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San Cipriano - Hidden Deep in Tropical Rainforest

Hidden deep in tropical rainforest on the Pacific side of the mountain range, San Cipriano is a little town of 500 inhabitants of African descendants, a couple of hours from Cali, just off the Cali - Buenaventura road. Remote and almost inaccessible, it has no roads and the river is too shallow. To overcome this problem, locals have invented a unique transportation system to get from nearby Córdoba to San Cipriano. They use wooden pallets (where people sit) that move under the influence of motorcycle power. It's a very unusual but memorable journey through the jungle which takes 20 minutes.

Although the town itself is little more than a single dirt road lined with wooden huts, San Cipriano has great atmosphere. You can hike into the jungle along a truly beautiful one-hour trail out of town, very green and relaxing. There are several waterfalls you can walk to. Swimming in the crystal clear river is another delight, and you can go inner-tubing along much of its length. The area is also good for birdwatching.

Numerous locals offer basic rooms in simple wooden houses and they serve cheap meals as well. San Cipriano is a popular weekend destination to Caleños but during the week you'll probably have the place to yourself.