Mendihuaca and Los Naranjos – Off Path Paradise Beaches on the Colombian Caribbean Coast

I set myself a challenge to travel along Colombia’s Carribean coast and see every little beach. It was not really a challenge as I enjoyed myself immensely. 

I almost succeeded. There were only two beaches I missed, but I had to leave something for when I returned. During that “challenge,” I stayed in places where not many foreign travelers stay, and I discovered some hidden beaches and small gems. I want to talk about two of them in this post. 

So let’s talk about Mendihuaca and Los Naranjos Beach. 

I will be covering both of them in this post because they are located right next to each other and within almost walking distance of Tayrona National Park. So, if you are looking for an off-the-beaten-path Colombia beach town from which you can easily visit Tayrona Park, this post is for you!

Mendihuaca

Where the Mendihuaca River flows into the Caribbean Sea, you will find a hidden piece of paradise that not many tourists know about.

Mendihuaca is moderately popular with Colombians but is hardly on the itinerary of your usual Colombia backpacker.

If you do happen to stumble across this paradise, you will find yourself lodged in a treehouse-style eco-hostel, put to sleep and woken by the sound of the waves and spending days surfing, lazing by the river, and admiring some of the most spectacular sunsets.

What’s not to love about this?

Mendihaca is the name of the river starting at the Sierra Nevada and flowing into the Caribbean Sea near the Tayrona National Park and around 40 minutes drive to Palomino.

It is not really a town as such. It’s more of a name of a beach. In this area, you will find mainly eco-hostels, where electricity is only available a few hours a day and Wi-Fi is often not available. A perfect place to switch off. Mendihaca is also only about a 30-minute walk from the famous Costeno beach so it’s a great more off-path alternative.

Why should you consider staying in Mendihuaca?

Mendihuaca was not on my Colombian coast itinerary given I, like many other travelers, had never heard of it.

I had originally tried to book a stay at Costeno beach, which proved unsuccessful. This place is super popular and you have to book well in advance. I was a bit late. But I was pretty determined to stay in this area so instead, I found an available hostel near the Mendihuaca river.

The funny thing is that I actually canceled and rebooked this hostel three times!

The moment I realized that there was no internet in the area and the electricity was only available for a few hours in the morning and then in the evening, – I panicked.

Then I rebooked because I really didn’t want to miss out on this destination. So I decided to suck it up. I knew I would not get any work done over there, but I decided to give it a go anyway. And that was the best decision.

Mendihuaca Beach is stunning, and all the hostels and eco-lodges are right on the beach, with lush vegetation spreading behind. There is a very rustic and jungle-like style to those hostels and eco-lodges, yet there is something hip about this location. That could be due to the prominent surfing culture around there.

You will see everyone go surfing first thing in the morning and then again just before sunset. The few restaurants on the beach offer delicious traditional food and some exotic juices and cocktails. And it’s all super affordable!

Mendihuaca is also an excellent base for your Tayrona National Park trip.

It takes around 15 minutes by small local bus to get to the Zaino entrance of the Tayrona. You can leave your luggage in a hostel for a couple of days while you are exploring the park and then return to this paradise after and just chill and relax.

Mendihuaca is a true hidden paradise on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. With not many backpackers stopping by and Costeno Beach being only a 20-minute walk by the beach away – Mendihuaca is a true gem, and you should visit before the world hears about it. Because inevitably – it will!

So what is there to do in Mendihuaca?

Not much, but that’s the beauty of it! But I stayed on Mendihuaca for three nights and somehow did not get bored. If you are a surfer, you are in for a treat. But you can swim too! The sea in the area gets pretty rough. These were some of the biggest waves I have seen around the Colombian coast. Thus it’s a very popular surfing spot. In fact, both Mendihuaca and the neighboring Costeno beach are very popular with surfers. I have seen people walk all the way from Costeno just to surf at Mendihuaca. There is a surf school called “Surf Mendihuaca” right on the beach, which offers both surfing lessons and equipment rental.

So if you want to swim in the sea, this might not be the best place for you. But…

You can laze around for days on the Mendihuaca River.

You can spend days lazing by the Mendihuaca River

The beaches on Colombia’s Caribbean coast are spectacular, but it’s often impossible to swim in the sea. For this reason, many tourists and backpackers opt for hotels with swimming pools. You won’t find many of them at the Mendihuaca beach, though.

But Mendihuaca offers another option. The river. As the river enters the sea, it is shaped into a great lake-like area where you can swim and chill. You can rent a sun tent and spend a few hours relaxing in the perfect Colombian paradise. You can also rent a kayak or go tubing along the river!

Visit Costeno Beach

It takes around 20 minutes of walking by the beach to get to Costeno Beach from Mendihuaca.

The prices of the hostels at Costeno can be pretty steep so staying in Mendihuaca instead is a great and more affordable option.

If you need to use the internet or work for a bit – visit Costeno Hostel. I spent a whole day there. The food is delicious (they even have a Poke Bar!), and as long as you order something, it is fine to stay and use their pretty good wifi.

You can also visit Los Hermanos or La Brisa Tranquila Hostel, where you can enjoy a nice meal and cocktail.

