Hoyo del Aire, La Paz, Santander: Colombia's big hole!

@wwaycorrigan

The sign at the entrance to Hoyo del Aire (literally 'Air Hole' in English) near the small town of La Paz in Colombia's Santander department, says that it is the second-biggest hole in the world.

Hoyo del Aire: Some hole for one hole!

One assumes this means naturally formed and on land as opposed to underwater. Whatever the case, do an online search for the world's biggest/deepest holes and this Colombian wonder doesn't tend to feature on any list.

For the record, from its base to the highest point above, the depth is 220 metres (almost 722 feet for the imperialists amongst us).

Locals seem to be in agreement that it was formed by a meteorite. That may be so; I'm certainly no expert on the subject. One thing that appears undisputed is that the hole was a convenient place to dump bodies — both dead and alive — during Colombia's more violent days. (I heard similar stories during my 2014 visit to the town of Pandi where there's another "convenient" natural hole for such macabre undertakings. See https://wwcorrigan.blogspot.com/2014/11/fine-and-pandi.html.)

That aside, why it's not more internationally known is somewhat beyond me, especially considering the rapid rise in foreign visitors of all kinds to Colombia in the last decade as the country has left those more violent times behind it.

Plus, there are a number of other attractions around La Paz itself, 30 km north of the bigger and easier-to-reach Vélez, capital of the eponymous province in which both towns are situated and one I visited back in 2018 (see https://wwcorrigan.blogspot.com/2018/03/a-rewarding-velez-view.html).

The fact that it's mostly a dirt track from Vélez to La Paz, meaning that the aforementioned 30-kilometre trip takes about an hour to cover by car, is probably one reason why Hoyo del Aire and its surrounds remain something of a hidden gem, internationally speaking at least.

As is usually the case with such sights, photos don't tend to do Hoyo del Aire justice, hence the video below (or watch it at https://youtu.be/OrSHRKhYvuw) for a somewhat better idea of its impressiveness. The aerial shot on the official sign, see photo above, does give some decent perspective, too.

Apparently, rappelling was available as a tourist activity in the past but it's no longer carried out after an "incident". I was told nobody died but the local authority decided to discontinue the practice.

One senses a business opportunity. You read it here first!

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A rewarding Vélez view

Regular readers of this blog (stop it, there are some) will know I'm generally happiest when on the move.

That tends to mean travelling, but it can also refer to feeling busy, having lots to do from a 'fulfilling' work point of view.

Vélez from a high.

On that latter front, however, and not really by design, it has been quieter than usual. It's been a bit like the old Irish back-to-work scheme, Fás; one week on, one week off (although with less money coming in to the coffers in this case).

Nonetheless, after over six years of this come-day, go-day employment whilst looking for something more serious — it's Latin America, things move slowly here do remember — one learns to budget for the lean times, ensuring there's money available for the things that matter most.

In this regard, when there's no pressing need to be in Bogotá, that means getting out of the place. Plus, a little getaway from the capital doesn't have to cost an awful lot, doing it the 'Wrong Way' way, in any case. (Choosing locations that aren't on the main tourist trail usually means you'll find plenty of value, in terms of accommodation if nothing else.)

So following on from the recent trip to Guaviare, this time the town of Vélez — the unofficial bocadillo (guava jelly) capital of Colombia — in the Santander department was on the radar. The only reason I knew of it was because a rather crazy (aren't all Santandereanas that way?) ex-fling is from there.

That might be reason enough for some to stay away from the place, but that particular bridge has seen plenty of water pass under it. What's more, buses to Vélez go via Bogotá's northern terminal, a very convenient 15-minute walk from my current abode.

Being a four-hour drive or so away, it doesn't really fall into the backpacker favourite 'leave at night, arrive in the morning' category. Those journeys are great in terms of 'saving' on a night's accommodation for a traveller, but when you're already living in the country and paying monthly rent, the benefits of them are significantly reduced.

In any case, at 28,000 COP (about eight euros) one-way, the daytime trip doubles up as a sightseeing tour, without the regular stops. Some of the views along the way in this mountainous terrain, especially after the city of Tunja, are pretty impressive.

Vélez itself, or more precisely its setting, is impressive as well. The thing is, we're spoilt for choice in these parts as regards quaint, colonial-style towns in hilly surrounds, replete with stand-out cathedrals/churches. On top of this, other similar places might be more 'tourist ready', so to put it.

Notwithstanding that, I for one don't get tired of checking out a different location on a regular basis — a change and a break from Bogotá life all in one.

Indeed, Vélez isn't really a tourist hub for the very reason that it doesn't seem to be set up that way. For some, this can be a frustration. "Tell us what's there to do and see here, please."

More impressive views.

From a personal point of view, if there are a few adjacent hills to wander up in peace and quiet, I'm happy out. Get the obligatory panoramic view of the place in question. On this score, Vélez came good.

Now, it wasn't clear if the trail I went on is meant for public use. It looked more trodden by cattle than trekkers and there are gates and fences to cross, but of the few people I encountered at the start, no one told me I shouldn't be doing it.

In fact, in general, the good folk of Vélez, Veleños as they're called, tend to leave you to your own devices. From what I experienced, they'll only engage if you do firstly; suits me down to the ground that.

Public trail or not, those hills to the south-west of Vélez offer some nice views over the town and surrounding countryside — if and when the clouds go away, that is. Plus, there is a statue of the Virgin Mary in the vicinity of where I walked, so I'm guessing it is an attraction of sorts.

The route I took, though, didn't appear to be the correct one to get to that; I approached the Virgin from, um, behind. In defence, when I got there, I couldn't find a clearer alternative approach, honestly.

Thankfully, the clouds largely cleared around midday and I found myself a nice little isolated spot to take in the sun and simply enjoy the scenery and tranquillity. Simple pleasures.

That probably best sums up Vélez: simple pleasures. Ignorance might have resulted in my missing out on a host of attractions around the place. Yet the whole idea of this mini-break from Bogotá was to do my own thing, annoyed by nobody. Vélez satisfied that want. Pity I can't say that about the ex from there.

*Hotel Agatá has comfortable en suite rooms with a TV & WiFi from 15,000 COP per night.
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