Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [155]
Hostal Playas de Capurganá ( 316 482 5783; www.jardinbotanicodarien.com; Capurganá; r per person with/without meals COP$65,000/35,000; ) Even more lush than next door at Cabaña Darius (there’s a botanical gardens on property), this is another friendly option closer to the beach, though a collapsed third floor in early 2009 brings maintenance into question. Yoga and tai chi are offered as well. The pool here is shared by Darius.
Hotel Almar ( 824 4550; www.hotelalmar.com.co; Capurganá; r per person all-inclusive COP$220,000; ) This is the most upscale spot in Capurganá on the nicest stretch of sand in town, Playa Blanca. The log cabin–like structure offers roomy accommodations, a large sun deck and there’s a dive center on the property. The price includes alcoholic beverages.
Hernán Patacón (mains COP$4000-12,000; 11:30am-7:30pm) If you have come from any direction other than Panama, you are no doubt sick of smashed fried plantains, known as patacones. Here your faith is restored. This beach hut (there is another location in town) on Playa Blanca does larger, thinner versions topped with everything from chicken and mushrooms to arequipe (milk caramel) and cheese – a very nice change of pace.
Josefina’s ( 310 627 1578; mains COP$15,000-35,000; lunch & dinner) On Playa Blanca, Josefina’s does wonderful seafood dishes in large portions with a friendly smile – a rare combo. The pulpo (octopus) in salsa rosada is excellent. The beachfront tree-stump tables are also good for a sundown beer. In low season, it may not appear to be open, but they will fire up with a few hours notice.
For a good time, all the nightlife action takes place in the various bars circling the soccer field.
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Getting There & Away
There are only two ways to reach Capurganá and Sapzurro. The most economical route is to catch a boat from Turbo (COP$49,000, 2½ hours), which departs daily from 6am in high season and once at 8:30am the rest of the year . In low season, the boats depart for Turbo at 7:30am.
ADA ( 682 8817; www.ada.aero.com) also operates flights from Medellín (COP$363,000, one way) on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at noon in low season, and up to three flights daily in high season.
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San Andrés & Providencia
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SAN ANDRÉS
PROVIDENCIA
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The archipelago of San Andrés & Providencia is a case study in tropical multiple personality disorder. Geographically near Nicaragua, historically tied to England and politically part of Colombia, these pristine islands may lack an untainted pedigree, but their diverse history and picture-postcard setting are exactly what make them Colombia’s most interesting paradise.
Here you’ll find isolated beaches, unspoiled coral reefs and an alluring island flavor that on the surface seem conspicuously Colombian, but in time, the 300-year-old English/Creole-speaking Raizal culture, often pushed aside by Spanish influence, offers an even deeper cultural experience. Caught between two battling cultures, these islands offer a unique experience in South America.
San Andrés, the largest island in the archipelago and its commercial and administrative hub, offers the most tourism infrastructure and has been attracting tourists and mainland Colombians for several decades, most of whom flock to the island on duty-free shopping sprees bookended by a little sun and sand. The crowds, however, are not difficult to escape, and you could easily take up a Robinson Crusoe lifestyle on any of the isolated beaches.
Providencia, by contrast, offers the same turquoise sea, extensive coral reefs and rich underwater life that has made the entire archipelago a paradise for snorkelers and scuba divers – the second-largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere is here – but none of the commercialism or crowds of its bigger brother to the south. Much of Providencia’s colonial