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Islands and beaches · the five groups

Cartagena islands: which of the five fits your day

The Cartagena islands are five groups, counting a peninsula and a lagoon, off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, and the right one depends on your time and on how you feel about a fast boat. Tierra Bomba is a short hop across the bay for half a day at a beach club. Barú and its Playa Blanca can be reached by road. Cholón is the party lagoon. The Rosario Islands are the classic full day of swimming and snorkeling in a national park. The San Bernardo islands are far enough that a night makes sense. First island day, full day free: go to the Rosario Islands.

Edited by Rainer LangUpdated

Of these islands I have been to Tierra Bomba, Barú and the San Bernardo Islands, in October 2023. Rainer Lang, editor

Some links on this page are affiliate links: the guide earns a commission when you book through them. The partner sets the price; the guide adds no fee.

1The picker

Five questions, one island

Answer for your trip and the five groups re-order, best fit first, with the reason. Your top pick turns coral on the chart.

How much time do you have?
What do you want from it?
A fast boat on a choppy sea is…
How do you want to spend?
When do you go?
Locator chart of the five island groups near Cartagena, ColombiaCoast from OpenStreetMap, from Cartagena south to the San Bernardo islands. Straight lines from the Clock Tower to: 1 Tierra Bomba across the bay, 2 Playa Blanca on the Barú peninsula, 3 the Cholón lagoon on Barú, 4 the Rosario Islands west of Barú, 5 the San Bernardo islands far to the south-west.Cartagena1Tierra Bomba6 km2Barú, Playa Blanca23 km3Cholón32 km4Rosario Islands35 km5San Bernardo76 kmCaribbeanSeaN01020 km© OpenStreetMap contributors

Answer the questions; the five groups below re-order with your best fit first.

  1. Tierra Bomba

    The big island across the bay from Bocagrande, with beach clubs, small hotels and the Bocachica forts on its southern tip.

    Pick it if you have half a day, want a pool and a lounger close to town, travel with small children, or would rather keep the boat ride short.

    Skip it if you came for coral and clear open water: the reefs of the national park lie farther out.

    From the Clock Tower
    6.4 km to Punta Arena, straight line
    Boat time
    7 to 20 minutes to the north shore; Blue Apple at Bocachica about 25 minutes
    Sea in November
    A short crossing near the bay in any month

  2. Barú and Playa Blanca

    A peninsula joined to the mainland by a bridge, so you can drive. Its long pale beach is Playa Blanca.

    Pick it if you want pale sand without a long boat ride, a public beach on a budget, or a cheap night by the sea.

    Skip it if you want quiet: road tours and island boats both stop at Playa Blanca, and the 5-stop tour calls Barú for partiers and crowded with vendors.

    From the Clock Tower
    23 km to Playa Blanca, straight line
    By road
    39 km on the road; road tours: pickups 7:00 to 8:15, return to Cartagena at 15:00
    Sea in November
    By road, no crossing. By boat, typically calmer
    At the dock
    By road, no dock. By boat from La Bodeguita, park and dock fees of 31,500 COP

  3. Cholón

    A shallow lagoon on Barú where party boats gather, with music and drinks, as a stop on a boat day.

    Pick it if you are a group that wants a party on the water and a full day out.

    Skip it if you travel with children or want quiet. The party-boat operator’s note: The sea may become choppy during boat transfers; not recommended for older people, those with injuries, or pregnant women.

    From the Clock Tower
    32 km, straight line
    Boat time
    About 45 minutes from Cholón back to the dock; 2 hours at the lagoon on a party day
    Sea in November
    Typically calmer on the way
    At the dock
    Park and dock fees of 31,500 COP, the same as a Rosario day

  4. Rosario Islands

    Small coral islands inside the Corales del Rosario national park, reached only by boat: beach clubs, island hotels, coral reefs and the Oceanario.

    Pick it if it is your first island day, you have a full day, and you want to swim and snorkel or spend the day at one club.

