Playa Grande
A 15 minute walk north of town lies Playa Grande, definitely better than Taganga's beach but maybe even more crowded. It is also possible to take a boat to get there from COP $3.000 per person or one of the more remote beaches in Tayrona Park like Bahia Concha, Chengue and Playa Neguanje from COP $40.000 per person for a return trip. Real unspoiled paradise. Ask the fishermen.
Bonito Gordo
A longer walk goes to Bonito Gordo and from there to Bahia Concha. Reserve a full day for this and ask around to decide if you need to contract a local guide. You can spend the night at Bahia Concha, but you may need to take your own hammock.
Fundación UNILOT
Is divanga's foundation in tourism research unilot means "unidad de investigaciã³n-acciã³n local en turismo". b.a. graduates travellers can participate in sustainable tourism research, the foundation is linked with the local public university universidad del magdalena. you can ask for free accomodation and food against research work, may be on the field, surveys or secondary research directed by master degree graduates. write to: [email protected] tel: 0057-5 421 92 17.
Spanish course
Academia Latina
(http://www.academia-latina.com), the only professional language school in taganga. learn spanish with excellent skilled teachers in a inspiring environment. good prices for private classes! free grammar list and tiempo verbal tenses. they help you for free with the required student visa.
Casa Divanga Language Center
Spanish courses, had basic course for one week with a really professional teacher. she built up her own method, helps you to learn fast, also got special rate for acccomodation in casa divanga, a very nice homely place.
Scuba diving
Calipso Dive Center
Calipso is the only center that offers a Tayrona Park Safari, where people can spend 2 nights in hammocks on a beautiful beach in the park and dive. People have raved about this experience. The diving is good. They are also pioneering a project to restore coral, which is rapidly degrading worldwide. In conjunction with the C-Force Foundation they are growing coral in a coral nursery. They are the only agency doing this in Colombia and one of the only ones doing this in the world. You can even take a coral growing/ gardening course. The people are really kind and you can stay at the center before your safari. note per (http://www.calipsodivecen...) it is "4 weeks full program $2.000 U.S. Dollars" Calipso is a member of NAUI, the second largest Scuba Diving Association in the World. Any certification between NAUI and PADI is mutually recognizable. NOT a PADI facility according to the PADI website. Prices for OW or Advanced Tayrona Park Safari with 2 nights 3 days sleeping in the park are COP $680.000 or for both is COP $1.100.000 with safari. They offer cheaper courses if you don't want to do the safari. For a 3 day and 2 night Safari with 7 dives it's COP $550.000.
Centro de Buceo Poseidon
German-owned diving center. Price for OW+Advanced COP $1.300.000 COP $ 670.000 for OW. One of the most professional diving centres, headed by a well known PADI course Director. Has a swimming pool inside and well-maintained equipments, also are very strict about safety local regulations. This is the place where instructors from Colombia, come to take their course, as they are a PADI 5* Instructor Development Dive Resort. Even some divers from the Colombian Navy come to take courses here. Without any doubt has the best boats in town, 2 well maintained very comfortable Catamaran boats. And there for the only ones that could take you to the furthest dive sites on the Park. They also let you dive until your tank reaches reserve, no time policy as some others in town do. Courses could be taken in different languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and some others. Could be pricey compared to other dive centers in town, but the price is still way below average worldwide, totally worth it if what you're looking for is safety, comfort and a good experience. You also have the option of getting accommodations on their facilities.
Aquantis Diving
Organized and honest, classroom with AC, long dives. Includes coffee, towels, books and warm shower after diving; and you do not have to carry or wash your equipment. Small groups, fantastic food. Great people, amazing service, you can stay in the dive center for hours meet each other before and after the dives.
Taganga turned in to a popular scuba diving spot. Diving spots are usually near the small island "Aguja", a part of Tayrona National Park. The underwater of Taganga has a big diversity of marine life. There are a dozen diving schools in town, but be careful where you do your courses. There are many reports of travelers doing their courses, paying and never receiving any certificate. Be careful for your safety: some diving centers have pretty old equipment, never follow safety rules such as safety-stop and even skip important skills/exams during the course or have dive masters teaching courses, check if you will be with a real instructor. For more information check PADI alerts (http://www.padi.com/padi/...).
Available dive centers: