Villa Maria
“And at that brief moment I saw them making their way out of the tree into the open sky. A family of toucans flying right by our bedroom window. I turned around, looked at Adriaan and said; let’s add some extra nights.”
Tayrona Park is a must see on your travel itinerary for Colombia. The park is amazingly beautiful with its lush greenery, secluded beaches, sandy steps, watery slides and thousands of wildlife species. If you want, you can even put up your tent on the appointed spots in the park and experience a truly special night under the stars with…. 300 fellow travelers. Not my cup of tea. Luckily, there are a few accommodations that are smart enough to place themselves just outside the park’s perimeter. The nature is as spectacular, the views as stunning and the ocean as sparkly but no sign of happy campers.
Arriving at Villa Maria involves climbing stairs. Adventurous, small steps lead you to a hill top with beautiful views of a jungle valley and even the ocean. The lodges are placed spaciously apart on the top of these hills. One of the super friendly guys will lead you to your room. And yes, this includes climbing some more stairs. The sweat is absolutely worth the effort when you lay your head on the big, comfy bed that is located in front of a large window looking out on the valley. My absolute favorite spot however is the bathroom. It’s placed adjacent to the bedroom with a rain shower and opened up walls to give you a feeling of showering outdoors (without the mandatory jungle insects).
Saving the best for last – there is a quiet, local beach within walking distance of the hotel. Not just a walk, a walk that made me feel like a kid again. I was amazed by all the trees filled with bananas, papayas, oranges and avocados while staring at the beauty of all the colored flowers and even finding pineapple plants. At the end of the path the jungle opens up to a world of sand and ocean. Just a couple of local kids playing and fishermen chatting. Nature at it’s best!
Note: There is a restaurant on side that serves breakfast (included), lunch and dinner. A beautiful but bit expensive spot, due to the fact that they’re your only option in the area. Taking some of your own snacks could be a good idea since there is a small fridge in your room.
