Colombia · FULL-DAY TOURS IN CARTAGENA
The 15 best full-day tours in Cartagena you can book right now, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is first for a reason; start there.
Island hopping from Cartagena with Isla Grande snorkeling, Playa Blanca beach time, Cholón party water stop, plus Anaho pool and views.
“Our experience with The Backpackers staff was great. Our guide Nicher was beyond welcoming and attentive. We had a blast!”
Full-day speedboat island hopping from Cartagena with San Fernando Fort, short snorkeling on Isla Grande, party Cholón, and Barú beach lunch.
“Yes it was good to get out on the water and venture to different islands on a fast boat. It felt like we were in our own movie”
Speedboat to the Rosario Islands for a full day at Bora Bora Beach Club near Cartagena, with beach bed, lunch, and activities.
“Pros- The property was nice. The service was good. The food was good. The ride was smooth. Cons- Completely unorganized and no communication. Complete chaos at check in with really long lines. They asked us to arrive at 7:30 am and the boat did not leave until 10:30 am. We waiting for three hours under the scorching sun. Our trip was cut short and no compensation or apology was provided. They seemed not to care. The delay was due to a marathon race that had been scheduled months ago. They decided not to communicate or provide refunds/rescheduling. Our trip ended up only being 5 hours long with 2 hours of…”
Cartagena’s full-day private island cruise mixes reef time, a famous sunken plane stop, and included beach clubs with lunch and drinks.
“Lovely experience, seemed a little disorganized at first, but turned out to be a beautiful, fun day, islands are beatiful”
Five-stop island day from Cartagena with snorkeling at Rosario, drinks, party-boat Cholón, Barú beach club lunch, and Tierra Bomba finale.
“Amazing day trip to Vista Mare Beach Club in T-Bomba Island, Encantada Beach Club in Rosario Islands and Mambo Beach Club in Playa Blanca, Baru. Milton was a great guide and our boat driver, Jairo, was very nice to all of us. The food was very good, the welcome drink too and i enjoyed my day very much.”
Cartagena to Playa Blanca by minivan for a full beach day with lunch, sun chair, and Caribbean swimming. Expect crowds and vendor pressure.
“The service was really nice , they picked up us from hotel and The ride was nice. Beach was beautiful and we got there early so the locals did not arrive yet. One reason I took one star , you will be aggressively pressured into buying stuff and services from vendors always coming into the private canbana and they should do more a job to not let them just walk in and wait on the beach”
4-hour Cartagena escape to El Totumo mud volcano and La Boquilla beach, about $48 with pickup, snacks, and buoyant mud for photos.
“The tour was very refreshing. Especially with our tour guide Charlie. He was very knowledgeable of the history and personable with the entire group which made my excursion worth the time and money. We were able to eat at the local restaurant addition to the volcano and pink sea. If Charlie is leading your tour your in for a goooood time ✌🏽”
Cartagena five-island day trip with Rosario stops, Isla Grande snorkeling, Cholón party island, beach swim, and bioluminescent plankton timing. Lunch included.
“Overall, it was a pretty good experience. Tour guide was helpful, good lunch, interesting islands... the only thing is they PACK you into the boat- no room to move and no shade from the sun. Also the drink prices on the island were outrageous. 12 dollars for a tiny drink and no one takes card. BRING PLENTY OF PESOS if you plan on having a few drinks and dinner on the beach. It also was a pretty long day (12 hours) if you stay for the bioluminescent trip so just plan accordingly.”
Cartagena Rosario Islands day trip with snorkeling, island hopping, a fort visit, and seafood lunch, plus party or calm beach options.
“The boat was very new and top notch. Snorkeling equipment was good, as well as the life jackets. Melanie, our guide was enthusiastic and quite bilingual. The ride home was fast and fun, and a bit scary. The snorkeling was not stellar, as the coral reef is dying. We were two “older” couples, so did not enjoy the party island. The food was nothing special. I think all tours out to the islands are a similar service, so I don’t really think that it really matters which one you go with. Also we went on a weekend, so I’m sure that it was much more crowded.”
Cartagena to Cholon Island for a party day on the water, Rosario Island stops, lunch, and speedboat rides, plus guidance on the money game.
“This was absolutely the best damn tour I’ve ever been on. Ask for Randy to be your tour guide. Randy was kind and very attentive. He made sure we were not scammed by any vendors, we were safe and well taken care of. Book the the tour with this group. No one else will give you the same dope add experience. We had such a good time and I’m definitely coming back.”
Isla Barú combo day trip: Cartagena panoramas, Playa Blanca Beach Club time, and the National Aviary of Colombia with a 11:30 bird show.
“The aviary is incredible. A must-do on your trip to Cartagena. Our guide, Valentina was amazing! Playa Blanca isn’t the best beach in the area so I wouldn’t recommend going there.”
Private boat rental in Cartagena with Wi-Fi, reserved transfers to the Rosario Islands, and easy cruising for up to 10.
“We rented a private boat for the day to go the Rosario islands. The boat was the same as in the photos, in good conditions. The booking and welcome process was very clear and easy. Everyone spoke good english which made it easier. A special thanks to Juliet, Eri and Erin that were super professional, and friendly and took great care of us.”
Full day at Barú with mangroves, raccoons, snorkeling in the Rosario Islands, a sunset on Freedom Beach Club, and night plankton.
“La experiencia nadando en el plancton fue inolvidable. Me encantó que tomaran fotos en cada actividad y luego las compartieran con el grupo. Hermosa la playa en Freedom Club.”
Private Rosario Islands full-day tour from Cartagena with snorkeling, Barú lunch, and beach clubs, plus a choice of party or chill.
“We did the 5 islands tour with Franklin. He was the best tourguide You could imagine. Not only having a lot of knowledge on the history of the visited places, but also friendly and helpful. Additional asset is that he knows the locals and gives good recomendations. Highly recomended.”
A full-day private boat hop from Cartagena to the Rosario Islands, Cholón, and Baru, with snorkel gear, beach time, and a calmer departure.
“This is an excellent way to spend a full day visiting the surrounding islands. The crew and Kevin were fantastic very friendly, very professional.They brought us to places we wanted and skip the places we did not. We stopped at a restaurant for lunch, (not included in price of tour) which was a great experience. Bring snacks and beverages for the provided iced cooler. A great little detail, connect your Bluetooth to their kickin sound system.”
Pick a base, pick a kind of day, read the reviews.
