Iracas de Belén

Overview

Description

Iracas de Belén is on the Gulf of Urabá in the Chocó department, which is on the Panamanian border. The dense vegetation of the Darien mountains surrounds five tourist lodges that were built using native woods and palms and offer views of the sea pounding against the rocks. The place is known for its blend of lush jungle with the fascinating Caribbean.

Iracas is a member of the Ecotourism Inns of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a project that is a joint initiative of the local community and the Presidential Program against Illicit Crops. It aims to help families return to legal means of income through tourism, taking advantage of the enormous potential of the buffer zones of the Tayrona and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Parks.

The people living around the inns come from different parts of the country and most are families whose parents or grandparents settled this beautiful region. The community is full of working people and strong-willed mothers who have withstood the tests of life and violence in order to bring up their children well. It is also full of happy, humble children, filled with the tenderness and innocence that characterizes rural life, who are willing to give a curious look and a smile to every new visitor.

The people earn their living from the cultivation of some fruits and vegetables such as cilantro, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers and tubers like cassava and taro; they also produce honey and raise chickens and pigs.

Hospitality abounds in our inns and we welcome visitors warmly, regardless of their origin. We prepare foods including fish, plantains, cassava, a type of cream cheese called "suero costeño," and even beans with a "paisa" colombian recipe.

Rooms

5

Making a Difference

Percentage of local employees: 100%

In 2007, in the Colombian Gulf of Urabá and in the Darien region, a rural sustainable development process began with more than 640 underprivileged families, including displaced persons, single mothers, African descendants, and repatriated and indigenous peoples. A group of 18 organizations was formed to help strengthen their productive activities and provide alternatives to illicit crops and illegal activities. They were trained to take advantage of sustainable and environmentally-responsible livelihoods that could be found in each community, developing productive projects in activities such as artisanal fishing, nature tourism, crafts, rubber cultivation, and beekeeping. Iracas de Belén is one outcome of this initiative.

Getting There

Nearest international airport: Medellín (MDE)

Nearest local/national airport: Capurganá (CPB)

Travel time to nearest airport: 1 hour

We are 2.5 km from the town of Capurganá, a district that links Acandí municipality with the Caribbean region of Chocó department.

From Capurganá, travel to the inn on foot or in a cart. Capurganá can be reached by air from Medellín or by sea in a public boat from the municipality of Turbo (Antioquia).

Additional Information

Date This Information Was Provided

January 2013.