*This is Definitely for slow travelers who have a good 2-3 days to spare. It also takes some time to get to this paradise. So be prepared.
If you are staying in Cartagena, Colombia, you probably will be hearing about San Blas Islands in Panama or Capurgana Colombia. San Blas Islands are remote and deserted islands in Panama which almost feels like heaven. So, obviously I decided to do the trip from Cartagena to San Blas Islands (I used the company called San Blas Adventures which was the best and safe).
You can also do the trip from San Blas islands all the way to La Guajira which is the desert in the northern point of Colombia. See how you can do this all together here.
On the way to San Blas Islands, we stopped in Capurgana which is a really small town that hasn’t been touched by the tourists. Sapzurro is also another town that you will stop by on the way to the San Blas Islands. Both town is so beautiful and peaceful, only if I wasn’t with a group and scheduled to go to San Blas Islands, I would have stayed longer in those two towns. But to get to Capurgana Colombia from Cartagena is not an easy journey and can be stressful. So here I am to give you the full details how to get to Capurgana.
This is how we did with San Blas Adventures, and I believe with their experience with this for more than 5 years, this is the best route (unless you take a flight to Apartado from Medellin).
The Glimpse of the Trip
Cartagena Bus Terminal -> Monteria (By Bus, 5 hours) -> Necloci (By Bus, 3 hours) -> Capurgana (By Boat, One Boat at 8:00AM, 1.5 hours)
How to Get to Capurgana Colombia from Cartagena
Cartagena Bus Terminal -> Monteria -> Necloci
First from Cartagena old town, you will have to get to Cartagena Bus Terminal. It will take about 30 minutes to get there. There are many buses, but make sure to take Sotracor or Coointur bus companies. It is because you have to transfer from Monteria to get to Necocli and these companies will make sure you get the right transfer. You can check it out on their website here.
You can check out the details below. And also you can watch our video to get the vibe of what it’s like to get to Necloci. From Necloci, there is only one boat that goes to Cartagena, and it’s at 8:00AM. So we had to stay overnight at Necloci. It is a quaint town but not much to do, but we will explain more later.
Day 1
- Take a taxi to the terminal approx. 15.000 pesos .
- Terminal to Monteria. around 65.000 per person – approx. 5 hours.
- Van Shuttle, Monteria to Necocli. around 40.000 per person – 3 hours.
- Accommodation in Necocli is 30.000 pesos at Hotel Panorama
- Cocobana Hotel is suppose to be the best
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Necloci -> Capurgana Colombia
From Necloci, you will have to stay one night as the boat to Capurgana Colombia only leaves at 8:00AM. There are few things you need to prepare before getting on the boat in the morning.
Day 2
Boat to Capurgana Colombia: Leaves only at 8:00am (Sunday around 7am) – About 1.5 hours. 70,000 per person
Preparation for boat:
Make sure your bags are protected by bin liners (plastic bags). These can be brought before loading the boat for around 2.000 pesos per bag. Have sun block ready and water protection ready for yourself. There is no roof on the boat, so make sure to put on sunblock!
Each passenger is given a 10 kg luggage allowance, with additional kilograms charged at 1,000/kg. But the scale is a bit fake, and you will be charged more than your actual weight. I know it is annoying, but I don’t think it is worth the fight.
You can watch the whole journey from Cartagena to Sapzzurro below.
What to Do in Necocli, Colombia
This is a really small town with not much to do. I spent a night at the Panorama Hotel which was decent (you cannot book online, but there are always rooms there). If you are planner and want to book in advance try Cocobana Hotel. There are not many choice of hotels here and Cocobana is the best you can find.
Also at night if you go to the beach, there is a small tiki bar where you can sit and drink your vodka soda. It is really cute. Check it out below map.
What to Do in Capurgana Colombia/ Sapzurro Colombia
Capurgana is the most unique place you will visit in Colombia. I am not sure but it might be because of the rough journey to get here, but it sure had a peaceful vibe in the town. There are no motor vehicles, but instead you will see horses and carts. There are few diving center where you can learn how to dive. Our guide told us the best company is Dive and Green.
RELATED: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COLOMBIA IS HERE! CLICK!
The hostel which is popular among travelers is Acuali Ecohostal and Finca El Regalo.
Capurgana Colombia Is the Town of Peace, Quietness and Letting It All Go. Because There is Literally No WIFI and Nothing to Do but Relax
Sapzurro is a town next to Capurgana. You can either hike for an hour and half (which I do not recommend), or take a boat for 20 minutes. It costs about 15,000 COP (around $5). Sapzurro is very similar to Capurgana. It is a lot quieter town where you will have the beach all to yourself.
From Sapzurro, you can hike to La Miel which is in Panama. You need your passport to go there, but they won’t stamp you or anything. I did not have the time to go, but one of my favorite blogger Brendan went. You can read the full instruction and review here. You can also go to La Miel from Capurgana by boat and will cost about 5 dollars.
You Can Cross the Border of Colombia from Sapzurro to La Miel, Panama in 15 Minutes and Encounter the Most Beautiful and Peaceful Beach in Town
Instead of staying in Capurgana, we stayed in Sapzurro. The hostel is called hotel Triny, and the lady served us great dinner. The next day, we started our journey to San Blas Islands which was the highlight of the whole Colombia Trip (Yes, it was rough and hard, but totally worth it). I will write more about it when I get the chance. You can also see the video below of the hotel Triny as well.
Going to San Blas Islands Can Be the Best Decision You Make During Colombia Trip, If You Are an Adventurer
TIPS ON BEFORE GOING TO CAPURGANA COLOMBIA
- The journey from Cartagena can be tough, especially if you can’t speak Spanish. So be prepared.
- Both Capurgana and Sapzzurro will NOT have ATM machines. So make sure to get enough Colombian Pesos in Cartagena.
- The WIFI will be horrendous. Don’t expect to watch any youtube here. namastay.