More than perhaps anywhere else in Colombia, exactly where you decide to stay in Minca will have a huge impact on your experience. Having stayed in Minca for probably a lot longer than most, let me guide you here to some of the best options.
First of all, staying in Minca is all about being surrounded by nature. This small town is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains and even though it’s only 15km (9 miles) from the city of Santa Marta, you’ll instantly feel like you’re in a remote place in the jungle.
What I love about the hostels in Minca is that they’re all competing on who has the best sunset jungle views (often with large loft nets and hammocks), the nicest spots by the river, or the homeliest atmosphere, so you’re really spoiled for choice.
I’ve personally stayed in several hostels and visited several more while meeting up with travel friends, so I can help you scope out Minca and pick the right hostel for you.
Just a little warning… the best hostels in Minca do fill up. On my first visit I had hoped to stay in Costena River Minca because other travellers had recommended it, but it was actually booked out weeks in advance. While you can still rock up to Minca without a reservation, the most epic hostels with panoramic rainforest views may be sold out in advance.
Where to stay in Minca
You can stay anywhere in this friendly small village, but it’s worth considering your location carefully. I’ve stayed inside the village itself, before (luckily) realizing that the best move is to actually be on the outskirts or beyond.
Staying in town can be nice…
Inside the village: This can still be a decent option if you want to be closest to the small businesses like cafes, bakeries and restaurants that are found mostly along Carrera 5ª. It’s actually quite a nice little town, so if it weren’t for the much better locations around it, it wouldn’t be a bad place to stay. If you were to arrive without a plan, you’d probably end up looking for accommodation here, though you’d be missing out on some of the best aspects of Minca!
Outside the village (recommended): This is 100% where I recommend staying so you’re closer to the jungle. The downside is that you have to walk at least 15 minutes or so from the center to reach some of my recommended hostels below. In the case of hostel Mundo Nuevo, you’re even fully in the forest — too too far to walk it. However, in Minca it’s highly worth the hassle of being just a bit more isolated for the incredible views and the nature experience.
… But it’s all about catching that misty jungle mood!
Getting around: There is a lot of local transport available in Minca. Just go to the bridge where there are many taxis, pickup trucks, and taxi motorcycles available. The bridge is also the drop-off point for the minibuses from Santa Marta. You can also opt to rent your own scooter or motorbike in town. (I did so at Jungle Joe’s.)
Best hostels on the edge of Minca
The following hostels offer the best of both worlds: still at walkable distance from the village center, but far enough to be fully immersed in the nature experience. If in doubt, simply book one of these!
Casa Loma Minca
15 min walk from center
Mixed dorms
Shared tents
Private rooms
This is the hostel where I stayed the longest in Minca. If you’re not on a tight schedule, beware that Casa Loma Minca is one of those places you can easily ‘get stuck’ because it’s just so good.
But first, some bad news: it’s… on a hill. You’re gonna have to haul your luggage up maybe 50 meters (160 feet) worth of steep stairs. Yes, it sucksto have to go up and down this path every time you want to go into town. But trust me, it’s worth it.
Quick question: does this seem like an acceptable view?
If your answer is yes, then you should seriously stay at Casa Loma Minca.
It felt like being up in a crow’s nest above the trees. There’s something about the views of the layered landscapes that makes you instantly feel great just being there. It has three lounge areas with viewing decks, one with WiFi and the other two without, helping to create a more social vibe.
It is admittedly a bit of a pain to have to walk up and down the hill. Casa Loma’s business model clearly relies on this a bit, because their on-site restaurant — with very yummy food, I should say — often just makes you too lazy to go into town to eat. But it doesn’t matter, as the hilltop location is just out of this world.
You can choose between several dorms as well as private basic jungle huts. Keep in mind you’re in the jungle a bit here so there are insects around, though all beds come equipped with mosquito nets. The sounds of crickets at night are wonderful to fall asleep to.
Costeno River Minca
15 min walk from center
Mixed dorm
Private rooms
This place is simply stunning. Located just on the southern edge of town, you’ll get compeltely unspoiled views of the verdant Sierra Nevada mountains. It doesn’t take long to spot colorful tropical birds fluttering around.
I would describe this place as being somewhere in between a private escape and a classic hostel. Sometimes it’s about the zen views and floating gently around the pool, other times it’s about the lively music or karaoke sessions. Don’t stay here is you only want tranquility, but overall it’s a calm and lowkey social hostel. There is only one dorm, with all other huts being private rooms.
I had really wished to stay here, but it turned out Costeno River Minca is one of the highest-rated hostels in Colombia so it’s often fully booked out. Because of this I had to stay elsewhere and so got seperated from my travel buddies for a while, but I could luckily still often join them for a swim in the pool.
The viewing decks aren’t quite as high up as in Casa Loma, but Costeno River Minca has another big plus, which is the swimming pool. All the different areas are also equipped with loft nets (big hammocks) for full forest immersion.
Besides the pool there is also the small river running alongside the hostel, which gives a nice ambiance. You can often hear frogs or see hummingbirds flying around. You can take a refreshing dip in the river too.
Rio Elemento Ecolodge
5 min walk from center
Mixed dorms
Private rooms
This is my third-best suggestion if you want to stay a little bit on the edge of Minca town. It’s located by the river about 5 minutes north of the bridge / taxi stop, which is far enough not to hear the noise from the town, but still pretty close to many shops and restaurants.
I should mention that a few years ago a different hostel called Casa Elemento existed in a very remote spot in the forest. If you’re reading older blog posts about Minca, you will often see this one mentioned. This location closed and the current Rio Elemento Ecolodge took its name. Don’t get confused as they’re two different hostels! While it doesn’t have the forest view of the old location, the new location does have several other things going for it.
