Eastern Pacific · Colombia
Nuquí & the Gulf of Tribugá
Rock formations south of Nuquí draw groupers, jacks and several shark species
Nuquí lies in the centre of the Gulf of Tribugá on Colombia's Chocó coast, a town backed by the Darién jungle and reached by air or by sea. Its diving is a cluster of rock formations south of the town, La Roñosa, Piedra Bonita, La Parguera and the deep Piedra de Fidel, with most dives between 5 and 30 m. The draw is big fish on rock: groupers, jacks and several shark species, with a sardine run each year around May.
About diving in Nuquí & the Gulf of Tribugá
The dives here run by boat to rock formations south of the town. The El Amargal reserve, on El Amargal beach near Arusí and 60 to 80 minutes by boat from Nuquí, sits opposite several of the favourite sites, La Roñosa, Piedra Bonita and El Riscal, and its dives are guided by a PADI instructor or divemaster. Strong currents run along this coast, and the safety rules are there to keep divers out of them.
Underwater this is a rocky coast with coral growing over it: large rock formations, submerged ridges over sand, isolated rocks rising from the seabed and cliffs near a deep drop-off, with gorgonians and black coral on the rock. Groupers, jacks and tunas patrol the rocks, and the shark list runs to tiger, lemon, blacktip, bull and nurse sharks. Turtles, rays, guitarfish and sawfish share the bottom with lobsters and octopuses, and large schools of fish are easy to find.
Nuquí suits certified divers who are ready for current and want big animals. Open Water or equivalent is enough for the standard two-dive boat trip, while La Parguera and El Amargal need an advanced level and Piedra de Fidel, one of the most demanding sites, is dived only with an expert guide. Newcomers can take the PADI Open Water course locally before moving on to the deeper rocks.
Best time to dive Nuquí & the Gulf of Tribugá
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good |
January and February bring the least rain on a coast with high rainfall, and the boats run through them. March opens the best stretch for diving, which lasts through August. Around the end of April or in May thousands of sardines reach the coast, drawing larger predatory fish and some sharks. Whale watching runs from July to October, with humpbacks calving in Utría Cove from August to October. From September to December the diving carries on, outside the best window but with no closure.
Dive types & marine life
Around the end of April or in May thousands of sardines migrate to this coast, drawing larger predators and some sharks. Whale watching runs from July to October, and humpbacks calve in Utría Cove from August to October. Groupers, jacks, turtles and several shark species are the regular cast, while whale sharks and manta rays roam the cliffs at La Parguera and El Amargal.
- Reef
- Wall
- Groupers
- Trevally & jacks
- Tiger sharks
- Bull sharks
- Reef sharks
- Sea turtles
- Tuna
- Sardine baitballs
- Whale sharks
- Manta rays
- Whales
Best dive sites in Nuquí & the Gulf of Tribugá
- 1
Piedra de Fidel
Prominent rock rising from 40 m, with schooling jacks, gorgonians and yellow tube corals.
- 2
La Parguera
Advanced site on cliffs near a deep drop-off, with black coral and passing whale sharks.
- 3
La Roñosa
Large rock formation at 15 m with corals, groupers, tarpon and snappers.
- 4
Piedra Bonita
Submerged ridge close to shore, its crevices home to moray eels and octopuses.
Site guides
Reef
Groupers, tarpon and snappers around a large rock formation with corals
Reef
Moray eels and octopuses in the crevices of a submerged ridge swept by current
Pinnacle
Yellow tube corals and gorgonians on a prominent rock, with schools of jacks
How to get to Nuquí & the Gulf of Tribugá
Reyes Murillo Airport (NQU) serves Nuquí, with flights from Medellín and Quibdó; boats come from Bahía Solano in about 2 hours and from Buenaventura in about 8. Divers base at Guachalito, home of Estación de Buceo Kákiri, or at the El Amargal reserve near Arusí.
Questions divers ask
What certification is needed to dive at Nuquí?+
PADI Open Water or equivalent for the boat dives. La Parguera and El Amargal need an advanced level, and Piedra de Fidel, a rock rising from 40 m, is dived only with an expert guide because of its difficulty.
How do divers get to Nuquí?+
By air into Reyes Murillo Airport (NQU) from Medellín or Quibdó, or by sea from Bahía Solano in about 2 hours. The dive sites near El Amargal are a further 60 to 80 minutes by boat from town.
When is the best time to dive the Gulf of Tribugá?+
March to August, a window that includes the sardine run around the end of April or May and the start of whale watching in July. The boats run all year.
Is there a tourism tax in Nuquí?+
Yes. Visitors to Nuquí pay a tourism tax of 41,000 COP.
Sources
- Diving in Chocó | Colombia Travel — ProColombia
- Paquete turístico buceo Pacífico Nuquí — El Amargal Nature Reserve
- Estación de buceo Kákiri — Estación de Buceo Kákiri
- Gulf of Tribugá — Wikipedia
- Reyes Murillo Airport — Wikipedia
- Nuquí Average Sea Temperatures — SeaTemperature.org
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