The Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary is an exceptional part of the Pacific Ocean where fishing is banned and marine life flourishes. Its remote location keeps it free of crowds, allowing you to swim at your leisure with countless sharks. Contrast the utter serenity on the surface of the water with the fearsome creatures just beneath it.
Note that the sanctuary is a UNESCO site that covers an area of more than 2 millions acres (800,000 hectares), making it the largest no-fishing area in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. It is a refuge for many endangered aquatic animals, such as billfish, sharks and giant groupers.
Go diving with a tour operator in these deep waters that teem with life. Duck in and out of the caves and move underwater along walls marking the tiny islet.
Swim through the schools of exotic fish and hundreds of hammerhead and silky sharks. Get a closer look at whale sharks and tuna too. With luck, you’ll even catch a rare glimpse of the short-nosed ragged-toothed shark that has been spotted here.
Bring your binoculars to the tiny island of Malpelo to study the bird life here. Galapagos petrels, swallow-tailed gulls and masked boobies are among the highlights. Admire the intriguing rock formations rising from the shores of the island.
Expect fairly strong currents in the water, making diving here safe only for strong swimmers and experienced divers. If you travel with an operator, you’ll be sleeping in the boat, as no lodging facilities are available on the island.
The Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary occupies the region around its namesake island in the East Pacific Ocean, about 300 miles (500 kilometers) off the western coast of Colombia. Take a ship from Buenaventura Port on Colombia’s western coast or fly to Guapi in southwestern Colombia and ride a boat from there.
While in this part of the world, consider visiting Gorgona Island and the cities of Cali and Popayán.
