Nuqui
is an increasingly popular vacation, fishing and surfing destination on
Colombia's Pacific coast. The landscape around Nuqui is one of tropical
rainforest descending into pristine beaches - this is one of the most
biodiverse areas on the planet. The town is full of military personnel
- while Nuqui and it's surroundings itself is very safe, you shouldn't
be going too far afield as this is one of the front lines of Colombia's
internal conflict. The town of Nuqui itself has little of interest to
tourists, who invariably travel either North or South to the beach and
hotels/ecolodges nearby.
Very close to Nuqui, beautiful Playa Olimpica
is an enormous 5km in length and a real highlight of the area. There
are various nearby small hamlets near Nuqui such as Tribuga and some
fantasic uncrowded beaches, many of which are great for surfing.
To the South of Nuqui lies Guachalito
- here one finds some of Choco's best beaches and good hotels (see
final section for hotel recommendations). Guachalito is a 30 minute
boat ride from Nuqui (very early morning departure daily except Sundays
from Nuqui, returning after lunch).
Near the village of Jurubida
you can find some beautiful hot springs surrounded by thick jungle.
It's a very pretty walk alongside a beautiful, crystal clear
river to reach these springs. The locals can also organize canoe trips
through the mangroves, and boat trips to visit nearby indigenous
communities. There is simple accommodation at Restaurante Artesenal Jessica.
To travel to Jurubida takes 45 minutes - buses leave about every
other day from Nuqui (or you could hire a private driver).
Ensenada de Utria National Park
Steep rainforest clad mountains plunge into the ocean to create
dramatic scenery in this National Park which conserves various unique
marine and terrestrial habitats. A tour to Parque Nacional Ensenada de Utria can be arranged locally by your hotel in either Nuqui or nearby El Valle or Bahia Solano
(the Park is found between Nuqui and El Valle) - there are whales,
dolphins and numerous other aquatic animals to see in the Park.
Ensenada de Utria is a great spot for spotting migrating humpback
whales (late July to mid October). The best way to appreciate the Park
is by canoe (boats are not permitted beyong the HQ entrance point), but
there are various marked trails in addition. Along the coast there are
a handful of beautiful, undeveloped white sand beaches and there a some
Embera Indian communities that can be visited too.
There's a simple, cheap ($8 pp), comfortable guesthouse with accommodation and meals near the Park Headquarters.
The
boats that run between Nuqui and El Valle (to the North) can sometimes
drop you at Playa Blanca on a small privately owned island where
there's a restaurant and scenicly located hammock spaces. The Park HQ
is just 5 minutes from here - it's simple to hitch a ride there.
Getting to Nuqui
There
are three ways to travel to Nuqui - by cargo boat from Buenaventura (20
hours, 80,000 pesos, infrequent service), by boat from El Valle near
Bahia Solano (2 hours, 40,000 pesos per person and currently leaving on
Tuesday and Saturday) or you can catch a flight to Nuqui from Medellin
with Satena or Ada airlines.
Accommodation & Hotels around Nuqui
The
following hotels are in or close by to Nuqui. All offer a relatively
remote experience with an emphasis on nature and the natural
surroundings, and above all the beaches and coastline of this
beautifiul region of Colombia.
El Cantil
- arguably the highest quality lodge in the Nuqui region, surrounded by
beach and rainforest. The excellent restaurant has fantastic sea views.
Found in Guachalito.
Nuquimar Hotel
- 9 comfortable rooms at this reasonably priced, new (2010), sea view
hotel in Nuqui. Lots of excursions detailed on their useful website,
hotel prices include airport pick-up.
Cabanas Pijiba - an award winning ecotourism project, which also has a very good restaurant. Also in Guachalito.
Morromico - a tranquil and remote place North of Nuqui. Jurubida is a 10 minute boat ride away.
Piedra Piedra - a rustic refuge in Guachalito for those who love nature.
See also Hotel Turqui (Spanish language website) which is in Cabo Corrientes.
Also in Guachalito is La Cabana de Beto y Marta,
a lovely small hotel with four cabins. In addition, family homestays
can be arranged locally, and there are a handful of other posadas to
choose from. There's also various basic hotels in Nuqui, such as Iraka del Mar.
