Tolú Overview

By Brenda Yun

Upon arrival, you might be wondering what brought you here, to this hot, sticky little town by the sea. Tolú itself is a busy commercial port with roughly 35,000 residents, and there’s nothing particularly attractive about it aside from the warm ocean. Then there are the holidays and weekends, when the town doubles in size with local tourists and visitors.

Tolú is the ideal launching point for seeing natural sights or lounging on a white sand beach. Some really interesting places like the San Bernardo Islands, Coveñas, Caimanera, Volcán de Lodo, and Playa Blanca are within a 30-minute to an hour long drive from Tolú. In addition, Tolú isn’t half so bad. With hotels galore, bars along the boardwalk blast champeta music (a mix between salsa and reggaeton) all day long, and friendly locals, there is a light-hearted, free-spirited feel to this town.

If you’re here for a good old Caribbean holiday, you’ve come to the right place. There’s a far greater number of Colombians here on vacation, but foreigners are slowly discovering Tolú’s many draws. Most people spend just a day or two in Tolú, stock up on food and basic supplies, then head farther west, along the coast.