Camping Los Corales

Scrape yourself from the sands of the splendid beach, and set forth for Santa Marta (20 minutes’ drive) to take a wander through the historic centre and visit the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, where revolutionary ruler Simón Bolívar breathed his last back in 1830. The city’s also the starting point for the multi-day hike to pre-Columbian Ciudad Perdida, deep in the forests of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. There’s an aquarium in Santa Marta too, but if you want more marine life, take off to Taganga (half an hour), a fishing village with snorkelling and diving trips, plus another beach to chill out on upon return. More stunning beaches (with a backdrop of equally stunning rainforest) are over at Tayrona National Park (half an hour). Away from the coast, it’s worth making the 45-minute car journey to Minca, for mountain hikes, birdwatching and to see the coffee plantations that create the beans for your morning flat white.