Tayrona Park Sailing Boat Day Trip with Lunch Santa Marta
- DurationAbout 7.5 hours
- Daily
- Group
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Overview
Spend a full day on the Caribbean on this Tayrona Park sailing boat day trip from Santa Marta. You board a classic sailing boat for up to twenty-six guests at the city marina at 09:30 and motor up the coast past Taganga Bay, Granate Bay and Aguja Island, with the Sierra Nevada rising behind the shore. Around 11:30 the boat anchors at Bahía Concha, one of the largest beaches of Tayrona National Park, where you swim from the boat, paddle board, snorkel or relax on the sand. Lunch of grilled fish with rice, salad and plantains is served on board with one drink; chicken or vegetarian meals on request. The return under sail brings you back for the Santa Marta sunset, with an English and Spanish-speaking host on board.
Highlights
- Full day on a classic sailing boat with a maximum of twenty-six guests
- Views of Taganga Bay, Granate Bay and Aguja Island from the water
- Long stop at Bahía Concha in Tayrona National Park: swimming, snorkelling and paddle boards included
- Lunch on board: grilled fish with rice, salad and plantains, or chicken or vegetarian on request
- One drink, marina entry and insurance included
- Return under sail, wind permitting, in time for the Santa Marta sunset
- English and Spanish-speaking host on board
- Express security check at the marina
Full Description
The marina of Santa Marta
The day begins at the Marina Internacional de Santa Marta, the modern yacht harbour built at the southern end of the city's bay beside the historic centre and the seafront promenade. You check in at the charter dock at 09:30, pass the marina's express security check and wait in the shaded area until the crew calls you aboard; because other boats share the same dock, the sailing boat cannot wait for latecomers beyond 09:50. Food and drinks cannot be brought into the marina, but there is a small market inside for anything you forgot.
Departure is at about 10:00. The boat motors out past the breakwater with the cathedral towers and the hills of the city behind you, and the host explains the route, the safety rules and where to find the snorkelling gear and paddle boards. In the late afternoon you sail back into the same harbour as the sun drops into the sea, the view Santa Marta is best known for.
Taganga Bay, Granate Bay and Aguja Island
The ninety-minute passage north-east along the coast is a sightseeing cruise in itself. First comes Taganga, the old fishing village tucked into a horseshoe bay of grey-green hills, then the quieter Granate Bay and, off the point, Aguja Island, a rocky islet that marks the western boundary of the park's marine area and is a favourite spot for divers. The boat does not stop here, but the views from the deck are excellent, with pelicans skimming the waves and the forested foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the highest coastal mountain range in the world, filling the horizon.
Bring a hat and sunscreen for this stretch: the deck is exposed and the Caribbean sun is strong even when the breeze feels cool. The host points out the headlands and tells the story of the coast as you go.
Bahía Concha in Tayrona National Park
Bahía Concha is the first and most sheltered beach of Tayrona National Park when you arrive from Santa Marta, a wide crescent of pale sand enclosed by dry forested hills, with calm turquoise water that makes it one of the best swimming beaches on this coast. The sailing boat anchors at about 11:30 and stays until mid-afternoon, so you have around four hours to use as you wish: swim straight from the boat, paddle board around the bay, snorkel over the rocks at its edges or take the auxiliary boat to the beach.
Beach chairs are rented from local vendors and simple snacks are sold on the beach; ask the price before you buy. Lunch is served on board about ninety minutes after arrival. A Bahía Concha boat trip is the easiest way to see Tayrona Park in a day, as the road access to this beach is long and dusty while by sea it is a direct run.
Tayrona National Park and the return under sail
Tayrona National Park protects a strip of jungle-covered hills, coral reefs and some of the most beautiful beaches in Colombia, stretching east from Santa Marta along the Caribbean. It is ancestral land of the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada, and the park closes for a few weeks each year in February, June and from late October into early November so that nature and the communities can rest. On those dates this trip visits Taganga and the nearby Inca Inca cove for half a day each instead.
By 15:30 everyone is back on board for the return. With the afternoon wind behind the boat the crew unfurls the foresail and, conditions permitting, you sail rather than motor back toward Santa Marta, arriving at the marina between 16:30 and 17:00. The last half hour, with the sun setting over the sea and the lights of the city coming on, is the moment most guests remember.
Itinerary
- Check-in at the marinaMeet at the charter dock of the Marina Internacional de Santa Marta at 09:30; the boat cannot wait beyond 09:50.
