The northernmost area of mainland Colombia is visited by an increasing number of vacationers yearly. You could find plenty of helpful data on-line, so there’s no want for me to say the most well-liked locations to go to. This weblog publish goals to supply some sensible suggestions primarily based on my journey to La Guajira that I took two months in the past.
Spend a while in Riohacha
Most vacationers begin their journey to La Guajira in Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and even Cartagena. Riohacha is commonly seen simply as a transit metropolis, which I feel is a bit unfair. The division’s capital has a nice vibe and I actually loved my time in it. I like to recommend spending an evening there so you may see a wonderful sundown from the promenade. It is a good alternative to go to a coastal metropolis that isn’t that well-liked with overseas vacationers. There are direct flights to Riohacha from Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali, which makes it straightforward to succeed in.
It’s higher to ebook a tour in particular person
A visit to La Guajira undoubtedly isn’t low-cost by Colombian requirements, and when you seek for excursions on the web, you will discover some actually costly packages. There are many businesses in huge cities that may take you to Cabo de la Vela and past, and you will discover decrease costs if you go to the workplace in particular person. That is one other benefit of going to Riohacha since you could find a greater deal there in comparison with Santa Marta or Cartagena. I like to recommend that you just store round and go to extra businesses, which offers you an opportunity to decide on the operator that fits you finest.
The coastal highway offers a pleasant detour
Most guests journey from Rioacha to Uribia utilizing the principle highway and the Cuatro Vías intersection. Nevertheless, meaning lacking out on some good locations to go to. The coastal highway is much less snug, however you may cease in Mayapo, which gives beautiful sandy seashores. I additionally extremely advocate visiting the saltworks of Manaure, the place you may take an informative tour to seek out out extra concerning the means of extracting salt from seawater. If you happen to’re not in a rush, visiting these two locations on the best way to Uribia is a fairly good choice.
Uribia could be a good start line as nicely
The indigenous capital of Colombia doesn’t have any stunning sights, however it’s the closest city to Cabo de la Vela with some facilities. Work Area Hostal is the one property in Uribia that may be discovered on reserving.com in the mean time, and I can affirm that it’s a great place to remain at. The principle benefit of spending an evening within the city is that you may go away for Cabo de la Vela early within the morning and beat the crowds, which is particularly useful when travelling throughout a preferred trip interval.
It’s doable to discover La Guajira independently
If you happen to don’t like utilizing tour businesses, you may go to probably the most visited locations by yourself. Driving a automobile is an choice, however that’s a bit dangerous because the farther you go, the more serious the roads get. It’s additionally straightforward to get disoriented within the desert, so most individuals want to rent an area driver. Most likely the most affordable choice is to get a journey to Cabo de la Vela in a jeep from the intersection proper exterior Uribia, after which pay for a visit to locations equivalent to Pilón de Azúcar. It appears to be protected to take action, and adventurous travellers could select to maneuver round with out being a part of a guided tour. The principle risks to vacationers come from the tough setting, so don’t overlook to pack applicable garments, plenty of water, and loads of sunscreen!
Take plenty of money with you
There are three Bancolombia ATMs in Uribia, however solely certainly one of them was working once I was there. I acquired fortunate and managed to withdraw sufficient cash for the journey to Cabo de la Vela as a result of the next day all of the ATMs had been out of operation. It’s a good suggestion to get your money upfront in one of many huge cities.
Talking of cash, La Guajira isn’t the fitting place for negotiating and asking for reductions, which is widespread in another components of Colombia. Meals in locations like Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallina is expensive by Colombian requirements, however it’s essential to go searching and see how fundamental the infrastructure is. There are points with water and electrical energy, and plenty of stuff must be transported by land in troublesome circumstances, which explains why it’s worthwhile to pay extra for some services.
Don’t count on a sanitised expertise
La Guajira is sort of clearly a wonderful place; seeing the desert meet the ocean is one thing you gained’t overlook. Nevertheless, you need to be prepared for some much less nice sights alongside the best way. If you happen to discover the area on Google Road View, you may simply discover pictures like this one. Sadly, there’s a big drawback with plastic waste in La Guajira resulting from an ineffective waste assortment system and lack of training. It’s widespread to see the locals litter and pollute the world through which they stay, which I feel could flip into an environmental catastrophe within the close to future.
Additionally, you will encounter youngsters making an attempt to cease vehicles and ask for cash or meals, which can be distressing for guests. The locals I’ve talked to steered that it’s a kind of conditions when doing what you assume is an effective deed may very well exacerbate the issue.
The general feeling in La Guajira appears to be that the area receives little or no consideration from the federal government. As well as, the division is beset by rampant corruption and incompetence. For instance, a brand new bus terminal was opened in Uribia in 2015. For some weird causes, it has by no means been utilized by precise buses and the intersection simply a few hundred metres up the highway continues to function the principle transport hub.
I’d say that La Guajira is an effective instance of challenges that creating international locations typically face. Having stunning landscapes is clearly a fantastic factor, however there are nonetheless loads of points affecting the native inhabitants that must be resolved.