La Guajira Voyage Tips and guide

La Guajiraoccupies most of the Guajira Peninsula in in the Costa Norte region of Colombia, on the Caribbean Sea, bordering Venezuela, at the northernmost tip of South America.

11°0′0″N 73°0′0″W

Map of La Guajira

The region was directly affected by the high concentration of neo-paramilitary and guerrilla groups during the insurgency period. The paramilitaries were notorious for massacres against the indigenous population. Check your foreign travel advice to get the latest information.

• 11.544167-72.9069441 Riohacha – the capital, is a less-touristed beach town on the Caribbean coast
• 11.377778-72.2413892 Maicao – home to one of the largest mosques in all of Latin America that was built to accommodate the city's notable Arab and Muslim population, mostly composed of Lebanese immigrants
• 11.244167-73.56253 Palomino – has an exotic jungle landscapeand vast biodiversity, and the beaches are white and uninhabited

• 12.19709-72.147051 Cabo de la Vela – a beautiful well-known beach in the desert of the Peninsula de la Guajira. Trips could be booked from Santa Marta or Riohacha.
• 12.4574-71.667812 Punta Gallinas – the most northern point of Colombia and South America. Beautiful dunes, desert, exotic beaches and sacred indigenous cultures.
• 12.18-71.923 Bahia Portete National Natural Park – the northernmost park on the Colombian mainland, coastal beaches and a dry arid climate due to the La Guajira desert.

The first big city after reaching Colombia from Venezuela is Riohacha. There are various buses from Maicao or Santa Marta everyday - price ranges from COP$12,000 to COP$18,000 for Riohacha to Santa Marta and COP$3,000 Maicao to Riohacha.

Much of this region was considered out of bounds for tourism in the past, due to the heavy presence of paramilitary groups and guerrillas. La Guajira was considered to be one of Colombia's most violent regions, with very high murder rates. Places like Cabo de La Vela, Riohacha and Palomino appear safe for tourism now, but instances of robbery are still common. The Foreign Office in the United Kingom advises against all essential travel to within 5 km of the Venezuelan border in the departments of La Guajira, César and Boyaca.