Playa De Belen & Los Estoraques, Colombia: Travel Guide
Sometimes the best routes are those less traveled. This time, we would like to inspire you to visit a small colonial town Playa de Belen in Colombia and nearby Los Estoraques Unique Natural Area that features wonderful geological formations in the North Santander Department. Read our travel guide on how to visit, where to stay, or what to do.
The truth is, not so many foreign travelers make it that far north when exploring Colombia. Or actually, not that far in the northeast direction, to be precise.
The official Colombian gringo trail usually includes San Gil, a city known for adventurous activities, and then the most popular route heads up north to the Caribbean Coast, where you can find places such as Tayrona National Park and Cartagena de Indias.
One of the reasons is that some parts of the North Santander region are relatively close to borders with Venezuela, which is nowadays a country better to avoid because of the national crisis.
Still, here we must forego that we felt completely safe in both Ocana and Playa de Belen, and you should not be worried to travel here.
If you decide to visit Playa de Belen and Los Estoraques, you'll still be around 200 km from borders between Colombia and Venezuela.
Another reason why Playa de Belen and Los Estoraques are not more often on traveler's maps is the lack of updated details about the area.
We found a mention about Playa de Belen in the Lonely Planet guidebook, but to get up-to-date information about the tiny town and one of the smallest Colombia's protected areas, Los Estoraques seemed to be impossible.
Nearly 100% of all articles are in Spanish, but the information we were seeking the most - if the park is open - was missing. The guidebook says that the park is closed, but visitors can still go in.
Well, it is a little bit vague when you're trying to figure out if it's worth making a detour from the main road. Also, we already knew that traveling even short distances in Colombia takes time.
We found a couple of blog posts about the area without mentioning a single word about park closure, but then we discovered a government website where it was explicitly written that the park is closed.
We were back at square one. We also tried to contact Playa de Belen representatives via Twitter with no success, and as a last attempt, we shot them an email.
How surprising it was when we received a reply. Unfortunately, the email was only in Spanish, saying that they don't speak English.
Well, patience is not one of my strengths, but I took my previous email, ran it through Google Translator, and sent it again, now in Spanish.
And after another two days, we received a long and detailed reply, saying that most of the park is closed, but the Los Estoraques area near Playa de Belen is still accessible.
The next day, we were ready to go.
In this travel guide, we would like to share our experience from visiting a colonial town Playa de Belen and hiking in Los Estoraques Unique Natural Area.
We also share tips on getting there independently, and we'll talk more about safety and much more.
PLAYA DE BELEN AND LOS ESTORAQUES
Is visiting Playa de Belen and Los Estoraques worth it? This is a million-dollar question, but we know how important it is to answer it genuinely.
After all, traveling to Playa de Belen and Los Estoraques takes time. It is a detour, and we are aware that your carefully curated Colombia itinerary is packed to the brim.
It is important to say that we enjoyed this one-day trip from Ocana.
First of all, we could break the long bus journey between San Gil and Santa Marta.
And last but not least, we love exploring places that are under the radar.
On the other hand, we must set this information in the context and tell you that we traveled long term and were by no means pressed for time.
South America is a wonderful continent, and Colombia has many beautiful places a traveler can choose from that it is often hard to tell our readers they should skip something.
In our opinion, Playa de Belen and Los Estoraques are well worth the visit, in case you have more than two weeks to explore Colombia or if you want to deliberately get off the Gringo Trail.
BEST THINGS TO DO IN PLAYA DE BELEN
There are a few things that should bring you to Playa de Belen. First of all, it is the town itself that won't admittedly keep you long.
Then it is the park Los Estoraques, and a few viewpoints within the walking area. Let's look at the best things to see and do here and how you can plan your day here.
PLAYA DE BELEN
The small town virtually consists only of three streets, all of them leading to the tiny square featuring the Temple of Saint Joseph of Bethlehem with an unnaturally white facade and two golden domes.
By the way, Playa de Belen literally means Bethlehem Beach.
We believe that only because of the slightly off-the-beaten location is not Playa de Belen more visited.
Yes, there is not much to do, but the village lives at its own pace, and the picturesque setting near Los Estoraques is perfect.
Also, Playa de Belen was one of the cleanest places we've seen in Colombia, and it is obvious at first sight that locals take care of their pueblo.
There is a visitor center with an enthusiastic worker, who shook hands with us when we arrived (we were probably the only visitors that day) and was extraordinarily helpful.
By no means do we want to compare Playa de Belen with other Colombia's colonial towns such as the famous Villa de Leyva, Salento or Guatape, but we must admit that this little town has a unique charm.
If you want to visit more beautiful colonial towns in Colombia, read this article - Best Colonial Towns in Colombia.
MIRADOR SANTA CRUZ
What is another featured thing to do in Playa de Belen? It is the Mirador alias Viewpoint Santa Cruz.
To get a view of the small pueblo Playa de Belen and rock formations in the background, you can walk from the town's center 15 minutes up to Mirador Santa Cruz.
Use the Maps.me app to find the trail and use it for your whole visit actually as it will help you with navigation.
But to be honest, we did not get to the top, although we attempted it.
We started from the square, and because Playa de Belen is so small, after about two minutes, we came to the gate where the trail starts. There was a sign: Beware, dangerous dogs behind the fence.
We should've sensed that when the message is in English (very unusual in Colombia), they probably mean it.
Well, we gave it a try and continued. When we were about 10 meters from the gate, three barking dogs emerged from behind the corner and started chasing us.
I think we've never run that fast in our lives. We sprinted back and closed the gate behind us just in time. Unfortunately, there was a hole in the fence, and one dog got through.
Martin used a tried-and-true trick and grabbed something from the ground and pretended a throwing motion on the dog, and fortunately, it worked out.