    Skip it if you have only a morning, want to avoid a rough ride in the windy months, or are on a ship day with a fixed sailing time.

    From the Clock Tower
    35 km to the Rosario group, straight line
    Boat time
    About 55 minutes to the Bora Bora club, by its timetable
    Sea in November
    Typically calmer; the ride back is the bumpier leg
    At the dock
    Park and dock fees of 31,500 COP per person

  5. San Bernardo islands

    The far islands in the southern sector of the same park: Múcura, Tintipán, Isla Palma and Santa Cruz del Islote, an islet built over with houses.

    Pick it if you have at least one night and want the islands farthest from the city.

    Skip it if you only have a day, want a short boat ride, or travel with small children.

    From the Clock Tower
    76 km to the San Bernardo group, straight line
    Boat time
    About 2 hours each way
    Sea in November
    Typically calmer, the longest crossing in this list
    At the dock
    San Bernardo park fee 11,000 COP, plus the dock fee of 18,000 COP from La Bodeguita

Distances: straight lines from the Clock Tower. Boat times: the operators’ own figures. Sea: typical values from a wave model. The ranking follows your answers and the month, not the day’s weather.

2Side by side

The five groups side by side

Tierra Bomba, Barú, Cholón, Rosario and San Bernardo comparedDistance: straight line from the Clock Tower. Boat and road times: the operators’ own figures. Fees: 2026, per person.
GroupHow you get thereFrom the Clock TowerBoat or road timeFees at the dockA night thereBest for
Tierra BombaBoat across the bay6.4 km7 to 20 minutes to the north shore; Blue Apple at Bocachica about 25 minutesAsk the club whether the dock fee is includedBeach hotelsHalf a day, a pool, children
Barú and Playa BlancaRoad over the bridge, or boat23 kmRoad tours: pickups 7:00 to 8:15, return to Cartagena at 15:00By road, no dock; by boat 31,500 COPBeach hotels and cabinsPale sand on a budget, no boat
CholónParty boat or private boat32 kmAbout 45 minutes back to the dock31,500 COPSleep on BarúA party on the water
Rosario IslandsShared boat, day pass, catamaran or private boat35 kmAbout 55 minutes to the Bora Bora club, by its timetable31,500 COPPlaces to stay on the islandsA first island day, snorkeling
San Bernardo islandsLong speedboat ride76 kmAbout 2 hours each way11,000 COP park fee plus 18,000 COP dock feeIsland hotels and hostelsA night far from the city

What a day out there sells for. The lowest price listed for each kind on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, one figure where a single listing was found and the lowest and the highest start where there were several, per person: a Tierra Bomba beach day or club pass, 13 listings, 14 to 222 USD; a Playa Blanca day by road, 5 listings, 24 to 50 USD; a beach-club day on Barú, 3 listings, 30 to 126 USD; a shared Rosario island-hopping day, which is also how the Cholón party boats are sold, 11 listings, 65 to 166 USD; a day pass on one Rosario island, 8 listings, 120 to 157 USD; San Bernardo, 3 listings, 137 to 214 USD. The partner sets these prices and they change, and the fees below are on top of them unless the listing says otherwise.

The park fee, 13,500 COP, and the dock fee, 18,000 COP, are sold as one ticket at the dock’s ticket store. Exemptions, the park’s accident insurance and the dock routine: at the dock on the Rosario Islands page. Official prices for the rest of the trip: the prices page.

