Lodge El Amargal - Reserva Natural, Ecoturismo & Surf

Between sea and tranquil rivers of Chocó, Colombia, is anchored " El Amargal" in the Ecological Reserve, an observatory where wildlife come together with researchers from around the world and visitors who love the peace of nature and want to learn the secrets of the rainforests through the vision of the culture of indigenous and African descent.

This is a very off-the-beaten-path nature experience. If considering coming, ask yourself if you enjoy camping and if you say no, it might not be for you. If you say yes it may be the experience of your life. This is a private reserve owned and managed by a man who grew up on this land (and his very helpful, English-speaking wife). The food, the drink and the experience are very much local and a tradition of this place. We felt very good about spending our money here. The beach is totally private and one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The jungle is really untouched and there are good opportunities for birds and reptiles (we saw poison frogs). The food all comes from the land which means a lot of fish, fruit and vegetables but they will provide beer or cocktails with local liquor (and fresh-squeezed juice). The cabins are open to the breeze and the insects - mosquito nets provided. Cold water only. No A/C and no electricity except a few hours every evening. Wifi works when electricity is on. It's 1.5 hours by boat from Nuqui, and Nuqui is fly-in only on a moderately small plane. Lots of opportunities for hikes and wildlife experiences but better if you speak Spanish as the guide does not speak English (he is happy to take you out anyway, though, and we did have a good experience but if we shared a language it would have helped). Bring your own binoculars and bird book.

Stayed here for 4 days with my wife and two children. We had an amazing time enjoying the laid back feeling and the closeness to nature. Our children are a little fussy about eating fish but this was resolved with the manager arranging special food for them. Great. The hotel is quite remote and you are immersed in a setting with tropical rainforest one one side and the wild Pacific Ocean on the other. I would suggest that you take some snacks to last between meal times even thought there are biscuits and coffee/tea freely available. We did the whale viewing experience and the frog walk. They were both amazing experiences. We enjoyed swimming in the sea all the time (quite safe for kids of 9 and 11) but need to be carefully supervised. The black is great for exploring the rock pools and the items washed up. We will be back for sure!