Third Chocó trip

I have just returned from a trip through part of the Chocó in which I travelled along the Baudó and San Juan rivers.

The trip was: Quibdó --> Istmina --> Puerto Meluk --> Pizarro --> Buenaventura --> Bajo Calima --> Istmina --> Quibdó

During the trip I made notes regarding travel in the region which I hope some readers might find useful.

Moai, if you are out there, greetings fellow Chocó traveller.

Starting in Medellín, I flew aires to Quibdó. www.aires.aero

In Quibdó I stayed this time in Hotel Goval, located on Cra. 3a between Calles 25 and 26.
$50.000 with fan. Internet access in lobby.
I recommend this hotel. Reservations are not needed except during San Pacho.
hotel_goval at hotmail.com
Cels.: 312 776 83 74
312 776 83 65

In a previous posting I mentioned that El Buen Gusto, located at Cra. 5ta con Calle 25, is the place to eat in Quibdó. Here are a few other suggestions for eating and drinking:
- In the evening try the sidewalk cooking on Calle 26 between Cra. 5ta and Cra. 6ta.
- Cra. 6ta con Calle 30 has a place serving arepas with queso blanco on top, which is open until well after midnight.
- Walk down Calle 26 to the river and then turn left. You will find several interesting bars across the street from the Malecón.

For buses to Istmina, the companies are clustered along Cra. 5ta between Calle 25 and 24.
There are several bus companies:
- Empresa Arauca
- Flota Occidental
- Expreso del Pacífico
which charge $9.000 to go to Istmina. Service is hourly starting at 5:00 a.m.
Duration of the trip is 2.5 hours.
If you go up to $10.000 you can take an 8-seat colectivo run by Transportes Progreso del Chocó Ltda., which will reduce the duration to 1 hour 40 minutes.
I took this service coming back from Istmina and didn't like it. Although it is more comfortable in terms of seating, the driver took every curve at maximum speed, with tires squeeling, all the while pounding his right fist in the air above his head to the music.

The road to Istmina is paved, but about 1/4 is rough due to road work. You pass through Yuto (capital of the municipality of Atrato), Cértegui (capital of the municipality of the same name), and Las Ánimas (capital of the municipality of Unión Panamericana). There are no retenes en route.

In Istmina (capital of the municipality of the same name), I stayed in Hotel Orsan.
I believe this is the best hotel in town. There is no need to give an address as Istmina is quite small.
$40.000 with a/c; restaurant attached.
Around the corner from the hotel is the office of a telecommunications company which has internet booths.
You should stock up on cash in Istmina, since there are no ATMs until Buenaventura.
There is a Banco de Bogotá with ATM.
To get to Puerto Meluk, you take Expreso del Pacífico, which leaves at 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.
The duration is 3 hours to go 46 km over a gravel road in not too bad condition.
You pass through Pie de Pepé. No retenes.

In Puerto Meluk (capital of the municipality of Medio Baudó), the best place to stay is Hotel Dulces Sueños ( but see comment later), which is located on the road entering town just before the police station. There are a few other residencias in town.
$12.000 without TV, $16.000 with TV.
Basic room with fan. Running water. Two shared bathrooms/showers in hotel.
Across the road is a public place by a waterfall where you can wash clothes.
The hotel has its own generator which they did use when the power went out.
There is a restaurant beside the hotel.
Unfortunately, although having a friendly staff, this hotel did not live up to its name. The building, like most in Puerto Meluk is raised on stilts. Underneath the floor boards of the bottom floor of the hotel, resides a pack of dogs. They groweled, barked, and fought a neighbouring pack most of the night.
In buildings of this type, the floor boards are treated with some kind of solvent, so when you lie down, you feel as if you are in a gasoline tank. You get used to it though.

Getting around Muerto Meluk is mostly on a system of raised planks, as the ground is largely unusable due to mud, swamp and inundation. The people grow onions on platforms, often made out of pieces of old canoe, raised on stilts.There are many indigenous people in town, the women wearing nothing from the waist up other than necklaces and other jewellery.
There is internet service available in a store on the riverfront.
There is some kind of bank but no ATMs.

There is daily launch service downstream to Pizarro with Transportadores Fluvial La Consentida.
$60.000
The launch leaves at 1 p.m. after it arrives from Pizarro.
You buy your ticket the day of departure from a woman in a granero on riverside. She shows up at 10:30 a.m.
The duration of the trip is 2 hours 15 minutes. You pass through Boca de Pepé and Querá.
The boat is not covered so make sure that you are able to cover up your skin completely. I use a T-shirt over the head and shoulders held in place with a cachucha.
The trip is quite scenic. Other than the small canoes hugging the river's edge used by the indigenous people, the only boat we passed was one flying the Red Cross flag.
There is absolutely no Naval presence on the Baudó, so no retenes.

