Costa Norte

11 Surf spots

Los Naranjos, undefined by Stéphane Robin

Los Naranjos Stéphane Robin

01/3

families beginners

Positives

Very consistent
Uncrowded
Dry surf season
Mountain scenery
Exploration possibilities

Negatives

Poor quality, messy waves
Frequent onshores
Some difficult access
Street crime and drug trade

Costa Norte surf travel guide

The more developed and easier-going Caribbean coastline is the focus for consistently fun beachbreaks, reefbreaks and a few rivermouths from November to March.

Surf spots in Costa Norte

Research the 11 surf breaks in Costa Norte and discover what spots suit the current conditions.

Break lowdown

We’ve collated the wave data giving you a unique insight into the 11 breaks in Costa Norte.

ability
ability data
Beginner	1
Intermediate	1
Advanced	1

bottom
bottom data
Sand	1
Uneven Reef	1
Uneven Reef & Sand	1
Boulders	1
Boulders & Sand	1

consistency
consistency data
High	1
Medium	1
Low	1

crowds
crowds data
Solo Surfing	1
Rarely	1
Sometimes	1
Often	1
Always	1

direction
direction data
Beachbreaks	1
Peak	1
Left	1
Right	1

length
length data
0-50m	1
50-100m	1
100-200m	1
200-500m	1
500m+	1

type
type data
Beachbreak	1
Submerged Reef	1
Point Break	1
Pier/Groyne/Jetty	1
Rivermouth	1

scroll / drag

When to go

Surf and weather statistics to help plan your surf trip to Costa Norte

Travel Information

General

Current Time
Tourists: 3,904,000
Population: 50,882,891
Tourist Info: Tourist Info

Money

Currency: COP

Communication

Dialing in: +57
Dialing out: 005
Emergencies: 123
Language: Spanish

Electricity

Plug Type: a
b

Visas

Visa free travel for nearly all nationalities for stays of up to 90 days.

Getting There

Connect from Bogota to Cartagena (CTG), Barranquilla (BAQ) or Santa Marta (SMR). National Airlines Avianca, Lan Colombia, Copa and Satena are reliable and cheap. Travelling overland from any of Colombia's neighbours is not recommended.

Getting Around

Car hire is available but driving in cities is not advised. Equally do not stray off the public highway for security reasons. A safer option may be public buses - Cartagena to Barranquila (3h) and Santa Marta (5h), bustetas (shared taxis) or taxis from Cartagena to Barranquila (2h) or Santa Marta (3.5h).

Accommodation

Every town has at least one basic hotel and all the coastal tourist cities have dozens of options suiting all price ranges. Colombia is cheap, with clean double rooms available for as little as $10. Many seafood and meat dishes like cazuela de mariscos, ceviche de camarones or carne asada and fried chicken, all usually served with plantains.

Activities

cultureoutdoorurbanwatersports

Cartagena is a World Heritage Site renowned for its beauty and extraordinary street life. The Parque Nacional Tayrona has good jungle trekking and the remains of a lost city called Pueblito. The twin peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are the world's highest coastal mountains at 5775m. Ciudad Perdida is a Colombian highlight.

Hazards & hassles

After decades of guerrilla insurgency, paramilitary death squads, massively powerful drug cartels, kidnapping and a daunting petty crime rate, Colombia is finally becoming more secure. Stick to tourist areas, listen to local advice and avoid displays of wealth (jewellery, watches, phones etc).

Handy Hints

Limited surf spares are available from Etniko in Barranquilla. Kayakitesurfing school do surfing and SUP lessons and rentals (fr$20/h). Colombia can be very dangerous in places, but don't be paranoid; most people leave with nothing but good memories.

Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.