While Cartagena is where the world comes to visit… Santa Marta is a place to settle in.Īnd thanks to the continued strength of the U.S. Santa Marta offers excellent diving, sandy beaches, calm waters, an upbeat and energetic culture, and a collection of diverse and attractive living options.

But just 150 miles up the Caribbean coast is another Caribbean town that you may not have heard of… This Spanish-colonial city on the Caribbean Sea is Colombia’s #1 draw for foreign visitors and home to a sizeable expat community. While there’s not much going on on the Pacific coast, the Caribbean coast is more developed, with several enviable cities to choose from, including the colonial Cartagena, the traditional, muy auténtico Barranquilla, and the lesser-known, more affordable Santa Marta.Įveryone who appreciates the Caribbean has heard of Cartagena. Santa Marta: A Hidden Diamond In Colombia’s Caribbean Coast AdobeStock/jkraft5 We talk a lot about Medellín here at Live And Invest Overseas-with good reason-but there’s so much more to Colombia than this one city, including two gorgeous coastlines to take advantage of, one on the Pacific and one on the Caribbean.

Its river provides some water diversion for residents, but there’s nothing like living on the coast, seeing endless ocean from your home every day. And although a wonderful, cosmopolitan city with a lot to offer, Medellín is landlocked.

He’s from Medellín, which is also where I spend the majority of my time when in Colombia. It’s an odd comparison, though, because Panama and Colombia don’t have a ton in common… the geography, climate, culture, food… they’re all very distinct for each country.īut the main difference for us both came down to Panama’s ocean access… Last week in Panama I went paddle boarding with Carlos, our Colombian property manager at Los Islotes, and we naturally got around to comparing his home country to his chosen adopted country…

Zillow santa marta colombia