First Time Diving in Colombia...

Ive been reading about a few options, of course Taganga and Santa Marta.
Taganga seems a little rough around the edges and the visibility of the water is poor?

Any other ideas??

Thank you

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Do you think that would be a suitable enough place for a beginner? And is there a nice social atmosphere etc??

I did some diving in Taganga a few years back. The dive site was ok, and the visibility was decent enough. For two dives with everything included, I remember the price being around 120,00. The diving wasn't world class, but at that price, it was more than good enough. As mentioned above, there's better diving in Providencia. Also, the diving in Capurgana is quite good as well. However, if you're just looking to do some decent diving that won't break the bank, then Taganga isn't a bad choice.

Taganga itself isn't that bad. The town is a bit shabby and it has seen better days, but it isn't a war zone. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the place, but many people do like it. If you're on the fence, then just initially stay in Santa Marta. Taganga is a short taxi ride from Santa Marta, so you could just visit Taganga and see for yourself. If it looks like your cup of tea, then just make the quick move from Santa Marta. If you'd rather stay in Santa Marta, then just make the short trip to Taganga when you want to go diving.

Another option is San Andrés: more accessible than Providencia, and with some reasonably good diving. Not as good as the best in the region (Grand Cayman for example) however we were there a few years ago and did 6 dives, which we enjoyed.

We haven't dived at Taganga, so cannot comment on the comparison unfortunately.

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