I had wanted to go upstream from Puerto Meluk to Pie de Pató (capital of the municipality of Alto Baudó), but service is not daily and I did not want to wait around Puerto Meluk another day.
Launch from Puerto Meluk to Pie de Pató leaves Thursday and Sunday, returning Friday and Saturday.


The launch from Puerto Meluk to Pizarro lands on a muddy beach at Pizarro (capital of the municipality of Bajo Baudó) near a Naval post.
I was immediately grabbed by an unbelieving marine and questioned. He was very concerned about my safety and advised me not to wander around the territory surrounding Pizarro. Pizarro itself is completely safe. He suggested that I stay in Hospedaje Limonar, which is the best of four places in town.
$25.000 single
Cel.: 310 790 47 70
I walked into town and took a room at Hospedaje Limonar. Within minutes a Naval officer showed up at my room and said that he wanted to make sure I was OK, and if I had any problems I could ask the Navy for assistance.

Unfailing courtesy and genuine concern from the Colombian armed forces as usual.

The owner of the hospedaje, Humberto Tamayo (El Mono), is a very friendly guy who took me around town on his motorcycle and 4wd.
He loves whisky, so if anyone visits Pizarro, please bring him a bottle.
There is only electricity in Pizarro from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to midnight.
The most comfortable restaurant in town is La Esquina del Sabor.
There is one internet place at the Compartel office near the hospedaje. $30/minute.
But there are only 4 computers and the connection is extremely slow. It can be used however if you really have to.
There is one bank (Agrario) but no ATMs.
Pizarro is an extremely friendly place that sees no tourists. You will be greeted constantly in the street.

The best way to leave Pizarro is by air with aexpa. www.aexpa.com.co
aexpa (Aeroexpreso del Pacífico S.A.) flies 8-seat planes serving Nuquí, Buenaventura, Quibdó, Pizarro and Pereira.
Pizarro to Buenaventura Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
$140.000 + $5.000 airport tax.
Left at 12:45. Duration was 35 minutes.
Note that I think the only way to pay for this is cash upon leaving, so make sure you have enough.

You can also leave Pizarro by coastal boat. Humberto told me that they are announced. In any case there were none when I was there.
I also found a launch service that runs between Buenaventura and Pizarro, but the service is not daily and it didn't work for me. Humberto phoned them and I can verify that they are in operation.
Transporte Diana
Cels.: 310 540 3018
314 792 2975
310 497 4158
$90.000 and was told duration was 3 hours.


$20.000 by taxi from the Buenaventura airport into town. I stayed in Hotel Los Delfines on Calle 1a.
$42.000 with a/c.
Incredibly noisy due to several clubs on street pounding out music until 3 a.m.

To go from Buenaventura to Istmina via the San Juan you have to first take a chiva to Bajo Calima, Valle, a caserío on the Calima river.
The chivas leave from Pueblo Nuevo in Buenaventura, at a corner on Calle Los Alemanes. Just ask for the chivas to Bajo Calima.
I know that chivas leave at 7 a.m., 12 noon, 4 p.m., and maybe 6:30 p.m., but there may be more.
$3.500
Duration 2 hours 20 minutes.
Note that the launches leaving Bajo Calima for Istmina wait for the arrival of the 7 a.m. chiva from Buenaventura, so if you take the 7 a.m. chiva, you will not have to stay overnight in Bajo Calima. You will, however, need to reserve a seat on the boat in advance (see later).
These chivas are incredibly crowded and there is a lot of contention for space as the departure nears. I would strongly advise that you stake out a spot on the chiva 45 minutes to one hour before leaving. Pack goes on top, but if it rains, they will cover with a tarp.

The only residencia in Bajo Calima is Residencias Brisas del Calima, near the river from where the launches leave for Istmina.
$10.000
Very basic. Rooms with no fan. One shower and two toilets. Restaurant beside.
There is daily (except Christmas and New Year's) launch service from Bajo Calima to Istmina with Expresos San Juan Ltda.
$100.000
There is also daily service in the opposite direction.
There is another launch service run by Trans San Juan Ltda., but this does not go directly to Istmina.
Note that these launches do have tarps so the sun problem is not as bad as on the Baudó, but be very careful if seated on the ends of the rows because reflection off the water can cause severe burns.
Launches are scheduled to leave at 9:30 a.m., but they wait for the 7 a.m. chiva from Buenaventura. If you do take the 7:00 a.m. chiva from Buenaventura, you should reserve your seat on the launch in advance.
Cel.: 318 343 4011 Jaqueline for reservations
If you stayed in Bajo Calima overnight, then you can buy your ticket at 8:00 a.m., when Jaqueline sets up for selling.
We left at 10:15 a.m., but immediately encountered carburation problems, and drifted powerlessly onto a sand bar in the Calima river. The operator tried to fix the problem twice but to no avail, so we limped back to Bajo Calima. A mechanic then fixed the problem and we left again at 12 noon.
About 40 minutes later, at the point where the Calima enters the San Juan, there is a retén fluvial at Palestina, Chocó, where you get off the boat and your document numbers are recorded by the Navy.
We reached Istmina at 6 p.m.
Note that there is absolutely no Naval presence on the San Juan after the Palestina retén.


