Nestled between the Caribbean sea and the notorious Darien gap, Capurgana is a small town that feels like an island. Due to its extreme location, it is only reachable by sea and air.
Capurgana’s natural environment is left untouched and wild as no roads cross the Darien gap. In a small piece of land between the jungle and the sea, Capurgana is an off-the-beaten-track location.
In this post, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Capurgana: how to get there, what to do, where to stay, and where to eat.
But first, we have to start with a confession. We didn’t like Capurgana at all. Actually, we found it disappointing, especially after all the time and effort we spent traveling there. Luckily, right next to Capurgana are hidden two of the most unique destinations we visited on our trip to Colombia, Sapzurro and El Aguacate.
We’ll tell you all about them in this post.
Let us tell you why we didn’t like Capurgana:
First of all, we found it a bit loud, dirty, and trying too much to seem like a hippie town (The fact you can get weed in a town doesn’t make it hippie).
Second, the absence of cars Capurgana is famous for is replaced by hundreds of motorcycles in the streets taking over the pedestrian roads. And third, the amount of tourists visiting Capurgana exceeds the carrying capacity of the town’s environment and makes it extremely touristic. In addition, the beach has many bars and restaurants on it, and it’s not what most people are looking for while struggling to reach a remote location.
Don’t lose hope. Stay with us, and we’ll tell you why you should most definitely visit Capurgana.
What’s in the Town of Capurgana
Capurgana has everything you need. A medical center, pharmacies, a wide variety of ‘tiendas’ (small shops) with everything you can think of. Capurgana even has a hardware store. And of course, a port as all the tourists and supply boats arrive there. And even an airport for those of you who think about flying there.
Liquor stores are widespread in town, as well as restaurants offering various seafood plates that excite even Capurgana’s inhabitants.
Capurgana even has an absolutely fantastic bakery called la Buena Miga. The bakery is owned by a French couple, and it’s no less than a boulangerie (French bakery) in Paris. Actually, it’s more. Because finding a croissant in a sea of empanadas is the same as winning the lottery.
You can also find an Italian restaurant serving a pretty good pizza. Just don’t forget to order toppings and many of them. Save your margaritas for Napoli.
Things to do in Capurgana
With its wild and mystical jungle surroundings, Capurgana offers a variety of attractions. Hikes to nearby magical towns, waterfalls, snorkeling, scuba diving, and hidden pools. Surely you haven’t traveled that far just to sit on the beach and drink Coco Loco.
1. La Coquerita Pools
- Distance: 4 km
- Time: 2 hours
- Route Type: out & back
- Cost: 5,000 COP (1.5$).
The spot of la Coquerita offers two water pools to hang out in and admire nature. The first is a freshwater pool, and the second is seawater. The site is definitely not secluded nor isolated but for sure should be on your to-do list when visiting Capurgana.
You can also find some snacks, fresh drinks, and beers on site.
It’s a 2 km hike to the pools of around 45 minutes from Capurgana’s center. The path is easy and mainly flat, yet still, it’s recommended to wear hiking shoes because the rocks on the trail can be slippery.
The trail leading to la Coquerita pools is absolutely marvelous. The path will guide you along the Caribbean sea from one side and the jungle from the other side. Indeed you’ll find many trails of this kind spread all around the area during your stay in Capurgana. But for us, the path to la Coquerita pools was the most beautiful and colorful. The scenery and the contrast of colors are absolutely breathtaking.
The blue of the sea comes together with the jungle making it a spectacle to behold.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to see the pools. We started hiking around 4 PM and found out that the site closes at 5 PM. Even though we adored the hike, we were disappointed we couldn’t enter. For those of you who get the chance to visit the la Coquerita pools, send us a picture and make us jealous.
2. Diving
With its virgin reef and the lowest prices per dive in Colombia, diving in Capurgana is A MUST. There are more than 25 diving sites where you will encounter a huge variety of marine life, such as leatherback sea turtles, nurse sharks, and more. The most popular and only PADI-certified resort is ‘Dive and Green.’ The best time for diving is between April and November when the water visibility is best. So if you arrive at this time, don’t miss the opportunity to explore Capurgana’s sea life.
