Cartagena's beauty is its walls. Its beaches are not. A good day trip fixes that.
Ranked#
| Trip | Time | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Rosario Islands beach club | 1h boat, full day | The best beach day |
| Tierra Bomba | 15 min boat, half or full day | Cheap, close, underrated |
| Playa Blanca (Barú) | 1h by road or boat | Beautiful, over-sold |
| Totumo mud volcano | 1h, half day | Fun, silly, tip-heavy |
| San Basilio de Palenque | 1h, half or full day | The meaningful one |
| La Boquilla mangroves | 20 min, half day | Quiet canoe trip, local fishermen |
| Generic 'islands tour' | Full day | Skip |
Rosario Islands#
Book a specific beach club or hotel day pass (lunch, loungers, a boat there and back). The generic "islands tour" stops at an aquarium and a shop and gives you two hours on a crowded beach. Boat tours from Cartagena.
Tierra Bomba#
Fifteen minutes from Bocagrande by boat, a handful of beach clubs and a village. Nobody talks about it. It's good.
Playa Blanca#
White sand, clear water, and by 11am a wall of vendors and speakers. Go at 8am on a weekday or stay overnight in a cabaña. Don't accept the street tout's "private boat".
Totumo#
Climb a small mud volcano, float in warm mud, be scrubbed in a lagoon by local women who expect a tip. Half a day of nonsense you'll photograph forever.
San Basilio de Palenque#
The first free African town in the Americas, a UNESCO heritage culture with its own language and the roots of champeta. Go with a guide from the community. It's the trip that stays with people.
La Boquilla#
A fishing village on the edge of the city: canoe through the mangroves with a fisherman, eat fried fish on the beach. Cheap, quiet, local.
Skip#
Anything sold by someone who approaches you in the walled city, "VIP party boats", and the combined aquarium-shop-lunch islands tour.
The rest of Cartagena#
3 days in Cartagena, things to do, where to stay, on a budget, is Cartagena safe?
Go with a costeño#
Which island, which boat, which day: a Cartagena Local Friend knows, and knows the fair price. They set their own rates and message you before you meet. How to meet locals in Cartagena.
Get to the right beach with someone from Cartagena.
Meet a Local FriendFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best day trip from Cartagena?
A Rosario Islands beach club for a proper Caribbean beach day. Tierra Bomba if you want something quicker and cheaper. San Basilio de Palenque for culture.Is Playa Blanca worth it?
The beach is genuinely beautiful. The experience is crowded, loud and full of vendors by midday. Go early on a weekday, or stay a night and have it at dawn.How do you get to the Rosario Islands?
Boats leave from the Muelle de la Bodeguita from about 8am. Book a specific beach club or hotel day pass rather than a generic 'islands tour', which spends the day stopping at a souvenir shop and an aquarium.Is the Totumo mud volcano worth it?
As a half-day of silliness, yes: you float in warm mud inside a small volcano, then get washed in a lagoon. Bring small notes for the people who help you; they expect tips.Can you visit San Basilio de Palenque in a day?
Yes, about an hour inland. Go with a guide from the community: the history, the music and the Palenquero language need explaining.