Coastal Colombia: Pacific Ocean & Caribbean Sea
Rugged Pacific coast meets colonial Caribbean paradise
Travel from coast to coast on this 8-night adventure in Colombia! Experience the ruggedly beautiful Pacific coast in Nuqui, spend a few days in cosmopolitan Medellin, and end in the enchanting colonial gem of Cartagena.
What's Included
- Round-trip economy class airfare into Medellin (MDE) and out of Cartagena (CTG)
- All airport transfers
- 1 night in Medellin at the Hotel NH Collection Medellin Royal, or similar
- One-way, charter flight from Medellin (MDE) to Nuqui (NQU)
- Round-trip boat transfer from Nuqui Airport to Nuqui hotel
- 3 nights in Nuqui at the Hotel El Cantil Ecolodge, or similar
- Lunch and dinner daily while in Nuqui
- Guided beach walk to small village
- Guided jungle hike
- Whale watching boat excursion
- One-way, charter flight from Nuqui (NQU) to Medellin (MDE)
- 1 night in Medellin at the Hotel NH Collection Medellin Royal, or similar
- Medellin city tour (half-day)
- One-way, economy class flight from Medellin (MDE) to Cartagena (CTG)
- 3 nights in Cartagena at the Hotel Capilla del Mar, or similar
- Cartagena city tour (half-day)
- Breakfast daily
Great Ways to Explore
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Take photos with Fernando Botero's bronze sculptures in Medellin's Botero Plaza.
- See where the jungle meets the sea in Nuqui on Colombia's blissfully undiscovered Pacific coast.
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Enjoy multiple guided tours in Nuqui. See humpback whales breaching, hike through lush jungle, and visit a small village.
-
Get lost in the romanticism of Cartagena, where Gabriel Garcia Marquez set his famous novel "Love in the Time of Cholera."
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Sink your toes into the soft white sand in Playa Blanca on the Caribbean coast.
See humpback whales breaching in the Pacific, then wander the cobbled lanes of a historic Caribbean city. This 8-night vacation on Colombia's dual coasts is an adventure for all five senses!
Land in Medellin, Colombia's fashionable and modern second city, then take a charter plane to Nuqui on the Pacific coast. See where the jungle meets the sea in this undiscovered paradise. Hop on a boat and go whale watching, hike through lush jungle, and meet the locals in a small village. Fly back to Medellin and tour Botero Plaza, then take a cable car for magnificent views of the city.
Your last destination brings you to Cartagena on Colombia's Caribbean coast. Taste a bit of fresh mango from one of the traditional fruit vendors, then walk the perimeter of the walled city soaking in the stunning architecture and history. Take a speed boat out to Playa Blanca to end your bi-coastal adventure!
Please note that some recommendations in the following suggested itinerary may not be included in your package. Check What's Included above for full details on inclusions.
- Round-trip economy class airfare into Medellin (MDE) and out of Cartagena (CTG)
- All airport transfers
- 1 night in Medellin at the Hotel NH Collection Medellin Royal, or similar
- One-way, charter flight from Medellin (MDE) to Nuqui (NQU)
- Round-trip boat transfer from Nuqui Airport to Nuqui hotel
- 3 nights in Nuqui at the Hotel El Cantil Ecolodge, or similar
- Lunch and dinner daily while in Nuqui
- Guided beach walk to small village
- Guided jungle hike
- Whale watching boat excursion
- One-way, charter flight from Nuqui (NQU) to Medellin (MDE)
- 1 night in Medellin at the Hotel NH Collection Medellin Royal, or similar
- Medellin city tour (half-day)
- One-way, economy class flight from Medellin (MDE) to Cartagena (CTG)
- 3 nights in Cartagena at the Hotel Capilla del Mar, or similar
- Cartagena city tour (half-day)
- Breakfast daily
-
Take photos with Fernando Botero's bronze sculptures in Medellin's Botero Plaza.
- See where the jungle meets the sea in Nuqui on Colombia's blissfully undiscovered Pacific coast.
-
Enjoy multiple guided tours in Nuqui. See humpback whales breaching, hike through lush jungle, and visit a small village.
-
Get lost in the romanticism of Cartagena, where Gabriel Garcia Marquez set his famous novel "Love in the Time of Cholera."
-
Sink your toes into the soft white sand in Playa Blanca on the Caribbean coast.
See humpback whales breaching in the Pacific, then wander the cobbled lanes of a historic Caribbean city. This 8-night vacation on Colombia's dual coasts is an adventure for all five senses!
Land in Medellin, Colombia's fashionable and modern second city, then take a charter plane to Nuqui on the Pacific coast. See where the jungle meets the sea in this undiscovered paradise. Hop on a boat and go whale watching, hike through lush jungle, and meet the locals in a small village. Fly back to Medellin and tour Botero Plaza, then take a cable car for magnificent views of the city.
