La Guajira, Colombia is the sort of place that’s so under-the-radar that it’s a natural draw for travelers who crave new experiences. Positioned along Colombia’s Caribbean coast adjacent to Venezuela, La Guajira’s rarely visited landscapes combine arid desert plains in the north, green vegetation inland, lush wetlands and white-sand beaches in the south.ProColombia, the government agency charged with promoting Colombia tourism, has placed a fledgling focus on La Guajira as part of its focus on “destination community and the environment,” in the words of Flavia Santoro, the agency’s president. La Guajira represents genuine new territory for mainstream travelers, as access to the region became viable after 2016 when parts of La Guajira’s interior opened after years as off-limits territory controlled by FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels.La Guajira’s beaches have long been popular with travelers from other areas of Colombia, and now ProColombia and local tourism stakeholders are highlighting the region’s numerous eco-tourism and adventure activities that include mountain hikes to indigenous communities, kite-surfing, canopy tour and river-tubing excursions. The region’s distinct culture is also a highlight of La Guajira travel, as vacationers will find multiple opportunities to engage with Wayuu and other indigenous cultures and communities.Person to PersonLa Guajira’s indigenous population was the largest of any department in Colombia’s 2005 census. More than twenty percent of the department’s population is composed of indigenous people. Their intriguing and ancient cultures infuse any visit to this region. PHOTO: A Wayuu family at Walapuinje ranchería. (Photo by Brian Major) Visitors can arrange drives across the region’s vast desert landscape to find rancherías, traditional Wayuu settlements combining five or six houses. The communities are widely dispersed from one another to avoid mixing their goat herds.The Walapuinje ranchería is a landmark in the region, offering guests demonstrations of cultural activities, ceremonies and dances, along with tastings of friche and other indigenous fares.A Natural HighColombia’s Caribbean coast is a relatively untouched eco-tourism gem combining sweeping stretches of isolated but populated desert landscape with beautifully isolated beaches and cliffs.La Guajira’s interior features a lush rainforest located in what was previously FARC territory but is now open to visitors following the group’s 2017disarmament. Floating in an inflated inner tube down the river that gently flows from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains is a popular activity here. The river is bordered by serene banks filled with green vegetation.MORE Destination & Tourism Flocks of protected flamingos are found in Santuario de Flora y Fauna national park, where visitors can hire small guided sailboats to observe the birds up close. Located on the coastline between the village of Camarones and the Tapias River, the reserve encompasses 17,000 acres with four lagoons and streams that form natural habitats for flamingo and other endemic species.Colombia has the world’s largest number of bird species. with more than 1,920. Additionally, it's also the world’s second-most biodiverse country.Authentic ExperiencesRiohacha is the capital of the La Guajira department but maintains a relaxed, small city/big town aura. The local seaside malecon (seaside walkway) is unassuming compared with others across the Caribbean, but it nevertheless offers a relaxing stroll and a nice spot from which to watch the sunset.Several family restaurants with unremarkable interiors but delicious local cuisine are located along the streets extending from the malecon. Local landmark and family-run eatery, Restaurante Yotojoro, has a 26-year history of serving traditional Colombian fare including fresh local fish, friche, a traditional goat meat dish, and red plantains.Vendors positioned along the malecon sell mochilas, intricately woven bags made by artisans from indigenous communities. The bags and backpacks are fashioned in numerous shapes and sizes and are used to store personal and work items, as well as sold to visitors. The colorful fabrics are typically decorated in patterns and themes inspired by nature.The popular Sua restaurant in Palomino serves seafood and international fusion fare inspired by Colombian and global cuisine and emphasizes the sustainability of the region’s natural environment and culture. In addition to serving lunch and dinner, the eatery organizes conflict resolution classes and training as well as agricultural sustainability training.Beautiful BeachesLa Guajira’s desert meets the Caribbean Sea on the beach at beautifully isolated Pilón de Azúcar in Cabo de la Vela, a site surrounded by sand dunes, cliffs, hills and rock formations. Travelers reach the area via an SUV drive through the desert, observing several spread-out indigenous rancherias across the harshly beautiful landscape.A lookout point looms on a hill over the Pilón de Azúcar beach and provides a view of the Serranía del Carpintero mountain range. A statue of La Virgen de Fátima, the patron saint of Cabo, was erected in 1938 by Spanish pearl hunters and stands at the peak. There are some sun shelters where local Wayuu merchants sell mochilas, hammocks and other artisanal goods. PHOTO: A mochila merchant in Uribia, a Wayuu town in La Guajira. (Photo by Brian Major) Playa Isashii is one of several uncrowded white-sand beaches in the Mayapo district, only 30 minutes from Riohacha. The Isaashi Maliiwala rents shaded hammocks and beach chairs to visitors and serves a delicious lunch in its open-air restaurant.Practically DoneTravelers can fly to La Guajira onboard Avianca Airlines, Air Canada, Jet Blue, Spirit Airlines or United Airlines from New York’s three main airports. From Bogota, travelers connect to local flights of less than one hour to Riohaca, arriving in the capital in time to stroll the malecon and watch the sunset over the coast.The Hotel Waya Guajira, in the municipality of Albani, is the region’s sole upscale resort, located two hours by car from Riohacha. The Hotel Taroa is a mainstream boutique property located on the malecon in Riohacha; Hotel Gimaura is another mainstream option in Riohaca. Let's block ads! (Why?)