![Santa Marta waterfront](https://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/214F6428-B1AB-4019-9B96-1368E7B297E6.jpg)
Santa Marta | Gateway to adventures in Northeast Colombia
I took the bus from Cartagena to Santa Marta, planning to use it as a base to discover what the North East corner of Colombia had in store.
The town of Santa Marta itself is tiny, with a few hostels and restaurants catering to passing tourists. Hot & sunbaked, I wandered around with my camera, capturing a few sleepy moments of the golden hour.
![Hostel Españolete](http://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/61059D06-3E53-4340-824C-934968C38460.jpg)
![Sunset](http://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/78ECA357-A4BA-4D22-8582-A3321F017E44.jpg)
![The Cathedral](http://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/8B5D139A-2015-4C11-94BA-E2BC57D72092.jpg)
![Banana stand](http://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/65A6311E-5E7E-433E-A52F-0A520466B714.jpg)
![Graffiti wall](http://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/4F640B9C-AF7A-4AEB-B436-35F2E6EED02E.jpg)
![Santa Marta waterfront](http://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/6AF0BD13-F158-4DE9-9298-72B4E3FB66A1.jpg)
![Santa Marta airport](http://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/7067532D-ED3C-4F80-91BE-A9824B84218E.jpg)
![Simon Bolivar statue](http://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/74E03ECF-6C77-42A3-A210-85E88B08EBD9.jpg)
From Santa Marta, there are a number of interesting places on the backpacking trail including: Tayrona National Park, Minka, Palomino, Ciudad Perdita, and Aracataca (only of interest to me as this is where Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born). I was intending to do the Ciudad de Perdida 4 day jungle trek and even bought a cheap pair of hiking shoes from the Calzado Bucaramanga shoe store on the main shopping strip. However, a family emergency meant I had to return home early. One day, I’ll be back to do this trek, visit Aracataca, and finish exploring the rest of Colombia.
![Braised pork belly](https://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/IMG_1930-75x75.jpg)
![Ajiaco](https://www.yinglekkerding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/IMG_0938-75x75.jpg)