3. Visit El Cielo Waterfall
- Time: 3 hours
- Distance: 4 km
- Route type: out & back
- Cost: 5,000 COP (1.50$)
Our favorite hike from Capurgana was the hike to El Cielo waterfall.
The whole hike is on a flat path, easy, and recommended even on a rainy day. Start walking from Capurgana’s airport until you reach “the backyard of the town.”
Hold your breath while crossing by Capurgana’s dumpster. Perhaps it will urge you to sort your waste with more attention during your stay there and use fewer plastic bags.
Like many other remote destinations, Capurgana has a garbage problem. As it’s so hard to reach it, it’s also tough to channel garbage out of there. For that reason, most inhabitants collect their organic waste and bury it in the backyard, as the rest of the trash is burned.
Once you pass the town, you’ll enter into the mystic and notorious Darien gap. On our way to the waterfall, we even saw a group of immigrants using a different path on their journey trying to cross to Panama. When we asked the locals about it later, we were told about the challenging course that awaits them in the dangerous Darien Gap.
After 1 km you’ll have to cross the river for the first time but not the last. You will cross the river around 10 more times in the next kilometer. Therefore it will be helpful to wear sandals or other type of water shoes during this hike.
Welcome to El Cielo
With your arrival at El Cielo reserve, you will have to pay 5000 COP (1.50$).
Inside the well-kept park, several trails of only a couple of hundred meters lead you to the waterfall. You can also choose to hang out in the forest on a hammock and jump into the river with an omega.
The place also sells fresh cold drinks, offers lunch, and has a lovely resting area.
Where to Stay in Capurgana
Dive and Green
Located in the center of Capurgana, close to the port, Dive and Green is part hostel and part diving center. The rooms are spacious, clean, and charming. But in our opinion, the hostel lacks a communal area, a kitchen, and a hostel ambient. We recommend the hostel if you plan on diving as they offer discounted dives to their guests. But other than that, in our eyes, there are far better choices for accommodations in Capurgana.
La Bohemia
La Bohemia is a budget hostel with a chilled atmosphere located 5 minutes walk from Capurgana’s port. The hostel is one of those places where there is always another traveler to talk to and share experiences. In addition, Johanna, the owner, is warm, welcoming and can give you some great tips about diving in the area.
La Bohemia offers a public area, a communal kitchen, and comfortable rooms.
How to get to Capurgana
It’s possible to access Capurgna only by air or sea. The most popular way is to reach Necocli or Turbo and take a boat to Capurgana. Capurgana does have an airport, but no commercial flights land there. If you want to skip the long boat ride, you can fly to Acandi and take a boat to Capurgana.
As mentioned, boats leave from two towns heading to Capurgana, Necocli, and Turbo. The ride from Turbo is becoming less and less popular for a few reasons. First, it’s longer. Second, the town of Turbo is not as welcoming as Necocli, and third, there is no difference in prices.
Because of those reasons, we will tell you everything you need to know about Necocli and the boat ride from Necocli to Capurgana.
Necocli
Necocli was on the news lately for being involved in the immigrant crisis affecting most of South America. The town is used by immigrants as the last stop before crossing the border between Colombia and Panama through the Darien gap on their way to North America.
One evidence of the situation is the exceptional amount of camping gear stores (of low quality) along the town’s streets.
As a clueless tourist arriving in Necocli, you won’t feel what is happening.
Necocli is a safe and welcoming town, and we urge you not to treat it as just a “transfer town.”
A “transfer town” is a place you pass by on the way to your desired destination.
But no, Necocli is a vivid Colombian town.
You can see the life of Colombians when nothing is concealed or polished by tourism. Where everything is as-is.
A proper “small town.”
In Necocli, you can eat all the seafood you want, drink all the cocktails you wish, for half the price you will pay in Capurgana. With a full stomach, head to the ticket office and book yourself a seat on the boat to Capurgana.
So, if you find yourself in Necocli for a night, enjoy it, and take advantage of it.