3Who goes where

One recommendation per kind of traveller

First island day, a full day free
Rosario Islands, on a shared island-hopping boat or the catamaran. Skip San Bernardo as a day trip: you spend most of it on the water.
Half a day, or only the afternoon
Tierra Bomba. Return boats from Punta Arena run 14:00 to 17:00 on the day tour below. Skip anything past Bocachica: island boats leave in the morning.
Small children
A Tierra Bomba beach club with a pool, or Playa Blanca by road. Skip Cholón and San Bernardo.
Would rather avoid a rough ride
Barú by road, or the short crossing to Tierra Bomba. For the Rosario Islands, go in the calmer months. Skip San Bernardo from December to March.
A group that wants a party
Cholón, on a party boat that ends the day there. Skip the quiet day passes and San Bernardo.
A couple who want quiet
A night on the San Bernardo or Rosario islands, before and after the day boats. Skip Cholón.
On a tight budget
Playa Blanca by road, or Punta Arena on Tierra Bomba. Skip private boats and San Bernardo.
Off a cruise ship for the day
Tierra Bomba, or a city beach. Island day boats are back about 16:30; the most common call this season is 7:30 to 18:00, and 31 calls sail at 14:00. Skip the Rosario Islands and Cholón on most ship days. See the cruise port page.
A group with its own plans
A private boat to the Rosario Islands, Barú or Cholón; what the day must include is on the boat rental page.

MorningsEvery boat to the park leaves in the morning: in November 2026 the dock’s ticket store gave the park-ticket gates at La Bodeguita as open 7:00 to 11:40 at gate 3 (Puerta 3) and 7:00 to 10:00 at gate 4 (Puerta 4).

The hourWhen the sun is hottest and when each kind of beach works: Cartagena beaches.

4Group 1

Tierra Bomba, across the bay

Tierra Bomba fills the mouth of the bay south-west of Bocagrande: beach restaurants and clubs around Punta Arena in the north, the fort of San Fernando at Bocachica in the south, open every day from 8:00 to 17:00. The operator’s visitor page calls entry to the forts free; its fee policy of June 2025 lists 10,000 COP for San Fernando, raised each January. The crossing to the north shore and Punta Arena takes 7 to 20 minutes; Blue Apple, at Bocachica, gives about 25 minutes on its own site. It is the island for a short day at a beach club.

Book: a beach day at Punta Arena with the boat and lunch, or the Makani beach club with boat transfer, which meets at La Bodeguita. Stay: Fenix Beach Cartagena or Palmarito Beach Hotel. The whole island: Tierra Bomba; the clubs compared: beach clubs.

A quiet curved beach on Tierra Bomba under a grey sky, with a pier and thatched shelters
Tierra Bomba on an overcast June day: a calm, curved beach with thatched shelters and a small pier.Photo: HectorPertuz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fuerte San Fernando de Bocachica seen from the water, with its gate, flag and corner sentry box
Fuerte San Fernando at Bocachica, on the southern tip of Tierra Bomba. Island boats pass it on the way out of the bay.Photo: Samael Alejandro Zapata Ibarra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

5Group 2

Barú and Playa Blanca, by road or by boat

Barú is the long peninsula south of Tierra Bomba, joined to the mainland by a bridge over the Canal del Dique: the only group here you can reach by road, 39 km from the Clock Tower to Playa Blanca. Road tours: pickups 7:00 to 8:15, return to Cartagena at 15:00. By boat, Playa Blanca is a stop on many Rosario tours, and the park and dock fees of 31,500 COP apply.

What is inside the park. The Rosario and San Bernardo islands and the sea around them form a national park, PNN Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo. At Playa Blanca on Barú, Parques Nacionales draws the park’s limit along the line of the highest tides (Resolución 0255 de 2017): the dry sand is outside the park, the water in front of it inside. Since 1 March 2026, everyone entering the park must carry its accident and assistance insurance; in June 2026 Parques Nacionales called Playa Blanca the park’s main point of entry, where its staff checked that insurance with Cartagena’s tourism office and the police (Parques Nacionales). The park’s 2026 fee resolution lists no charge for arriving by road. At the Cholón lagoon the shore falls under two authorities: CARDIQUE, the regional environmental agency, and the national park (Parques Nacionales, 2022). Jet skis and other motor water sports are prohibited in the Rosario Islands archipelago, including Playa Blanca and Cholón (DIMAR, February 2023).

Book: a Playa Blanca tour with lunch by bus, or a Playa Blanca day trip with lunch. Stay: Hotel Calamari Baru or Nena Beach Club and Hotel. Road against boat, hour by hour: Isla Barú.

