure early from 4 am to arrive in Barranquilla at 6 am, is an express visit of the main points of interest of this city. Then you leave for Santa Marta where you make a small walking tour of the city to finish at the restaurant of the Veleros Hotel where you can make use of the pool and the beach is about 100 meters. Very well the guide Mary and the guide of Santa Marta that I do not remember well the name (something like Yelenis) that was very friendly and was always very helpful to us, showing legitimate interest to teach about this city. The only thing I did not like very much was the driver Carlos who sometimes drove dangerously, as for example when we left the stop back in Barranquilla exiting to the left with cars coming both ways without stopping and other times where he made a little dangerous overtaking. The arrival in Cartagena was around 7:30 pm so the tour lasted approximately 15 hours.
Review provided by Viator
E2842awjaimeb
Dec 24, 2025
Enriching - It is an all-day guided bus ride, where you are taken to visit the emblematic places of Barranquilla and Santa Marta. But for them to be prepared, it is a journey day and night because the return is the same day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joaquin_m
Dec 7, 2025
It is ok, could be better - The trip is too long by bus. In Barranquilla 3 Quick stops, no tour in Barranquilla. In Sta Marta 1 hour tour (roughly) then 15 min walking to the bus and 30 min until the lunch place. Food ok, then 3 options to spend more than 3 hours: pool, beach or mall. I would expect more time to know BQA and SMR better and less time in the pool/beach. Pls avoid in the future the 2 hours of religous music at 4.30am. No need to listen if we r not religous people.
Review provided by Viator
Moniqx
Jan 21, 2026
Very disappointing - It all started with poor coordination about where to fetch us, but at the end the driver arrived punctually. But once we got into the bus it only got worse.
Apparently the guide that usually does this tour had a family emergency and the replacement didn't speak a word of English. We specifically paid for a tour in English but I had to do their job translating for my husband. The replacement guide couldn't care less, she just shrugged her shoulders and said it was not her fault.
Then there was the driver. We had a 2-hour drive to our first stop and all the time he was listening to some religious sermons and songs, and when we politely asked if he could please play some Colombian music, he just said he wanted to hear his own thing and proceeded to disconnect his phone from the speakers. But we were seating on the first row and had no option but to listen to his choice the whole way.
Inside the bus, all the windows were tinted and in the front, the driver had a blind half way down. I understand that he might need it to protect him from the sun, but at least the side windows could be clear (and have curtains for the sun), because we could see almost nothing from the bus on a long drive across nice landscapes, nor could we take pics of some attractions that the guide pointed to.
The guide in Santa Marta was better than the tour guide but again, no info in English. We were so frustrated that we skipped the included lunch and went our own way.
I wouldn't recommend this tour. It was convenient for us because of the itinerary and the time we had available, but I wish we had chosen a different agency. In our whole Colombian trip, we never met people in the hospitality business that were so cold, careless and indifferent towards the tourists as this driver and this tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_d
Jan 29, 2026
Catastrophic! Should not be offered 😡 - If you have 16 hours to lose in your life, this activity is for you.
On the agenda: 3 statues, a cathedral and a truly mediocre beach.
The main problem remains the time spent in the coach: about 70% of the day in a deplorable and uncomfortable vehicle, which totally ruins the experience.
The evening before, the organizer Maria informs us that there will be no English-speaking guide, only in Spanish, although the tour was booked in English. After several complaints messages, a guide is finally assigned to us.
Regarding Santa Marta, the city is nice but we had almost no free time: less than 50 minutes on site, barely time to see the cathedral.
The guide assured us that we would have time to shop, but that never happened. No free time, no opportunity to enjoy the city.
The meal was very average, unqualitative and served in insufficient quantity.
👉 In summary: poor organization, too much transport, broken promises, too few visits.
Clearly disappointing experience, I do not recommend!
It should not be offered! 😡
The worst of my life and yet I travel very regularly
Review provided by Viator
Savita_r
Dec 4, 2025
Horrible - I was sick so I couldn’t go. My husband joined the tri. It was horrible, guide didn’t speak a single English word. It was horrible 16 hrs, there is nothing much to see, only poverty.
Review provided by Viator
