AP PHOTOS: Humpback whales draw thousands of visitors to a small port on Colombia's Pacific coast .
By IVÁN VALENCIA Associated Press
September 11, 2023, 11:20 PM
Embera Katio Indigenous craftsman Medardo Machuca shows off a wooden whale he carved, in Bahia Solano, Colombia, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023. Every year the Colombian population of Bahía Solano welcomes humpback whales and a great number of tourists who arrive to watch them as they pass through the Pacific. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)
BAHIA SOLANO, Colombia -- Every summer, thousands of tourists descend on the Colombian town of Bahia Solano to experience the thrill of watching humpback whales as they migrate from the frigid waters of the southern Pacific to Colombia’s warm waters.
The town lies on a remote stretch of coast covered by dense rainforests that are home to monkeys, toucans and colorful poison dart frogs. But the main attraction are the humpback whales that migrate to the area from July to October of each year.
Bahia Solano, which is built along a U-shaped bay, has become one of the most famous spots in Colombia to sight humpback whales. Every summer, the town of 10,000 residents is visited by thousands of visitors who board small fishing boats that get close to the gentle giants.
Whale watching helps boost the income of boat captains, hotels, tourism agencies and restaurants. The animals are also important for the local ecosystem, because they fertilize algae that smaller fish depend on.
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