Taganga, a Pandora’s box

Diving in the Caribbean is a more than rewarding experience. Its clear, warm waters teeming with life make it a must-see destination for all of us who love being underwater. Taganga is, without a doubt, an ideal place if you want to get away to the sea and forget about your problems because the sea is all crazy, or even a place to live if you’re an instructor, divemaster, or simply love the beach lifestyle and are looking for your place in the world. Taganga is a little piece of paradise, an ancient fishing village in the Colombian Caribbean, full of magic in every corner. It has that something that draws you in and won’t let you go. It’s not for nothing that some people call it “get out if you can.”

Although it’s a small town and you won’t find a movie theater or a shopping mall, food and lodging won’t be a problem. You can find all kinds of food on the streets, from fried foods (empanadas, potatoes, and stuffed plantains) to Mediterranean dishes. But you can’t be in the Caribbean without eating a good rice with shrimp, fresh cojinoa, or a seafood casserole. Of course, we can’t forget the many delicious fruits transformed into refreshing juices on every corner of the town, the perfect thing to sip after an excellent day of diving. That, along with an ice-cold Águila (a beer brand) on the beach while watching the sky turn fiery at dusk, can make your day. Sunsets in Taganga are on another level.

Dreamy views are familiar to everyone, so you can enjoy them sitting on the beach with your partner, in one of its restaurants with friends, or from the comfort of a hammock at your chosen hostel. Among these hostels, you’ll find a range of prices for all tastes, from the simplest to the most luxurious. Even if you’re looking for a more private space, you can find house or apartment rentals for a couple of weeks or months at very low prices, ideal for all those instructors, divemasters, or divemasters-in-training who are going to spend a long time on the coast.

As a diving professional or as a divemaster candidate, you can dive the waters of Tayrona National Natural Park up to 5 times in a single day on a busy day, so at the end of the week if you don’t have any courses scheduled, you can enjoy the panoramic view of Taganga while having a couple of cocktails at the lookout point, destroy a couple of ears at the karaoke of La Tortuga or take a bus that takes you to Santa Marta in 15 minutes, to let out some Latin flavor at La Puerta or La Brisa Loca, two of the best clubs in the pearl of America.

Delicious Caribbean food, fresh fruit juices on every corner, smiling and cheerful people, picture-postcard sunsets, and scuba diving; incredible animals, life forms that seem from another planet or straight out of a science fiction story, indescribable sensations, the possibility of entering a timeless place, a world of colors without gravity—make this an activity to add to your bucket list. Add to all of the above the chance to meet new people and cultures, make friends, create bonds of brotherhood beyond blood, and—why not?—find the love of your life just a few grains of sand away, guarantees a supremely addictive cocktail of fun that you won’t be able to (or want to) escape; it simply draws you in.

Many people arrive without knowing what they’re looking for and find it here. They fall in love with this land, its faces and voices, this little town nestled between the mountains and the sea. Whether you’re working here or doing a divemaster internship, you’ll be able to experience everything Taganga has to offer. More than just a strategic diving spot in Colombia, Taganga is an experience in itself. What are you waiting for? Come and be amazed, come and experience Taganga.