What the trip actually is
A boat from the city to an island beach club, 45 minutes to an hour each way depending on the sea, and back in the late afternoon (Cartagena Explorer). The Islas del Rosario sit southwest of the city inside the Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo national park, which is why there's a fee to enter and why the water is as clear as it is.
It eats the whole day. Boats load in the morning and come back mid to late afternoon, and you are on the operator's schedule, not yours. Plan nothing else for that day and you'll enjoy it. Try to squeeze it in before a 6pm dinner reservation and you'll spend the ride back checking your phone.
Where the boats leave from
Most public boats and catamarans leave from Muelle de la Bodeguita, the pier just outside the walls near the Convention Centre (GetYourGuide). From us in San Diego it's a walk across the Old Town or a short taxi, and at that hour a taxi is the right call because you'll be carrying a towel and a bad attitude about the alarm clock.
Get there earlier than the ticket says. Boarding is a scrum, and the seats at the back take the least slamming when the water is choppy.
What it costs, honestly
| Item | Rough cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beach club day pass | From about 72 USD | Usually includes the boat and lunch |
| All-in per person | 100 to 130 USD | What most people actually spend |
| National park fee | Around 25,000 COP | Cash only, paid at the pier |
| Drinks and extras | Yours | Island prices, no surprises there |
Day passes start around 72 USD and most travellers land between 100 and 130 USD all in, park fee included (Cartagena Day Tours). Check whether your tour includes the park tax before you pay, because if it doesn't you'll be handing over around 25,000 COP in cash at the dock and cards are no help there (Tom Plan My Trip).
Bring cash for that fee, and a bit more for drinks. This is the single most common thing people get caught out by.
Who should go, and who shouldn't
Go if you have three or more days in Cartagena, you want the postcard water, and you're happy giving up a full day to get it. The colour of the sea out there is genuinely different from anything you'll see from the city beaches.
Don't go if you're here for 48 hours. You'd be spending a quarter of your trip on a boat and a lunch buffet, and the Old Town is the reason you came. Our 48 hour plan doesn't include the islands for exactly that reason.
Think twice if you get seasick or you're travelling with small kids. The crossing can slam. It is open Caribbean, not a lake.
The closer option: Tierra Bomba
Tierra Bomba is the island directly across the bay from the city, close enough to see from the water's edge, and Blue Apple Beach is our beach club over there. That's the version of this day we point most of our guests at: you get sand, sea and a proper lunch without signing away the whole day to a boat schedule, and you're back in time for the rooftop.
The Rosarios have better water. Tierra Bomba has better logistics. Pick based on how many days you've got.
What to bring
- Cash in pesos for the park fee and drinks
- Reef-safe sunscreen and a hat, because there is almost no shade on a boat
- A dry bag or a plastic bag for your phone
- Your own towel if your operator is vague about providing one
Before you go, eat
Breakfast is included when you book with us directly, and on an islands morning you should actually get up for it. Lunch is usually not until you land, the boat is dry, and nobody has ever regretted eating before a Caribbean crossing.
One more thing. Don't book the trip from a man on the street at the pier at 8am. Book it the day before, from your hotel or a named operator, so somebody knows which boat you got on.