If I say idyllic and wild Colombian beaches, what will you answer? Caribbean and Tayrona National Park?! ahah.. Yes but not only that! Colombia offers also a wonderful Pacific Coast. The area between Nuqui and Bahia Solano is now very quiet, where travelers are very welcomed. Here I am on the road of five small hotels; well I mean guestrooms and shacks, very local. After having had my fill of Manizales and Armenia coffee, I go back to my favorite drink, coconut water (“l’agua de pipa”) which I missed so much since my last stay on the Pacific Coast for one month and a half on a Panama beach.
Going to Chocó, Pacific Coast
Choco Pacific Coast is a tropical island on a whole – amazing beaches, palm trees, crazier prices… yes! Because the two main villages on that area – Nuqui and Bahia Solano – are hidden behind acres of rainforest and are not easy to reach… unless taking a plane (like charter flight which is pretty expensive…), or if you are an adventurous person, you can take a boat. There is a small cargo ship leaving from Buenaventura to Nuqui, once or twice a week. For more than 100 000 peso and 24-hour journey, it is possible to book a bunk in a small cabin (like a basic dormitory where you can still lay).
For people who actually know me, I’m sure you got me: the boat option was mine! I thought it was ok, but somebody told me: “Buenaventura harbor for a lonely chick, it sucks! The trip is really long, not comfortable at all, and you also have to think about the trip and the cost to go from Cali to Buenaventura”. I retorted that this option is half as much cheaper and that this experience would be great and memorable!
How I found myself in Nuqui?
Hayda, who is the manager at La Cachamera Hotel where I stayed last month, introduced me to Josefina Klinger during the ANATO tourism show I visited in Bogota. Josefina just won the women-of-the-year CAFAM prize for her pioneer role and for being a rallying person as regards the sustainable and community tourism project development in Choco area. We meet each other and Josefina invite me to come and have knowledge of her project Mano Cambiada in the National Park of Utria. I’d like to, but the price of the plane ticket stopped in my tracks… I keep in mind this idea and the eventuality to come to Choco, and go on my trip.
Few weeks later, here I am in the coffee region and I get on with a coffee plantation/guestroom, Hacienda Venecia the superb. Juan Pablo, owner and manager, want to hire someone to be in charge of the marketing department. He offers me to stay and join the team, but I can’t, I want to carry on with my project. However, if he wants to give me a little help with my plane ticket to Choco I would be pleased to come back stay a couple of day to train their new recruit. A good deal! He will pay for my single plane ticket for three training days.
Juan Pablo and Manuel (the owner of another coffee plantation and hotel where I stayed, Hacienda Combia) both know Isabelle, the owner of a local hotel, at Bahia Solano. We call her to explain my project and she agree to pay for my return plane ticket, and to organize everything in exchange for visiting her and working together the marketing and sustainable tourism sections.
I am so lucky! Thanks again to Juan Pablo, Manuel, Isabelle and Josefina, without who this experience in Choco would not be possible!
First night at Nuqui Mar Hotel
After a 45-minute charter flight in a tiny plane (capacity for five people!), Nuquiiiiiiii here I am! Yes!
Josefina prepared me a complete program with the visit of three others locale “posadas” (guestrooms) before going to her Mano Cambiada project in the National Park of Utria. Yes, but I land on Sunday and nobody comes to the Guachalito beach (where Elisabeth and Benjamin from Joviseña) on Sunday.
Meeting after meeting, I finally find the Nuqui Mar Hotel with Antonio and Nora, where I arrange bed and board for a night in exchange for the edition of a short video of the hotel. Nora will invite me to join her with some friends on a close beach where we went by boat to watch a stunning sunset… Such a great start!
Translated by Clémence Duvent