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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$110,000 round-trip per person (as of June 2025) 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.
Where to Stay in Ladrilleros
There’s a multitude of hotels to choose from in Ladrilleros, but don’t expect anything luxurious. Most options are very simple and do the trick for a few days. You’ll find cabañas as well as standard hotel rooms. Many offer plans with two or three meals a day. If you don’t have reservations, you can find a hotel easily after arriving in Juanchaco.
Reserva Aguamarina
Our original choice was Reserva Aguamarina. This complex has both hotel rooms with either air conditioning or a fan and cabañas. It’s situated on top of a cliff overlooking the beach, and has a stairway directly down to the beach. There’s a pool, bar, and restaurant, and the hotel offers a meal plan. They also take credit cards.
When we called to make reservations, the hotel was fully booked for the weekend we were traveling. We were initially disappointed but it worked out for the best. They offered us a room in a cabaña at their sister hotel just a short walk away, Hotel Costa Real. We accepted.
Hotel Costa Real
As soon as we arrived at Hotel Costa Real, Doña Aleida made us feel welcome and we were certain this was the right place to stay. The rates are fair and include round-trip boat transportation from Buenaventura and a full meal plan.
For starters, it seems much less crowded than Reserva Aguamarina. We loved the nicely manicured grounds as well as the gazebo with hammocks, but the best part was the secluded pool where we cooled off after our excursions and time on the beach.
The food was excellent. For breakfast, there was usually eggs or calentao. For lunch and dinner, we had a choice of two of the following: fried fish, fish in a sauce, a seafood stew, or meat. All lunches and dinners were served with rice, plantains, and a salad. The kitchen staff was also friendly and had a good sense of humor.
Costa Real is located a short walk from the beach and near a few restaurants. There’s a corner store across the street if you need to stock up on supplies, water, and snacks. If there’s one negative, it’s that the bed was very soft. Also, if you’re looking for a hot shower, you won’t find one there. Otherwise, it’s a peaceful place with a welcoming atmosphere.
What to Eat in Ladrilleros
Being on the Pacific coast of Colombia, the food in Ladrilleros is mostly fish and seafood dishes as expected. There are some local specialties that you should try while you’re there.
Ceviche
First, you’ll have to try the Colombian version of shrimp ceviche. It’s not the typical ceviche you’re used to from Peru or Chile in which lime dominates the flavor. Colombian ceviche is made with ketchup and served with saltine crackers. It resembles shrimp cocktail more than anything else.
Piangua
Empanadas stuffed with piangua are available in both Juanchaco and Ladrilleros. Piangua is a shellfish found on the Pacific coast. They’re delicious and are also used to make ceviche. We tried them at a street stand in Juanchaco. At the same stand, we found aborrajados, which are deep fried plantains stuffed with cheese and bocadillo (guava paste).
Sudado
For dinner at our hotel, we had sudado de camarón (shrimp stew) or sudado mixto (mixed stew) with shrimp and calamari. The sauce is what makes the sudados delicious.
Coco Loco
Finally, coco loco is a local drink that translates to “crazy coconut”. It contains coconut milk, rum, brandy, whiskey, piña colada mix, aguardiente, and condensed milk all mixed together and served in a coconut. It only takes one to turn “loco”. They also have a much less alcoholic version with strawberry juice called coco fresa. It’s definitely not the cheapest drink available on the beach but it’ll really add to the experience.
Entertainment and Excursions in Ladrilleros
Doña Aleida was helpful organizing excursions around Uramba Bahía Málaga National Park. She told us what the best day trips would be during our stay and got us in touch with a local guide named Armando. He offered different tours every day and he would come to visit the hotel each morning to recruit people to go with him. He took us on a tour to a mangrove and swimming hole and we went on a whale watching trip with another guide. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find enough people to go on a waterfall tour on our last day.
In addition to the excursions, some hotels will offer entertainment in the form of traditional chirimía music. Doña Aleida told us about a bonfire and show at Reserva Aguamarina. We went and had a few beers while enjoying the local rhythms.
What to See in Ladrilleros
To be honest, there’s really not much to see in Ladrilleros itself, and that’s the beauty of it. It’s a small laid-back community with a beach. To really experience what the area has to offer, you have to take an excursion into Uramba Bahía Málaga National Park. Starting with the main road through town, you’ll find some simple hotels and a few places to grab a bite to eat.
The path down to the beach is lined with some souvenir shops, restaurants, and hotels. At the very end is a terrace with a blue roof. This turns into a nightclub on weekends.
The Beach in Ladrilleros
The beach has soft gray sand and is accessible in the morning and early in the evening. The rest of the day, it completely disappears during high tide.
The entrance to the beach can be off-putting with all the garbage that washes in during high tide, but once you’re past that section, it’s fairly clean. The water, however, is full of sediment and isn’t that great for swimming. The waves can also be quite strong at times.
If you want to sit and enjoy the scenery, you can rent chairs and tables with umbrellas from enterprising locals. You’ll also have the chance to order drinks like coco loco, ceviche, and seafood lunches and have them delivered to you right on the beach.
The beach in Ladrilleros is great for walks, especially around sunset. Several little caves and coves can be found among the cliffs.
