Parque Tayrona on Colombia’s northern Caribbean coast
Summer beach season is over here in the U.S. But what if it didn’t have to be? What if you could be stranded on a beach somewhere in the world and have an endless summer? What beach would you pick? We asked members of the Travel Channel staff to share their beach and what they’d bring to their sandy slice of heaven.
On which world beach would you most like to be stranded?
Hands down, La Piscinita (aka “The little pool”) at Parque Tayrona on Colombia’s northern Caribbean coast. Located 34km from Santa Marta, this crystal clear natural pool is surrounded by nothing but dense tropical jungle and miles of virgin white sand beaches.
Why that beach?
Quite simply, Parque Tayrona is the closest thing I’ve ever seen to paradise on Earth. Because you need to hike 45-60 minutes up steep rocky hills through the jungle to reach Tayrona’s beaches and because it is a protected national park, the land has remained virtually untouched by development and the scourge of over-tourism. The beaches are absolutely pristine, the snorkeling divine, and the lack of amenities refreshing.
This place is the epitome of “back to basics” as everything that you bring with you on the hike into the jungle is what you have available to you during your stay. As your backpack becomes ever heavier you come to realize that all you really need is food (i.e. tuna, peanut butter, bread, chocolate), shelter (i.e. hammock, rope, knife), swimsuit and towel, minimal toiletries and of course, libations. While comfortable beach chairs and a waiter serving pina coladas are indeed nice, it is the lack of these luxuries at Tayrona that make it so unique and, well, luxurious.
It is here that you are reminded what really matters–reconnecting with yourself, nature and your fellow traveler who has also been lucky enough to stumble upon paradise in this wild ride we call life.
What’s the perfect soundtrack for your beach?
“Diosa Coronada”–Carlos Vives (light, breezy little feel good song to kick off sunrise in paradise)
“Best Years of Our Lives”–Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
“With My Own Two Hands”–Ben Harper
“I’m Yours”–Jason Mraz (makes me smile every time I hear it)
“Guantanamera”–Wyclef Jean
“Cali Pachanguero”–Galileo y su Banda
“Come with Me Tonight”–Bob Schneider
“La Isla Bonita”–Madonna
“Lullaby”–The Cure (for post-lunch napping in your beach-side hammock)
“Sweetest Perfection”–Depeche Mode (again, naptime tunes)
“Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”–Julie Covington (because no good playlist is complete without a Broadway show tune)
“El Estuche”–Los Aterciopelados (sexy little number to listen to at dusk when you pop open the rum)
“We Ridin”–Ludacris (let’s get this party started)
“El Preso”–Fruko y sus Tesos (simply the best salsa song ever made)
“Hips Don’t Lie”–Shakira with Wyclef Jean
“World Hold On”–Bob Sinclair
“Waiting for the Night”–Depeche Mode (night time tunes to snuggle up with in your hammock)
What’s the perfect drink for your beach?
Technically you are not allowed to bring your own alcohol into the park but most folks smuggle in their own bottles of rum or other such spirits that will get the job done, so to speak. Though my drink doesn’t really have a fancy name, we can call it “Pasion en Paraiso”–rum mixed with fresh maracuya (passion fruit) juice with a splash of lime.
What three other things would you bring with you?
1. A non-battery operated flashlight–When the lights go out in the jungle (i.e. when the sun goes down), your flashlight is your best friend. The flashlight will help you avoid stepping on tarantulas during a midnight potty run, climb into the wrong hammock on your way back from said potty run, and/or light your way if you need to make a mad dash from some creepy crawlies that show up in the night.
2. Hammock–Though real beds are now available for the new breed of elite eco-travelers, my preferred accommodation in Tayrona is still the good old hammock. When you get there, find two available palm trees (as close to the water as possible) and tether your hammock with strong rope.
3. Mosquito net/spray–Drape it over your hammock at night for protection against vampire bats, spiders, and, of course, the tiny bloodsuckers themselves.
Mari Belalcazar is a Manager, Business Development and Operations at Travel Channel.
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