The Humpback Turtle 3.99

As the paths of three roaming spirits crossed, the idea of the Humpback Turtle was born in 2009 on the beaches of the Colombian Choco. From what started as an adventure into unknown lands, these three souls began to see the deeper beauty and uniqueness of El Valle, Choco, and were pulled from their wandering wayz to spend more time on this enchanted beach. The passion of the Afro-Colombian people, the teeming vibrance of the Choco jungle, and the beautiful energy of the Pacific Ocean are but a few of the factors that led to the establishment of a meeting point for all drifting nomads.

Construction began in late 2010, and as of April 2011, the core cabana is now up and running. This bungalow was built right on Almejal Beach, providing stunning vistas of the vast Pacific Ocean, and the surrounding volcanic beaches and jungle landscapes. Under this thatch roof we offer a spacious chlilout area with plenty of hammocks, a full bar with a range of local and classic drinks, the alwayz-vibey muzik of the Humpback, and a fully equipped kitchen where revelers can cook their own chow, or order from a tasty list of Humpback comida where fresh fish is the always on tap.

How to arrive: Here in coastal Choco we have a unique situation....no road connection to the interior of Colombia! This sword has two edges, one being the preservation of culture and nature that comes along with geographic isolation. The other edge being that it's a bit more complicated to arrive than other beach towns in South America. One has two options: Sea or Air. There are daily flights into Bahia Solano from Quibdo or Medellin, and Medellin serves as a hub city for flights from anywhere in Colombia, and even provides connections to various cities in the US, Venezuela and Ecuador. Three airlines serve Bahia Solano: ADA, Satena, and TAC. Flights from Medellin start at around 140,000 pesos each way. The other option for arrival is by Sea. There are cargo boats leaving at least twice a week from Buenaventura directly to Bahia Solano. They provide a bunk bed, and three meals, with the journey lasting roughly 20-25 hours for around 110,000 pesos. For those of you who are going to/from Panama....there is an international passenger boat service from Bahia Solano to Jaque, Panama in the Darien. Okay, I know must of you are thinking, "Who the hell survives the Darien??" Hahaha, obvious question, however I have been there twice now, and there is absolutely nothing insane about the place. There is even a huge sport fishing resort next to Jaque called Tropical full of rich Gringo's and Euros cruising around on yachts drinking martinis and fishing for Marlin. I think the "hardcore" bit of the Darien Gap is a few days hike into the jungle. Anyway, the boat is roughly 6 hours from Bahia to Jaque, costs around 160,000 pesos, and from Jaque there are plane and boat connections to Panama City. In fact, if you leave Bahia in the morning, you will get to Jaque by noonish, and get grab a $75 USD flight to Panama City and be there the same afternoon. The boat from Panama City to Jaque leaves roughly twice a week, and takes around 20 hours for $15 dollars....from Jaque the above mentioned boat takes 6 hours to get to Bahia Solano, and leaves weekly.

El Valle is a small beach town of about 4,000 people, 98% being of Afro-Colombian descent. There are a few shop owners from Antioquia, a couple of scruffy surfers, and a handful of Embera Indians running about to spice up the cultural blend, but this is Afro-Colombia in its purest form. The village was started more than 150 years ago by escaped slaves from Colombia's interior looking for a peaceful co-existence with the Embera tribe, the jungles of the Choco, and the abundance of the Pacific. With their African roots came music and dancing unique in the world. The sounds of drums beating out the rhythms of Chirimia can be heard in the riverside barrios of the village, and their Catholic holidays are heavily mixed with the colourful dress and street festivities reminiscent of Brazils Carnaval. The area went through several economic phases, from the production of Tagua for the pre-plastic button industry, to the extraction of rubber from gaucho trees, to the massive agri-movement that saw an abundance of tropical fruits and rice planted along the coast and up the rivers. The modern day economy of El Valle is based upon the remnants of this agriculture, Colombian and International tourism, and the rich fishing industry that defines the waters of the Pacifc.

One might first ask: What about the guerillas, FARC, or paramilitary in Choco?? Well, in El Valle and Bahia Solano, guerilla or rebel violence has never actually occurred. There is a massive installation of Coast Guard and Army in both Bahia and El Valle, along with dozens of smaller installations throughout the surrounding jungle, providing somewhat of a safety net around the area. With the presence of Ensenada Utria National Park, the airport and sea port of Bahia Solano, and the above mentioned military installations, safety in the region is a high priority on the agenda of Colombian National security. Thousands of tourists pass these beaches every, so don't let Colombia's bloody past deface its beautiful future, come see for yourself so you can pass the word on to others!