Sailing to Tayrona with Luis and his team: Unique!

Highlights

Inclusions

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 475 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Beautiful excursion

  Beautiful trip, we were on a catamaran, very smooth ride, beautiful beach, fun people to meet on the boat, nice snorkeling!

  68rebeccamSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 1BAD Customer service

  I’m sorry to say that this tour was extremely disappointing and fell far short of what was advertised. To begin with, the sailboat departed almost 40 minutes late. Despite booking the English-language tour, neither of the crew members in charge spoke any English, making communication very difficult throughout the day. The tour description promised access to snorkelling equipment and kayaks, but neither was ever provided. Lunch service was also poorly organized. Our family group of eight was served in multiple rounds, with only four people receiving food initially. The crew then had to return to the boat for more meals, serving three additional family members while my husband waited another 30 minutes before finally receiving his lunch. This was frustrating and unnecessary. The tour also advertised soft drinks and snacks. In reality, we received only a single slice of watermelon on the way to Concha Bay. Drinking water was not bottled and had a salty taste, and the only soft drink available was Coca-Cola. The most concerning part of the experience occurred when the sailboat broke down. Our group of 18 passengers was stranded on the beach for approximately an hour with very little information about what was happening. Eventually, another boat arrived to pick us up, but communication from the crew was poor throughout the situation. By then, it was already after 5:30 p.m., even though we were originally scheduled to depart for Santa Marta at 3:00 p.m. It was terrifying knowing that we might be at open sea on the dark as it was already sunset. When I asked whether the company’s head office had been informed and why a replacement boat had not been sent sooner, the response from the crew member in charge was essentially, “You can write a complaint. I need to leave. Another boat will pick you up and provide more information.” There was no apology, no reassurance, and no effort to keep passengers informed. To make matters worse, there was no cell service in the area, leaving us with no way to contact anyone. Overall, the lack of organization, poor communication, failure to deliver the advertised activities and amenities, and complete absence of customer service made this a very disappointing experience. We paid more than CAD $900 for our family and expected a professional and enjoyable excursion. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I would strongly recommend that others think carefully before booking this tour.

  340nicolegAugust 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Great day sailing!

  The whole experience was great! Timing was exactly as stated in the description. I think the value for the trip was well worth it. We were with a group of 15 travelers total and it didn’t feel too crowded. All the boat staff was fantastic, attentive and friendly. Would recommend!

  S7230XYsydneyhJuly 2026via Tripadvisor

• 4Great if you have little time to see Tayrona National Park

  Nice boat ride out to Bahia concha beach. Quiet beach, great lunch. We were hoping to see another beach but it’s only 1 stop. Would recommend if you don’t have much time in Santa Marta. Next time we will hike in to see more beaches.

  Caitlin_MJuly 2026via Viator

• 5Boat, sand and waves.

  Great experience out on the sea. The trip was relaxing even with the big waves, close to our destination. Service was great, also the fish w rice was delicious. We spent time on the beach, enjoying the nature and water... ...just the art of doing nothing.

  attimountJuly 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5A Pleasant Experience with a Great Sailing Crew

  Great, professional crew that took several guests on a ride of approximately one hour to a beach for relaxation, a great lunch, and the option of snorkeling. The beach has several people offering different types of drinks (so have cash, especially in small bills), and there are tents that a large group can split the cost for to get shade from the sun (they were approximately 130,000 or 140,000 pesos for the few hours we used one). There is no cell service available for much of the trip, which is a welcome way to unplug from your routine back home. Overall, a very nice trip and experience.

  Russell_MJuly 2026via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in Santa Marta

• Its from-price is 37% below the median of the 300 experiences we list in Santa Marta.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 3 of 300.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Santa Marta

Santa Marta is Colombia's oldest surviving colonial city, a Caribbean port below the Sierra Nevada and close to Tayrona Park and the Lost City trail.

Founded by the Spaniards in 1525, Santa Marta is the oldest surviving colonial city in Colombia, set on a bay where the Sierra Nevada, the highest coastal mountain range on earth, drops almost to the sea. Simón Bolívar died in 1830 at the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, a hacienda just outside the centre, now a museum with botanical gardens. The old town has a cathedral, a seafront promenade and a gold museum in a colonial house.

Top-ranked sights in Santa Marta: Lost City (Ciudad Perdida), Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park, Tayrona National Park (Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona).

See all 300 experiences in Santa Marta