Help and advice for travelling to Choco region

bjorn says on Jul 13, 2004, 11:32:

Choco, amazing place-go for it Seeing Choco from Medellin you have 3 choices:

Pacific coast by airplane, have a look on an earlier thread:
http://www.poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/view/3697

You can go to Capurgana near Panama (on the caribian side)
There are charter flights from Medellin to this area.
You can also take the bus to Turbo and boat from here. This route is not very safe as the area just before Turbo is a conflict area.


You can take the bus through the jungle to Quibdo. The bus company Rapido Ocha from Medellin southern terminal has one bus in the morning.This route has traditionally been considered rather risky due to guerilla checkpoint on the road, but according to friends in Medellin this route is now controlled by the autodefensas(paramilitary)which normally don't hassle tourists


Bjorn

Bjorn

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pointofview says on Jul 13, 2004, 13:02:

Quibdo Choco If you want to go I would fly but if you want twelve hours of torture go by bus leaving from Medellin Terminal del Sur in Guayabal next to the Medellin airport leaving ( four to five buses per day) at 6 to 7 am and 6 to 7 pm. If QUIBDO is your destination or in route I can arrange for someone to meet you and provide the advice. How can we contact you in Medellin ? You will be safe by bus but don't attempt it in your own (or rented) car as you will probably get separated from your car if it's new or nice. If I remember correctly the R/T airfare is about CP$200.000 and busfare is CP$70.000 round trip. If you go by bus take the morning departure so you can see the view. You could bus there and return by plane.

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billybob says on Jul 13, 2004, 22:04:

Choco I have been to Choco several times in the last three years, most recently two months ago.. I live in Medellin and took the bus at seven in the morning to Quibdo, took 15 hours... It is the second time I have taken this bus. Rapido Ochoa. It may be of interest to you that this same bus was stopped by the ELN one hour out of Quibdo a week after I took it.. Twenty students were kidnapped and taken to the jungle. The bus was burned and left in the middle of the road. The first time I went three years ago our bus was stopped by the EPL the third biggest guerilla group in Colombia at the time, now disbanded. They did not have a problem with me. Quibdo is a shit hole, honestly. The bus ride is interesting though. You will probably have a few Indians on the bus. You can see where they live from the road. The route is possibly the worst in Colombia. 13-15 hours for 230kms. This is officially the wettest place on earth. Tutunendo one hour out from Quibdo. I have also taken the bus from Quibdo south to Pereira, another great bus trip not as bad as the previous... Only done that once about two years ago and again passed through several guerilla blocks.. Though they will have gone no doubt.

I have been to Buenaventura and Isla Gorgona three times, Nuqui once and Bahia Solano(most recently two months ago). I have also been to Capurgana. My friend and I had actually intended to hack our way through with machetes from Quibdo to the coast sixty kms away.. No chance.. Its a jungle out there. There are planes most days from Quibdo to Nuqui or Bahia Solano. Of course more easily you can fly direct from the airport in the centre of Medellin to both these places for between 150,000 and 200,000 pesos.

Personally I like adventure. Take the bus... There is a small less than one percent chance you will be stopped by the guerilla.. Take it.

I would definitely chose Bahia Solano over Nuqui.

Isla Gorgona tops the both I believe.... Go to Buenaventura, there are direct buses from Medellin... Go to the pier area and look for boats south which will drop you off at the island for a price of between 60,000 and 80,000 each way.. Twelve hour trip. Though a funny story, the boat yesterday south from Buenaventura sunk or nearly did and the Colombian coast guard rescued all 86 people on board(limit was 25). Unlike the info you will get in the book and from others, you can go to the island without permission.. Just tell them that Medellin office said you should go straight there. I love Gorgona, guess that is why I have been there three times.. Its a bit of an adventure.. Gorgona gets hardly any foreigners let alone tourists.. There are free student guides.. Beautiful beach, jungle walks, whales. Its a paradise..

Do not take a tour to any of these places. Waste of money... If you chose Bahia Solano dont stay in that town insteas get the Chiva to the small village to the south of El Valle. Much nicer... If you want I can recommend a cabaña on the beach for about 30,000 pesos a night for two.. Fish meals all day, 4,000 or 5,000 pesos... One thing about this place is the incredible beaches especially at low tide.. Also an amazing wee bar located on a rock a couple of metres from the sea.. Sitting there at sunset one is often sprayed by the sea if the tide is up.. Gorgeous


Good time to go with whale season upon us.. Give me a ring if you want some more info....I know most there is to know about this beautiful part of the world. Kelvin

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billybob says on Jul 13, 2004, 22:06:

my number is 313-7111 or cel 3152686767

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yahya says on Jul 15, 2004, 19:16:

k1 visa?? yahya

my fiance lives in Medellin i live here in the US, Philly area. so far on our journey thur visa process we have completed packet # 3 and waiting for packet #4. i have checked on the appointment listing on- line and see our case # is ready and scheduled for an interview the last week of August. But we have not recieved packet # 4 yet. Has anyone seen this before? i hope we get the Packet #4 by the last week of july!!. i go to Colombia 2nd week of August, staying for one month.
also she has 2 children and we have applied for there visa also. Do they have to be there at the interview?

yahya

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CarolinaR says on Jul 16, 2004, 13:50:

Thank you Thanks for your help! We couldn't get to Bahia Solano this weekend as there is a fiesta on and all the flights are booked up. Travelling down to Cali for the weekend instead and then on to Isla Gorgona.

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