Buenaventura city - Valle del Cauca

Distance from Cali: 123Km
Altitude: 7 meters m.s.m.n.

Buenaventura, the biggest municipality of Valle de Cauca department, is the first port of Colombia, one of the most important ones on latinoamerican Pacific Ocean; it is covered by jungles where many plentiful rivers go across.

It is more than two hours away from Cali, is the most important port of Pacific Coast cause of commerce. For arriving to this place, people can take a ship or boat trip appreciating the fish and turtles during two hours approximately.

In Buenaventura is interesting to visit fisher populations as Juanchaco and Ladrilleros whose have beautiful black sand beaches and its delicious sea food. There are reefs where several marine species live, mangrove forest for adventure tourism, inlets with fresh water waterfalls that flows into the sea, and wonderful beaches.

Tourist Attractions

The main natural attractions are the river mouth of Calima into San Juan River; this place is appropriated for fish in Escarlate and San Marcos, Juanchaco and Ladrilleros.

Rivers

Escarlete River: It is located in the forest reserve of the same name, the fresh water river is appropriate for fishing.

Sabaletas River: It is a calm-water river, you can arrive this place by Cabal Pombo road.

San Cipriano River: Surroundings, there is a forest reserve of the same name. It is the perfect place to fish, camp and sail. It is located on Cabal Pombo road, has typical vegetation of rainforest.

Málaga Bay

It is a calm and deep waters bay, a natural paradise where you will find waterfalls as La Sierpe, Chucheros, Dorada in Juan de Dios, Palma and La Plata beaches.

The Dorada beach has exuberant landscapes, low swell, and ocrey sand.
San Juan de Dios Beach is so beauty, has white fine sand, clear waters, and is surrounded by palm trees among cliffs.

Cucheros Beach is another place to visit, is also located in Málaga bay, and is a gray sand and rocky deep beach.

Los Negritos Reef

It is a natural aquarium located in front of Juanchaco, the perfect place for diving lovers because it is possible to appreciate corals and several marine species.

Turtles Gulf

It is named in this way because of the turtle’s abundance at the wide gray sand beaches. You will appreciate a group of cliffs and wild zone.

Beaches of Raposo and Santa Bárbara

The are fine sand beaches, has majestic landscape, where you will enjoy having trips by Esteros arriving to Punta Soldado, before entering to Buenaventura bay.

Santa Delicia

It is a gold reddish sand beach, is located near to Buenaventura, almost in front of Anchincayá river mouth.
Other beaches to visit are:

1. Papayal Beach
2. Soledad Beach
3. El Pital Beach
4. Santa Bárbara Beach
5. De la Muerte Beach
6. Concepción Beach
7. El Choncho Beach

Bajo Calima

The river flows into San Juan River, to northwest of Buenaventura, there are natural springs for fishing. It is located on the Calima River´s shore. It is a natural spring’s zone.

La Sierpe Watefall

It is a-65 meters high waterfall, is wonderfull and is surrounded by natural forest.

La Bocana –Pianguita –Cangrejo Island

It offers to tourist exuberant beaches, comfortable hotels, camping zones and tours by ecologic paths. It is located twenty minutes away from Buenaventura.

Cangrejo Islet

It is located in front of La Bocana, has a small hotel and services, it is the preferred place to birdwatching.

Palma Island

It is located in front of Juanchaco, has a gray sand beach,  fresh water and a lot of fish and its coast is formed by cliffs.

Ecotourism

It is one of the preferred activities of visitors because Buenaventura offers unequalled landscapes as mangroves. These have ecological and economical importance, since provide food and refuge to several kinds of fishes- the base of fishing activity in the region. The trip covers from Yurumangui to San Juan River mouth where tou will find more than 300 places to enjoy the wonderful nature.

The whale sighting is another option for ecotourism. The zone of Málaga bay in Colombian Pacific is one of the main areas where the humpback whales live. A large number of newborn whales live in the zone, that´s why it is considered an important aera for preserving the species.

The humpback whales are the unique one in the world at the north hemisphery, between Colombia and Panamá. They reproduces to 800 by season, is equivalent to world population.
It is advisable to sight wahles from July to October.

Folkloric Festival of Pacific Coast

The folkloric Festival of Pacific Coast is carried out from 25 to 28 august every year in Buenaventura. This event attracts many visitors because show the artistic, cultural and musical diversity of the region.

There are many presentations: musicals, literaries, poetics, contests of dance, choreographies. There are also popular night festivals, national and international presentations.
Among the activities, we can mention:

• Peregoyo de Oro – Presentations of Marimba de Chonta
• Litoral miss election
• Children´s miss election