By taking the path less traveled the traveler can find hidden gems on Colombia’s Pacific coast, according to Colombia’s export and tourism body Proexport.
Tourists in Colombia typically stop at the countries’ major cities, the coffee region, and along the Caribbean coast.
However, a traveler who veers off the “gringo trail” will be pleased to find the diamond of Vallecaucana hidden in the rough of Colombia’s little-visited Pacific coast.
In the Malaga Bay, the 32 islands that make up the Archipelago de la Plata provide an ideal temperature and food for humpback whales, which in turn provides for exciting whale watching.
Bird watchers and nature enthusiasts alike can enjoy Palm Island Park, is a massive forest-covered rock which provides food for a large selection of waterfowl.
Chucheros is a striking black sand beach washed in a sea of green, located near the town of Juanchaco. The massive waterfall “El Serpiente” crashes down 213 feet, meeting the sea at Chucheros beach.
Another destination is the charm of Ladrilleros, a quaint village where life moves with the rhythm of the tides.
Isla Congrejal is a small island located on the south of the Bay of Buenaventura. Here the beaches are small, the water is clear and the isolated location offers seclusion and privacy. If you follow the rivers deeper into the jungle you will arrive to where the Embera indigenous people live.
The relative isolation of these locations, with a just-burgeoning tourist infrastructure, makes the Pacific Coast of Vallecuacana an attractive destination for any traveler looking for something out of the ordinary.