Costa Norte (Colombia)

The Costa Norte (North Coast) is a region in northern Colombia along the Caribbean Sea. == Departments == == Cities == 1 Barranquilla - the Gold Port and fourth largest city in the nation isn't necessarily that exciting most of the year, but its Carnival is the second biggest in the world after Rio's, and is both an amazing cultural experience and one heck of a party! 2 Cartagena - the Heroic City, Capital of the Bolívar department is Colombia's tourist city par excellence. The colonial architecture and the skyscrapers can be seen together in this city that offers a unique experience of festivals, historic attractions, restaurants, and hotels. 3 Palomino - a village with beautiful calm beaches. 4 Riohacha - the capital of the department of La Guajira on the Caribbean coast 5 Santa Cruz de Mompox - a friendly colonial town on an island on the Magdalena river 6 Santa Marta - a popular base for adventure tourism in the beautiful areas surrounding, and unique in the sense that it offers you beautiful beaches one day, and the next one a walk to the foothill of a snowy mountain, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the highest in the country. 7 Taganga - a backpacker and hippie haven in a one-time peaceful little fishing village just north of Santa Marta. 8 Tolú - a popular weekend and holiday destination for Colombian tourists and the gate to the magnificent Islas de San Bernardo. == Other destinations == 1 Cabo de la Vela — beautiful gold-sand beaches on the desert Guajira Peninsula 2 Ciudad Perdida — lost city of the Tayrona Indians, deep in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park 3 Paramillo National Natural Park - tropical Andean highlands region known as the Paramillo Massif 4 Punta Gallinas — northern-most point of mainland South America, at the northern tip of the Guajira Peninsula 5 Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park - remote mountain wilderness important as an indigenous spiritual center and site of the Ciudad Perdida archaeological site 6 Tayrona National Park — virgin beach paradise against jungle covered cliffs == Understand == == Get in == Several cities in the region have major commercial airports, some with international service. The two largest airports are: Cartagena Barranquilla Cities with large commercial airports with frequent domestic flights from Bogota and other Colombian destinations, include: Riohacha Santa Marta Monteria One of the most leisurely ways to see the southernmost Caribbean islands or surrounding South American islands may be via a cruise. == Get around == == See == == Do == == Eat == == Drink == == Go next == Andino Orinoquía