One of the least-visited parts of the country — and one of the most ruggedly beautiful — the Pacific coast is where the jungle meets the ocean along remote, gray-sand beaches. Here, you can spot whales and dolphins, stay in small Afro-Colombian villages, and experience a side of Colombia that few travelers see.
Exploring this region takes time and patience, as most settlements, like the laidback town of El Valle, are only accessible by boat from Buenaventura. But for those willing to make the journey, the rewards are unforgettable. For more incredible destinations across the country, check out the best places to visit in Colombia.
A busy, gritty and charmless port city, BUENAVENTURA is the only gateway to the region, so you may end up overnighting here even on 7-day Colombia trips. The boats to various coastal destinations run from the muelle turístico (tourist wharf); the area around it is reasonably safe, and you’ll find a number of guesthouses and eateries nearby.
Buenaventura doesn’t lend itself to sightseeing, though if you’re a surfer it’s well worth visiting Ladrilleros, an hour’s boat ride north, where enormous 2–3m waves lash the shore during the August to November rainy season and where you can stay in a number of basic digs. To reach Ladrilleros, take a boat to Juanchaco, from where you can either walk the 2.5km or get a ride on the back of someone’s motorbike.
Way north up the coast, and near Bahía Solano — a town famous for sport fishing and whale-watching — compact El Valle is a good spot for surfing, as well as visiting Parque Nacional Natural Ensenada de Utría, where it’s possible to see whales close to the shore during calving season.
In El Valle itself, there’s solid surfing, and between September and December you can see turtles nesting at Estación Septiembre, a sanctuary 5km south along the coast. You can also do a day hike through the jungle to Cascada del Tigre, a waterfall with a refreshing waterhole (guide necessary). There’s a growing range of Colombia accommodation in the area, including eco-lodges, rustic beach cabins, and community-run guesthouses — most simple, all close to nature.
Rough Guides combines destination expertise with tailor-made travel planned by vetted Colombia local experts. You can use our city and regional guides as a starting point, then receive up to 3 personalized trip plans created from scratch around your preferred pace, experiences, and route through the country. The final itinerary is refined directly with the local travel agent instead of being selected from a fixed package.
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Rough Guides Editors
