Last updated on January 26, 2024.

Getting to Ladrilleros can be a bit of an adventure. The only way to get there is with a one hour boat trip from Buenaventura to Juanchaco.

Boats leaving Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Boats leaving Buenaventura

Boats leave daily at 8am, 10am, 1pm, and 4pm from the Tourist 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$80,000 round trip per person (as of October 2023). Return tickets are good for 15 days.

Tourist Wharf in Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Tourist Wharf

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.

Magüipi, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Magüipi
Magüipi, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Magüipi
Playa Juan de Díos, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Playa Juan de Díos

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.

Arriving at Juanchaco, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Arriving at Juanchaco
The pier in Juanchaco, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
The pier in Juanchaco

 

From Juanchaco to Ladrilleros

For passengers who need transportation to Ladrilleros, they must turn left after leaving the pier and walk through town. Eventually they’ll come to a mototaxi or private car offering rides into Ladrilleros and all the hotels for a reasonable price.

The ride to Ladrilleros can take about 15 minutes. The road from Juanchaco makes a sharp turn and passes a runway before reaching Ladrilleros.

 

Back to Buenaventura

Getting back to Buenaventura, you can take a mototaxi from your hotel to Juanchaco. You should be at the boat office 30 minutes before departure. On weekdays, there are less frequent departures because there are less 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.

 

Important!

A very important note: there are NO ATMs in Juanchaco or Ladrilleros. Bring enough cash before leaving Buenaventura.

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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