1# El Choco has Stunning off-the-beaten-path destinations

When travelers visit Colombia, they often go to the Caribbean and spend a pleasant day in renowned cities such as Cartagena or Santa Marta. That’s normal. Everyone wants sunny beach days for their vacations. Unfortunately, these destinations can be crowded depending on the season. 

You won’t have this problem when visiting El Choco going on the Pacific coast. You’ll be most of the time alone on the beach, surrounded by lush vegetation, fantastic landscapes, and exotic animals. Here are three of my favorite areas.

Capurganá & Sapzurro

Capurganá and Sapzurro are villages from the Colombia Caribbean Coast. Since these locations are hidden in the Darien Gap, national and foreign visitors tend to overlook their splendid shores. What a mistake! The clear blue ocean and the local beaches are ideal for a peaceful time.

To go to Capurganá, you’ll need to take a boat from Necoclí, Turbo or Acandí. Once there, you’ll be able to organize numerous activities. I suggest you hang out in La Coquerita and snorkel near El Aguacate Beach. After a couple of days in Capurganá, don’t hesitate to follow a curved path through the jungle to arrive at Sapzurro — or you can take a 10-min boat.

El Valle & Bahía Solano

El Valle and Bahía Solano are both located on Colombia’s Pacific coast.

Bahía Solano is a city that has a small airport with a direct connection from Medellín. From there, travelers can take a tuk-tuk and arrive in El Valle in less than 30 min. It’s one of my favorite towns in the pacific region, where inhabitants live mainly from fishing and tourism.

In El Valle, you’ll find Playa Almejal and Playa Larga. A vast ocean, waterfalls, and lush landscapes flank its two beaches. Your experience will be even better from July to October, as you’ll be able to see humpback whales in the ocean.

If you want to enjoy nature, calmness, surf, and spend time with local anglers, it’s the place to be.

Nuquí and Around

The area around Nuquí is one of the most pristine tourist areas in Chocó. Hence, little information is available about its most beautiful beaches and attractions.

Nuquí is a small city that has an airport with connections to Medellín. The place is not very attractive, and I do not see any genuine interest in staying there. As soon as you arrive, jump on a small boat and head south.

Guachalito is a splendid beach in Chocó, at only 30 minutes by boat. Even further south, you will find small and lesser-known villages such as Coqui, Termales, and Arusí.

The atmosphere in Guachalito will be a perfect romantic getaway. It’s also an excellent spot for ecological walks and animal watching as you’ll enjoy a magnificent landscape with little human intervention.

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2# Beautiful Beaches in El Choco, Colombia

Did you know that El Choco is the only Colombian department with access to the Caribbean Coast and the Pacific coast?

There, you’ll notice extensive, paradisiacal, and almost abandoned beaches. Consequently, these locations will offer you absolute calm and tranquility.

Depending on the month of the year, you might enjoy endless hours of sunshine (January and February) or heavy rains (October and November). 

Let’s see where you can find these spectacular beaches.

Playa Guachalito: secluded and romantic

I consider Guachalito to be one of the most romantic places in Colombia. You will find long stretches of black sandy beach along a lush coastline. Apart from the occasional fisherman, you will hardly see anyone. It’s like jumping into a Robinson Crusoe adventure but with more comfort and glamour.

Pick your eco-lodge cautiously, as you won’t find a restaurant or local agency nearby. You’ll have to rely on your host.

Traveler’s tip: Some ecolodges are close to each other. I advise you to book one that is a little further away.

Playa El Almejal: surf & restful

Playa El Almejal is another delightful beach with palm trees, surf spots, and superb accommodations. You can get to this place in two ways: walking 15 min from El Valle or taking a Tuk-Tuk.

Thanks to its proximity to the town, you will be less dependent on your accommodation for meals and activities.

After your hike to the nearby waterfalls, don’t forget to sit on the black sand with a cold beer at sunset to enjoy the show.

Traveler’s tip: To move around the coast of El Choco, you will take small planes, fishermen’s boats, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks. Take a backpack instead of a bulky suitcase.

