Pedro Carvalheiro
Google
After spending several months traveling across Colombia, I repeatedly heard about Tayrona National Park as one of the country’s must-see natural destinations. With great excitement, I made my way there after a few days in Santa Marta — but what I found left me conflicted and disappointed.
The first red flag was the steep daily entrance fee coupled with a mandatory insurance payment. This is particularly frustrating for international travelers who already have comprehensive travel insurance. The system appears heavily geared toward monetizing foreign visitors, especially those from wealthier countries like the U.S. or Europe. Sadly, this often prices out travelers from Central and South America, who earn significantly less and are arguably the ones who should be most empowered to explore regional natural heritage.
Even before stepping onto a trail, visitors are required to wear multiple wristbands — one for the entrance fee, another for the insurance, and sometimes others depending on your plans. These unnecessary plastic markers contradict the park’s supposed environmental mission and add to the feeling of over-management and under-preservation.
Perhaps the most disheartening aspect is the option to ride horses through the park. While some may see this as a convenience, the impact is obvious: strong odors from feces along the trails, degraded paths, and the stress that large animals introduce into a fragile ecosystem. The presence of domestic cats and dogs within the park boundaries further threatens native wildlife, which was already scarce during my visit.
Despite the natural beauty of the beaches — which is undeniable — the park was overcrowded from start to finish. Trails, campsites, and facilities were all overwhelmed with people. Even though the park was not at full capacity, I waited over an hour to take a shower. Trash bins were rare, hygiene was poor, and the infrastructure fell short in every way.
Food and supplies are another major issue. There are no basic markets inside the park, and visitors are left with no choice but to buy from overpriced restaurants that only accept cash — a major inconvenience and another indicator of poor planning.
It pains me to leave a one-star review for a natural space, because nature itself is not the problem — the management is. I understand that Colombians are proud of Tayrona, and with reason. But perhaps the pride stems from what the park used to be, not what it has become.
If you choose to visit, I urge you to do so with a critical eye. Beautiful beaches alone cannot justify the commodification of nature and the environmental and social compromises being made in the name of tourism. Tayrona deserves better — and so do its visitors.