For some reason, spending a vacation at a destination with no road access is utterly exciting. When it comes to Capurganá, you get that feeling of being isolated from the world in an exotic area while having the accomodations you’d expect from an area that receives a good few tourists. Do keep in mind, Capurganá is not a luxurious destination, but will get you the rest you need. This is one of Colombia’s most special destinations, so I’m here to let you know how to get to Capurganá and what to do while you’re there!
If you’re searching for adventure on the coast of Colombia, check out this post about Isla Fuerte, one of our favorite places ever!
How to Get to Capurganá (From Quickest to Most Adventurous)
See a map of the area at the end of this post!
1. Medellín – Capurganá
First, get to Medellín and head to Aeropuerto Olaya Herrera, which is the small airport in the middle of the city, not the international airport up in the mountains. From there, you’ll have to hire a charter service to fly to your destination: Searca or Tac.
2. Medellín – Acandí – Capurganá
From the Olaya Herrera Airport, ride a plane (usually a Grupo San Germán service, and about COP $330,000 or USD $100) to Acandí. From there, you’ll have to ride a boat for half an hour to your destination. The boat leaves at about 1 p.m. and the ride costs COP $20,000.
3. Monteria – Necoclí – Capurganá
Take a flight to Monteria and, from there, take a taxi to Necoclí for COP $30,000 per person (possibly more depending on the amount of people in the taxi).The ride is about 2.5 hours. Afterwards, you’ll have to ride a boat from Necoclí to Capurgana, which leaves every day at 8 a.m., costs $70,000 COP and takes 1.5 hours.
4. Panama City – Puerto Obaldia – Capurganá
Fly from Panama City to Puerto Obaldia via Air Panama. From Puerto Obaldia, take a 30 minute boat ride straight to Capurgana for USD $20.
5. Bogotá – Apartado – Turbo – Capurganá
Fly on Satena to Apartado from Bogotá. In Apartado, take a taxi (1 hour, COP $40,000 one way) to Turbo. From Turbo, take a 2.5 hour boat ride for COP $75,000. The boat leaves in the morning, between 8 and 9 a.m.
6. Medellín – Turbo – Capurganá
Take a bus from the Northern Bus Terminal of Medellin to Turbo (an 8 hour ride for COP $60,000 one way). From Turbo, take a 2.5 hour boat ride for COP $75,000. The boat leaves in the morning, between 8 and 9 a.m.
What to Do in Capurganá:
Get Lost in Nature
Well, don’t actually get lost, but definitely visit the parks and reserves in the area! Right out of Capurganá, you can walk to Reserva Natural El Cielo, which is a Natural Reserve with some majestic hikes to water falls. Heading towards Sapzurro and further towards Panama, you can also hike 45 minutes to “Pool of the Gods” and La Coquerita, two areas with natural pools right by the ocean.
See Baby Sea Turtles
During April and May, sea turtles crawl onto the beaches to lay their eggs, which hatch in September. If you’re lucky, you can witness either of these beautiful events. It’s a privilege to watch!
Scuba Dive
Capurganá’s waters are home to a spectacular, practically untouched coral reef. There are 24 dive sites in the area, which means more than enough for one wee vacation. Give scuba diving a try! The best dive center in Capurganá is Dive and Green.
Sail to the San Blas Islands
These islands are one of Panama’s golden destinations. It’s actually a group of 365 islands, of which only a few are populated. Needless to say, they are absolutely gorgeous. I recommend, if you want to go from Capurgana, hiring a tour so your entry into Panama goes totally smoothly, since they’ll know the ins and outs of getting tourists to San Blas Islands.
Where to Stay:
I’ll let you do most of the research, but I recommend you check out Los Robles Capurganá, Oleajes Capurganá, Bahia Lodge, Hotel Calypso Capurganá and the many options there are on AirBnB.
Some Things to Know:
- Take cash, because there are no banks or ATMs in Capurganá.
- The best time of the year to travel here is April to November.
Now that you know how to get to Capurganá, well, enjoy! Read about Tayrona National Park here, a super unique destination on the Colombian coast!
