Capurgana and Sapzurro – a corner of Colombia where no roads lead

2 Hike

The other big thing to do here is hiking. The way to and from Sapzurro is actually a pretty good day activity, if you come from Capurgana, you can even extend your hike and continue all the way to La Miel. On top of this, from Capurgana you can hike to El Cielo, a nature reserve celebrated for its picturesque waterfall and crystal-clear river – keep your eyes peeled for monkeys and toucans along the way​.

3 Cross into Panama on foot

For an unforgettable day trip, trek to Sapzurro and then across the border into Panama to find La Miel beach, a serene spot perfect for relaxation​​. Since this is a border crossing, take your passport with you (the guards at the checkpoint only look at it and note the number, you will not get a stamp). There are facilities next to the beach, you can have lunch here and pay in USD or COP.

4 See turtles

This is a seasonal activity, but you could even have a chance to witness leatherback turtles laying their eggs in Acandi during the Easter period, a truly remarkable sight​. 

How to get there

Journeying to Capurganá and Sapzurro is an adventure in itself, a prelude to the serene beauty that awaits. There are no roads to these remote Colombian havens, making the trip there part of the experience.

By bus or plane + boat | Boats are integral to this journey. Whether you pick the longest option from Turbo (3h 10.000 COP), the larger ferries from Necoclí (2 h for 70.000 COP) or the smaller lanchas from Acandí (1h for 40.000 COP), expect to be greeted by the vastness of the ocean and a sense of leaving the modern world behind​. Either way you’ll have to get to these places to take the boats. You can either take a bus from Medellín (8h to Turbo for 60.000 COP, 9h to Necoclí for 50.000 COP) or  fly from Medellín’s Olaya Herrera Airport to the coastal town of Acandí with airlines like Latam and Avianca.

By plane | In high season you can book a direct flight to Medellín, with Grupo San German or Searca (which operates charter flights). I took the former to fly to Medellín, but it seems like they are not operating at the moment.

By boat from Panama | This is quite another story…if you are coming from Panama you probably end up in Capurgana because you chose the adventurous option of slowly crossing the Panamanian indigenous (Guna Yala) islands, either by sailboat or speedboat. You can read about this crossing in this detailed post. Make sure to dedicate a few days in Capurgana / Sapzurro upon arrival, especially in high season when the sea can be rough. My group was stranded in Capurgana for 3 days, actually not because of the weather but because the computer of the immigration office was malfunctioning and they confiscated our passports and told us to wait :’D. This is how there is a gap of 3 days between my exit stamp in Panama and my entry stamp in Colombia. So as you see, anything can happen here!

Traveling between the two towns

Once in Capurganá, to reach Sapzurro, you again have two options. The most straightforward is to take a local boat (lancheros) from Capurganá’s dock, which offers a very short ride along the coast. These boats typically require a minimum of 3 or 4 passengers and are very cheap (10.000 COP) and take a few minutes. If you require an early (or late) start at a time when nobody else wants to go, you can always ask any local – they will find you someone to take you over, albeit for a much higher price of course.

You can also do the 2 hour hike through the jungle. This is not a simple road connecting the two towns, you actually have to hike, so taking all your luggage with you is only an option if you are relatively fit. The hike is not so hard and beautiful (going through lush rainforest, with glimpses on the Caribbean coast down below), but it is very hot and humid, so go prepared.