Brutally Honest Riohacha Travel Guide (+ Map)
TL;DR
Our brutally honest Riohacha travel guide tells you why this underwhelming city might be worth a stop – even if it’s only because you’re headed somewhere better.
Ever wondered if Riohacha is worth visiting? We did too – and just like you, we googled it and came across a lot of bleak reviews. Most travellers saw it as just a stopover to explore La Guajira. So we decided to check it out for ourselves.
We're here to give you the honest lowdown – no sugarcoating: The city doesn’t offer much in terms of charm, attractions, or atmosphere. It’s one of the few places in Colombia where we genuinely didn’t feel at ease or particularly safe, especially after dark.
That said, Riohacha does serve one purpose: it’s a great launchpad for your trip to Punta Gallinas and Cabo de la Vela. So if you’re heading that way, our travel guide will help you navigate your brief time here – where to stay, what (little) there is to do, and how to get in and out without too much hassle.
Riohacha Travel Guide
Riohacha Colombia Map
Is Riohacha Worth Visiting?
While doing our research and googling this exact same question, we found a lot of opinions stating that Riohacha is not a very worthwhile destination.
Like always, we didn’t believe the rumours and decided to find out ourselves. Unfortunately, we must say the naysayers were right this time. We didn't stumble across loads of interesting things to do and it’s also one of the destinations where we did not feel particularly safe and at ease to explore off-the-beaten-path.
In summary, we must say that Riohacha is a great base to explore La Guajira but not much more.
Where We Stayed in Riohacha
We stayed at Hostel Laguna Salá By FSL which might have been our favourite thing about our stay in Riohacha. We just loved chilling on the rooftop terrace – especially to escape the heat during the day in the pool. They also serve drinks and food so this is a great option if you don’t want to go out at night.
We liked the free breakfast, the location was great, the staff was super helpful, and the rooms were comfy and clean – there’s really nothing to complain about (which is the highest form of a German compliment).
How to Get to Riohacha
Palomino to Riohacha
Most travellers will arrive in Riohacha from Palomino. Colectivo-style minibuses leave frequently throughout the day from the main road (we have marked the spot on our map).
Santa Marta to Riohacha
In case you want to skip the stops along the coast like Tayrona Nationalpark, Costeno Beach, or Palomino, you can also hop on a direct bus from Santa Marta to Riohacha. It takes around 3 hours.
Bucaramanga to Riohacha
Taking the (night-) bus from Bucaramanga to Riohacha is a great option to break up the journey if you’re planning to travel from Bogota without flying. The ride takes around 13 hours.
Bogota to Riohacha
The bus from Bogota to Riohacha takes around one full day. Alternatively, there are direct flights from Bogota or Medellin to Riohacha.
How to Get Around Riohacha
If you stay in the centre of Riohacha, all of your points of interest should be walkable.
There is no Uber in Riohacha. If you want to take a taxi, ask your accommodation to order one to be on the safe side.
Things to Do in Riohacha
1. Visit La Guajira
Most travellers come to Riohacha to visit La Guajira either on their own or on a guided tour. We chose this 3 day tour to Punta Gallinas with Cabo de la Vela.
We have written a complete review of our La Guajira tour:
2. Explore the Beachfront
The beachfront along the Malecon or promenade is probably the nicest area of Riohacha. You can:
- Walk along the Muelle Turístico. Make sure to walk all the way to the end to see the Vírgen Nuestra Señora De Fátima.
- Check out monuments like the Monumento La Identidad and the I ❤️ Riohacha sign.
- Shop for Wayúu souvenirs. You’ll find plenty of little stalls along the way.
- Visit a beach bar like Malecón Playa Bar.
We did not find the city beach particularly inviting to swim and relax neither did we see anybody else doing it.
3. Check out the Centro Historico
The Centro Historico around the Plaza José Prudencio Padilla and the Catedral Nuestra Señora de los Remedios is small but rather pleasant.
4. Look for Street Art
We were positively surprised by the amount of street art in Riohacha. Especially Callejón de los Capuchinos just behind Parque Nicolás de Federman features murals left and right (literally) as well as the quintessential umbrellas.
We spotted more art in the side streets but they looked quite desolate so we didn’t venture far after my bad experience in Malaysia.
5. Spot Flamingos at the Sanctuary Los Flamencos
The protected “Santuario de Fauna y Flora Los Flamencos” is the second most popular activity in Riohacha after touring La Guajira. It offers a unique opportunity to observe flamingos in their natural habitat.
We didn’t do this ourselves as we had already spotted flamingos on this trip but here’s what you can expect on a Los Flamencos tour:
Where to Eat in Riohacha
We were pleasantly surprised by the food in Riohacha. Here are our favourites:
- Bug where we had the best burger in several months of travelling Colombia. We might have gone here twice.
- Capitan Marino Ceviche Restaurant we love Colombian Ceviche. This one was amazing and came with a (semi) sea view.
- Restaurante La Tinaja for an affordable seafood menu del dia.
- Heladeria y Fruteria Chiticos Mix Cañon for amazing icy deserts.
How Many Days in Riohacha Do You Need
Honestly, we think that one night in Riohacha is enough. Maybe we’re biased because we got stuck in a roadblock for several days and spent a lot more time than planned in Riohacha.
We did not find too many interesting things to so we say use Riohacha as a base to go on a tour to La Guajira: Arrive a day early, go on the tour, and leave the day you come back from your tour if you can.
Riohacha Tips
ATMs in Riohacha
You’ll find ATMs from different banks around the centre of Riohacha. Make sure to stock up on some cash before you go to La Guajira which is cash only!
Supermarkets in Riohacha
Around our accommodation, we only found tiny shops. There’s a bigger D1 a couple of blocks from the main square but we never made our way there.
Internet in Riohacha
The WiFi in our accommodation was great. Our local SIM card worked well in Riohacha itself but we had zero connection in La Guajira so be prepared for that.
Is Riohacha Safe
Riohacha is pretty close to the Colombia–Venezuela border, an area that's known for being unstable. The region deals with problems like smuggling and human trafficking. It's also one of the poorest parts of Colombia, and sadly, crime often comes along with poverty.
We were frequently advised not to go out at night and to stick to the centre of town. We did just that and did not encounter any problems.
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