Taganga a small fishing village?

Definitely not Taganga! Taganga is a rising star for diving and tourism. So, where is Taganga? It is located by the Caribbean coast and 15 min (5 km) away from Santa Marta. Also, it’s near Tayrona National Park. More than 4,000 people live in Taganga. In Tayrona National Park, there are wonderful diving spots. But, this blog is not about diving; it’s about Taganga: the night/day activities, places to visit and the good restaurants.

Before the arrival of the Spanish, Santa Marta (Taganga) was populated by the Gaira indigenous people. The Spanish first arrived in Santa Marta on June 15, 1525. It was founded in 1534 by Rodrigo de Bastidas. It’s one of the oldest colonial cities in South America. For example, the church is one of the oldest in South America. It was initially built in the 1760s, and was rebuilt in 1835 after an earthquake destroyed it.

Before tourism started, Taganga was a fishing village and substantially populated due to the lack of access to Santa Marta. In 1988 Taganga built its first hotel. Soon after, many hostels and bars followed. 

After a good dive you may wanna celebrate with a great dinner or an awesome night out. 

If you’d like to enjoy a good dinner just a few meters from the sea with traditional fare, numerous fish dishes and western food, then you must visit Pachamama. It is a delicious restaurant right at the beach of Taganga.  

Are you a big fan of Italian food? Then your place to go is: Fatto in casa. Here, you can eat pizza or pasta while looking at the sea from the rooftop.

If you travel on a budget or wan’t to experience the culture then you should try: La Mona. This is a popular restaurant among the locals and is just around the corner of Ocean Lovers Dive Center. It has traditional dishes for a very economic price.  

There are many other restaurants to try, but those are a few of the best. There are also places for parties or bars with local music. Mirador is a popular club right in the mountains where you can enjoy dancing to various music while enjoying the view from the mountains. 

Are you an ambitious salsa dancer? Or, do you want to enjoy some local music? If so, visit, Discobar. 

When you want to go visit numerous clubs in one night then you can take a short and cheap taxi ride to the center of Santa Marta and enjoy a variety of local and international bars. Also during the day you have plenty of options to enjoy the historic center of Santa Marta and if you like you can even take a free walking tour with Visit Santa Marta.

Big parts of Taganga’s beauty are the beaches. For example, La Playa Grande. It has crystal clear water and a long white beach.  It is one of the most popular beaches in Taganga. Or you may prefer to relax on another less crowded but not less beautiful beach. If so, then go to Playaca Beach. To both beaches you can either go by boat or walk. All in all, Taganga is a beautiful village with a lot of opportunities and adventure outside the underwater world!