Where to stay in Necocli
Casa Hotel La Posada
The boat leaves Necocli every day at 08:00 AM, so we decided to stay in La Posada Hotel the night before. It’s considered the best option in town for the budget traveler. We can’t say it was the best place we stayed in Colombia, but it was clean, and they were nice enough to save our bags for two weeks with no extra charge.
The boat from Necocli
The boat departs from Necocli at 08:00 AM.
Expect a bumpy ride of one and a half hours.
If you plan on spending one night in Necocli like us, it will be better to get the ticket the day before, as the boat tends to get crowded. The ticket office is by Necocli’s port and is open till 19:00.
The cost of the ride is 85,000 COP (22$) per person and includes 10 kg of luggage, while every additional kg costs 2,000 COP (0.50$).
A gigantic plastic bag is sold at the port on the morning of the boat ride to cover your luggage.
You should buy it.
The price is 2,000 COP (0.50$), and you also get a smaller plastic bag for your small backpack.
Our experience of the ride
The boat ride is wild. You’ll probably get wet, soaking wet
There are a few ways to help you stay dry or less wet, to be precise.
- Sit in the front of the boat.
- Sit in the middle of the boat.
- Wear a garbage bag as a shirt.
- Wear a bathing suit and accept your destiny.
But from our experience, it mainly depends on the weather and the waves. On our way to Capurgana from Necocli, everybody got wet. Kids in the front of the boat, grandmas in the middle of the boat, everybody got a taste of seawater. At some point, the waves got so high, causing everybody to fly off their seats for a second.
We were soaked! Our baby somehow managed to fall asleep. To read more about Backpacking With a Baby.
Imagine staying on a roller coaster for an hour and a half.
We started the ride with a burst of uncontrolled laughter and finished it with a headache due to the strong water splashes on our faces.
On the other hand, we had a smooth ride back to Necocli. And only the people that sat on the side of the boat were soaked. So, take our advice, wrap your bags, sit in the mid-front of the ship, and hope for the best.
Arriving in Capurgana by flight
Though Medellin and particularly Bogota are far from Capurgana, we met dozens of Colombians from these cities who were not frightened by the distance and arrived at the Caribbean town for a weekend. Maybe because planes are an attractive alternative for longer distances. Sometimes you only have to pay a little more compared to an intercity bus, especially if you’re booking your flight ticket far ahead.
Sapzurro
As we promised at the beginning of the post, there are two unique destinations next to Capurgana. Let us tell you about one of them: the picturesque town of Sapzurro.
If you’re looking for a romantic, serene vacation, then travel to Sapzurro.
Only 3 km away from Capurgana, Sapzurro is smaller, less crowded, and therefore feels closer to nature. The town is surrounded by a small bay creating the illusion you’re on the shores of a small lake. The colors of the rainforest reflect on the water, painting it green and adding to the utopian atmosphere.
A short stroll around town will immediately bring you to the realms of the rainforest, where a single leaf on a tree is a size of a human being.
It’s everything we imagined when we planned our trip to Capurgana, a small, quiet, and relaxed Caribbean town.
What’s in the Town of Sapzurro
The town has its main beach and various beaches within walking distance. There are several shops for some grocery shopping, a liquor store, restaurants, and multiple hotels and hostels with unique characteristics.
One of our favorite things in Sapzurro is the absence of cars. In addition, unlike Capurgana, no motorbikes are speeding next to you.
Sapzurro is smaller and more isolated than Capurgana, which causes everything to be a bit more expensive. Restaurants will charge up to 30,000 COP (8$) for a fish lunch, about 30% more than Capurgana and double what we paid in Necocli. Furthermore, it’s much harder to find cheap accommodations as the tourist infrastructure is not as developed. Most accommodations will charge north of 120,000 COP (30$) per night for a double room.
If you are on a budget like us, don’t let it stop you from visiting Sapzurro for more than a day’s tour. We decided to skip the restaurant scene and cook for ourselves. We found perfect accommodation with a kitchen and a great helpful host in 80,000 COP (20$) per night.
