Mayapo Experience by Juanita

In the Colombian Caribbean, you can find a lot of beautiful places to take some time and relax. This time around Juanita decided to take a break in Mayapo, a small town on the skirt of la Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta the highest snow-capped coastal mountain in the world. It is located in La Guajira, Colombia. The wind that flows from the ice caps to the ocean makes the weather perfect to enjoy the sun while having some fresh cool breeze.

The town is 20 minutes away from Riohacha which is the closest city with an airport. From Riohacha you can take a bus, cab, or moto taxi making sure to ask how much the ride is before getting into the transport (that way you prevent any misunderstandings). You can choose which mode of transport you take according to your budget.

Once there, there are various hotels and hostels to choose from, some of them even offer a Wifi connection. From the place Juanita chose you can see the people practicing kite surfing on the waves of the Colombian Caribbean. Adventurous people love this destination because of the possibility to unwind and relax on seldom-visited beaches and the perfect climate. The weather is dry but cool thanks to the cool breeze that flows down the Sierra. And the development that has surrounded the area has been slow, so the night sky is perfect for stargazing.

Even tho it's becoming a tourist area, Mayapo is a wayú tribe patrimony. The wayú are the native tribes that have inhabited the Guajira department since the beginning of time, it's estimated they established themselves in la Guajira as early as 150 BC. Nowadays the wayú community is known because of their elaborate textile skills which involve colorful bags or bracelets. And have also been depicted in various nationally produced films because of their profound rituals and cultural heritage.

The experience of going to Mayapo was incredible. They say its beaches mirror the ones you can find in Brazil. I remember the first time I went, the hotels you could find were extremely limited, but now, you can sense the fast passed development. Nevertheless, the beaches are inhabited and I can say I saw the most incredible sunsets in Colombia there.

Even with the beauty it offers, I can say the best part of the day is the afternoon, right before the sun sets, the breeze kicks in and you can see the different colored kites flying in the sky. It´s the perfect place for those people who love kite surfing.

I can say the days go by quickly, the climate is perfect because of the hot weather, the low humidity, and the cool breeze. It´s a place to enjoy the hospitable people, the delicious food, and the stillness of the place.