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Scuba Diving off Taganga Beach

When researching where to travel around Cartagena, Bryna and I heard about Taganga beach. A fishing town turned into a popular beach spot on the “gringo trail,” Taganga is not a Caribbean paradise, but it is perfect for backpackers looking for sun, sea, and a bit of nightlife. Taganga is also used as a jumping-off point for travelers venturing farther down the coast to Tayrona National Park. Since we did not feel particularly compelled to make the full journey to Tayrona, we thought Taganga would be a perfect alternative.

From Cartagena we caught an air-conditioned express bus to Santa Marta on the Brasilia bus line. After hearing stories about buses leaving late or taking hours to get anywhere, we built a little wiggle room into our schedule. Our bus was set to leave at noon, and they requested we board at 11:30. At noon sharp, we were on the road to Santa Marta. The bus was not full, and we were the only tourists. We were off to a good start.

Soon after the bus was on the road, we began to smell gasoline. Looking for its source, we noticed that everyone else on the bus was doing the same. Thankfully, since our Spanish was not quite at the level of communicating a gasoline leak, all of the other passengers joined in to notify the driver. He immediately pulled to the side of the road, and all of the guys hopped out to investigate. Once the problem was solved, the bus was back on its way. After that small incident, the ride went smoothly.

The road we took was the main route to Santa Marta, a well-paved, single-lane highway. We enjoyed getting to see a different side of Colombia as we watched the scenery from our window. Occasionally we’d be driving along the coast, where empty beaches lead to a quiet sea. Mostly we drove past green farmland. Every few miles we’d drive through a small, brightly-colored village where a local would hop on the bus to sell snacks. They’d ride the bus to the opposite side of town and then hop off as the bus pulled out. We had a brief, 10-minute layover in Barranquilla, and arrived in Santa Marta at 4:00 PM sharp – exactly when we were scheduled to arrive. Very impressed.

From the Santa Marta station we caught a cab to Taganga, about a 30- to 45- minute ride. We checked in to our beachfront hotel, Bellena Azul, just in time for dinner. The town wasn’t quite what I imagined. It is nestled in between a few small, very arid and brown hills. The beach was average: the dark blue water was clear and calm, and the sand was soft. After seeing so many photos of Tayrona National Park, I expected Taganga to have the same lush, green forest lining a white sandy beach, but we definitely were not in a tropical paradise. We had no complaints though; Taganga was charming in its own way. A handful of outdoor restaurants lined the beachfront road and looked out at the fishing boats bobbing quietly in the calm water. There were a few small shops selling beachy things, a few small snack shops, and that was about it.

The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast at La Creperia, we checked out Poseidon’s dive shop. I had been certified at age 16 and hadn’t really dived since. I was nervous to go again, but Bry convinced me that with a refresher, I would remember everything I needed to know. So, that afternoon, we slapped on some tanks and practiced our underwater hand signals in Poseidon’s pool. To reward ourselves, we had a nice burrito dinner accompanied by a glass of wine at Babaganoush.

Use to sleeping in, we had to force ourselves out of bed to be at the dive boat for an 8:30 am departure. The trip out to the dive sites was a quick one, and we were in the choppy waters in no time. Poseidon’s provided wetsuits and suggested we wear them because the water can be chilly. I was perfectly comfortable in mine. After 40 minutes below, we resurfaced for a pre-packed lunch, a brief rest in the sun, and then we were struggling to get back into our wets suits for dive #2. Overall, the trip took about five hours door to door. Although I had been nervous at first, I was happy I had gone through with it. We saw a lot of different fish in an array of colors and sizes; we saw eels, an octopus, and lobsters. Plus, the Poseidon team was an absolute delight to dive with.

The rest of that day we spent lounging by the beach, sipping on limonada de cocos and people watching. Our hotel had beachfront property with lounge chairs and access to the restaurant. From our seats we could watch the evening beach crowd: there was a group of people playing soccer and a few other groups relaxing. The beach was busy, but not overly crowded. That night we were hungry! Although it feels relaxing while you’re in the water experiencing the underwater world, diving is actually quite a calorie burner. So, we headed to Pachamamas where we had an Israeli appetizer and an Italian entree (which was perfectly al dente). Bravo Pachamama!

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