Beaches in Sapzurro: Blue Caribbean sea and white-sand

Sapzurro being on Colombia’s Caribbean Coast, the weather will be less humid than on the Pacific coast. You’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful beaches nearby all year long — although there is a rainy season from April to November.

From Sapzurro, you can reach Tiburón in just 15min walking. It’s an excellent spot for snorkeling, and you won’t find many tourists. Don’t forget to order a coco-loco at the only restaurant on site — a delicious cocktail made of coconut and rum.

Sapzurro is also next to the Panama border. Climb a hundred stairs to cross it and discover the beach of La Miel. You will find a small village and a beautiful, well-arranged beach. It is a typical paradise with white sand, palm trees, and some bars/restaurants built with palm leaves.

Traveler’s tip: At the end of the beach, there is a duty-free shop that sells Chilean wine at a reasonable price.

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3# Whale Watching in El Chocó, Colombia

From July to October, humpback whales migrate along Colombia’s Pacific coast to give birth. This is a unique opportunity to observe these magnificent animals in small groups.

Ensure that the agency you choose treats whales with respect, taking proper distance from them when you stay on the boat.

I advise you to book your accommodation and your plane in advance during this period.

Whale watching around Nuquí

Around Nuquí, the easiest way is to find an ecolodge that offers this tour (most of them do). You might also see whales from your room!

Whale watching around El Valle

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4# National Parks in El Choco, Colombia

National parks in the Chocó department are little-known, even by their inhabitants. In these places, you’ll find endemic bird species and fall in love with a beautiful natural world.

Los Katíos National Park

Katíos National Park is near the Darién National Park in Panama. It is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its vast jungles, plains, and biological diversity. Currently, this area covers 72,000 hectares.

To visit Los Katíos, you’ll need to take a boat from Turbo and navigate the sea for 2 hours.

Ensenada de Utria National Park

Utria National Park is the most famous natural reserve in El Chocó, from which you can see mangroves and beautiful birds.

You will have to pass through a bay whose calm and deep waters are a paradise for aquatic animals to enter this park. It is a delightful place for whale watching from July to October

You’ll have to take a 45-min boat from El Valle to get there.

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5# Birdwatching in El Choco

The Pacific coast is not only famous for whale watching. It’s also a paradise for bird lovers who look for endemic species. Some enthusiasts say that it is a Colombian department even richer than the Amazon in terms of bird diversity.

The easiest way to observe them is to visit natural reserves and national parks.

→ Utria National Park is a famous spot for birdwatching. In this place, there are approximately 270 birds species. You can see endemic birds, such as the Baudó Oropendola, Baudó Guan, Dusky Pigeon, and the Black-tipped Cotinga.

→ Katíos National Park has 25 percent of the birds in Colombia.

→The Reserve Las Tangaras, located between Medellín and Quibdo, is home to 250 species, including the famous Bangsia aureocincta and Bangsia Melanochlamys.

→ In the same area (Carmen de Atrato), you’ll also find the Reserve Gorrión de Andivia, a vital location for Oreothraupis arremonops and Henicorhina negreti.

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6# Sea Turtle nesting

Various sea turtle species return to shore to bury their eggs in the sand. Between June and December, they begin their fight to avoid the many predators and reach the ocean  

To increase the probability of survival, local associations recover the eggs from the sand and put them in safer places. When tortoises are born, they are carefully released into the sea. Estación Septiembre, which operates in El Valle, leads these initiatives to save baby tortoises.

You can also stay at an ecolodge and ask them to organize it for you.

Next to Acandí, you can observe leatherback turtles between May and June on the Caribbean Coast.

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7# Surfing in El Chocó

The Pacific coast is the most famous area of Colombia for surfing.

Usually, surfers prefer to hit the Pacific Ocean between May and November, when the waves are big.

Because El Chocó is a remote area, the international surfing community has not yet had much opportunity to explore it.

Here are the two famous spots to catch some waves.

