Pozo Azul is a popular swimming hole with two small waterfalls.There is a small entrance fee since it is on the private property of $5,000 COP (as of March 2019). You can walk there in 40 min/1 hours depending on how fast you walk or take a moto taxi for approx 6000 COP. Also visit the Marinka waterfall, its a beautiful waterfall with a natural pool for swimming down below. There are two roads leading to the spot one is the main road and the other is off-track, taking small paths leading you through coffee-plantations. It takes 2.5 hours from town to walk there or you can make a trip of it seeing the Marinka waterfall, sleeping in a hostel up there and then walk the last bit the following morning, or just pay a mototaxi to take you up there. The view is best in the morning as sometimes clouds roll in around midday. Los Pinos/The Pine trees From Los Pinos (the pine trees) you have an amazing view all over the mountains of Minca and all the way to the coast and Santa Marta. ![]() Tours are offered in English or Spanish for $15,000 COP per person (as of March 2019) and include a cup of freshly-brewed coffee. Harvest season begins in October and ends by mid-February. Coffee beans are moved and processed using only gravity and power from the generators and they still use all of the original machinery that was brought up the mountain by pack animals in the late 1800s. It is a completely self-sustaining coffee plantation, using water from mountain streams to power generators. La Victoria Coffee Plantation located just north, uphill of Minca is one of the major attractions.The prices of the different destinations in and around Minca are visible on a board in their office. They hang out around the yellow bridge in the center or town. Look for the drivers in the blue and black jackets, they will charge you the set price and have insurance/mechanical checks. There is a mototaxi collective in Minca called Motomink which has organized themselves greatly in the last couple years, including fixing their prices. The roads above Minca are extremely low quality so it is advised to have a 4 wheel drive vehicle, although if it is not raining a regular car should do. The region is beautiful and is best explored on hiking or motorbikes. However, on weekends and public holidays, it might take longer. The journey to Minca will take around 30 minutes. It normally takes 15-20 min for the car to fill up so don't be in too much of a hurry. The journey will cost you 8,000 COP (as of July 2019) and the car leaves when it is full. The new one is located in Calle 12, carrera 9, the company is called "Cootrasminca". “La Estacion de Minca” is the old station for the colectivos. There are also colectivos (shared taxis) that leave from the marketplace in Santa Marta. Local Santa Marta taxi drivers are willing to take you up to Minca for about $40,000-$50,000 COP (as of March 2019). The road leading to Minca has been recently rebuilt (2015) and is in a good condition. ![]() For such a small town Minca has a really diverse and interesting history, so be sure to ask about it or visit the local memorial center (its small and rustic but a great source of information in English or Spanish). It's a great base for hiking, mountain-biking, bird-watching and other outdoor activities, offering fresh mountain breeze, over 300 bird species nearby and spectacular views. ![]() It attracts mostly backpackers who want a week or two off from the beaten track and indulge into tranquility. The village is charming, and has in the past few years grown as a traveler and birdwatching destination after the conclusion of the armed conflict. It is famous for its organic coffee and has a much cooler temperature than the sweltering Santa Marta. Minca is a small village inhabited by 800 people at an elevation of 650m in the Sierra Nevada above Santa Marta. It is located about 15 km south east from Santa Marta. Minca, renowned for its natural beauty, is in Magdalena Department, Colombia.
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