Colombian Pacific

Rainforest and whale-watching bays on the Pacific coast, plus Cali, the salsa capital, the white city of Popayán and the Las Lajas Sanctuary in its canyon.

This region covers Colombia's Pacific region by department, comprising four: Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca and Nariño. It includes both the hot, humid rainforest coast facing the Pacific and Andean cities such as Cali, Popayán and Pasto. Chocó is one of the rainiest places on Earth with extremely high biodiversity, and its population is mainly Afro-Colombian and indigenous. Nuquí and Bahía Solano have no road connections and can only be reached by small plane or boat; from Jul to Oct you can watch humpback whales close to shore, and Utría National Park has mangroves and coral flats, with opportunities for surfing, watching sea turtles nest and soaking in hot springs. Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca, is known as the salsa capital, with dance schools and dance halls everywhere, and the Feria de Cali in late December is lively beyond measure; Buenaventura is a major Pacific port from which boats go to nearby beaches. Popayán, the capital of Cauca, is a white colonial city whose Holy Week processions are inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; the department also has the Tierradentro underground tombs and Gorgona Island National Park. Pasto, in Nariño, is famous for the Carnival of Blacks and Whites every January, and Ipiales, near the Ecuadorian border, has the Las Lajas Sanctuary built over a canyon. We suggest 3–4 days based in Cali, with another 3–4 days for whale watching. Armed groups are active in some rural and coastal areas of this region, so check the latest safety advisories before going and, where possible, choose itineraries arranged by reputable operators.

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