Surfing around Nuquí

The easiest option is to take a boat and go to the small village of Termales, 1 hour south of Nuquí. There you will find some cheap hotels and surfboard rentals. There, the Pacific Ocean will offer you with great surfing sessions.

The most difficult waves are found at Pico de Loro & Juan Vidrio. You’ll need to find a local to get there.

Surfing in El Valle

Locals love to surf at Playa El Almejal. You can rent a surfboard at the Humpback Turtle Hostel. They also give lessons.

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8# Deep fishing in El Choco

Another recognized activity along the Pacific coast is deep-sea fishing.

You should head to Bahia Solano for that.

Depending on the month, you can find more fish species than others. For example, if you want to practice fishing along the shore, it’s better to get from March to June. There will be a great migration of sardines, and you can also catch marlin, sailfish, tuna, snapper, amberjack, tarpon, and roosterfish.

The agency will take you further out to sea from October to January, looking for big catches such as blue marlin, black marlin, sailfish, colossal tuna, and mahi-mahi.

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9# Stay in cool ecolodges 

Since El Choco is cut off from the world, it is not easy to bring in construction materials. As a result, you cannot expect a 5-star ecolodge.

Despite this, you can find comfortable wooden cabins surrounded by wild nature and a chef who will serve you delicious meals.

Staying in an ecolodge is the easiest way to enjoy El Choco without worrying about logistics, which can sometimes be complicated, especially if you don’t speak Spanish.

• Near Nuquí, the most beautiful ecolodges are located between Guachalito Beach and the village of Arusí. Try to find one that’s quite isolated, so you don’t have to share your piece of paradise with other travelers.
• In El Valle, the best ecolodges are situated between the village and the end of Playa El Almejal.
• In Bahía Solano, head to Macana Beach.

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10# The Food in El Choco

Chocó food is one of the best in Colombia.

The irony is that these chefs manage to prepare your exquisite dishes with very few kitchen utensils.

I’m sure you’ll love their coconut rice and fried bananas.

Locals use fresh seafood and ingredients from the jungles to add flavor to their meals. If you can, try their Cazuela de mariscos. It’s a seafood stew cooked with coriander and coconut milk. A perfect drink to go with it would be Borojó juice. According to locals, it will provide you with “sexual power”.

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11# Festival in Quibdó 

Music is essential to Afro-Colombian culture. Influential bands emerged from El Chocó, such as ChocQuibTown. The percussion beat, accompanied by the captivating sound of the marimba, is a delight for the ears.

In Quibdó, the department’s capital, you can participate in the San Pacho festival at the end of September. You can attend numerous dances, concerts, and parades for several days. The San Pacho festival ends with a boat ride on the Atrato River, followed by religious processions that reflect the importance of their Afro-Colombian roots.

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12# Hotsprings in El Choco

There are several places in the department of Choco where you can enjoy a bath in hot springs.

Termales

The natural hot spring of Termales is a 10-minute walk from town. There is a small fee for access to a deep hot water pool. Afterward, if you want to refresh yourself, you can lie down in the nearby cold river.

Usually, Guachalito ecolodges coordinate tours to the hot springs in Termales.

Jurubirá

To get to Juribirá’s hot springs, you’ll have to follow a path through lush vegetation for about twenty minutes. There, you’ll find 3 little pools made of concrete. The area is not as well laid out as in Termales, but this does not affect the place’s charm.

You will have to pay a local to guide you to the hot springs.

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13# Scuba Diving in El Choco

The underwater visibility along the Pacific coast is not comparable to the Caribbean. However, you might want to go there to swim with the whale sharks — from March to May.

If that’s the case, you should head to Punta Brava.

This beautiful eco-lodge owns the only diving center in the area. Once in Nuquí, the hotel’s private boat will pick you up and take you to this little piece of paradise.

Do you prefer colorful reefs, warm water, and good visibility?

Then head to Capurganá and Sapzurro. You will find affordable prices to dive and pass your open water.

The best season is from August to November. The sea becomes almost as calm as a lake, and the visibility is excellent.