This small but beautiful and emblematic town is located in the municipality of Norte de Santander , on the Andes mountain range and has been classified as a National Cultural Interest Asset and a Colombian Monument since 2005. Belén Beach is It stands out for its colonial architecture and its cobbled streets.
How to get to Belen Beach, Santander?
To go to Belén Beach, the first thing you have to do is go to Ocaña. In Ocaña you must take a taxi , which will take between 30 and 40 minutes to arrive. The fare for this taxi is $8,000 pesos per person.
Fun fact about Belen Beach
All the facades of the houses must be painted the same colour: white on the walls and brown on the doors, with red baseboards; likewise, each house should have 1 to 2 small pots hanging on its front wall. It is extremely important that they all comply with these parameters.
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The best times to go to know Belen Beach.
Holy Week
It is celebrated with elaborate and beautiful parades or religious processions. They start from the main church, taking from it the busts of religious figures such as the Virgin Mary and Jesus of Nazareth. As they go through the alleys of the town, people leave their houses to join the procession that ends again in the church, to then start the mass.
The feast of the Virgen del Carmen
It is celebrated every July 16 with a mass, followed by a caravan of cars. The virgin is placed in a large truck, decorated with flowers and fireworks are lit. It should be noted that the Virgen del Carmen is the patron saint of drivers, which is why taxi drivers and bus drivers venerate her every year.
The patron saint festivities of Playa de Belén
They are celebrated on September 24 in honor of the Virgen de las Mercedes, who is the patron saint of the town. For this date, stages with music, representative dance samples are organized in the main park and gastronomic and craft fairs are held.
Christmas holidays
On December 7 they begin the holiday season. The whole town gathers in the main square, where with Christmas music and the current mayor’s order, the lights and decorations of the entire town are turned on; the most typical are lanterns and candles.
Sports and adventure at Belén Beach
At Playa de Belén you can find many fun options:
Extreme cable flight or zip line
Fill yourself with adrenaline with a 400-meter flight, where you can observe the enormous beauty of landscapes and mountains that the town has. You can also see the rock geoformations of Parque de los Estoraques .
Paint Ball in Playa de Belén
It is a high performance sport. First you are guided by experts on the subject, who give you some safety instructions, so that you can then enter the game area. It is a very fun plan to do with friends.
Tibetan bridge
It is a suspension bridge with a height of 40 meters and a length of 85 meters where you put your fears and balance skills to the test.
Target shooting
At Belén Beach there are special courts where this sport is trained. Visitors are also taught about handling weapons.
Ecological walk
If you like more relaxed plans, an ecological walk through the fields of the beautiful Playa de Belén is the best option. You will enjoy beautiful green trails surrounded by fauna and flora that are only found in that place; In addition, the climate of the area is a delight, from 17 to 20 degrees Celsius, which will make you enjoy the walk more.
The Estoraques
Another tourist spot that La Playa de Belén has are “Los Estoraques” which are gigantic figures in eroded stones that have existed for thousands of years and have formed caves and secret passages. Some tourists say that there are formations very similar to the silhouettes of people or animals.
Typical food from Belén Beach
What you will find the most in their restaurants is the rice tamale , stuffed with pork or chicken. Guava candy and panelitas (sweets made with milk and sugar) are also very common. Likewise, everywhere you will find the famous cebollitas ocañeras (small onions pickled in vinegar and spicy), widely used in sancochos and roasts.
As for drinks, being a town with a cold climate, what they consume the most is peto (hot corn drink). However, they also have cold drinks like horchata (a fermented drink of water, cinnamon, and pineapple peels – all blended and sweetened).
Where to stay in Belén Beach?
To decide where to stay in this fantastic little town, you just have to choose between the only 3 options it offers. The 3 hotels are comfortable and cheap; one with elegant and luxurious room options, and the others with more country options.
Below we show you the options for you to compare, decide and book in advance:
– Yaragua Nature Park
– Finca Hotel Casa Real
– Hotel Orquideas Plaza
Remember that for the special dates of the town everything increases in price and it becomes more difficult to find available rooms, be careful and book your room in advance in one of the hotels on Playa de Belén .