Your last destination brings you to Cartagena on Colombia's Caribbean coast. Taste a bit of fresh mango from one of the traditional fruit vendors, then walk the perimeter of the walled city soaking in the stunning architecture and history. Take a speed boat out to Playa Blanca to end your bi-coastal adventure!
Please note that some recommendations in the following suggested itinerary may not be included in your package. Check What's Included above for full details on inclusions.
Day 1. Welcome to Medellin!
Welcome to Colombia! After arrival at Medellín airport, a transfer will wait for you to take you to your hotel.
Medellin has had a remarkable turnaround and is now one of Colombia's most important cities in business, politics, fashion and nightlife. Known as city of perennial springtime, Medellin is also the hometown of the artist Fernando Botero, whose over-sized depictions of Colombian life, people and world issues are exhibited throughout the world.
Transfer to Medellin hotel
Check-in - Hotel NH Collection Medellin Royal
Hotel NH Collection Medellin Royal is an upscale 5-star hotel in the exclusive El Poblado district in Medellin. Located near the city's best culture and nightlife, this modern hotel is the perfect base for your Medellin visit. Each of the 134 minimalist rooms and suites come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and city or pool views. Enjoy a meal at the modern restaurant, cap off an exciting day of adventure with a drink at the chic bar and relax by the heated outdoor pool.
Art plays a big part in the life of the hotel, free entry tickets to the Modern Art Museum are offered to guests. The modern lobby is the perfect light space for exhibitions of art and sculpture. You’ll be delighted to see paintings and sculptures both abstract and figurative during your stay.
Day 2. Medellin - Nuqui
In the morning, transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Nuqui. After arrival, there will be reception and a short walk to the pier where a motor boat is waiting to take you to your accommodation. After a 30-minute boat ride on the open sea, you will reach your accommodation. Spend the rest of the day in Nuqui at leisure.
Transfer to Medellin airport (MDE)
Fly to Nuqui!
Boat transfer to Nuqui hotel
Check-in - El Cantil Ecolodge
Breathe in the clean coastal air from the balcony of your room at the El Cantil Ecolodge. Rest harmoniously with nature in one of the lodge's seven rooms, each providing a terrace with hammocks, an ocean view, mosquito nets, built-in wardrobes, roomy private bathrooms with jungle views.
The hotel restaurant is eco-friendly like the rest of the lodge, but is still comfortable and can provide breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with the hotels famous seafood menu.
Day 3. Nuqui
Today is your first full day in Nuqui! Here lush tropical jungle meets the Pacific ocean in a spectacular and undeveloped landscape. During your three-night stay, enjoy multiple included tours that will given you the full experience.
Head to the small village of Nuqui and meet the friendly locals, then take a small boat out on the water to see humpback whales. Colombia's Pacific coast is one of the best spots in the world to see these magnificent mammals up close.
Guided beach walk to small village
Colombia's Pacific coastline can best be characterized as rough and unexplored. Leave your hotel and walk along the dark sand beach with framed by the Pacific ocean on one side and the deep jungle on the other. Upon arrival in Nuqui village, take a break with a refreshment. Witness firsthand how the majority of Nuqui's population maintains the traditions of their ancestors.
Whale watching boat excursion
Nuqui is a strategic place for whale watching due to its warm, calm waters that are free of strong currents and boat traffic; these qualities make it a safe haven for humpback whale mothers and their babies. Every year from July to late October, whales swim to Nuqui to give birth. At on the speedboat, observe one of the largest creatures of the underwater world just a few feet from the boat.
Day 4. Nuqui
Continue exploring Nuqui today. Enjoy a hike with a local guide through lush jungle where you will feel a world away from any modern life. Head back to the mocha-colored beaches or book another tour through the hotel staff.
Guided jungle hike
Experience Nuqui's jungle with a local guide as you walk along small paths. Listen to the sounds of birds, monkeys and other animals and learn about the flora and fauna around you. Your guide will tell you about some of the uses locals have for certain plants while recounting the unique myths and traditions of this region.
Day 5. Nuqui - Medellin
Your adventure on Colombia's Pacific coast comes to an end today. A boat transfer will take you back to Nuqui airport where you will catch your flight to Medellin. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.
Consider visiting the Medellin Museum of Modern Art for a dose of art and culture. For dinner, try bandeja paisa - a filling dish of meat, rice and more that's a Colombian staple!
Boat transfer to Nuqui airport (NQU)
Fly to Medellin!
