Riohacha

Riohacha was founded in 1545 on the pearl fisheries of the Guajira coast and repeatedly sacked - Francis Drake among others - before settling into a quieter existence. Today it functions mainly as the gateway to the peninsula: trips to Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas, the northernmost point of mainland South America, are arranged from here, and the road beyond becomes desert track. The seafront has a long pier and a promenade where Wayuu women sell mochilas, the woven bags whose patterns carry meaning within the culture and which are made by hand over weeks. The Wayuu are the largest indigenous group in Colombia and much of the department is their territory, with water scarcity a serious and recurring crisis.

History

The Wayuu, part of the wider Arawak world, long lived here; Alonso de Ojeda sailed past in 1498 without landing, Juan de la Cosa landed soon after at Cabo de la Vela, and there in 1535 the German Nikolaus Federmann founded Nuestra Señora Santa María de los Remedios del Cabo de la Vela. Its pearl beds drew pirates, and after one raid destroyed the town it was moved to the mouth of the Ranchería River as Nuestra Señora de los Remedios del Río de la Hacha; John Hawkins forced its settlers to trade with him in 1564 and again, with Francis Drake, in 1568, and Drake pillaged it in 1596. In the 18th century it became part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada in the province of Santa Marta, the admiral José Prudencio Padilla was among its sons, and it became a municipality in 1954 and the capital of the new department of La Guajira in 1964 (Wikipedia, Riohacha).

What you'll find

• A staging point for the desert - trips to Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas.
• A long seafront pier - and a promenade beside it.
• Wayuu weavers selling mochilas - hand-made over weeks.
• A city founded on pearl fishing - in 1545, and sacked repeatedly.

When to go

December to April. A full day.

Before you go

The city itself is modest - most visitors pass through to the peninsula. Water scarcity in La Guajira is severe and affects services. Desert trips need reputable operators and four-wheel drive. Buying mochilas directly from weavers pays them better than shops.

Nearby

Palomino is west; Cabo de la Vela is north-east into the desert.

Key facts