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An independent guide to Cartagena, Colombia

A thatched house and a low stone wall sit on a small cay surrounded by shallow turquoise water in the Rosario Islands.

Photo: Maria Pia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Islands
Day trips by boat

Rosario Islands: pick the boat that fits your day

Island boats leave Cartagena, Colombia at 8:00 to 8:30 and are back at the dock about 16:30. Pick one of four ways to go, know what you pay at the dock, and choose a calm month.

Edited by Rainer LangUpdated

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 answer

The short answer

The Rosario Islands (Islas del Rosario) are small coral islands off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, inside a national park of more than 123,000 hectares. You reach them only by boat, and a visit fills the day: boats leave the city dock at 8:00 to 8:30 and are back about 16:30. The first leg, out of the bay to the Bocachica fort, takes about 45 minutes on the 5-stop tour; the island stops come after it.

First visit? Take a shared island-hopping speedboat. Want one beach and a lounger? Buy a day pass. Want a larger, slower boat with lunch on board? Take the catamaran. A group with its own plans? Hire a private boat. On top of any tour, plan on 31,500 COP per person in park and dock fees.

The four ways to goClock times as the operators state them on their own listings. One listing per way; others differ.
WayLeaves, backThe dock chargePick it if
Shared island-hopping speedboat8:00 or 8:30, back 16:30Paid on the dayYou want several stops
One-island day passAt the marina by 7:30, back about 15:00Paid on the dayYou want one beach, no hopping
Catamaran7.5 hours, no departure time givenIn the priceYou want a larger boat, fees handled
Private boatThe boat is yours 8:00 to 17:00Ask in writingYou are a group and want your own timing

At the dock, per person31,500 COPPark and dock fees together in 2026, about USD 10. You pay this on top of the tour unless the tour includes it.

2The chart

From the dock to the islands

Chart of the Rosario Islands and the way out from CartagenaBoats leave Muelle de la Bodeguita in the old town, cross the Bay of Cartagena, pass the forts at Bocachica between Tierra Bomba and Barú, then run southwest along Barú past Playa Blanca and Cholón to Isla Grande and the Oceanario on Isla San Martín de Pajarales. Coastlines from OpenStreetMap; not for navigation.Castillo San Felipe123456CartagenaLa Bodeguita dockClock TowerBocagrandeCruise terminalTierraBombaBocachica12 kmPlaya Blanca23 kmCholón32 kmIsla Grande34 kmOceanarioIsla San Martín de PajaralesIsla Rosario39 kmBarúBahía de CartagenaBahía deBarbacoasCanal del DiqueCaribbean SeaCorales del Rosario National ParkTierra BombaSan Bernardo islands, farther southNA traveller’s chartRosario Islandsand the way out from Cartagena0510km05miUsual boat lineStops off the lineNot for navigation10°10′N10°15′N10°20′N75°45′W75°40′W75°35′W75°30′W
Coastlines: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Italic figures: straight-line distance from the Clock TowerNot for navigation
  1. Muelle de la Bodeguita.

    Island boats leave from here, on Avenida Blas de Lezo, in Centro. See the dock routine.

  2. Bocachica.

    The mouth of the bay, where tour boats pass the old fort on the way out.

  3. Playa Blanca on Barú.

    A beach on the Barú peninsula, outside the Rosario group but a common add-on, and also reachable by road. The park’s limit there runs along the shore: see what is inside the park. A daily visitor limit has been proposed; it was still a draft in 2026.

  4. Cholón.

    A lagoon on Barú and a party-boat stop. The 5-stop tour’s own note on Cholón and Barú: for partiers and crowded with vendors.

  5. Isla Grande.

    Where many shared tours stop for lunch, with its own beaches and places to stay. The park authority has proposed daily visitor limits for some of its beaches.

  6. The Oceanario.

    An aquarium run by CEINER on Isla San Martín de Pajarales, inside the park. It opens every day from 9:00 to 13:30, so plan it as a morning stop. On the 5-stop tour it is an optional stop, and the tour does not include its 40,000 COP entrance fee.

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).

Rules on the water. Parques Nacionales does not permit motorized water sports such as jet skis and towed inflatable rings and tubes in the park.

3Your month

A boat day in your month

November Sea typically calmer. Showers are common, usually short.

