Going the Colombian pacific coast is a no-brainer. How to get to Nuqui Colombia makes conjugating Spanish verbs seem easy.
Anyway, I assume you’ve heard all about its charm. And trying to work out the best plan of action to bloody get there because frankly there’s not much written about it.
In this post, I’ll walk you through step-by-step how to get to Nuqui Colombia, where to stay, and what to do.
First, you should know this about Nuqui
Nuqui is expensive in comparison to the standard you’ve probably experienced by now in Colombia. If you’ve trawled through booking you wouldn’t have seen anything much less than 150 mil pesos. So, unless you fancy staying at one of the 500 mil-a-night lodgings, 150-ish is your baseline.
You’ve also probably seen various posadas in Nuqui town and other locations along the coast. “Don’t stay in the town!”, my Colombian friend said. So we decided on Termales. And with good reason.
Now, with that in mind…
Where to stay in Termales (Nuqui)
The same friend recommended us a posada (hostel-type accommodation) in Termales. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect as it’s hard to get a feel from the photos’. But it surpassed all my expectations.
The owner Paulino is a true gent. It genuinely felt like a resort-type service. Anything you’ll need he’ll find it for you right away and he’ll help you organise any activities during your stay. More to come on that later…
Paulino’s posada is so close to the beach you’ll think you’re in the bowls of a ship at sea when you wake up in a daze
Waking up to this view was a delight!
We paid 130 mil per night (but that was due to my friend’s recommendation) which paid for a twin room + breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’d recommend including all three meals as there’s not much happening in the small town for food other than snacks.
Our lunch upon arrival at Posada Pura Vida
I’m sure there are other lovely places to stay but I’ll link to Posada Pura Vida on booking here. And drop Paulino’s WhatsApp here: +57 3186330503
How to get to Nuqui Colombia (and then Termales)
Now for the most complicated straight-forward journey ever… I say this because once you’ve done it once you’ll wonder why you even stressed about it in the first place.
Step 1 – Booking your plane to Nuqui
The easiest way to get to Nuqui is by plane. The most common one from Medellín is Satena. Their planes leave from the more convenient city airport Olaya Herrera.
I’m pretty sure they all leave early, but make sure you book flights that arrive at least 1 hour before 1 pm as you need to catch a connecting boat to Termales! The tickets will set you back from around 170 mil to 421 mil depending on availability.
Apparently these tiny Satena planes are ex-military.
The flight is a brisk 30 minutes with a stunning view of Medallo that suddenly turns into pure selva (jungle). The change in scenery is pretty epic. Once you’ve landed in the middle of the jungle you’ll need to pay a 20 mil tourist tax before leaving the airport.
Step 2 – Getting to Termales from Nuqui
Depending on the time of your flight you’ve probably got some time to kill. The lancha (basically a speed boat) leaves from Nuqui to Termales at 1pm. There’s not so much to see but if Paulino meets you he’ll give you a nice little tour of the town.
Waiting to board the lancha to Termales
Obviously, you’ll want to get to the Muelle (port) where the lancha leaves from a bit before. But I’d suggest scoping it out beforehand to make sure you make it with no dramas. To get there you need to turn left as you leave the airport and follow the dirt street about 200m. You can’t miss it.
Tip: slap on some sunscreen and bring something to shade you. We ended up waiting on the boat in the baking sun for 40 minutes…
Termales is about 1 hour 20 minutes from Nuqui when you factor in the various stops. But the voyage sails by as you take in the raw beauty of the Colombia Pacific coast.
If Paulinho is with you he’ll lead the way to his posada. Or, when you arrive he’ll come and greet you on the beach where you’re dropped off.
Pretty easy, huh?
What to do in Termales: Our 4-day Itinerary
(I say itinerary, we just asked Paulino what activities we could do when we arrived)
Day 1
Arrival and lots of marveling at the epicness of the place. At night time we ventured to the termales (basically hot springs that smell like eggs). The entrance fee is 20mil your first visit and reduced for subsequent visits.
Day 2
We woke up at 6 am to the sound of the ocean, the muskiness of the sauna-like mosquito net, and my iPhone alarm…Showered and coffeed our lancha to Coqui awaited us. Coqui is another town near Termales that’s well worth a visit. The boat hire between the three of us for the day was 210 mil.
At Coqui you’ll stop off for a trip through the mangroves and lunch at a surprisingly swanky restaurant close to the beach. The tour is 40 mil per person and the lunch after takes the place of the lunch you would have eaten back at the posada.
The fish here was amazing! (featuring my legs…)
Voyaging back we anchored down for a spot of snorkeling. I’m terrified of fish so didn’t jump in but I didn’t hear reports of too much marine life. It was a shame it wasn’t the whale season. During the months of July through to August, it’s supposed to be impossible not to see the ballenas (whales) breaking the surface of the matte emerald ocean.
Day 3
Hammock and beach chill day. Do walk down the beach to the island in the photo below. You can walk to the top for a pretty view.
Day 4
A leisurely morning followed by a hike into the jungle to see the near-ish waterfall. I say near-ish, the hike takes about 4hrs in total. And, as hikes go is moderate with no super steep climbs or decents. Let’s say 5.5/10. We hiked with an adorable Colombian family including their 10-year-old son who made it with no complaints. The hike cost 80mil and includes wellington boot hire so you’ll have no problems with the inevitable mud…
Day 5
Another early start to board the 6.30 am lancha back to Nuqui in time for our 10.30 am flight. I did realise about 30 minutes into the journey I’d left my passport, wallet, and cash in my room… I’d resigned myself to a day 6 in Nuqui, however, Paulino being the legend of a human he is had it sent express delivery on another lancha to Nuqui. In fact, everyone we met was so kind. I can’t speak highly enough of the people that we encountered.
What else to do in Nuqui (Recommendations from friends)
Utría National Park
“You have to visit Utría national park!” my friend also said. The park’s not far from Termales and is where the whales have their babies. Apparently, it’s worth staying there for a night although a little on the expensive side. I’ve linked here to the reserve I was recommended. I did inquire about visiting but didn’t get a response from anyone. But that may be down to the pandemic…
Scuba diving
All I know is that it’s possible and it is something like 400mil for 3 dives. I’m sure a Paulino could tell you if you drop him a message. (I told you I hate fish!)
Surfing
Another friend of mine stayed in Termales for the surf. You can easily rent surfboards or grab a bodyboard from various places along the beach. Just be careful…some of the waves looked pretty menacing.
En fin.
The last things to add (the first is kind of a big thing); you’ll need to take enough cash for the whole trip. ATM’s haven’t made their way to the coast strangely enough. I paid upfront via bank transfer for the accommodation but paid cash for everything else. And, if you can stay longer than 4 days, do so. I could easily have bummed around more on the beach and chilled out for a few more days.
Good luck and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with the pacific coast as much as I did! If you have any questions about how to get to Nuqui Colombia, drop me a message in the comments.
Nick