Playa Blanca on Barú at ground level: pale sand, turquoise shallows, boats close to the swimmers and stalls along the beach
Playa Blanca in February: pale sand and turquoise shallows, with tour boats moored close to the swimmers and stalls and tents along the top of the beach.Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fishermen in a canoe off Barú at sunset (Barú)
Two fishermen work a net from a wooden canoe off Barú under an orange evening sky.Photo: SergiXCX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

By boat, per person31,500 COPPark and dock fees in 2026, about USD 10. By road you pass no dock.

6Group 3

Cholón, the party lagoon

Cholón is a shallow lagoon on Barú where party boats gather, with music and drinks. On the 5-stop tour’s party ticket the stops are Barú, Isla Grande for lunch and Cholón, about 1.5 hours each; the ride back from Cholón takes about 45 minutes. The park and dock fees of 31,500 COP apply. The party-boat operator’s note: The sea may become choppy during boat transfers; not recommended for older people, those with injuries, or pregnant women.

Book: the urban party boat to Cholón, five stops with lunch and drinks, or the party boat to three island beach clubs. A group can hire its own boat: what a private boat day must include.

At seaThe maritime authority’s line for emergencies on the water: Line 146 or VHF marine channel 16. More in is Cartagena safe.

7Group 4

The Rosario Islands, inside the national park

The Rosario Islands are small coral islands west of Barú, in a national park that covers more than 123,000 hectares and counted 1,246,374 visitors in 2025. Boats leave Muelle de la Bodeguita at 8:00 to 8:30 and are back about 16:30. The four ways to go, the dock and the sea by month: the Rosario Islands page.

Book: the 5-stop Rosario Islands day tour, the Rosario Islands catamaran with park and boarding fees included, the Bora Bora beach club day, or a private speedboat for your group.

High aerial view over a Rosario island toward the open sea and other islands
A high aerial view over a wooded island in the Rosario Islands, with more islands and reefs out toward the horizon.Photo: República de Colombia (Presidencia de la República), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Wooden dock with a snowy egret and an island beyond
A snowy egret stands on a wooden dock over clear water, with a small island on the horizon.Photo: SebastianGalvis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rules on the waterNot permitted in the park: motorized water sports such as jet skis and towed inflatable rings and tubes.

Yellow feverWhat the park authority, CDC and Migración Colombia each say about the vaccine for an island day: yellow fever and the islands.

8Group 5

San Bernardo, the far islands

The San Bernardo islands lie in the southern sector of the same park, off the coast of Sucre and Bolívar: Múcura, Tintipán, Isla Palma and Santa Cruz del Islote, an islet built over with houses. A speedboat takes about 2 hours each way, so a night makes sense; an Isla Palma day runs pickup from 5:30, back between 16:30 and 17:00.

Book: an Isla Palma day with pool and lunch. Stay: Hotel Isla Mucura, Mística Isla Palma or the Santa Lova eco-hostel on Tintipán. Day trip against a night: the San Bernardo islands.

Thatched shades, a boat on a wooden jetty and pale shallows on Isla Tintipán
Tintipán, the largest of the San Bernardo islands: thatched shades, a jetty and pale, shallow water.Photo: Williamzarza, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Santa Cruz del Islote, a small island covered with houses, seen across a choppy sea
Santa Cruz del Islote in the San Bernardo islands, one small island built over with houses, across choppy water in April.Photo: Carlos Felipe Pardo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A hotel beach on Múcura in the San Bernardo islands, with loungers, a thatched shade in the water and clear shallows
Múcura in the San Bernardo islands: a hotel beach with loungers and a thatched shade standing in clear, shallow water.Photo: XibalbaWikiCommons, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

San Bernardo park fee, per person11,000 COPabout USD 3.50 in 2026 (Resolución 551), plus the dock fee at La Bodeguita.