Transfer to Medellin hotel
Check-in - Hotel NH Collection Medellin Royal
Hotel NH Collection Medellin Royal is an upscale 5-star hotel in the exclusive El Poblado district in Medellin. Located near the city's best culture and nightlife, this modern hotel is the perfect base for your Medellin visit. Each of the 134 minimalist rooms and suites come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, minibars, and city or pool views. Enjoy a meal at the modern restaurant, cap off an exciting day of adventure with a drink at the chic bar and relax by the heated outdoor pool.
Art plays a big part in the life of the hotel, free entry tickets to the Modern Art Museum are offered to guests. The modern lobby is the perfect light space for exhibitions of art and sculpture. You’ll be delighted to see paintings and sculptures both abstract and figurative during your stay.
Day 6. Medellin - Cartagena
In the morning, enjoy a 4-hour city tour taking you to Medellin's highlights. After your tour, transfer to Medellin airport for your flight to the colonial jewel of Colombia, Cartagena.
Cartagena was founded in 1533 by the Spaniard Pedro de Heredia. Gold-crafting Indigenous tribes, Spanish colonialism, pirates and corsairs, African slaves, fortifications, Catholicism and The Inquisition: Cartagena has led a very interesting life! With such a fascinating and turbulent history, you can bet that there are plenty of must-see spots for visitors.
Head into the old town and get lost in the dreamy cobbled streets and vine-draped balconies.
Transfer to Medellin airport (MDE)
Fly to Cartagena!
Transfer to Cartagena hotel
Check-in - Hotel Capilla del Mar
Across the street from the beach, Hotel Capilla del Mar is a sophisticated high-rise hotel in Cartagena's vibrant Bocagrande neighborhood. You'll be situated just two miles from the historic center and three miles from the 16th-century fortress Castillo San Felipe de Barajas.
Enjoy the tropical breeze from the 22nd floor deck and take a dip in the Solarium pool with beautiful views of Bocagrande and the Caribbean Sea. The relaxed, airy rooms have free Wi-Fi, iPod docks, flat-screen TVs and minibars. Enjoy daily complimentary breakfast and meals at the seafood restaurant and sea-view buffet eatery. Come nighttime, enjoy a drink at the sleek cocktail bar with panoramic views and DJs. There's also a spa and a gym, plus cooking and dancing classes at an extra charge.
Medellin city tour (half-day)
Explore the highlights of the “City of Eternal Spring.” Listen to local musicians and the traditional “Guasca” music while visiting Parque Berrio. Stroll through the hustle and bustle of downtown Medellin to the famous Botero Plaza with an exhibition of the Colombian artist Fernando Botero, whose sculptures have become a landmark of the city. Take the Metro Cable up to Santo Domingo, which was once a notorious area of gang violence in Medellin.
The cable car was constructed to make the inner city more accessible to people from the outskirts, and allows visitors a glimpse into the lives of the marginalized population. While enjoying the spectacular view you learn more about the transformation of Medellín from one of the most dangerous cities in the world into a fascinating melting pot of cultures with possibly the friendliest and warmest people in the world.
Day 7. Cartagena
Today you will visit some of Cartagena's highlights on an included city tour. Cartagena was given the name La Heroica (Heroic City) by Simon Bolivar in 1815 after the city resisted 105 days of siege by the Spanish.
After the tour, stroll over to Plaza de la Aduana, the largest and oldest square in Cartagena's old town that was once the home of the city's government (aduana means customs).
Sip an ice cold cocktail at one of the outdoor bars near Plaza de la Aduana as you watch the sun go down!
Cartagena city tour (half-day)
Cartagena has as many stories to tell as its streets in the old quarter has names, and today you will visit the highlights of “La Heroica” (the Heroic city – name gave to the Cartagena during the times of the Colony). Begin at the fortress of San Felipe de Barajas, a masterpiece of engineering and military strategy built by the Spaniards to defend the city from pirates and pillagers. Despite several attempts to storm it, the fortress was never taken.
Then continue walking around the walled colonial city where narrow streets and vine-draped balconies will take you back in time. End your tour with a visit to the Convent of San Pedro Claver, a monumental three-story building that is considered one of the jewels of the Spanish colonial architecture.
Day 8. Cartagena
Don't leave Colombia without dipping your toes into the Caribbean. In the morning, catch a 30-minute high-speed boat (not included) to Playa Blanca, a pristine stretch of white sand beach and shady bungalows. Enjoy a cocktail in a coconut, swim in the clear warm water, or just lounge under the sun of this paradise.
In the evening, return to Cartagena old town one last time to toast an incredible vacation!
Day 9. Depart Colombia
Your Colombia journey comes to an end today. At the appropriate time, you will be transferred from your hotel to the airport, for your flight home.
Transfer to Cartagena airport (CTG)
Fly home!
We have selected the most economical flight schedule for you. Please note that shorter and more convenient flight options may be available at an additional cost.
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