Rosario Islands Snorkelling and Playa Blanca Speedboat Trip Cartagena

Muelle de la Bodeguita and Cartagena Bay

The day starts at Muelle de la Bodeguita, the main tourist pier of Cartagena, just outside the walls of the old city and a short walk from the Clock Tower. Boats to the islands leave from here every morning, so arrive by 8:30 to pay the port tax at the entrance and find Gate 2, where your guide waits for the 9:00 departure.

Once the speedboat leaves the pier you cross Cartagena Bay, one of the largest natural harbours of the Caribbean. Behind you rise the domes of the Walled City and the towers of Bocagrande; ahead lies Tierra Bomba, the island that closes the bay to the south. This is the moment to understand why Spain chose this sheltered harbour for its treasure fleets, and why the city needed so many forts. The ride to Bocachica takes about 20 minutes on generally calm water.

Fort San Fernando de Bocachica

Bocachica, the narrow channel at the southern end of the bay, became the only entrance for ships after the Spanish closed the wider Bocagrande passage with an underwater wall in the 18th century. To guard it they built Fort San Fernando, completed around 1760, on the tip of Tierra Bomba, with the smaller San José battery on the opposite shore. In times of war a heavy chain could be stretched between the two.

Your boat slows down in front of the fort for a photo stop of about ten minutes, close enough to see the thick stone walls, the bastions and the moat facing the sea. The guide explains how this line of defence helped Cartagena resist one of the largest naval attacks of the colonial era in 1741. Fort San Fernando is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing of Cartagena's port and fortresses.

Rosario Islands coral reef snorkelling

The Rosario Islands lie about 45 kilometres southwest of Cartagena and form the heart of the Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo National Natural Park, protected since 1977 for its coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangroves. After a stop off San Quintín Island, where the guide introduces the archipelago and its history, the boat anchors near Majayura Island for about 45 minutes of Rosario Islands snorkelling over a living reef.

In shallow, clear water you can see brain corals, sea fans and soft corals, with parrotfish, sergeant majors, blue tangs and angelfish moving between them. Float gently, never stand on the coral and keep your fins away from the reef: this is a protected ecosystem. If you are not a confident swimmer, tell the guide before entering the water; you can also stay on board and enjoy the colours from the surface. A short swim stop follows.

Isla del Pavito, Isla Grande and the sunken plane

Next comes a panoramic visit to Isla del Pavito, a tiny islet surrounded by turquoise shallows, followed by Isla Grande, the largest island of the archipelago, with mangrove channels, inland lagoons and small fishing communities. The boat cruises slowly along the shore so you can photograph the water changing from deep blue to pale green over the sandbanks.

Off Isla Grande lies the most talked-about sight of the day: a small light aircraft resting on the seabed in shallow, crystal-clear water. You see it from the boat as fish swim over its wings and the reef slowly grows across its body. The guide shares the local stories told about how it ended up there. The whole stretch takes around 15 minutes before the boat heads towards Barú.

Playa Blanca, Barú

Playa Blanca, on the island of Barú south of Cartagena, is one of the best-known beaches of the Colombian Caribbean, a long curve of white sand and calm, transparent water. This trip lands in the Playa Tranquila area, a quieter stretch where you have about two and a half hours to swim, rest on a sun lounger or beach bed, stretch out in a hammock and walk along the shore. A traditional Caribbean lunch is served by the sea, typically fried fish with coconut rice, patacones and salad.

Is the Playa Blanca day trip worth it? For most travellers it is the highlight, especially on weekdays when the sand is less crowded. Beach vendors offer fruit, massages and souvenirs; a polite no is always accepted. The best time to visit Playa Blanca is the dry season from December to April, although the trade winds of January to March can make the speedboat ride bumpier. The return to Cartagena takes about 20 minutes.