Tubará between Mokaná culture and the Caribbean coast

The municipality of Tubará is connected to the Caribbean Sea and the roots of the Indigenous Mokaná people. Cultural landmarks, hiking experiences and coastal destinations offer different themes to consider when planning your trip. If you’re looking for hotels for a trip to Tubará, you can decide whether culture, landscape or water sports will shape your stay.

Mokaná culture and public spaces

The Casa de Cultura Mokaná incorporates elements of Mokaná culture into its architectural design. These include openwork design elements and architectural details. Culture and landscape also meet at the Centro Cultural Rebeca Coll: the center is located near the church, at a viewpoint overlooking the mountains and the surrounding landscape.

Exhibits previously shown at the Centro Cultural Rebeca Coll included vessels, abstract stone figures and remains attributed to the Mokaná. Among the exhibits described at the time was a human skull estimated to be about 600 years old.

The Mokaná heritage is associated with 14 recognized communities and a council of elders with 200 members. Totumo art is considered a local craft of Tubará. These connections show different aspects of cultural heritage: community structures as well as artistic traditions.

Plaza San Luis Beltrán opened in December 2023 as a public space for recreation, gathering and reflection. Alongside the cultural institutions, the municipality therefore also has a public space serving these purposes.

Hiking trails, rock art and water sports

A hiking itinerary described on March 31, 2023, leads to the petroglyphs of Piedra Pintada and Chorro de San Luis. Along this route, visitors can experience nature and learn about efforts to preserve Mokaná culture. It therefore combines experiences in nature with a cultural theme, without treating the two aspects as the same.

Piedra Pintada is a sacred site with ancient petroglyphs. The rock art depicts human figures, animals and geometric motifs. Anyone interested in these carvings will find a specific example of the municipality’s cultural heritage here; the site is described as a cultural landmark.

On the Sendero Ecoturístico Chorro de San Luis, a 90-meter stretch of stone slabs leads to the calm, clear waters of Chorro de San Luis Beltrán. The trail includes a rest area, a tourist viewpoint, a drinking-water station and a parking lot.

In Puerto Velero, Kite Puerto Velero offers kitesurfing lessons for all levels in the shallow bay. If you’re considering a lesson, check the operating hours in advance. Puerto Velero and Caño Dulce are considered centers for kitesurfing and windsurfing because of their steady winds. Salinas del Rey is considered the continent’s first Blue Flag sports beach. These places are therefore associated with different water sports.

Coastal scenery and seafood

Caño Dulce lies in a bay that protects its beaches from sediment. Coral, algae and marine plants are found in the deeper waters off the beach. Marine conditions can vary. Caño Dulce is therefore notable both for its sheltered bay location and for the underwater habitats described here.

The food scene is also connected to the coast. In the past, Caño Dulce had more than 20 restaurants serving seafood such as Lebranche and red snapper. The number of restaurants and what they offer can change.

To help you decide, the themes can be clearly distinguished: Mokaná connections range from architecture and rock art to community structures; on the coast, the focus is on the bay, marine life, food and water sports. You can weigh up which of these facets matters most for your trip to Tubará by considering the specific places and offerings.

Discover more destinations: Arroyo De Piedra, Santa Lucia, Barranquilla, Juan De Acosta, Puerto Colombia, Hacienda El Marques, Veracruz, Soledad

For the broader travel overview: Atlántico.