5 Things to do in Sapzurro
1. Visit the main beach of Sapzurro
Located in the center of town, the main beach of Sapzurro has the calmest water among all shores of the area, with absolutely no waves. Here you can feel the atmosphere of the town, play football with the local kids, snorkel a bit, or just chill with a Coco-Loco cocktail in your hand.
We loved how easy it was to reach the beach, and still, it wasn’t crowded at all. Moreover, the beach has the best view you’ll find in all Sapzurro as it’s located right in the mid-point of the bay.
If you’re a person driven to see more and more beaches, because after all you made it all the way to Spazurro, keep on reading as there are two more gorgeous beaches.
2. Snorkeling in Cabo Tiburon
Cabo Tiburon is the best beach in Sapzurro for snorkeling and free diving. With a long sandy beach and transparent water, it is also a dreamy secluded location to hang in.
Cabo Tiburon is located two km away from Sapzurro’s. The hike to the beach is stunning. Most of the path is along the coastline, with the sea on one side and the mystical rainforest on the other side.
Even though the clean streets of Sapzurro will make you want to walk barefoot everywhere, we recommend that you bring sandals or flip-flops for this walk. The trail starts smooth and sandy but after 10 min becomes rocky.
3. Visit Diana Waterfall (Cascada la Diana)
- Time: 1 hour.
- Distance: 3 km.
- Route type: out & back.
The hike to the waterfall is the perfect activity for a cloudy afternoon- a common scenario on the Caribbean coast.
The path starts from the center of town along the beach until you take a right turn into the jungle. A sign directs the way from the beach to the jungle. Another option is to use the Maps.me app.
The hike is effortless, and some people do it with flip-flops. Yet, we recommend using hiking shoes due to the slippery rocks and mud puddles you’re expected to encounter on a rainy day.
4. Visit Diana beach
The beach is around a kilometer from Sapzurro center, opposite the direction of Cabo Tiburon. Even though we mention it in the ‘things to do,’ we can’t recommend it because the beach gets a bit dirty due to the tides.
5. Cross the border to Panama and visit Playa Blanca beach in La Miel.
The beautiful mushroom-shaped beach is located just 20 minutes from Sapzzuro. You can reach the beach on foot or take a boat for 15,000 COP (4$). Don’t forget to bring your passport because you will cross an international border. But don’t panic, as it will probably be the most relaxed border crossing of your life.
If you choose to hike to la Miel, you will have to climb many stairs (about 150) to reach the border at the top. Once you are at the top of the hill, the soldiers will only take your details without even stamping your passport. After you spend your day relaxing on the beach, you can spoil yourself with some good liqueur as there is a duty-free shop on the beach. The border closes at 18:00, so don’t forget to head home before the sunset.
Due to Covid 19 restrictions, the checkpoint at the top of the hill is closed, and you can reach la Miel beach only with a boat.
Where to Stay in Sapzurro
Hostal El Chileno
The hostel is located on the seafront, close to the beginning of the trail leading to Capurgana. Considered the best option for the solo budget traveler in Sapzurro, Hostal El Chileno offers a communal kitchen, dorm beds, and simple private rooms. The hostel can use some renovation and cleaning. Still, it compensates with the best balcony in town, a fantastic view and many hammocks.
If you are looking for budget accommodation with a communal kitchen and an option to mingle with other travelers in Sapzurro, Hostal El Chileno is the only option for you.
Ecocabaña Rosa Maria
Ecocabaña Rosa Maria is a small and intimate place with 3 private rooms. It is located 100 meters from the sea inside the rainforest. Each room is beautifully decorated with the intent to bring the guest as close as possible to nature. There are no glass windows, but instead, the walls are practically cut in half, letting the jungle enter your room. No worries, it still feels safe, and the room looks like a honeymoon suite.
The hostel is owned by Diego and Ilana, a lovely artistic couple from Bogota that will make you fall in love with Sapzurro. We stayed for four nights in Casa Rosa Maria because it’s one of the only accommodations in town offering a communal kitchen which is great for budget travelers like us.
How to get to Supzzuro from Capurgana
Sapzurro is located 3 km from Capurgana, and you can choose to reach it by foot or by boat.
