Santa Marta

[Coupe66]

I thought you were going to stay in Bogota for a month?

Did you give up?

Nooooo. I'm planning in staying in Colombia for a month! .

[Parkinsons]

Hey guys, I'll be arriving in Santa Marta from Bogota on Sunday. Will be posting about my Bogota trip shortly. My question, is it safe to take a taxi from the airport to the city centre? If so, what should I pay? I gather Uber isn't available in Santa Marta.

I thought you were going to stay in Bogota for a month?

Did you give up?

[PirateMorgan]

Bored? Impossible! We sit on our balcony overlooking carrera 4, the main street in Rodadero, watching for taxis that might have unsuspecting Gringos in them. When we see one we run down to see if any of them are going to get the Hannible Lector special. And yes. With Chianti.

[BKKguru]

Hey guys, I'll be arriving in Santa Marta from Bogota on Sunday. Will be posting about my Bogota trip shortly. My question, is it safe to take a taxi from the airport to the city centre? If so, what should I pay? I gather Uber isn't available in Santa Marta.

Coupe66,

Just ignore the riff raff.

You like to do your home work and that is a positive in my book. I cannot wait to read your report about Bogota!
Safe Travels.

~BKKguru.

[Baudelairemod]

Was that such an unreasonable question? A simple yes or no would suffice. If you're going to try to mock me, you should at least attempt to be funnier !! I guess you must be bored up there? Not getting ripped off by taxi drivers in an unknown city, with all your belongings, I suppose is a pretty funny concept to you ? By the way, if Santa Marta sucks so much, why the hell do you live there ?

Haha fair. PirateMorgan was just trying to convey how silly the concept or SM being dangerous was. At least to people who know a Colombia a bit. I've noticed you've been posting a fair amount in the lead up to your maiden trip (especially in the Bogota thread) and commend you for trying to get all the facts right before leaving but please don't fall into outright paranoia.

Yes, Colombia can be a dangerous country but so are most other Western ones.

Yes, you hear bad stories but if you look into them, 99% of the times the gringo blatantly fucked up and lost control (booze, party favours, attitude).

Santa Marta is a completely normal (if somewhat sleepy) town with quite a few Western backpackers that use it as a starting point to explore Parque Tayrona and the Lost City. There are so many European tourists and the vibe is really laid back. Most of them are young guys (and quite a few girls. I remember a couple of stunning Swedish ladies on their gap year my first time there) who just want to have a couple of beers before leaving for their next hike. That's why the mongering is not so extensive.

You seem like a smart person (if not a bit on the apprehensive side) so you'll be completely fine. I remember coming back from a few nights out completely annihilated and nothing ever happened to me so you'll be safe.

Please don't let the few bad stories ruin what I am sure is going to be an amazing holiday.

Look forward to your report.

[Culture]

Hey guys,

So I been in Santa Marta for about 2 weeks. First, I don't find that Pirate guy funny but he has some truth to what he says. Everything from Sund. Wed closes at 1 am here. Thurs. Sat everything closes around 3. There are very few street walkers if that is your thing. One curly hair morena chick hangs in front of Marley Bar in Parque De Los Novios all the time, and she is working. If she is with friends, they are working too. I have not partaken though but have been told she is working.

Bananas is OK. The talent is so-so. It closes at 1 am on Sund. Wed and Thurs. Sat at 3 am. There is an after hours club called VIP that is pretty hidden I. E. Even the police don't really know about it (at least when police were around they didn't let anyone in after 3 but when they left, they let us in). There are working girls there. I met a Venezuelan blanca chick there, was going to take her back but as we were walking to my casa which is right next to Parque De LOS Novios, I got a sense of bad attitude. I actually got a little lost, and then some touts started coming around. As I figured out where I was, I could tell she was trouble, so luckily she did not follow me and I just went in my casa without her. I think I dodged a bullet with that one. There are other Venezuelans out there but be careful. I am sure some are at Bananas and also VIP. Those are the only 2 clubs that I know of that have working girls in them. I passed by Old's Bar a few times and no one is ever there & have not tried Dubai in Roderdero (and have no idea if its still there or not).

