Nueva Venecia
A village built entirely on stilts in the middle of a lagoon, with no streets, no cars and no land - everything moves by canoe.
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The village stands on wooden piles in the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta with open water underneath and around every house - there is no land at all, so children go to a floating school by canoe, the church stands on piles, and fishing is effectively the only livelihood. Families settled here generations ago to be close to the fishing grounds. The community suffered a massacre by paramilitaries in November 2000 in which dozens were killed and most of the village fled; people returned over following years and the village was rebuilt, and residents will speak about it. The lagoon itself has been damaged by road construction that cut water exchange with the sea, killing mangrove and reducing fish stocks, with restoration works since.
What you actually see
- A village entirely on stilts - no land, no streets, no cars.
- Canoes as the only transport - including to the school.
- A community that returned after 2000 - and rebuilt.
- A damaged lagoon - mangrove loss from blocked water exchange.
When to go
December to April. Half a day.
Honest expectations
Access is only by boat and should be arranged with local operators. This is a poor community that has been through a great deal - visit with a guide from the area and pay properly. Facilities are nonexistent. Heat on the water is severe.
Nearby
Cienaga is east; Barranquilla is west.
What to pack for Nueva Venecia
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.