Getting around in Santa Marta, walk off by bus, climb out by cab or pour out by chivas.

When traveling around Santa Marta there are many transportation options, the infamous chivas, public transportation, cab and moto taxi and one of when you take one of the chivas though you may forget where you're going and why you were going there, this is the party bus of Colombia and on this bus too much is never enough.

Santa Marta is a travel destination that makes your commute to places of interest easy and inexpensive. A $5.00 cab ride in Santa Marta will take you across the city, a bus across town is .75 cents, it's discount travel for everyone.

The major forms of transportation around Santa Marta are

Chivas These are a great way to get around but only if your the party type because there's always lots of celebrating going on.
Bus system, city to city typical bus that you would take between cities such as Santa Marta and Barranquilla, for about $10.00.
Tour Bus This is a mid size bus that would carry about 15 people, we took this bus for a tour to Tayrona, whiskey, beer everything allowed, no problem.
Taxis It's fun to go out at night when it's inexpensive to get home.
Moto-Taxis This is a good way to get around especially if you spent all of your money trying to impress the girl you were sitting next to in the pub, they cost about half the price of a cab.
City Buses Getting around Santa Marta is easy, the buses within the city are small and there are many so on the main roads there is one coming along every 5 minutes.
Unique to Cienaga Who really knows why but around the city of Cienaga there is a system to get around comprised of these little covered tricycles.

There are many many cabs circulating around Santa Marta throughout the day and night, many new along with a few tired ones. We flag cabs off the street all of the time but as a tourist, it's better to prearrange your daily transportation. the same as going to an unknown part of the city of any North American city, My wife Maria grew up in Santa Marta so knows where to go and where not to.

The above caution is for the conservative traveler, if you have street smarts and a 6th sense then of course you will just go out and flag a cab down to get to where you want to go.

One thing to note, if you flag a cab off the street remember that Santa Marta is hot, a cab with the windows rolled up has air conditioning, if the windows are down then you will have a hot breezy ride to your travel destination.

The major attractions of Santa Marta will be close to

Avenida Libertador (Liberator Avenue)
Avenida Ferrocarril (Railway Avenue)
Avenida Santa Rita (Santa Rita Avenue)
Avenida Fundador (The Founder) which runs right along the ocean.

To go from the small resort town of El Rodadero to Santa Marta, about a 15 minute cab ride is about $3.50 or .75 if you prefer to take the bus. You have to travel a long way to spend money, ground transportation is inexpensive.

From the bus station in Santa Marta to the bus station in Barranquilla would not be more than $10.00 and from Barranquilla to Cartagena another $10.00, low prices make it fun to go places and of course there are always lots of places to stop to have a snack or a meal.

Chivas of course are the best way to get around if you don't care where you are going or how long it takes, the chivas detour will get you there, rum, beer or whatever you bring with you, your destination is wherever you get off.

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