50 The oldest settlement in South America, Santa Marta is today one of the most popular coastlines for visitors in the Americas, famed for its stunning, white-sand Caribbean beaches in the Tayrona National Park and the beautiful backdrop of the Sierra de Santa Marta mountains to the south. This combination of beach and mountains makes for a fascinating region, where visitors can relax but also explore the exuberant tropical ? ora and fauna beyond, learning more about the profound cosmovisions of the regions indigenous peoples, the Kogi and Arhuaco. Santa Marta Tayrona Beach and Ecohabs