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Voykit pocket guide · Colombia
Guachaca
Spend a day in Guachaca: walk the village, visit the three small beaches and the river beach, stay in a budget hostel.
Guachaca is a tiny riverside village in Magdalena. Its attractions are the river beach, three nearby sand beaches and a short walk to an unspoiled Caribbean beach. With no ATMs and limited services, a single day is enough; stay in a hostel for the night if you want a relaxed pace.
- Country
- Colombia
- Best months
- May–Nov (river flow for floating, less rain)
- Avoid
- Dec–Apr (river low, beach access limited)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- COP
- Money
- Currency is the Colombian peso (COP, $). Cards work in hotels, malls and many restaurants; cash is needed for small shops, markets and rural areas.
- Daily spend
- Budget COP 20,000–30,000 excl. bed · Mid COP 30,000–45,000 excl. bed · High COP 45,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro (best coverage), Movistar and Tigo SIMs in malls and at airports; passport required and IMEI registration may apply for longer stays — check.
- Emergency
- Police / ambulance / fire 123
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 110–120 V · 60 Hz · US-style plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% propina voluntaria offered on the bill.; Guides: COP 20,000–50,000 per person per day.; Taxis: Round up.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Bogotá and Medellín; drink bottled on the coast and in rural areas.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin in most places; bring tissues for bus stations.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Mototaxi (village ride) | COP 2,000 |
| Beach snack (empanada, juice) | COP 1,000–2,000 |
| Budget restaurant meal (e.g., El Mono) | COP 8,000–12,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SMR · Santa Marta Simón Bolívar International Airport
- —
Typical fares
- Mototaxi within village
- COP 2,000 per short ride (day).
- Bus Santa Marta → Guachaca
- COP 7,000 (2021 price, check 2026).
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is walkable. Mototaxi rides within the village cost COP 2,000 (day) and are higher at night; they also reach the far Caribbean beach (30‑50 min walk).
See and do
Known for
- River beach at the Guachaca bridge
- Small sand beaches east of the village
- Access to an unspoiled Caribbean beach (30‑50 min walk)
- Mototaxi rides
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Unspoiled Caribbean beach | Walk 30–50 min east along the river road or take a mototaxi | ≈ 45 min |
Sleep
- La Playita
- River‑front dorms; bunk beds with mosquito net; dorm COP 25,500 per night (2026 estimate).
- Puerto Caribe Hostel
- Dorms COP 35,000 per night (2026 estimate).
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?kwahn-toh kwes-tah |
| I need a taxi | Necesito un taxineh-seh-see-toh oon tahk-see |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, cheek kiss between women and mixed pairs; avoid: Launching into requests without a greeting
- Politeness: 'Con gusto', 'a la orden'; avoid: Blunt commands
- Topics: Coffee, football, food; avoid: Escobar jokes, drug talk
- Showing valuables: Keep phones away; avoid: 'Dar papaya'
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATMs in Guachaca – bring cash.
- Strong rip tides at the Caribbean beach; swim with caution.
- Night mototaxi fares rise sharply; arrange transport before dark.
Guachaca is low‑risk; main concerns are lack of ATMs, night‑time mototaxi price spikes and strong rip tides at the Caribbean beach.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Guachaca yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- River beach at the Guachaca bridge
- Small sand beaches east of the village
- Access to an unspoiled Caribbean beach (30‑50 min walk)
- Mototaxi rides
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Guachaca, revision 5240879 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240879
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Guachaca
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police / ambulance / fire123
US emergency number 911; Colombian consular assistance via 01‑800‑COLOMBIA.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/guachaca). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.