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Ladrilleros is a remote Afro-Colombian community on the Pacific coast of Colombia where the ocean meets the jungle.
Introduction to Ladrilleros
If you’re looking for a laid-back gringo-free destination with extremely friendly people who go out of their way to welcome you to paradise, Ladrilleros might be a good fit for you. It’s got a long stretch of beautiful gray sand beach that’s popular with Colombians but well off the beaten path for foreigners. You won’t find any 5-star resorts, but there are plenty of options for simple and affordable accommodation.
The community is encompassed by Uramba Bahía Málaga National Park, allowing for plenty of nature-focused recreational activity. This includes whale watching, cruising through mangroves, and visiting swimming holes in the jungle.
Keep in mind Ladrilleros has a tropical rain forest climate and gets extremely heavy rainfall year-round. Also, at the time of my visit there were NO ATMs in Juanchaco or Ladrilleros. Take enough cash before leaving Buenaventura.
Getting to Ladrilleros
Since there are no roads connecting to Ladrilleros, getting there can be a bit of an adventure. The only way there is with a one-hour boat trip from Buenaventura to Juanchaco.
Boats leave every few hours throughout the day from the Touristic Wharf (Muelle Turístico). Additional boats are available on weekends and holidays when Caleños escape Cali and head to the Pacific coast. The cost is roughly COP$75,000 round-trip per person (as of October 2024) and typically included in any package you book with a hotel. Return tickets are good for 15 days.
The company we used was Bahía Mar (permanently closed). They made two stops on the way to Juanchaco – Hotel Magüipi and Playa Juan de Díos – to let a few passengers disembark.
All boats end in Juanchaco. Once there, passengers must walk down the long pier to get into town. Locals often offer to help with bags for a small tip. They’ll wait with wheelbarrows for the boats to arrive.
For the final stretch to Ladrilleros, turn left after leaving the pier and walk through town. Eventually you’ll come to a mototaxi or private car offering rides into Ladrilleros and all the hotels for a reasonable price. The ride can take about 15 minutes. The road from Juanchaco makes a sharp turn and passes a runway before reaching Ladrilleros.
Getting Back to Buenaventura
Getting back to Buenaventura, you can take a mototaxi from your hotel to Juanchaco. You need to be at the boat office 30 minutes before departure. On weekdays, there are less frequent departures because there are fewer passengers. If you need to leave by 8am, be at the office by 7:30am or else you risk having to wait until 1pm for the next boat.
