Covenas Hostels

Covenas is a resort town on the Caribbean coast of Colombia’s Sucre department. It was originally a slave trade port, then when the slave industry ended it became an oil port. Today it is a popular fishing and resort town for Colombians, but very few international tourists visit. It is located at the opposite end of Tolu on a large horseshoe bay on the Gulf of Morrosquillo and has one of the prettiest beaches on this stretch of coast. The waters are shallow and calm, which makes this the perfect spot to swim or relax on the beach.

You can get to Covenas by bus from Cartagena or Monteria; it is about halfway between the two. Hostel accommodation here is scarce, but there are a few hostels. Expect hostels in Covenas to cater to the locals more so than backpackers, so brush up on your Spanish! Hostels here are spacious and well-appointed with cozy rooms and friendly staff. If you are visiting during the high season (December to March) be sure to book your hostel in advance, as the Colombian tourists fill up town.

In addition to being a lovely, small fishing village with a tourism base, Covenas also has quite a few mangroves and has declared almost 20km of the coastline as a nature reserve. The mangroves are home to several different types of migratory birds and reptiles.

If you choose to stay here instead of in Tolu, you can still visit the Islas de San Bernardo or the mud baths at El Volcan de Lodo. Do not miss these! Your hostel can help you arrange a tour of them; the mud pools are said to have youth-regenerating powers and anyway, it’s quite the experience to get slathered in silica and mud by a local Colombian. You can also visit the nearby swamps at Tijo by boat or kayak. Your hostel can help you arrange any of these.