# Things to see in Santa Marta (Colombia): 16 places and when to go > Santa Marta is a city in Colombia with around 432,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 16 places in and around it, mainly Diving (7), Nature (2), Wildlife (2). The best known are Tayrona National Natural Park, Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino and Santa Marta Bay. The best time to come is December to February and June to August; also possible: March to May and September to November. In June there are 12 h 39 of daylight, and in December, 11 h 21. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/santa-marta/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-08 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **Where:** Colombia · 11.2472, -74.2017 - **Population:** About 432,000 - **Places:** 16 places on this site, in the town and around it. - **What people come for:** [Diving](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/submarinismo/) (7) · [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/naturaleza/) (2) · [Wildlife](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/fauna/) (2) · [Museums and art](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/museos/) (2) · [Hot springs](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/termal/) (2) · [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/historia/) (1) - **Best time:** December to February and June to August. - **Also possible:** March to May and September to November. - **Nearest airport:** SMR Santa Marta, 15 km as the crow flies ## What to see in Santa Marta The places in and around Santa Marta, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies. - [Tayrona National Natural Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/parque-nacional-natural-tayrona/): National park in Colombia · 19 km - [Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/quinta-de-san-pedro-alejandrino/): National monument of Colombia · 3.4 km - [Santa Marta Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/bahia-de-santa-marta/): Bight in Colombia · 2.5 km - [Cathedral of Santa Marta](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/basilica-de-santa-marta/): Temples · 1.1 km - [Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/rodadero-sea-aquarium-and-museum/): Aquarium and maritime museum in Santa Marta, Colombia · 5.1 km - [Bombita](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/bombita/): Dive site · 6.6 km - [Cacao museum & Chocolate Factory](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/cacao-museum-chocolate-factory/): Museum · 15 km - [La playita](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/la-playita/): Hot spring bath · 15 km - [Museo Bolivariano de Arte Contemporáneo](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/museo-bolivariano-de-arte-contemporaneo/): Contemporary art museum in Santa Marta, Colombia · 3.2 km - [Natural Jacuzzi](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/natural-jacuzzi/): Hot spring bath · 12 km - [Oceano Centro de Buceo](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/oceano-centro-de-buceo/): Dive site · 2.5 km - [Playa Vaca](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/playa-vaca/): Dive site · 1.4 km - [Punta Aguja](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/punta-aguja/): Dive site · 7.8 km - [Punta Venado](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/punta-venado/): Dive site · 3.2 km - [Salichin](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/salichin/): Dive site · 7.2 km - [Torin](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/torin/): Dive site · 7.0 km ## When to go to Santa Marta The best time to visit Santa Marta is **December to February and June to August**; also possible: March to May and September to November. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Best time | 11 h 24 | | February | Best time | 11 h 38 | | March | Possible | 11 h 56 | | April | Possible | 12 h 15 | | May | Possible | 12 h 31 | | June | Best time | 12 h 39 | | July | Best time | 12 h 36 | | August | Best time | 12 h 22 | | September | Possible | 12 h 04 | | October | Possible | 11 h 45 | | November | Possible | 11 h 28 | | December | Best time | 11 h 21 | In June there are 12 h 39 of daylight, and in December, 11 h 21. In January, 16 of the 16 places are at their best. When to go to Colombia in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/#cuando-ir). ## Getting to Santa Marta The nearest main airport is Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR, Santa Marta), 15 km as the crow flies. How to get around Colombia (train, car, bus) is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/#moverse), and what to sort out before you leave is in [its checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/#antes-de-salir). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=11.2472%2C-74.2017) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=11.2472%2C-74.2017) ## Other towns nearby - [Barranquilla](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/barranquilla/): 6 places · 73 km - [Valledupar](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/valledupar/): 7 places · 135 km - [Cartagena, Colombia](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/cartagena-de-indias/): 12 places · 172 km - [Ocaña, Colombia](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/ocana/): 29 places · 348 km - [Cúcuta](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/cucuta/): 9 places · 414 km - [Pamplona, Norte de Santander](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/pamplona/): 7 places · 462 km And all of Colombia, in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is there to see in Santa Marta? The best known: [Tayrona National Natural Park](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/parque-nacional-natural-tayrona/), [Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/quinta-de-san-pedro-alejandrino/), [Santa Marta Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/bahia-de-santa-marta/), [Cathedral of Santa Marta](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/basilica-de-santa-marta/), [Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/america/colombia/rodadero-sea-aquarium-and-museum/). In all, 16 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one. ### When is the best time to visit Santa Marta? December to February and June to August; also possible: March to May and September to November. In June there are 12 h 39 of daylight, and in December, 11 h 21. ### How do you get to Santa Marta? The nearest main airport is Simón Bolívar International Airport (SMR), 15 km away. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=11.2472%2C-74.2017) opens the route on the map. ### How do I add it to my trip? Create a trip with Santa Marta as the destination and these 16 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby. Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright), licensed under the ODbL, from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0, cities from [Natural Earth](https://www.naturalearthdata.com/) and airports from [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).