Should You Visit Santa Marta Or Cartagena Colombia?

Planning A Trip To Colombia And Wondering Whether Santa Marta Or Cartagena Is The Better Place To Visit?

I lived in Colombia and taught English, but when the teachers went on strike I had a lot of time to explore the country and visit destinations like Santa Marta and Cartagena, and while I have my own personal preferences between the two, here are all the details on each location so you can decide if one, the other, both, or neither are worth adding to your Colombia itinerary.

🇨🇴 Should You Visit Santa Marta Or Cartagena, Colombia?

There are so many great places to visit in this country that I'm not sure I'd put either of these at the top of my list.

Although both are located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia, they are completely different kinds of places to visit so you might prefer one over the other or find that other destinations in Colombia might work better for you.

Why Visit Santa Marta, Colombia

I think Santa Marta is the better place to visit over Cartagena for a more nature filled trip to Colombia.

Although it’s not the easiest place to reach in Colombia, and there aren’t an endless amount of things to do here, I think that Santa Marta can definitely be a place worth visiting because:

it’s got one of the country’s most beautiful national parks – Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona

nearby is also one of Colombia’s most interesting historical sites that can only be reached on a multi-day trek – The Lost City

for history lovers, Santa Marta is also home to the location of Simon Bolivar’s death (he was the great liberator of many South American countries against the Spanish)

compared to Cartagena, it’s a much less traveled and touristy kind of city

also compared to Cartagena, it’s not quite as expensive

it doesn’t have the prettiest beaches, but Santa Marta still has nice calm beaches where you can relax and cool off

Why Visit Cartagena, Colombia

This old walled city is an interesting place to visit but it can get very crowded.

I have a longer list and explanation of reasons why Cartagena is worth visiting and why it’s not, but to sum it up, Cartagena can be worth visiting because:

it’s a cool old colonial walled city with a fort and lots of beautiful architecture

the beaches right in Cartagena aren’t spectacular, but it has some beautiful nearby beaches and islands

cruise ships and flights are plenty here so it’s a pretty easy place to reach (although this also means that no matter when you go, it’s always pretty busy)

it’s pretty easy to get around Cartagena because the old walled city is very walkable

it’s hot and humid so it’s perfect for getting in the water to cool off and experience some of the great water activities here

there are lots of popular beach, party, and island activities

there are some nice hotel options in the old walled city

➡️ Still trying to figure out where to visit in Colombia? here are a few comparisons between Cartagena and Medellin and Cartagena and Bogota to help you decide

So Which Is Better, Santa Marta Or Cartagena?

➡️ Santa Marta is the better place to visit for a more nature centered trip with a bit of history and the beach

➡️ Cartagena is the more convenient, party and beach/island kind of destination with a little bit of history and beautiful architecture

After all of the places that I visited around Colombia while I was living here (more than 20 locations), I personally wouldn’t put Cartagena or Santa Marta at the top of my list, but between the two, I would probably go with Santa Marta because I prefer the calmer, historical, and more nature centered kind of trip you can have here.

But both destinations aren’t terribly far from each other so if you have enough time and you want to visit both, it can be easy to check each of them out.

🚌 How To Get From Cartagena, Colombia To Santa Marta

There are a few different ways to get to Popayan Colombia depending on how much you want to spend and how much time you have.

The two most convenient options for getting from Cartagena to Santa Marta are either on a day trip tour or using a private transport service.

I did a day trip tour to Santa Marta when I was visiting Cartagena and although it was a very long day that squeezed in as many sites as possible, I liked getting to see one historical site in particular; the ratings aren’t always spectacular on these kinds of day trip tours, but if you really want to see Santa Marta and only have time for a day, then I think it can still be worth it

although it’s the most expensive way to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta, the most convenient and safe option for a longer trip in Santa Marta is with private transport

Should You Drive From Cartagena To Santa Marta?

I don’t think it’s a good idea to drive anywhere in Colombia (it’s not always a very safe way to get around), but the distance between Cartagena and Santa Marta is only about 150 miles (just under 5 hours) so if you really wanted to rent a car and drive there yourself, you could.

Cartagena To Santa Marta Bus

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get around Colombia is to use the public bus system and although it does take a little longer, it can be really cool to see more of Colombia this way.

To get from Cartagena to Santa Marta using the bus system, all you have to do is go into the transportation terminal, buy a ticket to Santa Marta, and get on the bus.

🔁 Sum Up: Santa Marta Or Cartagena, Colombia

Although both Santa Marta and Cartagena are located on the northern Caribbean coast of Colombia, they each offer a completely different kind of vacation so whether one, the other, both, or neither are worth adding to your itinerary comes down to personal preference and what kind of Colombian vacation you’re looking to have. I think Santa Marta is better for a nature centered trip with a bit of history and the beach, while Cartagena is the more convenient, party, beach, and island kind of destination.