By boat
- Time: 15 min
- Costs: 15,000 COP (4$)
Take a boat from Capurgana’s port.
The boat ride costs 15,000 COP (4$) per person and takes 15 min. In addition to the boat ride price, you’ll have to pay Capurgana’s port fee of 3,000 COP (1$) per person.
Several boats leave throughout the day. Usually, you will have to wait until the boat fills with about 4-8 passengers, depending on the driver’s mood. From our experience, it’s easier to get a ride in the morning because most boats leave for the daily tours at that time.
Hiking to Sapzurro from Capurgana
- Time: 2 hours
- Distance: 3.5 km.
- Cost: 10,000 COP (3$)
We highly recommend you to walk the road between the two towns. It’s an easy-moderate hike, but keep in mind that the mud can raise the hike’s difficulty after a rainy day.
On the mountain’s top, there’s a fantastic lookout (mirador) on the bay of Capurgana from one side and on the bay of Sapzurro from the other side.
In addition, if you leave in the morning and are lucky enough, you may be escorted by a group of monkeys looking at you and shouting.
Furthermore, If you plan on spending a few nights in Sapzurro, consider leaving some of your belongings in the hostel where you stayed in Capurgana.
The hiking path leads you through the rainforest. The two towns are separated by a mountain, so expect an ascent and a descent. But don’t be intimidated, the course is very convenient, and there’s even a staircase in the steeper parts.
Before the top, you’ll cross a ticket office with fresh drinks that will charge you a fee of 10,000 COP.
Sometimes you can just pass the ticket office without them charging you.
We were not asked to pay when we walked from Sapzurro to Capurgana.
An impressive’ mirador’ (a lookout) stands at the top of the mountain. Don’t skip it. Climb up the stairs and admire the view of the two bays.
The Darien gap is indeed one of the most bio-diverse areas globally. But don’t expect to see many animals. Though you can definitely hear many of them. For example, woodpeckers pecking into the tree or the mighty growl of the Howler monkey. One of the reasons the area is so biodiverse is the amount of space each animal has to live their lives uninterrupted.
Our experience of the hike
We reached Sapzurro by boat and hiked back to Capurgana. To be honest, we intended to take a boat directly to ‘El Aguacate.’ But luckily, the Caribbean reality changed our plans.
After realizing our ‘lanchero’ (the speed boat driver) left without us, followed by a couple of minutes standing with no purpose, we decided to choose our destiny and started walking to Capurgana.
There are just a few boats leaving from Sapzurro to Capurgana, as there aren’t many tourists in town.
El Aguacate: The Crown Jewel of Our Visit to Capurgana
We saved the best for last.
If we described Sapzurro as a romantic getaway, the only way to describe El Aguacate is a destination for the spiritual adventurists.
The bay of El Aguacate and its surroundings are characterized by their simplicity and rusticity. With basic hostels and hotels, don’t expect a spoiled vacation, yet all the accommodations we visited are comfortable and clean.
It’s important to mention the constant power outages in the village due to its remoteness. But all this is part of the charm of the area, which is on the edge of the Darien gap jungle, allowing you to see local fauna such as howler monkeys. Or go snorkeling in the crystalline water just a few meters from the beach and see colorful marine life.
In addition, the ‘lanchero’ (boat driver) can take you to other hidden beaches like Soledad beach, or you can walk to Capurganá along an exciting path that borders the sea.
In the last and first months of the year, the sea is rougher, and the weather is windier, so some beaches and boat trips are more like adventure sports. The sea is calmer from March or April, and the absence of wind increases the thermal sensation.
What’s in the Village of El Aguacate
Let’s be honest, El Aguacate is not even a town. It’s a beautiful bay populated by a group of unique individuals that wish to live differently. There’s no supermarket nor any other shop so do your shopping in Capurgana. There’s one restaurant and one bar. In addition, all accommodations offer breakfast and dinner. But what El Aguacate does have is an exceptional, chilled-out beach with transparent water.
