3-Day Malaga Bay Tour from Cali: Whale Watching & Pacific Coast

A few days watching whales jump, swimming under waterfalls, and seeing the ocean light up at night.

A 3-day tour from Cali to Malaga Bay on Colombia's Pacific coast, traveling by car and boat to watch whales, visit waterfalls and beaches, and experience bioluminescent plankton at night. The itinerary includes hotel accommodation with private bathrooms, meals, a live guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese, and pickup from Cali. A portion of proceeds supports local children's programs.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel and whale watching

• Depart Cali to Buenaventura early
• Breakfast at Lobo Guerrero sector
• Learn about Buenaventura port history
• Boat trip to Juanchaco
• Transfer to hotel and receive recommendations
• Morning whale watching tour
• Enjoy sunset at La Barra beach
• Dinner at hotel
• Bioluminescent plankton night activity

Day 2: Waterfalls and beach visit

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit La Sierpe and Ostional waterfalls
• Bathe in waterfall puddles
• Visit Juan de Dios beach
• Swim and sunbathe at the beach
• Explore intertidal caverns
• View bay from Chucheros hill
• Lunch with local community

Day 3: Beach activities and return

• Breakfast at hotel
• Free morning until 11am
• Recycling workshop and beach cleaning
• Lunch
• Travel from Juanchaco to Cali via Buenaventura
• Dinner on the road

The experience

You leave Cali at 4:45 am and drive to Buenaventura, stopping for breakfast in the Lobo Guerrero sector to see how the landscape shifts as you approach the Pacific. Once in Buenaventura, the guide walks you through the port's history before you board a boat for the 45-minute crossing to Juanchaco, the gateway to Malaga Bay. A local craft vehicle takes you to your hotel, where you'll stay the next two nights in a room with a private bathroom.

The first afternoon and evening pack three separate experiences. You head out on the water to watch whales: July through October is peak season, and sightings are common. You'll see mothers with calves, tail flicks, and the full-body breaches the guides say are unparalleled. Later, from La Barra beach, you watch the sunset, one of the best vantage points on the Colombian Pacific for photography. After dinner, you wade into the sea for the bioluminescent plankton activity: the water lights up in blue-green as it moves, creating what the operator calls an indelible memory. No photos, just the moment itself.

Day two starts with breakfast at the hotel, then a boat ride to the Sierpe and Ostional waterfalls, where you swim in the pools formed where the falls meet the estuary. The afternoon takes you to Juan de Dios beach, a stretch of clear sand where you can swim, sunbathe, and explore the intertidal caverns. From the Chucheros viewpoint, you see the full panorama of the bay. Lunch comes with the local community. The timing depends on the tides, so the guide adjusts the day around them.

On the final morning, you have free time until 11 am, then join a recycling workshop and beach cleanup to work on waste management with the community. After lunch, you return to Juanchaco and Buenaventura, then drive back to Cali, arriving around 8 pm with dinner on the road. A portion of what you pay goes to social work with children in the area.

What’s included

• Hotel accommodation with private bathrooms for two nights in Malaga Bay.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
• boat transport to and from Juanchaco.
• whale watching excursion.
• visits to Sierpe and Ostional waterfalls, Juan de Dios beach and Chucheros viewpoint.
• bioluminescent plankton activity.
• sunset at La Barra beach.
• recycling workshop and beach cleanup on the final morning.
• live guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• pickup and transport from Cali.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (13 to 65 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 72 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomeNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Viajes CHE - Colombia Hiking Experience

Is this one for you?Book the Group Tour season whales option if you're traveling July through October and want the highest probability of seeing whales. Choose Enjoy the Pacific Coast if you prefer a different season or want flexibility on timing. Both options run the same itinerary and include the same sites. The difference is the season and group composition.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years). Under 4: they can't be included in the booking.

What's the whale watching like in Malaga Bay?

Whale watching runs July through October, peak season when sightings are very likely. You travel by boat from Juanchaco into the bay, where you'll see mothers with calves, tail flicks, and full-body breaches. The guide says these jumps are replicated by the young whales and are an unparalleled sight.

What happens during the bioluminescent plankton activity?

After dinner on the first night, you wade into the sea at night and watch the water light up in blue-green colors as it moves or makes contact with your body. The operator notes there are no photos for this activity. It's designed as a memory rather than a photo moment.

How much time do I spend traveling versus at the destinations?

You drive from Cali to Buenaventura on the first morning (with a breakfast stop), then take a 45-minute boat to Juanchaco. The return journey on day three is the reverse route, arriving in Cali around 8 pm. The bulk of days one and two are spent in Malaga Bay itself at the hotel, on the water, and at the beaches and waterfalls.

Are meals included in the tour?

Breakfast is included each morning at the hotel; lunch is included on days two and three with the local community; dinner on day one and day three are included. The first morning includes a breakfast stop en route to Buenaventura.

What's included in the accommodation?

You stay two nights in Malaga Bay in a hotel room with a private bathroom. The hotel is in Bahía Málaga, accessed by boat from Juanchaco.