With a coastline that extends more than 1,600 km, the Caribbean coast of Colombia offers much more than just your typical beach holiday. Magnificent colonial cities and pre-colombian culture, combined with beautiful beaches surrounded by small bays that melt straight into the tropical rain forests; this is the Caribbean dream! The capitals of a number of different departments, Bolivar (Cartagena), Atlántico (Barranquilla) and Magdalena (Santa Marta) are located directly on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Here you will hear the sounds of joy and life, which the Colombians express through the rhythms of the region, Cumbia and Vallenato. The Caribbean coast of Colombia is one of the most diversified coastlines of the South American continent, ranging from the evergreen tropical rain forests in the southwest up to the dry dusty Guajira desert in the northeast. In between you find many lagoon-filled landscapes and the highest coastal mountain in the world, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with its snow-capped peaks, Pico Colón and Pico Bolívar. The more than 10 vast national parks help provide natural means for the preservation of the ecosystems in this area. With an excellent and extensive hotel infrastructure, the Caribbean coast of Colombia offers everything a tourist’s heart could desire – from first class hotels to traditional Caribbean lodges. The unmistakable openness and joy of life expressed by the local people is well known throughout the country and makes it easy for visitors and locals to get to know each other.