Palomino

Palomino sits where the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta comes down almost to the sea - the range reaches over five thousand metres about forty kilometres inland, which is the steepest coastal gradient of its kind in the world, and on a clear morning the snow is visible from the beach. The standard activity is tubing: a motorbike or a walk takes you up the Palomino river into the forest, and you float back down on an inner tube for an hour or two to the river mouth. The beach itself has strong currents and swimming is not always advisable. The village grew from a few hostels into a substantial backpacker strip, with the water and waste infrastructure lagging behind. Kogi and Wiwa communities live in the sierra above.

What you actually see

• The sierra rising over five thousand metres - about forty kilometres inland.
• Tubing down the Palomino river - one to two hours to the sea.
• A strong-current beach - not always safe to swim.
• Indigenous communities in the sierra - Kogi and Wiwa above the coast.

When to go

December to April, the drier months. A full day or several.

Honest expectations

Beach currents are dangerous and there are no lifeguards - people have drowned. Infrastructure has not kept pace with growth; water and power cuts are common. Tubing operators vary. The road east has had security considerations historically - check current advice locally.

Nearby

Tayrona is west; Riohacha is east.