9The month

Which months suit which island

Off Cartagena the sea runs against the rain: from December to March the trade winds blow hardest and the crossings are typically rougher; the wet months bring calmer water and more showers.

The sea and the islands, month by monthSea: typical values from the Open-Meteo Marine model, 2016 to 2025. Rain: days with rain a month, national weather service normal 1991 to 2020. Any day can differ.
MonthSea, typicallyRainSuits
Januaryrougherunder 1 a monthShort rides; early boats for the rest
Februaryrougherunder 1 a monthShort rides; early boats for the rest
Marchrougherunder 1 a monthShort rides; early boats for the rest
Aprilmoderateabout 2 a monthAll five
Maycalmerabout 7 a monthAll five; best for San Bernardo
Junecalmerabout 9 a monthAll five; best for San Bernardo
Julymoderateabout 9 a monthAll five
Augustcalmerabout 10 a monthAll five; best for San Bernardo
Septembercalmerabout 10 a monthAll five; best for San Bernardo
Octobercalmerabout 12 a monthAll five; best for San Bernardo
Novembercalmerabout 9 a monthAll five; best for San Bernardo
Decemberrougherabout 3 a monthShort rides; early boats for the rest

On the day, the port captain decides: when the sea is adverse, Cartagena’s port captain (DIMAR) can close navigation to all small boats (notice of March 2018). On a yellow-flag day in February 2023 the waves reached 3.5 m, and boats had to be back by 15:30 (DIMAR). Heat and rain hour by hour are on the best time to visit page; the forecast for your dates on the weather page.

Small sailing canoe on calm water
A fisherman sails a small canoe across calm water in the early morning.Photo: SebastianGalvis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Busy weeksThe park’s high season: 1 Nov to 31 Jan, 15 Jun to 15 Aug, Holy Week. Expect fuller boats and beaches.

11Questions

Island questions, answered short

Which is the best island to stay on in Cartagena?

For quiet and distance, a night in the San Bernardo islands, on Múcura or Tintipán. For a shorter ride, a night on the Rosario Islands or on Barú near Playa Blanca, or a beach hotel on Tierra Bomba across the bay. Stays inside the park pay the park and dock fees on the way out, and the park’s accident insurance applies.

Is Tierra Bomba worth visiting?

Yes, for half a day or with small children. It is the shortest crossing, 7 to 20 minutes to the north shore, with beach clubs, pools and the Bocachica fort. It is not the place for coral or clear open water: for that, take a full day to the Rosario Islands.

What is the party island in Cartagena?

Cholón, a shallow lagoon on Barú where party boats gather with music and drinks. Most visitors arrive on a party-boat day that stops on Barú and Isla Grande first and ends at Cholón. The party-boat operator does not recommend it for older people, people with injuries or pregnant women. It is not a day for children.

How long does it take to get to the Rosario Islands from Cartagena?

Island day boats leave La Bodeguita dock at 8:00 to 8:30 and are back about 16:30. The first leg, out of the bay to Bocachica, takes about 45 minutes on the 5-stop tour, and Bora Bora, a Rosario beach club, gives about 55 minutes on its own timetable. From December to March the sea is typically rougher, most of all in the afternoon.

What islands are near Cartagena?

Five groups: Tierra Bomba across the bay, the Barú peninsula with Playa Blanca, the Cholón lagoon on Barú, the Rosario Islands in the national park, and the San Bernardo islands farther south. All but Barú need a boat; San Bernardo is up to two hours each way, so a night makes sense.

