Colombia’s Pacific Coast - What to do and where to go

The beaches on the Pacific side of Colombia are among the most unspoilt on the continent, offering exotic, secluded and untouched nature experiences that can hardly be surpassed. Nature enthusiast would describe the region as paradise on earth. The coastal strip is situated between the rushing waves of the Pacific Ocean and the dense Chocó jungle and only accessible by plane and/or boat. The starting points to all spots are usually (the port of) Buenaventura which is the only place who can be reached by land from Cali or Bahia Solano by plane.

Chocó, where the rough Pacific meets the jungle

What to do

If you stay in Colombia from June to September, you should definitely plan a trip to the coast then a great natural spectacle awaits you. Every year in the Antarctic winter hundreds of humpback whales migrate along the South American Pacific coast to mate and calve off the coast of Colombia. Here the "little ones", four meter long whale calves, are are whipped into shape and then set off on their first journey to Antarctica in September. The adult specimens can be up to 15m long and 25t heavy.

Sometimes you can even get lucky from the coast and catch a glimpse of a jump from one of these huge sea dwellers. From the boat, however, you will be speechless by their appearance. A whale watching tour is an absolute must here.

Jumping Humpback Whale

As in other countries located on the Pacific Ocean, this coast is perfect for surfing. The good thing about it is that this part of Colombia has been spared from mass tourism and there is usually no competition for the best waves. You are often more or less alone in the line up, there is no trace of localism and there are waves of all levels of difficulty.

Other things that are very popular and recommendable are hikes and tours through the numerous nature parks and trips into the jungle, which are flooded by biodiversity. Here you will also find different tours according to difficulty, duration or theme. If you just want to take a bath in a waterfall or hike through the thicket to the indigenous tribes for several days, there is something for all types of adventurers.

Diving is an insider's tip here, but more on that later in the part of the specific locations.
 

Which places are recommended and why

Of course there are many more indescribably beautiful places on the Pacific coast worth visiting and the places recommended isn’t a final list. The following are chosen due to the popularity (don't expect too much as this region is considered rather untouristic), the offering and accessibility. The rest is more difficult and costly, but of course not impossible. It just takes a little more time, patience and money.

Bahia Solano

The Bahia Solano is one of the places that can be reached from Medellin. Beautiful beaches with simple lodges are waiting for you. The Pacific coast of Colombia is suitable for adventurers who like to do without a lot of comfort to spend a completely different holiday, far away from all-inclusive beach holidays. It is located about 56 km north of Nuqui. With its approximately 10’000 inhabitants and its small airport Bahia Solano is the centre of the northern Pacific region of Colombia and therefore a good starting point for expeditions to this region.

The area around Bahia Solano offers enchanting natural beauties, some of which are still very untouched. It lays the foundation for impressing whale watching, fantastic beaches and a unique variety of exotic animal and plant species directly in the nearby jungle.

Poison dart frog in the jungle

From Bahia Solano you have the opportunity to visit the National Park Enseñada de Utria with its unsurpassed biodiversity: There are already four different ecosystems on an area of 10 km².

Nuqui

Nuqui, a small fishing village directly at the beach is also a starting point for staying, travelling further or expeditions. From here it goes on by boat, because there are no roads. Long beaches wait for you and dense tropical forest directly behind. Howler monkey noise to wake you up in the morning, birds chirping and the thundering waves of the Pacific break on the coastal cliff side. Nuqui, like Bahia Solano, is located on the Gulf of Tribuga and has dreamlike beaches where you can go diving, fishing or surfing.

The Pacific Coast offers waves for all levels of surfers

From here, one can also make short excursions to the rain forest or to the small islands in front of it. Please note that Nuqui can only be reached by plane or boat due to the lack of roads. Once you arrive, you can enjoy the tranquillity of this unspoilt nature, the delicious fish dishes and the hospitality of the locals.

Gorgona Island

The island Gorgona is another attraction of the Pacific coast of Colombia. Located 50 km off the coast it is only 9 km long and 2.5 km wide. The abundant vegetation is not only due to the rain that falls here, as everywhere on the Pacific coast, but also to the many freshwater springs that occur on the small island. This made the island popular with sailors who filled up their water supplies here.

The freshwater supply probably brought the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro to the island, from whom the island got its name. The term Gorgona originates from the Greek mythology whereby the most famous example of a Gorgon is the Medusa. With her gaze she turns people into stone and her hair is made up of living snakes. Pizarro named the island Gorgona because many of his men died or suffered from snake bites here. Much later it was used as a high-security prison and became a National Park in 1984. Today only the park guards live here and personnel who work in the ecotourism operating. It attracts primarily scientists, who further explore the rich flora and fauna, or travelers, who prefer the nature tourism and peace.

A rich underwater world is given, the diving area around the island is internationally known and appreciated whereby a few diving tours are offered. The water temperature is ideal for snorkeling and diving and there are dive sites for experienced divers as well as for beginners.

Diving in Choco is a secret tip

The national park, of which Gorgona is the main island, covers 61’687 hectares whereby 97 percent of it resembled by the marine ecosystem. Only three percent are thus the island itself, covered with tropical rainforest and the much smaller island of Gorgonilla. Both significant ecosystems offer optimal habitats for a diverse fauna and flora, some of which can only be found here.

One of the unique species is the blue anole, a blue lizard who is threatened by extinction. The monkeys on the island are quite accustomed to humans and like to tap them from the trees on the shoulder. Sea turtles, schools of fish, moray eels and playful dolphins cavort off the coast of Gorgona. As in other places on the Pacific coast, it is ideal for whale watching here during the season.
 

Important to know is that this island can only be reached by boat from Guapi or Buenaventura.

Island Malpelo

A remote island with fantastic underwater world for unique dives. More than 550 km away from Cali on the mainland there is another island next to the island Gorgona: Malpelo with 0,35 square kilometers which belongs to the department Valle del Cauca. This island has also been a nature reserve since 1995 and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2006.

The area around Malpelo belongs to the most beautiful diving areas in the world with a particularly large wealth of shark schools.

Thanks to its remote location, the animal populations in the waters around Malpelo can develop undisturbed. It is not uncommon for divers to encounter hammerhead-, silk-, sand tiger-, galapagos- and reef sharks. Mantas and eagle rays also often meet divers and the shiny shoals of tuna or mackerel are indescribable.

One of the many fish swarms as part of a still untouched ecosystem

The marine diversity of the area is unbeatable. Malpelo is one of the most visited islands by scientists and divers who apply for special permits months in advance.

Important to know before you want to take a dive from this island: the diving area is only suitable for experienced divers.

In general it is recommended to take enough cash with you then the facilities are not at the same level like other parts of Colombia so it can be difficult to get money out or pay by card. Also on some places, in hotels and in restaurants as well, you have to order your meals at least half a day in advance because the frequency of guests is not always very high.

Due to the difficult accessibility the tourism is less strong in this part of Colombia. This is also reflected in the supply of luxury or in the expansion of the infrastructure.

But if you are looking for adventure, beaches, unique wildlife and authentic culture, this is the right place for you and you will definitely have an unforgettable experience.

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