Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [226]
SCUBA DIVING
There is good scuba diving in 500m-deep Bahía Solano. The warship Sebastián de Belalcázar, which survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, was sunk near Playa Huína to create an artificial reef (Buqué Hundido). Cave divers may like to explore the caves near Cabo Marzo. You’ll need experience and your own gear. A recommended dive master is Rodrigo Fajando ( 682 7416). Expect to pay around COP$100,000 per dive to cover boat and gasoline from Bahía Solano.
SPORTFISHING
Colombia’s Pacific coast is one of the only places in South America where you can pull in record-breaking blue marlin and sailfish. The fishing zone stretches north to the southern reaches of Panama, and attracts anglers from all over the world. The best time to come is April to August, when there are catch-and-release tournaments. Expect to pay around COP$1,600,000 per day for four to five anglers. Consider negotiating the price of the gasoline separately, so you don’t wind up giving the captain a free tank.
SURFING
There are good waves on Playa Almejal. Both beach resorts rent surfboards.
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Sleeping
There are plenty of basic flophouses in Bahía Solano not listed here.
Hotel Bahía ( 682 7048, 682 7047; s/d/tr COP$40,000/55,000/55,000; ) This is your best budget option in town. The elderly owner is considered the grandmother of tourism in Bahía Solano. The rooms are paved in linoleum and have a TV and fan, and one has air-con, although it smells musty. Get a room away from the street so the generator doesn’t wake you up in the morning. It also serves budget meals.
Rocas de Cabo Marzo ( 682 7433; r per person incl full board COP$100,000; ) After being forced to leave their hotel at Bahía Tebada (see boxed text), the managers used their savings to open this simple posada. One of the few people who speaks English in the zone, the Tom Selleck look-alike owner also organizes sportfishing tournaments, owns a scuba tank compressor, and offers guide services in the surrounding area. The food is excellent.
Hotel Balboa Plaza ( 682 7075; www.hotelesmarselva.com; Carrera 2A No 6-73; s/tw/tr COP$48,000/45,000/45,000, d COP$56,000-90,000, ste COP$60,000-270,000; ) Built by Pablo Escobar in 1985, the Balboa remains the largest hotel in town. The outside looks pretty ragged but inside it’s a well-appointed lodging, with a pool and bar, and live music when there’s enough guests to justify it. Third-floor rooms have a good view of the sea. The back garden has hammocks where you can lounge amid roses, heliconias and a starfruit tree.
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A FISHING LODGE, LOVED AND LOST
The Pacific coast has seen its share of dark times. The owners of Rocas de Cabo Marzo (opposite) tell the following story.
In 1991 several prominent Colombian families built a luxury sportfishing camp 32km north of Bahía Solano in Bahía Tebada, surrounded by the jungle and sea. There they fished for marlin, tuna, wahoo, and amber jack, among others. It quickly became famous, and they began hosting international fishing tournaments. American and European fishermen came, and it got write-ups in the fishing magazines.
The owners decided that it would be more profitable to turn the site into a hotel, and in 1992 Enrique and Nancy arrived with their 15-month-old son to run the place. They decorated it and built gardens.
The hotel attracted presidents and senators, mayors and bankers, ambassadors and the world’s wealthy. It was the heart of the ‘90s, times were good, and there was no talk of guerrillas or La Violencia here.
Then, in 2000, the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) arrived. They came one quiet night asking for food, medicine and gasoline. This frightened the guests. Later came the paramilitaries, hunting FARC, asking also for supplies. One Saturday night in 2001, at a small hotel called La Resaca,