Trip Dates: June 29- July 5, 2026
Trip Leader: Shev
In July we went Colombia for the first time on a Pacific Jungle Adventure.
Rather than jumping straight into offering the destination, we took a small scouting group to experience it ourselves. We wanted to learn the diving, understand the logistics, and decide if it was a destination we’d confidently bring future groups to.
Here are our thoughts on Colombia as a group!
About our Colombia Trip
Challenge Level: 🟠Medium
Adventure Level: 🍜 Cultural Experience
Dive Support Level: 💪 Independent
🌊 Water Temps: 30c / 86f
🌡️ Exposure Protection: Shev wore skins, but some divers wore 5mm full suits.
Colombia is a destination for divers looking for a completely unique experience. We’re talking rustic, no frills, hands dirty kind of fun.
Divers should be comfortable with:
- Moderate to strong currents
- Boat entries and exits from small local boats
- Maintaining buoyancy in changing conditions
- Diving without luxury amenities
The reward is an authentic adventure that is truly wild.
If you’re looking to challenge yourself and experience one of the wildest coastlines in Central and South America, you’ll love it.
If you want creature comforts, better to check out a Breezy Vacation!
Trip Structure
Our journey began in Medellín, where we spent two days exploring one of South America’s most fascinating cities.
We arrived during the FIFA World Cup, and the atmosphere was electric. Restaurants and plazas filled with fans, music poured into the streets, and the city was buzzing from morning until late at night.
One of the highlights was taking a guided walking tour through Comuna 4, where we learned about Medellín’s remarkable transformation over the last few decades. We also joined a local food tour, tasting traditional Colombian dishes while learning about the country’s regional cuisine and history.
After our city adventures, it was time to head to the coast! From Medellín, we boarded a small domestic flight to Colombia’s remote Pacific coast.
That’s where the real adventure began.
Why Dive Colombia’s Pacific Coast?
The Pacific coast of Colombia is wonderfully wild.
There are no roads connecting the villages. Everything arrives by plane or boat, and people get around by walking the beaches or taking water taxis.
We stayed in a small eco-lodge tucked into the jungle, where mornings began with fresh Colombian coffee and ended with the sound of waves & wildlife just outside our rooms.
The lodge embraced the simplicity of life on the Pacific.
Fresh fish was served at nearly every meal, but never the same way twice. The staff climbed coconut palms to bring us fresh coconuts straight from the trees, and every day we discovered new tropical fruits we’d never even heard of before.
It felt remote, authentic, and completely disconnected from everyday life.
Diving Conditions
The diving surprised us. And sadly not in the best way.
We were hoping for big stuff, like whales! Unfortunately, this year’s unusually warm ocean temperatures, influenced by El Niño, affected humpback whale migration. While we only caught glimpses of a few whales spouting in the distance, simply knowing they were nearby added excitement to every boat ride.
We did get to hear whales during our dives, that was an experience of it’s own.
So we got warm water… and much more challenging conditions than anticipated.
Visibility varied throughout the week, and currents were strong enough to demand hard work, awareness, and solid diving skills.
The boats themselves added to the adventure. They were small local boats without ladders, so every dive ended with the crew quite literally pulling us back into the boat.
It became part of the fun!
Underwater, we found healthy reefs full of fish life, reef species, and colorful invertebrates, like watching an octopus on the hunt.
But that’s the beauty of diving. You get what the ocean gives you.
Beyond the Diving
Honestly, the disappointing diving barely affected our trip. There was SO much other cool stufff to do.
We went on an adventure in the jungle every day, from the moment we arrived on the coast.
After checking in and eating lunch, we grabbed our swimsuits and hiking shoes and set off down the beach. After 20 minutes of beach walking, and 10 minutes of jungle trail, we arrived at a secret waterfall!
Every day led us to a different place. We walked down the beach to a town with natural hot springs. Some ventured deep into the jungle, wading through rivers and looking for monkeys.
Those not up for adventure enjoyed the peace of our hotel, swimming in the calm water off the beach, or enjoying a nap in the black sand! We also had kayaks to explore the nearby rocks.
Final Thoughts
This trip was a true adventure, but it left us with such a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Yes, the conditions were uncomfortable at times. We didn’t have AC, or hot water, or strong wifi.
We got hot. There were bugs, bats, and howling monkeys.
But in exchange for that discomfort we got an experience very few people in the world will ever have. We saw so much incredible nature, tasted wild fruits, and made so many memories.
The MAR Maids were reminded that we are strong. We can do tough things. And we can adventure!
That doesn’t mean we didn’t head straight for the closest hot shower and burger joint we could find in Medellin, though.