Sources
  1. Fuerte San Fernando de Bocachica, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: general entry rate in ETCAR's Política Tarifaria Versión 10 (13 June 2025), Tabla 3, raised each 15 January: 10,000 COP. ETCAR (Fortificaciones de Cartagena): Política Tarifaria Versión 10, §4.2.5 Tabla 3, 2025-06-13.
  2. Bocachica forts (San Fernando, San José, Batería del Ángel San Rafael), Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: opening hours, Monday to Sunday, per the operator's visitor page: 8:00 to 17:00. ETCAR (Fortificaciones de Cartagena): visitor page Fortificaciones de Bocachica.
  3. Bocachica forts, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: entry fee as stated on the operator's visitor page: free ('completamente gratuito'). ETCAR (Fortificaciones de Cartagena): visitor page Fortificaciones de Bocachica.
  4. Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the end of the Vía a Playa Blanca at the south end of Playa Blanca (Barú), via Vía Mamonal, Pasacaballos and the bridge over the Canal del Dique, measured on OpenStreetMap road geometry: 39.4 km. OpenStreetMap road geometry (Overpass API, fetched 2026-11-11), shortest path measured with haversine segments, 2026-11-11.
  5. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: entry fee (all areas except the San Bernardo sector), single price for nationals and foreigners: 13,500 COP. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, 2025-12-19.
  6. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: entry fee, San Bernardo sector: 11,000 COP. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, 2025-12-19.
  7. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: high season (does not change the 2026 fee): 1 Nov to 31 Jan, 15 Jun to 15 Aug, Holy Week. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, 2025-12-19.
  8. Muelle La Bodeguita, Cartagena, Colombia: park fee bundle (13,500 park + 18,000 dock) for the Islas del Rosario: 31,500 COP. Corpoturismo Cartagena de Indias: ticket store (catalogue in page source).
  9. Muelle La Bodeguita, Cartagena, Colombia: dock fee 'Uso de Muelle 2026' per person: 18,000 COP. Corpoturismo Cartagena de Indias: ticket store (catalogue in page source).
  10. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: mandatory accident and assistance insurance for everyone entering, under Resolución 273 de 2024: Mandatory since 1 March 2026. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news 14 Jun 2026 (seguro obligatorio, Corales del Rosario), 2026-06-14.
  11. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: visitors in 2025: 1,246,374 people. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news 14 Jun 2026 (seguro obligatorio, Corales del Rosario), 2026-06-14.
  12. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: protected area size: more than 123,000 ha. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news 1 Apr 2026 (Semana Santa), 2026-04-01.
  13. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: banned activities per PNN statement: motorized water sports such as jet skis and towed inflatable rings and tubes. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news 16 Mar 2026, 2026-03-16.
  14. Muelle La Bodeguita, Cartagena, Colombia: gate hours for the park ticket, Puerta 3: 7:00 to 11:40. Corpoturismo Cartagena de Indias: ticket store (catalogue in page source).
  15. Muelle La Bodeguita, Cartagena, Colombia: gate hours for the park ticket, Puerta 4: 7:00 to 10:00. Corpoturismo Cartagena de Indias: ticket store (catalogue in page source).
  16. Example of DIMAR yellow-flag day at Cartagena, Colombia (22-24 Feb 2023): wave height: 3.5 m. DIMAR: notice 24 Feb 2023, 2023-02-24.
  17. Example of DIMAR yellow-flag day at Cartagena, Colombia (22-24 Feb 2023): required return to dock: 15:30. DIMAR: notice 24 Feb 2023, 2023-02-24.
  18. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo, Resolución 0255 of 29 June 2017 (Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia): park limit in the Playa Blanca sector: the line of the highest tides, leaving the emerged beach outside the jurisdiction of Parques Nacionales Naturales. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 0255 de 29 de junio de 2017 (signed PDF), 2017-06-29.
  19. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, news of 14 June 2026: Playa Blanca, Isla Barú described as: principal punto de ingreso al área protegida (main entry point to the protected area), where park staff checked the mandatory insurance with Cartagena's tourism office and the police. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news 14 Jun 2026 (seguro obligatorio, Corales del Rosario), 2026-06-14.
