Santa Marta (Tayrona) weather in March

March in Santa Marta: sweltering, dry, with clean air — fine if you can take 36°C afternoons.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Santa Marta🇨🇴 Colombia · Caribbean Colombia & Venezuela · Beach90
  1. 93Jan
  2. 92Feb
  3. 90Mar
  4. 83Apr
  5. 72May
  6. 71Jun
  7. 79Jul
  8. 76Aug
  9. 69Sep
  10. 61Oct
  11. 67Nov
  12. 89Dec

#3 of 12 months in Santa Marta · #171 of 1413 destinations to visit in March · comfort 90/100 (tier S)

Days
31°C
Nights
24°C
Wet days
4
Sun
11.2 h
Humidity
82%
Daylight
12 h
Santa Marta, Colombia
Photo: Juan Camilo Trujillo Botero 🇨🇴📸 · Pexels

Traveller notes on Santa Marta in March

Notes from nearby Minca (14 km away)

Santa Marta doesn't have its own notes for March yet — these are about Minca, close enough to share the season.

Minca-forum threads on a March visit describe this as a genuinely world-class birding location, posters calling the extreme biodiversity here, much of it endemic, the real reason serious birders make the trip up from Santa Marta. Regulars call San Lorenzo and areas near Campano real standard stops for a guided birding tour, several posters naming these the spots most operators build a day trip around. Posters recommend Fidel as a real, repeatedly named local guide, several regulars describing him as good-humored and able to arrange a coffee farm visit for any non-birders in a group. Regulars call coffee and cacao farms a genuine complement to the wildlife draw, several threads naming a combined coffee and cocoa tour a real way to fill a second day here. Posters recommend real rain gear regardless of a clear March morning, several regulars calling this cloud-forest region capable of shifting fast. The record: 25.3C days, 21.6C nights, 40.3mm across over 7 days and 80 percent humidity.
MincaMarchRegular · March · 1 month ago · about Minca · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Santa Marta

Colombia's coast forum has mixed reports for August, but the pattern that comes up again and again is hot, humid days cut by a steady onshore breeze, with rain that's more forecast than felt - a few minutes of tropical shower rather than a soaking afternoon, most days. One traveler who spent the whole month on the coast said it only properly rained a couple of times the entire trip. Santa Marta gets recommended as a solid base for day trips to Tayrona, since the beach weather generally holds even when the forecast looks ominous.
CaribbeanCoastTraveler · August · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
Forum posters describe February as hot and largely dry along this stretch of Colombia's Caribbean coast, with daytime temperatures commonly in the 85-95F range and January-through-March named as the best overall window to visit. Mornings can feel intensely warm, but posters note a breeze typically picks up by midday, providing real relief. One recurring theme in the forums: online weather forecasts for this region are notoriously unreliable, frequently showing rain nearly every day regardless of what actually happens - posters consistently advise trusting the destination's seasonal reputation over a daily forecast app. Santa Marta serves as the main gateway for Tayrona National Park and the Lost City trek, both commonly paired with a February visit given the reliably dry conditions.
Tripadvisor community · February · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Santa Marta's card on the map.

Santa Marta climate normals — March

Daytime high31°C / 88°F🔥 sweltering
Nighttime low24°C / 75°F
Feels like (high)36°C / 97°F
Sea temperature26°C / 79°F😎 warm sea
Rainfall25 mm / 1 in☀️ dry
Rainy days4 days
Humidity82%💦 very humid
Dew point22°C / 71°F
Sunshine11.2 h/day
Daylight12.1 h
Wind23 km/h / 14 mph
Air quality (US AQI)38🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Santa Marta in March

How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.

Peak crowdsSemana Santa, Semana Santa recess in Colombia, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Santa Marta's weather

Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).

Best weatherSanta Marta's weather peaks January–March.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Santa Marta in March

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Holiday

    Semana Santa

    20 Mar – 25 Apr · usuallyEaster & Holy WeekCrowdedBook early

    Colombia's second travel peak lands here: the coast road backs up, Tayrona hits its daily cap by mid-morning and hotel rates match Christmas. Source ↗

What's on around the world in March →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Santa Marta — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Santa Marta?

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Santa Marta in March — FAQ

Is March a good time to visit Santa Marta?
March in Santa Marta: sweltering, dry, with clean air — fine if you can take 36°C afternoons. It ranks #3 of 12 months for Santa Marta on SeasonMap's comfort score (90/100).
What is the weather like in Santa Marta in March?
In March, Santa Marta averages a daily high of 31.3°C and a low of 23.7°C, with about 24.9 mm of rain over roughly 4.2 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Santa Marta in March?
Santa Marta has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 38 in March.

Within 300 km: Cartagena's Cartagena film festival around 5–20 Mar.