- Departure and coastal passageFrom 10:00 the boat motors north-east past Taganga Bay, Granate Bay and Aguja Island, about ninety minutes of views without stops.
- Bahía Concha, Tayrona National ParkAnchor at about 11:30 for roughly four hours of swimming, snorkelling, paddle boarding and beach time, with transfers by auxiliary boat.
- Lunch on boardGrilled fish with rice, salad and plantains and one drink, served about ninety minutes after arrival; chicken or vegetarian on request.
- Return under sailBack on board by 15:30; the boat sails or motor-sails back to Santa Marta, wind permitting.
- Sunset arrival at the marinaArrival between 16:30 and 17:00 in time to watch the sunset from the waterfront.
What's included
- Day trip on a classic sailing boat (up to 26 guests)
- Entry to the marina
- Lunch: grilled fish with rice, salad and plantains (chicken or vegetarian option if requested after booking)
- One drink
- Use of paddle boards and snorkelling equipment
- Transfer to the beach by auxiliary boat
- English and Spanish-speaking host
- Insurance
Not included
- Beach chairs (rented on the beach)
- Wi-Fi on board
- Additional drinks
- Hotel pickup
Is this right for you?
Great for
- Food lovers
- Anyone who wants to see it from the water
Think twice if
- You want a private tour — this one is shared with other travellers
- You get seasick easily
Not suitable for
- People with mobility impairments
- People prone to seasickness
Meeting point
Go to the charter dock at the Marina Internacional de Santa Marta and walk to the building just past the marina restaurant, where the crew welcomes you and gives you access to the waiting area. Check-in is at 09:30 and departure at about 10:00; the boat cannot wait beyond 09:50 because other boats use the same dock. No hotel pickup is included, and the marina is a short taxi ride from any hotel in Santa Marta or Rodadero.
Important information
- Food and drinks may not be brought into the marina; extra drinks can be bought on board or in the marina's mini-market
- Tell us after booking if you prefer the chicken or vegetarian lunch instead of grilled fish
- Bring swimwear, a towel, a hat, sunglasses and reef-safe sunscreen; the deck is exposed to the sun
- Beach chairs and Wi-Fi on board are available at an extra charge; ask prices before buying anything from beach vendors
- Smoking is not allowed on board and minors must be accompanied by an adult
- If you are prone to seasickness, take precautions before boarding; the morning passage is into the wind
- During the park's annual closures in early February, early June and from late October to early November the boat visits Taganga and Inca Inca instead of Bahía Concha
- In bad weather the trip may be rescheduled; our team informs you as early as possible
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to what travellers ask us most, before they book.
Is this a shared or a private experience?
It is a shared day trip on a classic sailing boat carrying up to twenty-six guests, with an English and Spanish-speaking host on board.
How long does the trip take?
About seven and a half hours: check-in at 09:30, departure at 10:00 and return to the marina between 16:30 and 17:00.
Is hotel pickup included?
No. You meet the crew at the charter dock of the Marina Internacional de Santa Marta, a short taxi ride from the hotels of the centre and Rodadero.
What is included?
Marina entry, the sailing day trip, lunch with one drink, the use of paddle boards and snorkelling equipment, the auxiliary boat to the beach and insurance. Beach chairs, Wi-Fi and extra drinks are not included.
Is the price per person or per group?
Per person; the booking panel on this page shows the current price.
Is the trip suitable for children?
Yes, families are welcome and the bay is calm for swimming, but minors must be accompanied by an adult. There is no separate child rate on this product.
Is it suitable for people with reduced mobility or seasickness?
The trip is not recommended for people with mobility impairments, as boarding and the beach transfers require some agility, nor for people who suffer badly from seasickness.
Do I need a Tayrona Park ticket?
No separate park ticket is charged on this trip; the day is spent at Bahía Concha, reached directly by sea from the marina.
What should I bring?
Swimwear worn under your clothes, a towel, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a light cover-up and some cash for beach chairs or snacks. Food and drinks cannot be brought into the marina.
What is the best time of year for this trip?
The dry season from December to April brings the clearest water and the steadiest winds for the return under sail; the trip runs all year except during the park's short closures.
What happens in bad weather?
If the sea conditions are unsafe the trip is moved to another date; you are informed as early as possible and can choose the new date with our team.
How do I book and confirm?
Choose your date and the number of travellers on this page and send the booking; our team confirms on WhatsApp within minutes and notes your lunch preference.