You may get lucky and find some good girls. The tinder game here is whack. It's a small city so there are limited choices. CC is also whack here, and so is Seeking. Many Euro / Aussie tourists and some Americans running around. Regular chicks are easy to talk to in the clubs if you so wish but many are with groups though and some have boyfriends but the ones without guys are approachable if you make a move. Tourist girls are obviously available too if you want that. Many Colombians here for vacation so they come in groups. As always if your Spanish skills are good, you will have a much better time / chances. How easy it to get laid with these girls, well, you will need to put in work unless you get lucky as in any city. This definitely does not seem like the place where Colombian women will just come home with you (unless they are working). You will probably need to take them out etc. Again, if you are outgoing and just approach, you will find it easy to talk to the Colombians here. I have chatted up a few. The main clubs to talk to girls are La Puerta, Pirata, and La Brisa Loca. Eivasa is not a good place to meet girls unless you want tourists.

There are so many freaking beggars, performers, sellers here and they always are looking. They always eyeing you. It gets really annoying and OLD fast. The local touts just stay around the Parque all day and pester you. They are mostly harmless but it definitely gets annoying but hey I guess they need to eat. Don't even get me started on the molestation you will feel when at Rodedero LOL. It's literally non stop. If you think Bocagrande is bad. Do not expect any places to find working girls on the beach. It is mostly families and groups. From what I remember about Cartagena, you could have a good meal inside the Old City without being bothered. That's not possible in Santa Marta. The freaking beggars even come inside the restaurants and start asking you for stuff. Ladies with babies / kids using them to get you to give them some money or buy something not needed. It honestly needs to be regulated a bit.

Weirdly enough though, I like it here. Although there are a lot of Euro tourists, the city is not overrun with them. There are a lot of Colombian tourists here and they outnumber the gringos. I have gone to Cartagena a lot and feel its just too overrun right now. If you are only into mongering and don't want to just relax, chill, get some beach time in, and then maybe hook up here and there, this is not a place for you.

[Coupe66]

Oh no. Very dangerous. We lose 2 or 3 Gringos a month to savage lions that wait for dopes who don't keep their taxi windows closed. Just last year a taxi driver shot a Gringo passenger because he thought that someone as dumb as his passenger was too dangerous to be let loose in the streets of Santa Marta. Finally, about one in five passengers gets invited to the drivers house for dinner. Never realizing that he is the main course! No doubt you who asked are one of the three potential visitors who meet a terrible end here in Santa Marta. Really, do something at your safety level like Fantasy Land at Disneyland. But even there one of those Pirates of the Caribbean might get hungry for your pancreas.

Was that such an unreasonable question? A simple yes or no would suffice. If you're going to try to mock me, you should at least attempt to be funnier !! I guess you must be bored up there? Not getting ripped off by taxi drivers in an unknown city, with all your belongings, I suppose is a pretty funny concept to you ? By the way, if Santa Marta sucks so much, why the hell do you live there ?

[John Clayton]

Oh no. Very dangerous. We lose 2 or 3 Gringos a month ...

With a nice Chianti.

[Balboa]

Oh no. Very dangerous. We lose 2 or 3 Gringos a month to savage lions that wait for dopes who don't keep their taxi windows closed. Just last year a taxi driver shot a Gringo passenger because he thought that someone as dumb as his passenger was too dangerous to be let loose in the streets of Santa Marta. Finally, about one in five passengers gets invited to the drivers house for dinner. Never realizing that he is the main course! No doubt you who asked are one of the three potential visitors who meet a terrible end here in Santa Marta. Really, do something at your safety level like Fantasy Land at Disneyland. But even there one of those Pirates of the Caribbean might get hungry for your pancreas.

Damn!! I'm staying home!! 🤪

[PirateMorgan]

Oh no. Very dangerous. We lose 2 or 3 Gringos a month to savage lions that wait for dopes who don't keep their taxi windows closed. Just last year a taxi driver shot a Gringo passenger because he thought that someone as dumb as his passenger was too dangerous to be let loose in the streets of Santa Marta. Finally, about one in five passengers gets invited to the drivers house for dinner. Never realizing that he is the main course! No doubt you who asked are one of the three potential visitors who meet a terrible end here in Santa Marta. Really, do something at your safety level like Fantasy Land at Disneyland. But even there one of those Pirates of the Caribbean might get hungry for your pancreas.

