We arrived mid-June 2018:
At arrival, we anchored next to the entrance of the marina. Two other sailboats were staying there too.
The rate of the marina for seven days for a 39 feet boat is 40 US$ per night (the daily rate is 50 US$). As an agent should cost 300 US$ the decision was easily taken. (Taking in account that outside the marina is no place where you could leave your dinghy attached!).

“El permiso de permanencía” is always extra (120 US$). (It expired for us some days later because of leaving again the country.)

A week later we left for several days for Tayona Park. We informed the “station de control” and after they received feedback from the marina that our paperwork was in process, we got the permission to go. The park itself is not very spectacular but the last bay was very calm to chill.
When we came back to the marina, we stayed for another couple of nights for the weekly rate. It was a good choice to take the marina as our agent.

In the marina’s shop, cold beer is available at very reasonable prices. A supermarket is a couple of minutes walk. If you look for restaurants where locals eat it’s five minutes to walk there.

Posted on behalf of Twiganauten:
December 2014, we have been in the IGY Marina for one month.
The marina is perfect, we love the small town Santa Marta and the countryside is like paradise.
We did the tour to the “Lost City”, it was very very hard but worth to do it. Thanks to our tour guide Misael.

I recommend to make this tour 6 days instead of the normally offered tour of 4 or 5.
The terrain is difficult with very steep sections uphill and downhill.
The tour guide Misael grew up in this area, he knows people and nature and he has good contact with the Indians, Misael can arrange customized tours – email: misdelpineda_22@hotmail.com
Agent Dino – dino.shippingagent@gmail.com – made the clearances easy, Dino is very friendly and helpful.

Update July 28, 2014
For anyone planning to come to Marina Santa Marta in the near future, you should be aware that the marina is currently experiencing problems with its water supply. Twice within the past 1.5 weeks, there has been a rupture in the water supply pipeline that has taken approximately 12 hours to fix. During this time, there was absolutely no water in the marina.

Furthermore, the city of Santa Marta is currently experiencing a water crisis. In order to limit water use (mainly by power boat captains who wash their boats every day), water availability on the docks has been limited to two 2-hour periods (8-10am and 4-6pm) each day. Despite these restrictions, the full $6/day facility fee still applies.
– Laura Winter, S/Y Corinthian