  20. Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025 (Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia): land-transport (vehicle) entry charge set for PNN Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo: none listed. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025 (text PDF uploaded Feb 2026), 2025-12-19.
  21. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, Resolución 070 of 25 May 2022 (file 036-2019): a mangrove clearing on the shore of the Cholón lagoon, sector Barú, lay in two environmental jurisdictions: CARDIQUE and PNN Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 070 del 25/05/2022 (archivo indagación preliminar 036-2019), 2022-05-25.
  22. DIMAR, Capitanía de Puerto de Cartagena, Colombia, on days with adverse sea conditions: total closure to navigation for small boats. DIMAR: Capitanía de Puerto de Cartagena notice 1 Mar 2018, 2018-03-01.
  23. DIMAR notice of February 2023 on motor water sports (jet ski, towed tubes and rings) near Cartagena, Colombia: prohibited in the Rosario Islands archipelago, including Playa Blanca and Cholón. DIMAR: notice 24 Feb 2023, 2023-02-24.
  24. Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: boat time from Cartagena, per its own site: 25 min. Blue Apple Beach, official site, FAQ, 2026-11-12.
  25. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Beach Day on Tierra Bomba Island, Punta Arena' (AV COL), Cartagena, Colombia: boat ride from Cartagena to the island: 7 min. GetYourGuide product page t567775 (provider AV COL).
  26. GetYourGuide listing 'Beach Day on Tierra Bomba Island, Punta Arena', Cartagena, Colombia: return boats available: 14:00 to 17:00. GetYourGuide product page t567775 (provider AV COL).
  27. GetYourGuide listing 'Makani Beach Club w/ Boat Transfer, Drink & Sunbed', Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: boat time from Cartagena: 15 to 20 min. GetYourGuide product page t1297562 (provider Cartagena Day Tours).
  28. GetYourGuide listing 'Palma Island, San Bernardo with Pool and Lunch', Cartagena, Colombia: speedboat time from Cartagena to Isla Palma (San Bernardo): 2 h. GetYourGuide product page t1401447 (provider Aventuras Cartagena SAS).
  29. GetYourGuide listing 'Palma Island, San Bernardo with Pool and Lunch', Cartagena, Colombia: day plan: pickup from 5:30, back in Cartagena between 16:30 and 17:00. GetYourGuide product page t1401447 (provider Aventuras Cartagena SAS).
  30. GetYourGuide listing 'Playa Blanca Barú with Lunch, Tour Guide and Transportation' (Tours Aventura), Cartagena, Colombia: day plan by road: pickups 7:00 to 8:15, return to Cartagena at 15:00. GetYourGuide product page t1421808 (provider Tours Aventura).
  31. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena Urban Party Boat to Cholón: 5 Stops with Lunch and Drinks' (KevinTour02), Cartagena, Colombia: speedboat from Cholón back to Muelle de la Bodeguita: 45 min. GetYourGuide product page t1263278 (provider KevinTour02), itinerary block.
  32. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena Urban Party Boat to Cholón: 5 Stops with Lunch and Drinks', Cartagena, Colombia: time at the Cholón stop: 2 h. GetYourGuide product page t1263278 (provider KevinTour02), itinerary block.
  33. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena Urban Party Boat to Cholón: 5 Stops with Lunch and Drinks', Cartagena, Colombia: note on the sea: The sea may become choppy during boat transfers; not recommended for older people, those with injuries, or pregnant women. GetYourGuide product page t1263278, 'Know before you go'.
  34. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: 5-Stop Rosario Islands Day Tour with Lunch & Beach Club Passes' (Coco Cartagena Tours), Cartagena, Colombia: boat leg out of the bay to the Bocachica fort: 45 min. GetYourGuide product page t497946 (provider Coco Cartagena Tours), itinerary block.
  35. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: 5-Stop Rosario Islands Day Tour with Lunch & Beach Club Passes', Cartagena, Colombia: island stops of the Party ticket: Barú, Isla Grande for lunch and Cholón, about 1.5 hours each. GetYourGuide product page t497946, full description, option 3 'Party Ticket'.
  36. Shared island-hopping boat day to the Rosario Islands (several stops, lunch), Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (11 listings, per person): 65 to 166 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
  37. Beach-club day pass or beach day on Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (13 listings, per person): 14 to 222 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
  38. Beach-club day pass on one of the Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (8 listings, per person): 120 to 157 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
