Playa de Belen

The village is about five hundred people and every house is whitewashed with a red tile roof, wooden doors and window frames painted the same colour - the uniformity is maintained by local regulation, and it was declared a national monument in 2005, which is what has kept it looking as it does rather than accreting the usual mixture. It stands beside the Estoraques, a protected area of eroded sandstone columns, ravines and pinnacles formed by water cutting soft rock into a small badland of towers up to twenty metres or so, walkable on marked paths. The region was affected by conflict for years and access was restricted; it reopened and remains lightly visited compared with the Boyaca and Santander heritage towns.

What you actually see

• A village kept uniform by rule - white walls, red tiles, one door colour.
• The Estoraques - eroded sandstone towers up to about twenty metres.
• A national monument since 2005 - which preserved the appearance.
• Very few visitors - compared with heritage towns further south.

When to go

December to March. Half a day.

Honest expectations

It is remote - Ocana is the nearest town of any size and it is a long way from the main routes. Services in the village are minimal. Heat in the Estoraques is heavy with no shade. Check regional conditions before travelling.

Nearby

Ocana is north; Aguachica is west.