Top 5 best motorcycle rentals in Santa Marta

Picture leaving the crowds at Rodadero behind and riding your own line up into the Sierra Nevada foothills, coffee farms rolling past on one side and jungle on the other, before dropping back down to a hidden cove for a swim. That's what a day on two wheels looks like around Santa Marta. One morning you're threading the coastal road toward the mangroves and white sand of Bahía Concha, the next you're climbing the switchbacks to Minca for cooler air and a proper cup of local cacao. Few destinations pack this much variety into such a short radius.

What makes Santa Marta so well suited to a motorcycle or scooter is exactly this mix of terrain packed close together. The city's real highlights — jungle beaches, dive villages, mountain hamlets — sit anywhere from 10 to 45 km apart, strung along a decent coastal highway and, once you turn inland, some steep unpaved climbs that a bus simply can't handle and a taxi will charge you a fortune for. If you want to string together a beach morning and a mountain afternoon, renting a motorcycle in Santa Marta is really the only way locals and long-term travellers get it done.

Top 10 things to see in Santa Marta by motorcycle

1. Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona — the region's flagship coastal jungle park, with a paved road running all the way to the El Zaino entrance and beaches like Cabo San Juan and Arrecifes waiting inside.
2. Bahía Concha — a calm, family-friendly swimming beach inside the Tayrona boundary, tucked down a short side road off the main highway.
3. Playa del Rodadero — the city's main beach strip, an easy ride from downtown with restaurants and boats out to Isla del Morro.
4. Taganga — a former fishing village turned dive hub, with a scenic climb-and-descend ride out of the city and sunset viewpoints along the way.
5. Minca — a mountain village in the Sierra Nevada foothills, reached by a winding uphill road, known for coffee farms, cacao and cooler jungle air.
6. Pozo Azul — a waterfall and swimming hole above Minca, at the end of a rough unpaved track for riders comfortable off-road.
7. Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino — the historic hacienda where Simón Bolívar died, now a museum, and a quick, easy ride from the city centre.
8. Palomino — a laid-back beach town roughly 1.5–2 hours east along the coast, famous for tubing down the river from the Sierra Nevada to the sea.
9. Costeño Beach — a surf-friendly stop just before Palomino, easily folded into the same coastal ride.
10. Cristo Rey lookout above Santa Marta — a hillside viewpoint over the bay, perfect for a short sunset ride before heading back into town.

What do you need to rent a motorcycle in Santa Marta?

Colombia treats anything above 50cc as a full motorcycle, and since most rental scooters here are 100–125cc, you'll need a motorcycle licence, not just a car licence — category A1 covers up to 125cc. An International Driving Permit isn't strictly required, but it's the safer option to carry alongside your home licence. Rental companies commonly set their own minimum age, usually somewhere between 18 and 23 depending on the machine, and you should expect to leave a deposit, either in cash or as a hold on your credit card, along with your passport for identification.

How much does it cost to rent a motorcycle in Santa Marta?

A standard automatic scooter in the 110–150cc range runs around 110,000–120,000 COP per day in low season, climbing to roughly 150,000–190,000 COP during high season. If you want something bigger, a 250–300cc manual or adventure bike typically costs 220,000–350,000 COP per day.

• Prices rise around Christmas and New Year, Semana Santa, and the July–August school holidays.
• May and the September–October stretch, Santa Marta's rainiest and quietest months, bring the best rates.

When to book a rental motorcycle in Santa Marta?

High season runs December to January, Semana Santa, and July through August, so book a few weeks ahead if you're travelling then and expect to pay toward the top of the range. For better prices and thinner crowds, aim for May or the September–October window instead — just pack a rain jacket, since these are the wetter months on the Caribbean coast.

Local traffic rules in Santa Marta

Colombia drives on the right, and helmets are compulsory for both rider and passenger. Motorcycles must run with headlights on at all times, day and night. Speed limits sit at 50 km/h on most city streets, dropping to 30 km/h near schools and residential zones, with rural roads generally at 80 km/h. Blood-alcohol limits are strict, effectively zero tolerance, so don't ride after drinking. Keep your licence and the vehicle's SOAT insurance papers on you — police checkpoints on the roads out to Tayrona and Palomino are routine.

Types of motorcycles available

On our website you can rent the following types of motorcycles: cruiser, sport, touring, standard, classic, dual-purpose, dirt bikes, street, naked bikes or roadsters, choppers, custom, streetfighter, sport-touring, dual-sport, on-road, off-road, adventure motorcycles, supermoto, scrambler, motorcycle with sidecar, enduro, motocross mx, trail, motards, tricycles, bikes with automatic or manual gears, luxury motorbikes.

Models of motorcycles available

On our website you can hire motorcycles from the following manufacturers: BMW, Harley Davidson, Aprilia, Buell, Cagiva, Ducati, Gilera, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, KTM, Husqvarna, Jawa, MV Agusta, Moto Guzzi, Triumph, Benelli, Bajaj, Indian, Royal Enfield, TVS, Beta, Bimota.

Which insurance is provided?

Most providers include basic third-party liability insurance in the rental price, with options to upgrade to fuller coverage that reduces or removes your deposit liability in case of damage or theft. Always confirm exactly what is and isn’t covered before you set off.

Extra services available

When you make an online motorbike reservation you can also order the following extra services and equipment: integral helmet, GPS navigation, intercom, unlimited mileage, top case, side cases, boots, jacket, gloves, individual guide or tour, map, full insurance, one-way rental, or delivery to your chosen address.

Why use BikesBooking.com?

• Compare prices from multiple local rental companies in one place;
• Read reviews from previous customers;
• Reserve online with a Best Price Guarantee;
• Friendly support if your plans change.

Most of our motorcycle rental providers have years of experience and will equip you with a well-maintained bike, helmet and insurance for the ride ahead. The number of companies we work with is increasing every day, so if you want to rent a motorcycle locally, just use the search form at the top of the page. Have a nice trip!