We were lucky enough that the dog got discouraged because when we later looked at what he has in his hands, it was not a wooden stick or piece of rock, but only a weak twig.
So this is the story of how we did not visit Mirador Santa Cruz.
In case you still want to visit this place, good. But make sure you have a stick in your hand or go with a local guide who might know a safer trail.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
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LOS ESTORAQUES UNIQUE NATURAL AREA
To get to Los Estoraques, walk Carrera 3 and, when the pavement ends, continue approximately for another 350 meters. The entrance to the park will be on your left.
There is a small kiosk where visitors should pay admission.
The park is open every day from 9 AM to 5 PM, but there was still no one when we arrived around 10 AM, so we went in and paid the entrance fee on the way back.
The admission fee is not official - we were asked to pay 5 000 COP each.
Meanwhile, when in the park, we met a small group with a guide. He asked us if we paid, so we replied that not yet because the counter was closed.
He started to claim that he is the owner and we should pay him straight away, but he did not have any proof and honestly, we didn’t trust him.
After quite a long conversation, we agreed upon rather pay at the counter later because we were worried about how many "owners" we can meet until we get to the exit.
And what should you expect from visiting Los Estoraques?
It is an area of impressive weathered rock formations.
Over the centuries, the rock eroded, and unique skyward columns were created.
There is no official trail, so you can generally walk wherever you want, but it is better to follow well-worn paths around.
The best view is from Mirador of the Sun, right at the beginning of the trail on your right-hand side.
You can hire a guide for 25 000 COP (Spanish only) who will take you to the forbidden part of the park and another viewpoint; we were just not sure how official this is and were quite satisfied with what we saw in the officially opened part of the park.
When in the park, watch out for snakes, and don't forget to apply sunscreen. The sun is incredibly strong, as I can confirm from my own experience.
I didn't make the rookie mistake, so I applied sunscreen, but I forgot to spread the lotion on the back of my arms carefully, and the result was excruciating.
If time and energy allow, you can visit Los Aposentos, similar rock formations, approximately 3 km from Los Estoraques on the way to Ocana.
Not far from the park is Los Pinos, a pine forest where you can hide from the sun for a while or have a picnic.
HOW TO GET TO PLAYA DE BELEN
To get to Playa de Belen, you need to get to Ocana first, which serves as a transportation hub. We easily found a bus to Ocana from San Gil, and then we continued to Santa Marta, which is the getaway to Tayrona National Park.
From Ocana, take an irregular bus from the bus station at 8:30 AM (there must be more buses coming later, but we could not find out other times).
Or better, take a colectivo waiting on the main square. It leaves when full. Bus ticket from Ocana to Playa de Belen costs 6 000 COP and colectivo cost 7 000 COP per person per one way.
To get back, it is easier to take colectivo again because the bus leaves Playa de Belen only four times a day.
The ride takes 45 minutes.
WHERE TO STAY
When you decide to visit Playa de Belen, you have two options on where to stay.
Either spend the night right in the village or in Ocana, a bigger town only 45 minutes away, that also offers more accommodation options.
We have opted for Ocana and visited later Playa de Belen on a one-day trip.
This decision gave us the luxury of not having to pack and unpack our heavy backpacks for at least one day.
Also, we wanted to catch a bus to Santa Marta the next day, so it was more convenient.
Nevertheless, choose whatever works best for you.
There are a few accommodation options in Playa de Belen, but at the moment, they are not bookable online, so you need to walk around and find a hotel by yourself.
Check out our favorite picks for the best hotels in Ocana.
Budget | Hotel Marialu - Excellent location, clean rooms, budget price. We actually stayed in this hotel, and it was a perfect choice for the price we paid.
Mid-range | Hotel Hacaritama - Spacious rooms and location close to the town's center are the hotel's main features. Breakfast is included.
Mid-range | Hotel Real - Ocana does not have the typical luxury options, but this hotel is certainly the better mid-range category.
SAFETY
Is the safety in the North Santander department a reason that put you off visiting this region?
Even though we know the situation can change, we did not experience a single problem here. Rather the opposite.
People in Playa de Belen were helpful and friendly, and we did not see any dangerous situation coming, apart from our encounter with the dogs.
Of course, use your common sense.
If you decide on hiking in Los Estoraques, rather keep your valuables in the hotel room, although we know you will likely carry a camera, phone, and some cash.
In case you prefer to be accompanied by a guide, hire one in Playa de Belen.
This should give you the much-needed protection, plus you will learn more about the town and the famous rock formations.
Honestly, we were more worried about slipping on a narrow path, encountering wild dogs, or stepping on the snake than about being robbed.
Still, incidents, unfortunately, happen in Latin America, and it’s better to be preapred. Read more about this topic - Is It Safe to Travel to South America?
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT
Los Estoraques is a super-dry and hot destination, so the best time to visit it is either early in the morning and then later in the afternoon.
Unfortunately, there's nowhere to hide, so make sure you pack a high SPF sunscreen, sun hat or bandana, lip balm with sunscreen, and plenty of water.
Basically, we never travel without our favorite water bottle. You should also wear sturdy hiking boots because the park trails can be slippery and muddy, especially after rain.
Other than that, it is always better to wear outdoor clothes, not anything fancy.
When it comes to the best time of the year to visit Playa de Belen and Los Estoraques, we would say it is an all-year-round destination.
Don't forget to check out this article Best Time to Visit Colombia to find more information.
The dry season in Colombia lasts from December to February, and then from July till mid-September.
But even if you plan on traveling off-season, you can expect sunny mornings, and rain usually comes later in the afternoon.
For any reason, pack a rain poncho and a comfortable daypack.
We've also created an in-depth South America packing list about what to pack when traveling in this region.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
