Riohacha - The Capital of La Guajira
Riohacha is a big town located on the Northern coast of Colombia. It is the biggest town in the department of La Guajira. It is known for its long beach line and the Caribbean atmosphere. It is the ultimate stop before entering the desert of La Guajira.
This area is known for the ethnic group of Wayuus. Their traditional and colourful handmade bags and other handicrafts can be bought from the Avenida Primera, beach boulevard.
The city was founded by a German conquistador in 1535. Later on, Spaniards found a lot of pearls from Riohacha, which was one of the reasons for many pirate attacks that the town had to go through. Even the famous English pirate Francis Drake came to Riohacha looking for gold and pearls. In the time of independence war, the port of Riohacha served many vessels in the battles for the Colombian and Venezuelan independence.
How to get there?
Riohacha can be easily reached from cities like Santa Marta and Bogota. There is an airport called Almirante Padilla airport where there are flights to/from capital Bogota, Valledupar, Santa Marta and the island of Aruba.
There are minibuses operating between Riohacha and Santa Marta many times a day. It takes around 3 hours and cost around 20 000COP.
Weather
The weather is good throughout the year and thanks to the Sierra Santa Marta mountains it doesn't rain too often. The average temperature is around 30 celsius at daytime and around 24 celsius at night. You can feel the humidity just like in any coastal city. The dry season is from December to February when it hardly rains. The rainiest month is May.
Here are some of the best things to check out in Riohacha
The beach The beach in Riohacha is a perfect place to have an afternoon stroll or dipping yourself in the cooling water after exploring the city. There are some outdoor beach bars and cafes you can order a cool drink and enjoy the view or you can take a walk on the deck which leads to a boat stand.
Avenida Primera This is probably the nicest street in the town. You can enjoy the statues along the boulevard, poles decorated with colourful mosaics, nice restaurants and cafes as well as Wayuu handcraft vendors.
Cathedral Close to the beach, there is a beautiful catholic cathedral which was built in the mid 19th century with a Colonial style. there is always masses or other events going on and the doors are kept open during the daytime.
Restaurants and bars When you come to Happiness Hostel, we will let you know all the best restaurants, cafes and bars in the town. We work together with many local companies that we can recommend for you. You can find restaurants offering traditional Colombian cosine, pizzerias, Arabic restaurant as well as restaurants focusing on organic food as well. Basically, anything you can imagine!
Here in Happiness Hostel, we have a cosy bar where you can enjoy the evening with a cold beer or try out some of our delicious cocktails.
Shopping
Riohacha offers rather good shopping possibilities. You can head to the modern mall where you can find international brands as well as high-end products. The mall is only a 20-minute walk away from the Happiness Hostel. If you are looking for more local vibes, you can head to the Carrera 7 in the centre where you can find all kinds of local boutiques and shops selling daily items and clothes.
For souveniers, head to the Avenida Primera along the beach to buy local handcrafts by Wayuus.
Hang out in the parks Riohacha has some parks where one can sit down and relax and watch as the locals spend their days. Simon BolÃvar Park is only 5-minute walk away from the Happiness Hostel. It is popular among families and the locals enjoy spending the evenings just relaxing in the park. during Christmas time the park is lighted with beautiful Christmas lights.
Another, maybe the most known park in Riohacha is the Plaza Jose Prudencio Padilla, which is located just next to the Cathedral. The park has a statue of the famous admiral Jose Prudencio Padilla, who led the battle of Lake Maracaibo successfully in the Spanish American wars of independence. The wreck of him lays in the Cathedral next to the plaza.