[PirateMorgan]

22,000 to Rodadero.

[Coupe66]

Hey guys, I'll be arriving in Santa Marta from Bogota on Sunday. Will be posting about my Bogota trip shortly. My question, is it safe to take a taxi from the airport to the city centre? If so, what should I pay? I gather Uber isn't available in Santa Marta.

[Guerinto]

I'm here staying in parque Los novios. Don't have a membership though not sure how we can connect.

I'll be at Marley's Cafe Bar around 2 PM if you want to grab a beer. I'll be sitting outside at a table. Wearing blue shorts, sandals and a red baseball cap. Marley's is facing the park.

[Footix]

I have just spent 5 days in Santa Marta. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the place. I tend to travel for long periods, mostly as a tourist, but often indulge if P4P is available. I stayed in one of numerous Airbnb apartments on the seafront (formerly known as Panamerican Hotel. I didn't realise this was the place the guy was found dead recently until after a couple of days). It's an old hotel with a mix of Airbnb and long term residents. The apartment was pretty basic but had a fridge and small bathroom and was pretty clean and well looked after. Best thing was a balcony overlooking the beach. Great place for sunset. Rooms on Airbnb will set you back around $15. Location is great - 5-10 minutes to Parque de Los Novios and all the nearby bars and restaurants. It's less than 5 minutes walk from Bananas too. There were notices up saying not to allow any unauthorized visitors but I took a girl there a couple of times and no-one was around anyway.

Firstly, as a tourist, there is enough to do for a few days or longer if you fancy a couple of days by the beach at Rodedero (the beach in the old town is not great). Plenty of fine old buildings and it does seem like the town is gradually being restored to a former age. I am not one for fine dining but there are loads of mid budget restaurants and everywhere I tried was at least decent. There's loads of bars and a rooftop disco scene. All seemed friendly enough and there were far more gringos around than I was expecting.

Secondly, regarding girls, there were a few obvious SWs about in Parque de LOS Novios and along the beach but not many and certainly nothing that outstanding. I did go into Bananas and was surprised how big it was inside. Plenty of girls, although nothing 'must have'. There is no stripping here as such but if you buy a girl an (overpriced drink) she will sit with you and give lap dances etc. On the first visit I was just checking it out and it seemed friendly enough and pretty laid back. Drinks are 6 k. On my second visit I was actually pretty drunk and arranged some company with a girl in her early 20's. With no tats and real boobs. The lady drinks are priced at 15 k and with little encouragement the girls will get pretty frisky. Agreed to head upstairs - 100 k for an hour. Room was tiny but clean and did have a toilet and shower. Good session and the girl seemed pretty into it and also came back into the bar with me and stayed with me until closing. I went back a third time and the same girl pounced on me pretty quickly. It was a bit earlier than the previous night and I was keen to see if she would come back to the apartment. Got a shock when she quoted 320 k but realised this was a TLN rate. Decided I might as well go for it and it was a decision I didn't regret. A very enthusiastic partner and also turned out to be a genuine squirter. A truly memorable night. I took a break the following night as I was worn out. Repeated again on my final night. Even more intense.

OK it's only a limited amount of feedback but I would say as a tourist there is certainly enough to do for a few days and Bananas was interesting for some evening entertainment. There were plenty of girls in there and I am sure most would find something to their liking. I think I got incredibly lucky but sometimes it's just the luck of the draw and it was not cheap but still worth every peso in my opinion.

Cheers.

[Culture]

If anyone is around and looking to grab some drinks and food, share stories, let me know.

Unfortunately my Cartagena chica just went back, so I have some unexpected free time. I am staying at the Hilton Garden Inn. Only got here yesterday, so learning my way around.

I'm here staying in parque Los novios. Don't have a membership though not sure how we can connect.