Since January 2020, access to Playa Blanca, one of the main tourist attractions in downtown Boyacá, remained closed, until this Friday morning, when it finally reopened, but with restrictions.
After a long and lengthy process of requesting permits and licenses, and carrying out various works and actions, the natural attraction located in the jurisdiction of the municipality of Tota is reopening.
On the morning of Friday, June 28, at an event presided over by the director of the Regional Autonomous Corporation of Boyacá, Yeimi Echevarría, together with mayors, farmers, local residents and special guests, the opening ceremony was held.
With a water concession, a functional water treatment system, septic tanks, a gatehouse, a welcome booth, a camping area, a footprint plate for entry, fencing of the property, an ecotourism trail, a sanitary battery, a wastewater treatment plant, adaptation of a parking area, construction of new kiosks for tourists, a supply of drinking water and the renovation of the dock, the reopening was carried out.
The news comes after complying with all the requirements and the management plan for this natural attraction, but especially a permit from the National Environmental License Authority (ANLA), which to a large extent was what extended the closure of the natural tourist attraction.
Until August 2018, the beach was managed by the Mayor’s Office of Tota and during that time up to 3,000 visits to the beach were recorded in a weekend, especially in high season, but precisely this type of excess and the apathy of Corpoboyacá and other authorities such as the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of the Environment itself, was what allowed complete anarchy that led to the closure of the place.
The closure of Playa Blanca Bay occurred in January 2020 to comply with an order from the Attorney General’s Office that required 14 actions between works and measures that, due to the amount of paperwork, could only be completed this week, in which more than 5,000 million pesos were invested, in a joint effort with the Government of Boyacá, as follows:
– Construction of the property enclosure for $647,086,449.
– Construction of a footprint plate for $954,472,874.
– Construction of the WWTP for $497,758,807.
– Construction and installation of a tourist information point for $150,000,000.
– Installation of LED lighting for $198,490,600.
– Together with Fontur, three actions were carried out: construction of a bathroom battery, camping area and ecotourism trail for $974,382,402.
– Detailed studies and designs for kiosks, dock, restaurant and parking lot, for $49,500,000.
– Construction of commercial kiosks with a total investment of $298,323,799.
– Complementary studies and designs for complementary infrastructure (urban planning, gatehouse, lifeguard booth, administrative area, maintenance room, beverage area, induction kiosks, bathrooms, infirmary, among others). In addition, the process of water concession, reuse and electrical services, with a total investment of $402,407,330.
– Construction of a floating dock for $822,423,584.
– Ecological restoration in stages and with a total value of $200,000,000.
– Operation and administration model consulting for $142,313,490.
In addition, the horseback riding and ATV ride service will be suspended due to a measure of the Ecotourism Planning Plan, POE, taking into account the negative impact caused by these activities, generating hardening of the soil, which prevents the development of vegetation and makes it difficult. the infiltration of rainwater, a fact that enhances the presence of furrows and gullies in the terrain and transports sediments towards Lake Tota.
Please note that from now on in order to access Playa Blanca on Lake Tota, you must:
1. To enter the property you must make a reservation at www.corpoboyaca.gov.co.
2. The venue has a capacity of 400 people per day, divided into four groups of 100 people each.
3. The entry of each group will be at the following times: 9:00 am 11:00 am 1:00 pm 3:00 pm
4. Each shift may remain in Playa Blanca for a maximum of two hours.
5. Each shift of 100 people will have four tour guides who will form groups of up to 25 people.
6. They will have logistics, security, tourist guidance, rescue and administrative personnel, deployed throughout the property.
7. During the first three months, only the value of the policy will be paid and the fee for entering the premises will not be charged.
8. Alcoholic beverages or psychoactive substances may not be entered, consumed or sold on the premises.
9. For your safety, bathing or swimming is not permitted; immersion is permitted only up to the knees.
10. Natural resources such as fauna, flora, soil, air and water must be respected and their capture, sampling, collection or contamination is not acceptable.