General thoughts on security for travelling along the Baudó and San Juan rivers.

I normally neither advise nor dissuade travel when contributing information to this site.

This case will be no different. However, I will make a strong precautionary statement, and ask that you please consider this if you decide to make a trip of this sort.

This advice is constructed from my observations and from my discussions with the Navy and with locals en route.

Unlike along the Atrato river, you cannot count on Naval presence along either the Baudó or the San Juan rivers. In the caseríos there may or may not be police or army presence.

I do not feel that there is unreasonable risk in taking the two passenger boat trips, or in staying in the main towns. However, it must be understood that you do not go off the main rivers onto tributaries. Along the San Juan in particular, you will stop in numerous caseríos, many of which do not appear to have any police or military presence. There are several "violent non-state actors" in the region in competition with one another, and they may well be in the caseríos.

Here is my specific advice:

- to be safer, stay in the boat during the time that it is waiting in the caserío.
- if you do decide to go into the caserío, say to use the bathroom or to eat, do not take anything with you and do not linger. In particular, do not take a camera or notebook - leave everything in the boat in your main pack.
- under no circumstances whatsoever take photos in the caseríos.
- I recommend against the taking of photos even while on the moving boat.

By elchocoano on Nov 9, 2009, 11:48 in Travel tips.

whitewidow says on Nov 9, 2009, 12:19: great report. thanks pics? Looking for love.... 0 funny, 1 helpful.

Cheers Terry says on Nov 9, 2009, 14:20: Wow. Great report, elchocoano. Thanks for taking the timer to post. Very interesting. Cheers, Terry 0 funny, 1 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Nov 9, 2009, 18:16: Thanks for the info glad to hear you made out well. ' a la orden!' 0 funny, 0 helpful.

Catfish35 says on Nov 9, 2009, 19:29: The taking of fotos is ballsy I agree. Not only for a safety standpoint but also because some of the locals do not like it! A few will say so, but you can tell that some will be uncomfortable with it while others, like the children, enjoy it! Nice report! I was there and traveled several rivers out of Quibdo several months ago. Most do not know Hot and Humid until they go there! I have many fotos posted! Thanks Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end." 0 funny, 0 helpful.

Dolfi says on Nov 10, 2009, 00:45: My wife´s family is from Istmina, maybe we go there some day to visit. Is there anything of interest? 0 funny, 0 helpful.

Oviedo says on Nov 10, 2009, 07:30: Interesting post thank you. It took me a while to find a good map of the area and look up these places but finally find one. http://ssiglims.igac.gov.co/ssigl/mapas_de_colombia/galeria/IGAC/depta... www.61prado.comfortable rooms at great prices in the center of Medellin 0 funny, 0 helpful.

elchocoano says on Nov 10, 2009, 12:31: Oviedo, yes it is difficult to find these places on a map. The map that you give is out-of-date, showing Boca de Pepé as the capital of Medio Baudó. Puerto Meluk is now the capital of Medio Baudó, and should be located roughly near what the map indicates as Mosquera, west of Istmina. Interestingly, I see a Puerto Meluk on the map well south of Pizarro. 0 funny, 0 helpful.

elchocoano says on Nov 10, 2009, 13:33: Dolfi, there is nothing terribly interesting in Istmina. 0 funny, 0 helpful.

elchocoano says on Nov 11, 2009, 11:59: Gatogris, no I went no further south than Buenaventura on this trip. López de Micay is located in Cauca department I think, well south of Buenaventura. Looks like a very interesting area, similar to the Chocó. 0 funny, 0 helpful.

Sam Salmon says on Nov 11, 2009, 12:22: Great link-Thanks! ' a la orden!' 0 funny, 0 helpful.

Juepaje says on Nov 12, 2009, 15:44: Well written review. I'll give you 5 stars. It was easy to understand and honest. Makes me want to adventure there. Thanks. “If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?”-Will Rogers 0 funny, 0 helpful.

arepaman says on Jan 4, 2010, 15:23: Thanks for the info. For anyone bored in Quibdó, I'd recommend a trip to Tutunendo - quiet, really friendly town set on a river where you can swim and with waterfalls to visit nearby. Buses go regularly from Quibdó ($4,000) and the ride is about an hour, down the highway to Medellín. You can stay in Tutunendo or $20,000-$30,000 a night in the guesthouse Villa Cerbe - everyone knows where it is, and the number of the guy who runs it is 312 7139314. Cheers. 0 funny, 0 helpful.

elchocoano says on Jan 4, 2010, 21:52: arepaman, thanks for the great info! 0 funny, 0 helpful.

Ronell says on Jan 4, 2010, 23:05: Choco is great! It reminds me of Jamaica. 0 funny, 0 helpful.

More posts by the same author:

Addendum to third Chocó trip 30

Second Chocó Trip 12

El Choco trip. 10