For such a remote location, I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of restaurants and bars. There are not many, but those that are there are excellent. The food is lovely, and all the restaurants are located right on the beach. You can have breakfast for 8000 to 18000 COP and great fried fish for 30000 COP.

A true gem is Belaonda, a little cafe/bar run by Isabela. It is a super cute little place with swings and comfy cushioned chairs. There is a happy hour on Cuba Libre and Caipirinha. Isabela also baked a cake daily and served a great cappuccino (which is a real treat around the coast)! I also had breakfast there, and it was delicious!

Right next to the river, you will find a nice restaurant where I had fantastic fish with coconut rice. The owners of this restaurant also run a kayaking and sun tents business and are all very lovely!

Where to stay in Medihuaca

There are few options as to where to stay around Mendihuaca. Right on the beachfront, you will find a number of eco-hostels and lodges. Some are very beautiful, overlooking the sea – all built in traditional style and often without the actual walls. I stayed in Eco Hostal Paraiso and really enjoyed it! Another great hostel worth considering is Mendihuaca Beach by Zakua.

There is also a campsite located at the entrance to Mendihuaca with pretty basic facilities. I have seen a couple of tents parked there as well as a simple shower and toilet facilities. 

If you are here to surf, Mendihuaca Surf Camp is the place to stay.

If you fancy a little bit of luxury you can also stay at the Casa Dos Almas. It has been recently renovated and picked up excellent reviews.

Read next: If you are traveling to Santa Marta for the first time and wondering where to stay, this post is for you. In this article you will find everything you need to know about Santa Marta – what to do and if it’s worth staying for a little longer. Finally here is your complete guide to visiting Minca from Santa Marta.

Los Naranjos

This is where I stayed in order to take my Tayrona Park trip and I loved this area! Los Naranjos beach is dreamy!

Again, Los Naranjos is not really a town, it’s just a beach and a few hostels. But if you are looking for a white sand beach with hardly any tourists with Tayrona Park literally within walking distance, Los Naranjos is your place!

There is a stunning Playa Los Angeles which can only be accessed by those staying within the hotel complex located right next to it like the Villa Playa Tayrona. But not far from there, you will find Los Cocos where you can enjoy an almost empty white sand beach!

Los Naranjos is also a place to find good-quality waves. But I would say that Los Naranjos is truly best for visiting Tayrona.

The majority of hotels in this area also offer a packed breakfast for your Tayrona trip and will of course let you leave your bigger luggage within them. When you are not hiking in Tayrona you can walk to Los Cocos beach and admire its wonderful sunset!

There isn’t much to do around Los Naranjos. It is truly a place to unwind, surf, or laze on the beach and take a break from hectic Colombian cities.

Where to stay around Los Naranjos

This is the area where the famous Journey Hostel is as well as super upscale Los Narajas Resort.  Whichever is your vibe. 

If you have not heard of Journey Hostel, it is one that features on many travel vlogs. It is famous among backpackers for its stunning location, views, communal meals, and friendly and social vibe. If you are a solo traveler this hostel is a must!

I stayed at Tayrona Juancho’s House, Hostel & Coworking which was a lovely little hostel located 15 minutes walk from the beach! They have both private rooms and dorm beds and also a great outdoor coworking and chill spaces.

If you are looking for a luxury resort you will find a couple of great ones in this area! Senda Maloka Barlovento is located right on the beach and offers stunning views and large and beautifully decorated suites and rooms. Casa Origen is another luxury beach resort that is just a piece of tropical paradise. They have a beautiful pool, a huge garden, and beautifully decorated interiors.

Things to know before visiting Mendihuaca and Los Naranjos

How to get to Mendihuaca and Los Narajos Beach from Santa Marta.

The best way to get from Santa Marta to Mendihuaca is by taking a bus from in front of Santa Marta Market. This is the same bus that goes to Palomino and stops along Tayrona National Park. The ticket will cost you 8000 COP.

Ask the driver to drop you at the entrance to Mendihuaca Beach by the moto-taxi stop. Or you can show them on the map where your hotel or hostel is – this is what I did! There are no ”set in stone” bus stops along here, and hardly in Colombia. You can get on and get off almost anywhere 🙂

If you are staying on Mendihuaca Beach, there is a round 15 walk along the dirt path to get there from the main road. You will find numerous moto taxis offering a ride. I opted to walk as I couldn’t justify the price and although it was hot, I found the walk to be ok.

Where to next?

If you follow my Colombia itinerary you are probably heading towards Cartagena! Cartagena is one of the must-see places to visit in Colombia and if you visiting for the first time – here is a breakdown of all the best places to stay in Cartagena for first-time travelers.

If you are heading straight to Rincon del Mar, be ready to never want to leave! And if you are following the other direction here is my complete Palomino guide. In this post, you will learn how to visit both Punta Gallinas and Cabo de la Vela and why you should actually stay for a couple of days in Riohacha!

Oh and if you are planning on visiting the Colombia coffee region be sure to read my coffee region guide as well as guides to towns like Salento, Jardin, or Filandia.

Happy Colombia travels!

Pati