Meditation with Whales

Colombia is a country where natural wealth and great biodiversity overflow before the eyes of those who wish to connect with nature.

For many visitors, the desire to travel to major global cities fades, and within, a need arises to journey to pristine places to reflect and heal body and soul from the hustle and bustle, with the ancestral aid of nature.

Always at the service of humanity, natural landscapes offer living beings a unique and special allure, where wonders amaze with the punctuality of their appearances and the richness generated by their sounds and colors.

Chocó, a magical place

Bordering the entire western side of the country, a unique contrast of ecosystems unfolds, among the selva del Chocó biogeographic region with all its treasures and endless rains, and the Pacific Ocean coast. One of the places on this coast for a disconnection journey, where moments of reflection and silence can be found, is Bahía Solano. This municipality in the Chocó department can be reached by plane from Medellín, Pereira, or by sea from the port of Buenaventura.

Numerous lodgings that blend with the dense vegetation open their doors by the sea to offer wellness and total relaxation experiences. Guided walks through the jungle, where you can enjoy its sounds and the vibrant flora and fauna, as well as baths in freshwater waterfalls and mineral water pools, are the perfect prelude to cleansing mental pollution and physical rigidity brought from big cities.

Soon, the environment allows you to enter a state of serenity and tranquility, where clear thoughts emerge, and a desire to explore further grows. For the more curious cultural tourism enthusiasts, the Chocoan Afro-descendant communities welcome visitors to share their traditional knowledge and showcase their culture through songs, dances, and stories of their ancestors.

However, the adventure doesn’t end there. Every year, from July to November, over a thousand humpback whales arrive in this region of our country to mate and give birth in the warm waters. This wonderful ritual is shared by the giant mammals with the over 30,000 visitors who arrive at various points, from where boats depart to experience this grand event up close.

Whale watching, an unforgettable experience

The sound of the whales’ song and their spectacular presence facilitate reflection through their peaceful movements and harmonic sounds that blend with the ocean’s strength. Ancestors say they guard the planet’s memories and tell stories through their songs; thus, through personal or guided meditation or simple introspection, we can connect to those stories. Thus, a connection between man and the present moment, with nature and oneself, is forged. Everything gains new meaning: life, strength, nature, the human being. Those who have gone affirm that, after living this great experience, you are never the same. This is one of the most transformative journeys and, therefore, one of the most sought-after by visitors to the country.

And as people form a unity, in Bahía Solano, the locals welcome visitors with the best gastronomy that awakens the senses with ancestral culinary recipes and unique ingredients from this ecosystem encounter. Fruits like Borojó, used to make juices, promise an energy boost to the body, as their high mineral, vitamin, and protein content provide numerous health benefits.

Fried or stewed fish, accompanied by coconut rice, patacón, and lemonade, is the typical lunch found by the sea. Marine rice, fish sancocho, crab encocados, and ceviches of pingua, squid, tuna, and crab are typical dishes of this region, all made with fresh ingredients, rich in nutrients, ensuring that you leave Bahía Solano healthier than when you arrived.

For all these reasons, visiting the Pacífico Colombiano is a unique experience from which you return renewed and rested, much healthier inside and out.