Sunrise 5:57Sunset 17:37Rain on about 9 days a monthSea typically calmer15 ship days

Boat day for November, 6:00 to 24:00still airsea breeze‹ Sunrise 5:57Sunset 17:37Sea typically calmerPark tickets: gate 4 (Puerta 4) closesPark tickets: gate 3 (Puerta 3) closesBack at the dock, about 16:30Ship days: 15 this month, typically 7:30 to 18:00 in portBoats leaveOn the water and the islandsOceanario open 9:00 to 13:30
Tap or move along the strip to read any hour.
  • Boats leave, 8:00 to 8:30
  • On the water and the islands
  • Gates close and return
  • Sea, typically
  • Wind through the day
  • Feels like in the city (shade)
  • With breeze

Why the afternoon matters

At the coast the wind is light at 8:00 and usually builds through the day. From January to March the mid-afternoon wind is typically about twice as strong as in October. In the dry months the ride out is the easy leg and the ride back is the bumpy one.

  • In the rain months, May to November, rain falls on 7 to 12 days a month: pack for a wet ride back.
  • On rough days 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 flag applied to boat departures, and boats had to be back by 15:30 (DIMAR).

4The four ways

The four ways compared

Each way below is the day as one operator states it on its own listing, hour by hour. Other operators run the same kind of day differently, so treat the clock times as that boat's, not the archipelago's. The cost line under each way is the lowest price listed on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026: one figure where a single listing was found, the lowest and the highest start where there were several. Per person, except the private boat, which is priced per boat; the partner sets these prices and they change.

Shared island-hopping speedboat

Pick this if it is your first visit and a day of 1.5 hours at each of three stops, from 8:00 to 16:30, is the trade you want.

Skip it if you need to be back before 16:30, want longer than 1.5 hours anywhere, or want a beach without a boat calling you back.

The day, as Coco Cartagena states it

  • 7:00The park-ticket gates open at Muelle de la Bodeguita. Gate 4 sells until 10:00, gate 3 until 11:40.
  • 8:00 or 8:30The Eco tier leaves at 8:00, the VIP and Party tiers at 8:30.
  • The first legAbout 45 minutes out of the bay. The Bocachica fort and Isla Marina are 5 minutes passing stops, not beach time; Casa Grande, the former Pablo Escobar mansion, is seen from the water.
  • Late morning to 15:00Three island stops of 1.5 hours each, lunch at the middle one. The Party tier does no snorkeling and ends at Cholón, which the operator calls “public, loud, and crowded with vendors”.
  • 16:30Back at the dock.

The two listings disagree on the length: 6.5 to 7 hours on GetYourGuide, 7 hours on Viator, window 8:00 to 16:30. Plan by the clock times, not the duration.

Included: bilingual guide, round-trip boat, lunch, beach club passes with beds and parasols, snorkel gear on the Eco and VIP tiers.

You pay at the dock: the 31,500 COP charge, and 40,000 COP more if you go into the Oceanario. One of the two listings also names the dock charge among what is included, so confirm it before you pay twice.

What it costs: 11 listings of this day start at 65 to 166 USD a person, on top of the dock charge above.

One-island day pass at a hotel or beach club

Out to one place, a day there, and back.

Pick this if you want a lounger and lunch without moving, want the city back by mid-afternoon, travel with small children, or want two boat legs instead of six in a rough month.

Skip it if you want several islands, or the Oceanario: it shuts at 13:30 and sits on an island your pass does not go to.

The day, as the Cocoa Beach pass states it

  • By 7:30At Muelle Todomar, the marina this pass leaves from. It is not Muelle de la Bodeguita, so the gate hours above do not apply to it. Check which dock your own pass uses.
  • The crossing50 to 55 minutes by speedboat to Isla Grande, close to the 55 minutes Bora Bora gives for its own crossing.
  • The dayOne beach, with the club holding the day to 60 guests, lunch chosen from five dishes with a drink, and kayaks and paddle boards included.
  • About 15:00Back at Muelle Todomar, an hour and a half before the shared boats reach the city dock.

You pay at the dock: the listing names 18,000 COP as a departure tax to be paid, which is the dock fee alone. It does not mention the 13,500 COP park fee or the insurance, so ask the club which of the two it collects for you.

What it costs: 8 Rosario day passes start at 120 to 157 USD a person, plus the departure tax the listing names.

Catamaran

A slower, larger boat with one swim stop and lunch on board instead of island-hopping.

Pick this if you prefer deck to sand, want the dock charge inside one price, or want a bigger hull under you in a rough month.

Skip it if you want several beaches, need an English-speaking guide (this one is in Spanish), or need to know your departure time before you book.

The day, as Bona Vida states it

  • Morning, time not givenGate 3 at Muelle de la Bodeguita. The listing gives the day as 7.5 hours and leaves the starting time to the booking calendar, so the gate is the only fixed hour: it sells the park ticket 7:00 to 11:40.
  • Out under sail and motorInto the park, with one stop in front of a beach to swim and snorkel.
  • The way backLunch is cooked on board and eaten while the boat sails back, so the closing hours are deck hours and not beach hours.

The fees are in the price: the listing puts the national park fee and the boarding fee inside what you book, the only one of these four that does. Not included: hotel pickup and alcohol.

What it costs: the one catamaran day listed starts at 119 USD a person, with the park and boarding fees already inside it.

Private boat

Pick this if you are a group or a family, want the reef at 9:30 and the Oceanario before it shuts at 13:30, or want the option to turn back when the sea builds.

Skip it if you travel alone or as a couple on a budget, since you pay for the boat and not the seat, or if you want a published itinerary: the three listings below state three different days.

The day, as three private listings state it

  • 8:00 to 17:00One operator gives those as the hours the boat is yours, from Club Náutico in Manga, and its own day runs to the islands for 9:00, snorkeling at two spots from 9:30, then five hours of free time.
  • From 9:00A second, from Marina Santa Cruz, puts the fort at 9:30, Bird Island at 10:00, snorkeling at 10:45 and the beach club with lunch at 11:45.
  • From 9:00A third, also from Club Náutico, gives four hours in the Rosario Islands and two at Cholón, then two Barú beaches, ending at Muelle de los Pegasos.

None of the three leaves from Muelle de la Bodeguita, so the gate hours are not your clock. Ask which marina, and how you get there.

Get the fees in writing. One of the three names a government entrance fee of 13,000 COP a person, which is neither the 13,500 COP park fee nor the 31,500 COP ticket, and the same listing has in the included list and, in the overview, as not included. Ask about the fees, the insurance, lunch and the fuel before you pay. The rules do not change on a private hull: everyone pays the fees and needs the insurance, boats to the islands must have at least two engines, and everyone aboard wears a life jacket.

What it costs: 8 private boat and yacht days start at 360 to 1,000 USD for the whole boat, not for a seat, and the fees above are extra.

What every way shares. Your beach hours are the middle of the day, whichever boat you take: the earliest of these four is on the water at 8:00 and the latest is back at 16:30. On open sand, with the breeze, November is at or past the guide's 33 °C (91 °F) line from about 7:45 and is under it again from about 17:45. Shade is whatever the club hands you, so a bed and a parasol are worth more than a longer stop.

5Book

Book a boat

Before you book. One party-boat listing warns: The sea may become choppy during boat transfers; not recommended for older people, those with injuries, or pregnant women. Canada’s advisory notes Accidents with unlicensed tour boats noted in Cartagena, San Andrés and Santa Marta: book a listed operator. And the tour price is rarely the whole bill: see what you pay, in the order you pay it.

Shared island-hopping

Day pass

Catamaran

Private boat

6The dock

At the dock: Muelle de la Bodeguita

Island boats leave from Muelle de la Bodeguita on Avenida Blas de Lezo, in Centro. The city tourism board (Corpoturismo) runs it, and Colombia’s maritime authority (DIMAR) names it as the authorized point for passenger boats to the Rosario and San Bernardo islands.

What you pay, in the order you pay it

  1. At booking, the tour itself. Ask there whether the 31,500 COP dock charge and the park insurance are in it, and keep the answer: it is the one question that changes what you carry.

  2. The day before at the earliest, the park and dock ticket, if your tour does not include it. The two fees are sold as one. Online tickets go on sale the day before, are valid only for that day, and cannot be exchanged or refunded.

  3. On the day, before the turnstile: your gate. Gate 4 sells the ticket 7:00 to 10:00, gate 3 7:00 to 11:40, so a boat that leaves at 8:00 gives you an hour of margin and no more. Scan the QR code once per person.

  4. At the turnstile, your life jacket, on for the crossing.

  5. On the island, in pesos: the Oceanario if you go in, 40,000 COP on the 5-stop listing, and anything your product does not cover. Several listings name lunch and drinks in both lists, so read both.

What the park fee buys. The 13,500 COP park fee is entry to the park: the water and the islands inside it, every area except the San Bernardo sector. The 18,000 COP dock fee is the use of the dock. Neither one covers the Oceanario, a bed at a beach club, lunch, or the insurance. The 2026 total is 31,500 COP per person; a 2025 draft proposed higher fees for foreigners and the signed resolution did not adopt them.

Where the dock charge sits, by wayFrom each listing's own included and not-included lists, read in November 2026. Products of the same kind differ: check your own.
WayWhat the listing says about the dock charge
Shared speedboatPaid on the day. One of the two marketplaces selling the same boat also lists it as included, so ask which.
Day passNames 18,000 COP, the dock fee alone, and is silent on the park fee.
CatamaranPark fee and boarding fee inside the price.
Private boatOne lists 13,000 COP, which matches neither official fee. Get it in writing.

If the sea is up on your morning. The decision is not yours: Cartagena’s port captain (DIMAR) can close navigation to all small boats, and on a yellow-flag day in February 2023 boats had to be back at the dock by 15:30. Free cancellation on the listings closes a day before the start, before any flag goes up, and the park and dock ticket is good for that day only. So on a rough forecast in the dry months, hold the ticket until the morning and ask your operator before you buy it.

The insurance rule. Accident and assistance insurance is required of everyone entering the park (Resolución 273 de 2024) since 1 March 2026. The approved insurers: Positiva Compañía de Seguros, with Magenta Seguros, and Aseguradora Zurich. Parques Nacionales does not publish the price. A fee exemption does not cover it, and park staff have checked it at Playa Blanca. Without it, Parques Nacionales says, a visitor is not admitted to the park, so ask your operator whether it is in your ticket.

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

What to bring: your QR ticket on your phone, pesos for anything not prepaid, swimwear under your clothes, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat for the crossing, water, and a dry bag. The park has 11 first-aid points, including Isla Grande, Barú and Playa Blanca, plus a boat ambulance.

Book a named operator. Canada’s travel advice warns of accidents with unlicensed tour boats in Cartagena. The port captain, DIMAR, requires at least two engines on boats to the Rosario Islands, one engine only for the hop to Tierrabomba, and a life jacket for everyone aboard.

Park fee, per person13,500 COPAbout USD 4.00 (Resolución 551 of 19 December 2025, in force since 1 January 2026). Same price for every nationality.

Dock fee, per person18,000 COP“Uso de Muelle 2026”, about USD 5.

Children and seniorsForeign children and seniors pay the full park fee. The exemptions for under-5s and over-62s cover only Colombians, residents and citizens of Andean Community countries.

7The season

The sea and the season

At the islands the sea works the opposite way to the rain. The dry months bring strong northeast trade winds and a choppier crossing. The wet months usually bring the calmest water.

The sea, the rain and the heat, month by monthSea: typical values from a sea model. Rain: days with rain a month, national weather service normal 1991 to 2020. Feels like at 13:00 in the city, in the shade, °C (°F).
MonthSea, typicallyDays with rain13:00Sunset
Januaryrougherunder 1 a month37 (99)17:58
Februaryrougherunder 1 a month37 (99)18:10
Marchrougherunder 1 a month37 (99)18:13
Aprilmoderateabout 2 a month38 (100)18:13
Maycalmerabout 7 a month39 (102)18:16
Junecalmerabout 9 a month38 (100)18:24
Julymoderateabout 9 a month39 (102)18:28
Augustcalmerabout 10 a month39 (102)18:21
Septembercalmerabout 10 a month38 (100)18:03
Octobercalmerabout 12 a month37 (99)17:45
Novembercalmerabout 9 a month37 (99)17:37
Decemberrougherabout 3 a month37 (99)17:43

The sea column is a typical value from a wave model, the rain a 30-year average from the national weather service, the heat the middle of the airport readings; any day can differ.

Heat and crowds. Midday in the city typically feels like 36 to 39 °C (97 to 102 °F) in still shade, in every month, so book a lounger with shade. The park’s high season is 1 November to 31 January, 15 June to 15 August, and Holy Week: expect fuller boats then.

December to MarchRougher. February is roughest, with bigger waves in about half of daylight hours. Rain on fewer than 1 to 3 days a month.

April and JulyModerate. Rain on about 2 days a month in April, about 9 in July.

May, June, August to NovemberCalmer. From June to October, big waves in almost no daylight hours. Rain on 7 to 12 days a month.

8How long

Day trip or overnight

Cruise passenger

Skip it on most ship days. The most common call this season is 7:30 to 18:00, and island boats are back at the dock about 16:30: there is little margin for a delay at sea. Ask your cruise line before you book. More: the cruise port.

Couple or quiet-seeker

Stay at least one night. Day boats arrive in the morning and are back at the dock about 16:30, so a night puts you on the island before and after them. Places to stay: on the islands, on Barú (Barú) and on Tierra Bomba.

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
Aerial view of a forested island with inland lagoons
From the air, a forested island in the Rosario Islands shows inland lagoons, a village among the trees and reef-fringed shores.Photo: República de Colombia (Presidencia de la República), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Playa Blanca on Barú from the air (Barú, not the Rosario Islands)
Playa Blanca on Barú from the air: a long white beach lined with huts and umbrellas, with boats moored in turquoise water.Photo: Felipeortegag, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

9Questions

Questions people ask

Is it worth going to the Rosario Islands?

Yes, if you want a day on the water and time to swim. Expect company: the park had 1,246,374 visitors in 2025, and shared boats and popular beaches are busiest from November to January, mid-June to mid-August and in Holy Week. For a quieter day, choose a day pass, a private boat or a night on the islands.

How long is the boat ride from Cartagena to the Rosario Islands?

By the operators’ own figures, the cruise out of the bay to Bocachica takes 45 minutes on the 5-stop tour, and Bora Bora, a beach club in the Rosario Islands, gives its crossing as about 55 minutes on its own timetable. Boats leave at 8:00 to 8:30 and are back about 16:30.

Can you stay on the Rosario Islands?

Yes, there are places to stay on the islands and on nearby Barú. A night lets you see the beaches before the day boats arrive and after they head back, at about 16:30 at the dock. You still pay the park and dock fees and need the mandatory accident insurance.

What is there to do on the Rosario Islands?

Swim, snorkel, eat lunch on the sand and rest in the shade. Tours add the Oceanario on Isla San Martín de Pajarales, open daily from 9:00 to 13:30, beach clubs on several islands, and a party stop at Cholón. Jet skis and other motor water sports are banned in the park.

Where are the Rosario Islands located?

Off the coast southwest of Cartagena, Colombia, beyond the mouth of the bay at Bocachica, where tour boats pass the old fort on the way out. They belong to the Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo, which also covers the San Bernardo islands farther south. Playa Blanca is on the Barú peninsula nearby.

Sources
  1. Oceanario Islas del Rosario (CEINER), Isla San Martín de Pajarales, Cartagena, Colombia: opening hours: Every day 9:00 to 13:30. Oceanario Islas del Rosario (CEINER): website.
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
  4. 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).
  5. 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.
  6. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: first-aid points: 11. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news 14 Jun 2026 (seguro obligatorio, Corales del Rosario), 2026-06-14.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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).
  11. 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).
  12. Boats to the Islas del Rosario from Cartagena, Colombia: engines required: At least two engines; one-engine boats only to Tierrabomba. DIMAR: Capitanía de Puerto de Cartagena notice 1 Mar 2018, 2018-03-01.
  13. Boats in Cartagena bay and the Rosario archipelago, Colombia: life jackets: Required for everyone aboard. DIMAR: Capitanía de Puerto de Cartagena notice 1 Mar 2018, 2018-03-01.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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.
  19. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Rosario Islands, near Cartagena, Colombia): what happens to a visitor without the mandatory accident insurance, per Parques Nacionales (news item of 14 June 2026): they are not admitted to the park. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news 'Avanza seguro obligatorio para turistas en Corales del Rosario', 2026-06-14.
  20. PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: insurers approved for the mandatory accident insurance: Positiva Compañía de Seguros, with Magenta Seguros, and Aseguradora Zurich. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: news 14 Jun 2026 (seguro obligatorio, Corales del Rosario), 2026-06-14.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. 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'.
  24. 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.
  25. 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.
  26. Rosario Islands sailing catamaran day with lunch (shared), Cartagena, Colombia: from-price on GetYourGuide, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (per person): 119 USD. GetYourGuide Cartagena page (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
  27. 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.
  28. Private boat or yacht charter for the Rosario Islands (price for the whole boat), Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (8 listings, per group): 360 to 1000 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
  29. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: 5-Stop Rosario Islands Day Tour with Lunch & Beach Club Passes', Cartagena, Colombia: Oceanarium entrance fee not included in the tour: 40,000 COP. GetYourGuide product page t497946 (provider Coco Cartagena Tours).
  30. 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).
  31. Viator listing 'Cartagena 5 Island Hop Tour: Lunch, Snorkel, Beach Clubs, & More' (COCOCARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: stated window of the Eco option: 8:00 to 16:30. Viator product page d4498-383344P6 (supplied by COCOCARTAGENA), Overview, 2026-11-12.
  32. Viator listing 'Cartagena 5 Island Hop Tour' (COCOCARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: stated window of the VIP and Party options: 8:30 to 16:30. Viator product page d4498-383344P6 (supplied by COCOCARTAGENA), Overview, 2026-11-12.
  33. Viator listing 'Cartagena 5 Island Hop Tour' (COCOCARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: time at each of the three island stops: 1.5 h. Viator product page d4498-383344P6 (supplied by COCOCARTAGENA), Overview and itinerary block, 2026-11-12.
  34. Viator listing 'Cartagena 5 Island Hop Tour' (COCOCARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: time at the Bocachica fort stop and at Isla Marina, each: 5 min. Viator product page d4498-383344P6 (supplied by COCOCARTAGENA), itinerary block, 2026-11-12.
  35. GetYourGuide listing 'COCOA BEACH: Beach Club Day Pass in Islas del Rosario' (Cocoa Beach), Cartagena, Colombia: meeting point and time: Muelle Todomar, arrive by 7:30. GetYourGuide product page t1508558 (provider Cocoa Beach), 'Know before you go', 2026-11-12.
  36. GetYourGuide listing 'COCOA BEACH: Beach Club Day Pass in Islas del Rosario' (Cocoa Beach), Cartagena, Colombia: stated return at Muelle Todomar: about 15:00. GetYourGuide product page t1508558 (provider Cocoa Beach), 'Know before you go', 2026-11-12.
  37. GetYourGuide listing 'COCOA BEACH: Beach Club Day Pass in Islas del Rosario' (Cocoa Beach), Cartagena, Colombia: stated speedboat time from Muelle Todomar to Isla Grande: 50 to 55 min. GetYourGuide product page t1508558 (provider Cocoa Beach), full description, 2026-11-12.
  38. GetYourGuide listing 'COCOA BEACH: Beach Club Day Pass in Islas del Rosario' (Cocoa Beach), Cartagena, Colombia: the fee the listing says is not included and must be paid: a departure tax of 18,000 COP. GetYourGuide product page t1508558 (provider Cocoa Beach), not-included list, 2026-11-12.
  39. GetYourGuide listing 'COCOA BEACH: Beach Club Day Pass in Islas del Rosario' (Cocoa Beach), Isla Grande, Cartagena, Colombia: stated guest limit of the beach club: 60 guests. GetYourGuide product page t1508558 (provider Cocoa Beach), highlights, 2026-11-12.
  40. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch and Snorkeling' (BONA VIDA CATAMARANES), Cartagena, Colombia: stated duration, with no departure time given on the page: 7.5 h. GetYourGuide product page t190080 (provider BONA VIDA CATAMARANES S.A.S), 2026-11-12.
  41. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch and Snorkeling' (BONA VIDA CATAMARANES), Cartagena, Colombia: the park and boarding fees are in the price: included. GetYourGuide product page t190080 (provider BONA VIDA CATAMARANES S.A.S), includes list, 2026-11-12.
  42. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch and Snorkeling' (BONA VIDA CATAMARANES), Cartagena, Colombia: when lunch is served: on board on the way back to Cartagena. GetYourGuide product page t190080 (provider BONA VIDA CATAMARANES S.A.S), full description, 2026-11-12.
  43. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Private Speedboat to the Rosario Islands and Barú' (BUBARU SAS / BUZOS DE BARU), Cartagena, Colombia: hours the boat is at the group's disposal: 8:00 to 17:00. GetYourGuide product page t792126 (provider BUBARU SAS / BUZOS DE BARU), full description, 2026-11-12.
  44. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Private Speedboat to the Rosario Islands and Barú' (BUBARU SAS / BUZOS DE BARU), Cartagena, Colombia: stated time of arrival at the islands and of the first snorkeling stop: 9:00 arrival, 9:30 snorkeling. GetYourGuide product page t792126 (provider BUBARU SAS / BUZOS DE BARU), full description, 2026-11-12.
  45. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Private Speedboat to the Rosario Islands and Barú' (BUBARU SAS / BUZOS DE BARU), Cartagena, Colombia: where the day starts and ends: Club Náutico de Cartagena, in Manga. GetYourGuide product page t792126 (provider BUBARU SAS / BUZOS DE BARU), itinerary and full description, 2026-11-12.
  46. Viator listing 'Private Boat Tour Full day trip to Rosario Islands, Cholon, Baru' (ARRECIFE BOATS CARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: stated start time and the two longest stops: 9:00 start, 4 h in the Rosario Islands, 2 h at Cholón. Viator product page d4498-47307P2 (ARRECIFE BOATS CARTAGENA), meeting point and itinerary, 2026-11-12.
  47. Viator listing 'Private Boat Tour Full day trip to Rosario Islands, Cholon, Baru' (ARRECIFE BOATS CARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: the government fee named in the included list: 13,000 COP per person. Viator product page d4498-47307P2 (ARRECIFE BOATS CARTAGENA), What's Included, 2026-11-12.
  48. Viator listing 'Private Boat Tour Full day trip to Rosario Islands, Cholon, Baru' (ARRECIFE BOATS CARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: how food and drink are stated: in the included list and, in the overview, as not included. Viator product page d4498-47307P2 (ARRECIFE BOATS CARTAGENA), Overview and What's Included, 2026-11-12.
  49. GetYourGuide listing 'Private Boat Rental To The Rosario Islands' (Botegena), Cartagena, Colombia: suggested day in the listing: 9:00 departure from Marina Santa Cruz, 10:45 snorkeling for 1 h, 11:45 beach club and lunch for 2 h. GetYourGuide product page t450949 (provider Botegena), suggested itinerary, 2026-11-12.
  50. Shared island-hopping day, Cartagena, Colombia: how the stated length of one operator's own product differs between the two marketplaces selling it: 6.5 to 7 hours on GetYourGuide, 7 hours on Viator, against a stated window of 8:00 to 16:30. GetYourGuide product page t497946 and Viator product page d4498-383344P6, both Coco Cartagena, 2026-11-12.
  51. Viator listing 'Cartagena 5 Island Hop Tour' (COCOCARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: what the operator states about the Party option and Cholón: no snorkeling, and the public islands are 'public, loud, and crowded with vendors'. Viator product page d4498-383344P6 (supplied by COCOCARTAGENA), Additional Info, 2026-11-12.
  52. 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.
  53. 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.
  54. 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.
  55. 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.
  56. Government of Canada on boating accidents in Colombia: Accidents with unlicensed tour boats noted in Cartagena, San Andrés and Santa Marta. Government of Canada: Travel advice Colombia, 2026-11-02.
  57. 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).
  58. Felt temperature by month and hour. NOAA NCEI Integrated Surface Database, station 800220 (Rafael Nunez airport, Cartagena), hourly observations, 2016 to 2024; medians per month and hour (Steadman apparent temperature, shade).
  59. Ship days. Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena, Programación de Cruceros 2026-27 (PDF updated 2026-11-03).

Photographs

  1. Thatched house on a small cay in turquoise water. Photo: Maria Pia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Aerial view of a forested island with inland lagoons. Photo: República de Colombia (Presidencia de la República), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Playa Blanca on Barú from the air (Barú, not the Rosario Islands). Photo: Felipeortegag, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. Small sailing canoe on calm water. Photo: SebastianGalvis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons