Taganga

Taganga sits in a dry bay ringed by hills, and it was a Tayrona fishing settlement long before anything else - fishing still goes on from the beach. From the 1990s it became known as one of the cheapest places in the Americas to certify as a diver, and a substantial dive industry grew. The water here is unusual for the Caribbean: seasonal upwelling brings cold nutrient-rich water up the coast, which drops visibility but supports more life than the clear blue water further along, including seahorses and frogfish. The village had a difficult period with drug tourism and infrastructure that did not keep up with growth, and its reputation suffered accordingly; it is quieter now and water supply remains a real constraint.

History

Before the Spanish the Taganga people lived here under a cacique, in a sizeable village, and the name is said to come from them or from Tairona words meaning entrance of the sea. Rodrigo de Bastidas founded Taganga together with Santa Marta on 29 July 1525, making them two of the oldest colonial settlements in Colombia, and the chronicler Juan de Castellanos visited in 1534; the church was built after the earthquake of 22 May 1834 destroyed the earlier clay hermitage. Until the 1950s, with no road from Santa Marta, it was an isolated fishing village, and in 1988 it had only one hotel (Wikipedia, Taganga).

What you'll find

• A dry bay ringed by hills - with fishing still worked from the beach.
• Cold upwelling water - lower visibility, more marine life.
• A long-standing cheap dive industry - certifications since the 1990s.
• A village that grew faster than its services - water supply is limited.

When to go

December to April; visibility varies with upwelling. A full day or several.

Practical notes

Visibility is often poor compared with typical Caribbean diving - that is the trade-off for the marine life. Dive operator standards vary; check certification and equipment. Water supply in the village is unreliable. The beach itself is working harbour, not a swimming beach.

Nearby

Santa Marta is south; Tayrona park is east.

Key facts