Juanchaco
Coming to the decision to visit Juanchaco Colombia’s Pacific Coast was made partly out of boredom in Cali and a search for the relatively untouched. See, the pacific coast might as well be another world. There are no roads connecting the towns to the rest of Colombia. The pacific is separated from the other regions by vast amounts of jungle. Once a guerilla strong hold is now opening up to a much simpler way of life following the newly hatched out peace agreements with the government. Some might say visiting is a bit dangerous, others say it’s perfectly okay. Either way it’ll be an adventure.
How to Arrive
Arriving to this region of the pacific including Juanchaco, Ladrilleros or La Barra you’ll first need to make your way to the tourist port in Buenaventura.
Arriving from Cali –
- There are frequent buses from the terminal heading to Buenaventura. $23,000COP (~$8USD). Travel time 1.5-2 hours.
- Next take a taxi or walk to the tourist port. The taxi will cost $3-5,000COP ($1-1.50USD). The distance is very short but Buenaventura has a bit of a bad reputation. I would recommend the taxi.
- From the tourist port a round trip ticket to Juanchaco costs $60,000COP ($20USD). The return ticket date can be left opened. I would recommend booking with Bahia Mar. All the boat companies have kiosks on the pier. I made the mistake of taking a more budget friendly boat and I regretted it! The boat was too small and felt way too dangerous when out in the open ocean. The pacific is much more rough than other waters I’ve experienced. Worst boat ride of my life!
Arriving from Armenia –
There is a direct bus to Buenaventura. Once in Buenaventura follow steps 2 & 3 from above.
Arriving from San Cipriano –
Flag down any of the passing buses or colectivos on the far side of the road. They are all headed for the terminal in Buenaventura. Follow steps 2 & 3 from above.
This is a huge city of mostly Afro-Colombian population and home to one of Colombia’s biggest shipping ports. Skimming through the reviews and recommendations online most of what I found was pretty negative. Buenaventura seemed very unsafe. Some past reports even going as far as calling it one of Colombia’s most dangerous cities. But then there were the handful of travelers I met that claimed the opposite. I thought it over and decided to take my chances. In reality pretty much everyone I’ve met that hasn’t been to Colombia in the last decade condemns the place for a violent battleground. At the time of writing this post I’ve been in Colombia for four months now and my experiences are much different. Sure, you have to be careful not to put yourself in any bad situation. But it’s no more dangerous than the rest of South America.
My personal opinion is the city looks a bit rough. I got a bit worried when I noticed another passenger in the colectivo take the change from his ticket and stuff it into his sock. Luckily the driver did us the favor of taking us all the way to the pier. This is where things start to look better with modern buildings and friendly street vendors. I wouldn’t recommend hanging out in Buenaventura. The pier is okay to look at but there is not much else to see. Go to the kiosk and get on the next boat leaving.
Juanchaco
After departing you’ll arrive to Juanchaco in 45 mins to an hour. The first thing you’ll notice is the unbelievable amount of trash. I mean trash everywhere! If you thought you were coming here as a beach get away you thought wrong! Juanchaco is part of the Uramba Bahia Malaga National Park but there doesn’t really seem to be an effort to maintain the nature in this area.
Look at this trip as more of a cultural eye opener. You’re coming to a region of the world cut off to the main population. They are largely on their own in terms of infrastructure, jobs, health and pretty much everything else we take for granted in daily life.
Trash EVERYWHERE!!!
But some beautiful coast line !!!
Things to Do
- Whale Watching – during July to October the whales are migrating north off the coast. This is an awesome place to spot them from land or boat tour.
- People Watching – this is one of my favorite things to do in foreign countries. Take a walk around the town and get a feel for what life is like here. The locals are friendly and eager to have you take a look at their brightly painted houses.
- Pacifico Hostel – now usually I wouldn’t include a hostel in a things to do list but I had to make an exception this time. This hostel played a huge role in my pacific coast experience. Built right into the heart of the national park you’re sandwiched between the ocean, the river, and the jungle. There’s also a private section of beach only exposed during the low tide. This disappearing beach remains clean and is the closest thing you will get to a beach getaway in this region.
Pacifico Hostel
Fishing – it’s also possible to go Colombian style fishing. As you can imagine this is the primary work in this region. Pretty much any of the locals would be happy to take you out with them for a small fee. Colombians fish with nets or stringed hooks. Not the fishing poles many other countries are accustomed to.
- Mangrove Tour – it’s also possible to take a boat tour into the mangroves. I opted out of this but maybe it’s something you’d like to experience.
Where to Eat
There are a few small seafood shops on the main road with cheaply priced meals. My top recommendation would be to buy some fish from one of the locals and cook it yourself. I bought a red snapper for $8,000COP (~$2.50USD).
How to Depart
Return boats to Buenaventura are scheduled for 0730, 1230 & 1530 from the port. It’s a good idea to arrive early or the night before to confirm your seat.
From Buenaventura there are frequent buses to Cali & Armenia.
Afterthoughts
I really enjoyed my time in Juanchaco. It’s really a different way of life. The people are friendly and the fish is amazing. I thank Pacifico Hostel and the friends I met there. Without this part of the experience I think I wouldn’t have enjoyed the region as much. If you arrive make sure to say hello to everyone from me, especially Cosmo The Beach Dog 🙂
Safety
Buenaventura can be very sketchy but past this I never felt unsafe in this leg of the adventure. Note that there is a military base and many soldiers in the Juanchaco.
Extras
- There is a large supermarket just at the entrance to the port in Buenaventura. Stop here to buy snacks & use the ATM. There are none in Juanchaco and everything is paid in cash!
- Visiting Ladrilleros (where most backpackers stay) is very easy from Juanchaco. In fact, you probably will do it without even noticing. The two towns blend together and are easily reached by foot on the far side of the airport.
- La Barra is along the same road past Ladrilleros. I didn’t visit this town myself but if you have the time go for it!
- Moto-taxis are available if you don’t feel like walking.
Disappearing beach at Pacifico
*My kind words regarding Pacifico Hostel are true to my personal experience and opinion. No compensation was made before, during or after my stay with them.
