Valle del Cauca Department
Colombia's salsa heartland, with a capital, Cali, famed for its nightlife, and a Pacific whale-watching coast.
Valle del Cauca Department lies in southwestern Colombia, with the Cauca Valley set between the Western and Central Cordilleras and the Pacific to the west. Its capital, Cali, is hailed as the "World Capital of Salsa," with plenty of dance schools and dance halls, and the Cali Fair in late December is lively beyond measure. In the north, Buga has a famous religious sanctuary, and the surrounding sugarcane plantations and historic haciendas can be visited. Near the Pacific port of Buenaventura, La Bocana and Juanchaco are places for whale watching and rainforest exploration, with the whale-watching season running roughly from July to October. Farallones de Cali National Park is great for hiking and birdwatching. Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali is the main gateway.