Rio Elemento doesn’t have an expansive view like the aforementioned hostels but it does have the biggest swimming pool in Minca, which is even adorned by a giant tree trunk from which you can jump in.
It also has a lively bar and restaurant, a gym, yoga area, and a private little trail to the river where you can also take a dip and where there are several rope swings.
It offers a range of private rooms (more or less hotel-style), jungle cabins, tents, and four dorm rooms. Family rooms are available as well. If you’re looking for a larger and somewhat more premium hostel that has every facility and service, then Rio Elemento is a great choice.
Jungle Joe Ecolodge
20 min walk from center
Mixed dorms
Private rooms
This ecolodge is located about 1km west of Minca, close to the river, beautiful waterfalls and natural pools.
It’s a sustainability-oriented accommodation using solar energy, proper waste management, and so on, offering a low-impact accommodation inside the forest.
The Jungle Joe lodge offers great sunset views of Santa Marta and the surrounding hills in the evening. A very good breakfast is also included in the price. The owner is highly knowledgable of the area and happy to share many tips for the best places to go.
The “Joe” is actually an established presence in Minca, also having a shop inside town from where you can book trips or rent a moped/motorbike.
Jungle Joe also has what many consider the best bird-watching trips in Minca, led by a man who’s been an ecologist for 48 years but who will point out birds with the same enthusiasm as though it’s his first time spotting them.
There are various types of rooms available at Jungle Joe Ecolodge but no dorms.
Best hostels outside Minca
For even more of an ecotourism experience in nature, you may want to choose a hostel outside of town. All along the main Santa Marta to Minca road there are scattered hostels, eco-lodges and guesthouses to choose from. Here are some top picks for more remote hostels:
Finca Carpe Diem Ecolodge
1 min from jungle (but far from Minca)
Mixed dorms
Private rooms
I should mention that although Finca Carpe Diep shows up when you search for Minca, it’s actually not near Minca. It’s located on the other side of the mountain range and accessed from a different road starting in Santa Marta. So if you stay here, you’ll have different sights and activities around you than if you are staying in or near Minca itself.
Still, I need to mention Finca Carpe Diem first as it’s easily one of the best hostels I’ve stayed in Colombia. It’s located in Paso del Mango, a bit of a ‘secret’ alternative to Minca.
Paso del Mango is not necessarily better than Minca, just a different option if you’re seeking more solitude in nature. There isn’t a town with cafes or restaurants nearby, but the hostel has a great restaurant and bar on-site.
Important: this hostel is in another valley! The way to get there is different from Minca itself. While it’s a bit remote it’s still easy to get there. Just carefully read the instructions sent to you by Carpe Diem when you book.
The best thing about Finca Carpe Diem is that you are truly in the jungle. Hikes start basically right outside your door. A private trail even leads to a special viewing point. A coffee and a cacao farm are also just a short walk away and can be visited anytime.
The facilities are top-notch. There are also not one but three pools and one of the most amazing viewing decks you could wish for. (Can you tell I really loved this place?)
The ecolodge is separated into a ground level area with the restaurant and private huts, and a hilltop level with the dorms and viewing deck. Varied and high-quality food is served so you don’t have to worry about getting hungry.
This hostel is a bit of a location-based concept, so you’ll probably end up getting all your food and activity bookings through the hostel. It’s a bit of an all-ages hostel, with younger solo travellers mixing with older families or couples. Although there is a bar where you can chat with other travellers, don’t go here if you expect a highly social bar type of atmosphere. Think of it as part hostel, part ecolodge.
Getting there involves taking a taxi to Bonda, then switching to a moto-taxi along dirt roads to the finca. You’ll ride on the back with your luggage in front with the driver. Don’t worry, this ride is a lot of fun!
Mundo Nuevo Eco Lodge
20 min drive from Minca
Mixed dorms
Private rooms
This sustainability-focused farm hostel is approximately a 20 minutes drive north of Minca.
It’s an excellent choice for wildlife-watching; I went on a morning birdwatching walk in the area directly around Mundo Nuevo Eco Lodge and spotted a mind-blowing range of feathered creatures.
The hostel has its own vegetable gardens with many hammocks, a pool, and a terraced field from where you can watch the valley. The on-site restaurant (using organic produce from the garden) ensures you don’t necessarily have to go into town to eat.
Mundo Nuevo Eco Lodge is the best choice if you’re looking for truly an “eco” place. Dorms as well as double/triple/quadruple rooms are available.
Best hostels in Minca town
Minca is specialized in remote nature stays, but if you do want to stay inside the town, you definitely can. During the day it’ll be a bit noisy with motorbike and car traffic, but at night it’s still peaceful.
Hostal Eco Point
3 min walk from center
Mixed dorms
Private rooms
As I mentioned in the beginning, I think some of the best hostels are a bit outside Minca. But if I had to pick a place in the town itself, it would easily be Hostal Eco Point (which actually has a 9.9 rating on Hostelworld!)
What I like about Hostal Eco Point is that it immediately feels like a classic backpacker hostel from the moment you step into the reception. If you enjoy hostels with a homely feel, with shared kitchen facilities, and a true “traveller vibe”, then this should be your pick. All the rooms are around a central courtyard backed by trees.
Another advantage of Eco Point is that it’s cheaper than most hostels in Minca.
Map view for more Minca hostels
I’ve shared recommendations here based on where I’ve stayed or visited. But there are at least over 100 hostels and eco-lodges spread around over the Minca area, so you may find a special place just for you.
Use the map below to find the best hostel and hotel deals in Minca:
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