Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range, Minca is a small town popular with travellers and Colombians looking for hiking and relaxation surrounded by nature. We really enjoyed the laid back vibe and the nature. Our time was split between hiking, relaxing at our hostel, and walking through the town. Our cafe stops didn’t include many coffees, as daily power cuts restricted what they were able to offer, and coffee was off the list. Probably good to take a small caffeine break!
Weather:
Being in the mountains, it was slightly cooler than Cartagena (thankfully), but still hot. Like most places in Colombia, rain can break suddenly and quite hard, and we did get caught in a downpour one day.
Where we stayed:
We stayed in a lovely family-run hostel, with incredibly friendly hosts. The terrace had fantastic views of the mountains, and the pool was refreshing. With some hammocks too, it was a real winner.
Best thing we ate:
A cute cafe called Duni gets the top spot for us, where we enjoyed two visits. I liked the arepas I had, and Florence liked the ginger lemonade, but the standout star for both of us was their (gluten-free) almond and banana muffin, served warm.
Coolest thing we did:
There are lots of hiking options around Minca, and we decided to go for one of the more laid back ones. After hiking just over an hour, with a gentle uphill climb, and then steeer stretch, we reached the impressive Marinka waterfalls and ponds. The scenery here was amazing, and the water was only a bit too cold for my liking. We swam below the waterfalls for a while, and then enjoyed some maracuya juice on a net overlooking it all.
The hike home saw us get completely drenched as we hadn’t brought our raincoats. (Our backup ponchos provided some protection)
Bonus:
Some fantastic wildlife:
- Hummingbirds: we thought we saw these a few years ago, but they turned out to be hummingbird moths, so it was great to see the real thing
- Pretty green lizard (not the scientific name)
- Leafcutter ants: if you don’t know how cool these are, look them up
- Giant blue butterfly: at least 15cm across, maybe more!
Next stop, Santa Marta and Tayrona National Park.
Besos,
Chris and Florence