Pub Crawls in Santa Marta
Santa Marta is a smaller nightlife circuit than Cartagena and operates differently because of it. The historic centre and El Rodadero beach suburb run parallel: the centre is where the hostel-based crawls begin, El Rodadero is where the beach clubs run until 5am.
The historic centre around Calle 19 and the pedestrian Calle del Gobernador concentrates the hostel nightlife in Santa Marta. Bars here are cheaper than the beach resort end of town and oriented toward backpackers. El Rodadero is fifteen minutes west by taxi: beach clubs, higher prices, a younger Colombian domestic tourist crowd. The pub crawl operators who have Viator listings use the historic centre as their base and run toward Rodadero by the third stop. Five qualifying products exist. Santa Marta is smaller than Cartagena in nightlife terms but the scene is tighter geographically, which means less time walking and more time in each venue.
The Santa Marta Nightlife Scene
Santa Marta's nightlife runs across two zones that do not fully overlap. The historic centre around Calle 19 is where backpackers and budget travellers congregate: cheap bars, hostel-organised events, and a walking-distance circuit. El Rodadero is the beach club zone, fifteen minutes west by taxi, where the late-night scene runs with a different crowd and higher prices.
What you'll pay
Historic centre bars price at 5,000 to 8,000 COP for a beer, 12,000 to 18,000 COP for cocktails. El Rodadero clubs charge 20,000 to 40,000 COP entry. A realistic evening from 9pm, starting in the centre and ending at Rodadero, totals 100,000 to 150,000 COP including transport and five rounds. Colombia remains good value for nightlife by any comparison. Prices verified April 2026.
Best nights to go
Thursday for the historic centre crawl circuit: smaller groups, cheaper rounds, and the Colombian student crowd rather than the weekend tourist mix. Saturday at El Rodadero if beach clubs are the goal: full capacity by midnight, the clubs run until 5am, and the taxi back costs 15,000 to 20,000 COP.
Top Pub Crawls in Santa Marta
Pub crawl listings for Santa Marta are being updated. Check back soon.
What You Will Pay
Crawl tickets run 50,000 to 80,000 COP, roughly £10 to £16. This typically includes a welcome shot, bar entry, and one drink per stop. Beer in historic centre bars runs 5,000 to 8,000 COP; cocktails 12,000 to 18,000 COP. El Rodadero beach clubs charge 20,000 to 40,000 COP entry on weekend nights. A full evening including a crawl ticket and four additional drinks totals 100,000 to 160,000 COP, around £20 to £32. Prices verified April 2026.
Best Night to Go
Thursday through Saturday. Thursday is the local pick: the Colombian university crowd is out, the crawl groups are smaller, and the bars in the historic centre are reachable without competition for space. Friday and Saturday draw larger groups from Cartagena day-trippers and domestic tourists heading to Rodadero. Saturday is peak capacity at the beach clubs and noticeably more expensive at the door.
Events and Festivals in Santa Marta
Upcoming events worth timing your trip around.
Where to Stay in Santa Marta
Looking for a place to sleep after the crawl? See our pick of the best party hostels in Santa Marta.