  39. Beach-club day on Barú (Playa Blanca area, boat or road), Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (3 listings, per person): 30 to 126 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
  40. Playa Blanca Barú day trip by road with lunch (shared), Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (5 listings, per person): 24 to 50 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
  41. San Bernardo Islands day trip, Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (3 listings, per person): 137 to 214 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
  42. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: 5-Stop Rosario Islands Day Tour with Lunch & Beach Club Passes', Cartagena, Colombia: the operator's note on Cholón and Barú: for partiers and crowded with vendors. GetYourGuide product page t497946 (provider Coco Cartagena Tours).
  43. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: 5-Stop Rosario Islands Day Tour with Lunch & Beach Club Passes', Cartagena, Colombia: Eco ticket hours: 8:00 to 16:30. GetYourGuide product page t497946.
  44. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Rosario Islands Excursion with Snorkeling and Playa Blanca in Barú', Cartagena, Colombia: meeting time at Muelle de la Bodeguita, gate 2: 8:30. GetYourGuide product page t934710.
  45. Colombian peso exchange rate (TRM) valid 2026-11-11: 3297.07 COP per USD. Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia: TRM, open dataset on datos.gov.co, 2026-11-11.
  46. Bora Bora Beach Club, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): boat time from Cartagena, estimated: 55. Bora Bora Beach Club Cartagena, official site, Pasadía Área Club page.
  47. Bora Bora Beach Club, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): daily departure for the day pass: 8:30 from Muelle de La Bodeguita, gate 4; at the dock by 7:20; boarding gate closes 8:20. Bora Bora Beach Club Cartagena, official site, Pasadía Área Club page.
  48. Bora Bora Beach Club, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): return: leaves the island at 15:00, in Cartagena about 16:00. Bora Bora Beach Club Cartagena, official site, Pasadía Área Club page.
  49. Maritime emergencies at Cartagena, Colombia (DIMAR, Capitanía de Puerto de Cartagena): how to call for help at sea: Line 146 or VHF marine channel 16. DIMAR: 'Cartagena refuerza seguridad marítima para la temporada de mitad de año', 2024-06-21.
  50. Distances on the chart. Straight-line distance from the Clock Tower, computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates (ODbL).
  51. Sunrise, sunset, sea and rain by month. Sunrise and sunset for the 15th of each month, UTC-5. Rain: IDEAM: Normales Climatológicas de Colombia 1991-2020, station 14015080 Aeropuerto Rafael Núñez, mean days with 1 mm or more and mean millimetres per month. Sea: typical values from the Open-Meteo Marine model, 2016 to 2025 (CC BY 4.0).
  52. Ship days. Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena, Programación de Cruceros 2026-27 (PDF updated 2026-11-03).

Photographs

  1. A quiet curved beach on Tierra Bomba under a grey sky, with a pier and thatched shelters. Photo: HectorPertuz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Fuerte San Fernando de Bocachica seen from the water, with its gate, flag and corner sentry box. Photo: Samael Alejandro Zapata Ibarra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Playa Blanca on Barú at ground level: pale sand, turquoise shallows, boats close to the swimmers and stalls along the beach. Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. Fishermen in a canoe off Barú at sunset (Barú). Photo: SergiXCX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. High aerial view over a Rosario island toward the open sea and other islands. Photo: República de Colombia (Presidencia de la República), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  6. Wooden dock with a snowy egret and an island beyond. Photo: SebastianGalvis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  7. Thatched shades, a boat on a wooden jetty and pale shallows on Isla Tintipán. Photo: Williamzarza, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  8. Santa Cruz del Islote, a small island covered with houses, seen across a choppy sea. Photo: Carlos Felipe Pardo, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  9. A hotel beach on Múcura in the San Bernardo islands, with loungers, a thatched shade in the water and clear shallows. Photo: XibalbaWikiCommons, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  10. Small sailing canoe on calm water. Photo: SebastianGalvis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons