When to Elope on the Colombian Pacific

I get asked about the weather on the Colombian Pacific more than any other logistical question, and the honest answer is that this coast is wet. The Choco bioregion receives more annual rainfall than almost anywhere in the western hemisphere. The question is not whether it will rain but when it will rain and how the light between rain events is worth planning around.

July to October: Whale Season

The July to October window is the one I recommend most often. The humpback whale migration along the Choco coast peaks from late July through September, which means a panga trip out of Bahia Solano or Nuqui will almost certainly encounter pods. The rainfall is still present, but the morning windows tend to be clearer and the whale encounters add an element to the elopement story that nothing else in South America can match. I have photographed four whale season elopements at Bahia Solano and every one of them included at least one morning where whales surfaced close to the beach during the photo session.

January to March: The Drier Window

January through March brings slightly more stable morning conditions on the north coast. The rainfall totals are still high by any standard but the mornings in this window tend to open up before the afternoon cloud cover builds. I have shot sessions at El Almejal in January that had three consecutive clear mornings, which by Colombian Pacific standards is exceptional. The whale migration is not present in this window, but the beach conditions and the morning light are at their most reliable. For couples who want the clearest photography conditions and can accept missing the whales, this is the window I recommend.