In addition, one of the most extraordinary things to buy in El Aguacate is homemade coconut oil. 100% natural, the oil is used for cosmetics (hair, skin) and cooking. It is sold in various sizes and scents (though the natural one is the best one in our opinion). You can get this exceptional product anywhere around Capurgana and Sapzurro. But because the coconut oil is made and sold on the bay of El Aguacate, you can buy it there at a lower price and meet the Colombian gentleman that creates this art.
THE THING to do in El Aguacate
Finally, nothing is expected of you on this part of your vacation or wild adventurist trip. In El Aguacate, we recommend you: do nothing. This village is exactly one of these places you can let go in.
El Aguacate can provide you with the perfect setting for positive and beneficial thinking with idyllic relaxing ambient. Here is the opportunity to let go of your FOMO and gain true tranquility.
Where to Stay in El Aguacate
Kachikine
Kachikine is the best hostel in El Aguacate (in our opinion, the best hostel on the Caribean coast). Located next to one of the most beautiful beaches of the Chocó region, the hostel is an excellent place to find peace and connection with nature. In addition, it’s managed by two people as beautiful as the nature surrounding Kachikine. Andrea and Quentin run the place without any fuss and without too many words.
They elevated the experience of El Aguacate for us.
Spiritually.
The rooms are cozy yet simple, with a unique ambient in the social areas and a well put together communal kitchen.
The price includes a delicious breakfast!
Kachikine is the reason to visit El Aguacate, and for us, El Aguacate was the reason to visit Capurgana.
How to Get to El Aguacate
You can hike to El Aguacate or reach it by boat from Capurgana.
Take a boat
- Time: 15 min
- Costs: 15,000 COP
You can catch a boat any time of the day in Capurgana’s port, but it’s easier in the morning. Ask your host to help you find a boat or just do it yourself in the harbor.
Hike
- Time: one hour
- Distance: 3.5 km
Hiking to El Aguacate from Capurgana is a great chance to glimpse the village life in the Darian gap and experience the nature surrounding it.
In The first half of the hike, you will pass through the village’s outskirts and experience the locals’ pleasant character. The second half of the hike is surrounded by the wild nature of the area. With the roar of the Hauling monkey as your soundtrack, you will pass through the jungle and hike on the shore to reach the bay of El Aguacate.
Towards the end of the hike, you’ll encounter a tienda (small shop) offering delicious fish empanadas. DONT SKIP the chance to eat some as they are pretty rare in Colombia. The next time we ate fish empanadas on our trip to La Guajira desert and Cabo de la Vela. You can read more about it here.
What to Pack
What to pack for Capurgana, Sapzurro, and El Aguacate?
As mentioned, you can have 10 kg per person of luggage on the boat arriving in Capurgana. Because the weather is warm, 10 kg is more than enough if you plan on hiking along with hanging on the beach.
Pack your belongings in your beloved backpack and make sure you have a comfortable daypack for your daily trips or the chilling day on the beach.
You should pack sandals for Him & for Her, a swimsuit for Him & for Her, quick dry beach towel and sunscreen are a must.
Also, pack a water bottle because many hostels provide filtered water that you can fill your bottle with and help the environment.
Some extras to spoil yourself with can be a GoPro, Kindle and it’s always nice to have your personal snorkel for exploring the water world.
When hiking in Capurgana, Sapzurro, and El Aguacate, it’s better to use proper hiking boots, mainly because the trails in the rain forest can get extremely muddy.
At last, if you are a backpacking parent, like us, choose a baby carrier comfortable for your baby and yourself.
Final Thoughts
We have heard so much about Capurgana from various travel blogs and fellow travelers we met on our trip. It wasn’t easy to be disappointed when we realized it was not what we thought it would be. But Capurgana taught us to explore the depth of a place.
Sapzurro and El Aguacate were a mystery for us, especially because we didn’t hear or read anything about them before. It was a beautiful surprise to reach such magical towns without any expectations and we are grateful for having the opportunity to explore and discover new places. So, even though we chose to diss Capurgana in the post’s headline, we still urge you all to visit it. Just take our advice and don’t get stuck in the town, be an active tourist and explore all the hidden gems the Darien gap has to offer.
If you’re looking for another off the beaten path destination on the Caribbean coast take a look at our post about Rincon del Mar.
