La Joviseña — Hotel in Chocó

I visited la joviseña at the end of September and stayed 5 nights with my girlfriend. As an escape from city life it was perfect Ovideo met us at the airport in Nuqui and helped us buy a few things from a local pharmacy before the boat transfer. Although la joviseña has filtered water we bought a 7L bottle of mineral water bottle in a shop close to the airport before departing in the boat. The boat transfer was about 40mins and upon arrival we were given a fresh coconut juice. Ovideo was our main host for the majority of the trip and always was available to make sure we were ok and that we enjoyed our stay. There were not many other visitors at la jovisena while we were there which for us was just great to have a more personal and private experience. The location is fairly remote but the stretch of coast has many other places to stay so its not too scary in the way of being in the middle of nowhere. You can walk a long way on deserted beaches which is just spectacular. La joviseña as well as the hotel next door (nautilos) have small shops to buy alchohol, snacks etc. Food each day was really good - generally fresh fish based dishes with rice, plantain and salad. Although it was near the end of the whale season when we visited (end of sept) we saw several whales and a few dolphin pods during the excursions. It was possible to see the odd whale in the distance from the beach. The termales (hot springs) was a long walk away but definitely worth it to spend time relaxing in the hot waters. We organized a return trip in a boat to save our legs and reduce our exposure to the midday sun. We organized a trip to the national park - Parque Nutria - which was a dissapointment. The boardwalk walk is quite short (15-20mins) and nearby Playa Blanca has a lot of rubbish and logs and not particularly attractive. The park could do so much more to entertain visitors. I had a movistar SIM and was able to find a few locations where i could get a phone signal to make a call and also a 3G signal to send the odd whatsapp message but the beauty of this place is really being disconnected and enjoying the escape without modern-day distractions. There wasn't too many mosquitos and the hotel had good mosquito nets for sleeping. We did receive bites from sand flies occasionally so a good repellent is essential. Lots of other animals are around at night (cockroaches, spiders, crickets, frogs, bats etc) which is to be expected so close to the jungle - but i slept well having confidence in the good mosquito net. Bed and pillow were a bit hard for my liking and everything is fairly basic, but the experience, nature and escape made it a great...

La Jovisenia provided a fantastic launch pad for our explorations of the pacific coast. This included hikes into the jungle, dug-out canoe expeditions, surfing, scuba diving, and long walks on deserted beaches.||||The hosts, Elizabeth and Benjamin, took excellent care of us from arrival at Nuqui airport until our departure and plane boarding. Not enough can be said for the thoughtful approach that these two take to ensuring every experience is special.||||With a focus on locally sourced (very local from their garden) products, the food was ample and delicious. The primary protein was freshly caught fish, but with options for vegetarians if required. The only recommendation is to bring a few nuts, bars, and favorite happy-hour drink to add to the options. They do no provide or sell beer, but this can be purchased next door if desired.||||We organized all our excursions through Jovisena, and had great experiences, from a canoe river adventure (Jovisena packed a great lunch for all), to boat pick-ups and transfers from long walks and hikes around the coast.||||About a kilometer South of Jovisena is a great beach with a long slow break that is perfect for kids to play in larger safe waves, body surf, or surf rental if you are keen. Bring some extra pesos for incidentals and rentals if you are planning extra outings.||||The cabins were clean and well cared for. The beds are firm but comfortable. The only complaint is that the pillows were very hard - something that could easily be improved upon. But, it is hard to find fault with so much perfection.||||The location also offered a big common eating room where you could play games, relax, or take tea or coffee which is always prepared and available.||||Be sure to disconnect. Wifi is not readily available. Movistar does not work in the region. Claro has limited access if you need to make calls (but don't).||||Do your own malaria research - BUT we did not see one mosquito when we were there. As it is on the beach antimalarial drugs are not required. It is advised to bring good repellent for the little black flies in the morning/afternoon but also not necessary, and lots of sun screen (highly recommended as the sun is strong and one mistake can lead to much suffering!) ||||You will not be sorry booking or visiting La Jovisena - we are already...

I read about La Jovisena in the lonely planet and we were not disappointed. Our amazing travel agency (Colombia Eco travel - reviewed separately) got us tickets to Nuqui ( a tricky job) where we were met by Santiago. It is about 20mins by boat to Guachalito and there we stayed in very simple but comfortable cabins with a straw roof, mosquito nets, en suite, hammocks on the verandah, tap to wash feet before entering. The gardens are beautiful and filled with fruit and vegetables which are used in the food. There are butterflies, humming birds, crickets and all sorts of insects around but few mosquitoes. |The food was delicious- all meals were provided and cooked fresh by the kitchen team. Lots of different fish. |During the day there were various activities included by Benjamin, Oviedo and the team - all really friendly and wanting to keep everyone happy. So when my 14y old asked to go fishing - it was arranged (At no extra cost). Our highlight was, of course, the whales. Watching humpbacks breaching, slapping their tails and swimming beside us in our little fibreglass boats - magical. |We also went to the hot springs at termales, the local waterfalls, and a day out at Utria National Park. |Our fellow guests were almost all Colombian and we felt so welcomed by everyone. |This place is...