10 Boat Tours in Santa Marta Nobody Regrets Booking

1.Sailboat day tour to Tayrona Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 352 reviews · 7h 30m · from $64Our pick

Meet the Sonata sailboat at Santa Marta’s International Marina for a 7.5-hour trip to Bahia Concha. You’ll pass Taganga Bay, Granate Bay, and Aguja Island, then swim, snorkel, paddle board, and eat grilled fish on the beach. Captain Carlos and the crew handle the sailing, with Spanish and English support available.

“I highly recommend this tour. The trip to the beach in Tayrona Park went smoothly both ways, the beach was absolutely wonderful, the water was clear, and everything was very clean. Transportation, and all details were very well organized. Sometimes on the boat it’s hard to stay out of the sun, so come prepared as it’s a little over an hour each way, and it’s easy to take a lot of sun before you even get to go out on the beach.”

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2.Tayrona Bay Sailboat trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 107 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $60

Leave Santa Marta at 9:30 am aboard a sailboat bound for Tayrona’s Bahia Concha. Expect a 6 to 7 hour outing with swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, paddleboarding, fruit, drinks, and grilled fish, chicken, or vegetarian lunch. The boat often uses its motor outbound and may sail part of the return. Groups can reach 26 people.

“It was a nice day. Water was lovely for the sail and the swim. Not much time given to snorkeling and very little English spoken. So lovely day but if those two things are essential to you, I would look elsewhere.”

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3.Sunset Sailboat Tour with 2 Beverages

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 93 reviews · 2h 30m · from $47

Meet Tayrona Sailing at Santa Marta’s International Marina and board the classic Sonata sailboat for a 2.5-hour sunset trip toward Taganga Bay. You’ll receive marina entry, insurance, and two beverages, with English and Spanish support. Expect lovely sunset colors, social time on deck, and possible rolling motion when the wind picks up.

“O pôr-do-sol visto de dentro do mar é muito bonito e especial. Ficamos muito felizes por ter tido essa experiência. A equipe do veleiro é atenciosa e gentil, durante todo o passeio estiveram preocupados com as pessoas abordo e o bem-estar de todos. É uma experiência interessante, mas para quem tem medo de barco ou passa mal durante travessias eu não recomendo. Venta bastante e o veleiro fica instável, gerando movimentos contínuos para os lados, as vezes dando a impressão de que algo pode acontecer. Claro que a minha impressão é de alguém que não conhece/veleja, mas é uma impressão sincera sobre o passeio. Não dei nota máxima porque a…”

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4.Sailing Tour to Tayrona Park with Luis’ Team

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 76 reviews · 6h 30m · from $66

Meet Tutour Colombia’s bilingual crew at Artivela in Santa Marta Marina at 10:30 am. Sail toward Bahia Concha, pass Taganga and Granate Bays, fish near Aguja Island, then swim, snorkel, paddleboard, or relax on the boat. Lunch, snacks, soft drinks, park fees, and equipment are included.

“The crew was lovely and took good care of us. However, the tour didn't deliver and is quite expensive for what it is. Despite having booked an English tour with what was advertised as a bilingual crew, no one spoke any English and we did not understand any of the information given about the park or the day. So it was basically an expensive taxi to Concha beach. The beach is very full with boats who are blasting music despite it being a national park. We did some sailing back to Santa Marta, which was nice. In the end thay wanted to make us pay for some beers we hadn't…”

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5.One amazing day in a private recent sailing boat in the Tayrona Park. The best sail trip from Santa Marta!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) Top rated

Join Thierry and Amy-Esther aboard a private sailing boat from Santa Marta for a relaxed day near Tayrona National Natural Park. Swim, snorkel, paddleboard, sunbathe, and jump from the boat in Bahia Concha. A sandwich, snacks, one drink, and a large rear swim platform are included.

“We had an amazing time! The hosts are wonderful and make the day simply perfect, highly recommend. Had a great time selling in the beautiful day and swimming. And they are very nice to spend the day with.”

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6.Full-Day Catamaran Tour through Tayrona

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 50 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Spend about 8.5 hours sailing from Santa Marta into Tayrona National Park, with Captain Luis and crew guiding you to Bahía Concha or Gayraca. Swim, snorkel, paddleboard, eat fresh fish ceviche, and return under sail for sunset. The crew may speak mainly Spanish, and the tour visits one main beach rather than several park stops.

“The crew were excellent! So attentive and keen to make sure everyone was happy, fed and watered. Lunch and a plentiful supply of drinks and snacks, were great. I personally didn’t love the beach itself … have been to dozens of much nicer ones. Please note if you want to sit down on the beach you’re expected to pay for a chair (not a sun Lounger, a basic chair) . I found this disappointing within the context of a tour, given that lunch was served and especially for the price paid.”

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7.Magdalena: Tayrona Park Cruise with Snorkeling & Beaches

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 39 reviews · 7 hours · from $70

Meet Felipe and the crew at Santa Marta International Marina for a seven-hour cruise aboard Tranquila. Snorkel at Remanso and Granate, look for turtles, relax at Concha Bay, and eat fresh fish for lunch. During Tayrona closures, the route changes to local beaches such as Taganga and Inca Inca.

“Great tour, really enjoyed. It was the difficulties in the beginning (the Tayrona park was closed for visitors from 9 to 12), but the owner got the solution and extended the tour to compensate the “lost time”. Problem solving “great””

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8.Sunset Cruise Around the Bay

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 26 reviews · 2h 30m

Meet your English or Spanish-speaking guide outside Serena Tropical Bistro at 4:30pm, walk to the marina, and board a private boat for a sunset cruise around Santa Marta Bay. Bring your own food and drinks, use the cooler and Bluetooth speaker, and watch the city light up from the water. Kristina has hosted some departures.

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9.Santa Marta Bay: Sunset on a sail boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 14 reviews · 3 hours · from $46Best value

Join Captain Dario at Santa Marta’s International Marina for a three-hour sunset sail on a classic 38-foot boat with wood and bronze details. The boat carries up to 12 people, offering a friendly shared outing with bay views, a drink, local snacks, and a stop near the closer islet before returning by 8 p.m.

“of our best evenings in Colombia! Watching the sunset from the sailboat was simply magical. The atmosphere was perfect, relaxed and unforgettable. The crew was amazing: incredibly kind, open-minded, welcoming and genuinely caring, which made the experience even more special. The snack was a high-quality aperitivo platter, delicious and generous — a real highlight. I can’t recommend this experience enough. 10/10, would do it again without hesitation! ++++ 🌅⛵️”

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10.SANTAMARTA: TOUR Combo boat taxi, aquarium, lunch, and white sand beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 14 reviews · 6 hours · from $75

Start at Puente Turístico El Rodadero for a 20-minute water taxi to the aquarium and dolphin show. Then continue by boat to Playa Blanca or Inca Inca for a traditional lunch, swimming, and free time. Spanish-speaking hosts assist at each stop, but you explore independently without a permanent guide.

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