Colombia · BARÚ ISLAND TOURS
Every route has one spare day too few. These 15 barú island tours justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part of planning.
Speed-boat day trip from Cartagena to Rosario Islands, with fort history, coral reef snorkeling, Playa Blanca, and beach-club time.
“Everything was amazing even though the boat ride was a bit bumpy. Besides that, I totally recommend! Everyone was super nice and made it a fun trip!”
Day trip from Cartagena to Barú Island and Playa Blanca with Club Mambo Beach, a 30,000 COP lunch voucher, and early-morning pickup.
“I was a little disappointed with limited space and availability of seaside loungers. The bus ride was very comfortable but everything was off schedule. I must compliment the staff, they were wonderful, being non Spanish speaking all staff was very patient and understanding 👏🏾 Also the water was crystal clear but the actual beach left much to be desired. And there’s little to say about the aggressive vendors ( everyone has to make living, 🤦🏽♂️)”
Cartagena island party day on the Rosario Islands with Bocachica fort, Escobar mansion sighting, Marina lunch, beach clubs, and Cholón energy.
“We took the Baru excursion and had an amazing time. The guide was friendly and patient with us(he had to repeat himself a few times). I kept asking questions and he was able to answer quickly. His recommendations to keep on life vests made me feel he cared about our safety and that was definitely a plus. This is a great experience for those people that are afraid of being ill on boats, because this was such a quick ride, you're there before you even realize it. My mom hates boats, but said she'd enjoyed this excursion immensely. I was honestly apprehensive about ordering the fish for lunch, but I…”
Cartagena islands day with Rosario snorkeling, Cholón party boats, Barú Mambo Beach Club lunch, and a private T. Bomba finale.
“spot where you eat lunch was definitely Not it. if possible try to eat and leave. the “club” was not nice. the bathrooms were disgusting. the first spot tierra bomba was very nice. other than that Jose was very nice. BYOB on boat”
Cartagena’s Playa Blanca day trip to Barú includes air-conditioned transport, lunch with choices, snorkeling gear, and a sun-chair beach setup.
“There were too many boats in the area. Too many vendors. Too many flies on your food. Not a peaceful stay. Lunch was okay. The tour guides were nice.”
A smooth day trip from Cartagena to Playa Blanca on Barú Island for beach time, included chairs, lunch options, and bilingual guiding.
“My fiancé and I had a great trip to Baru Island and our tour guide Michael was great! He shared some many great stories about Colombia and Cartagena, and so helpful with navigating the island. We would highlight recommend!”
A 7-hour Cartagena trip to Baru with lunch, handled by an air-conditioned vehicle and stress-free pickup and drop-off options.
“Our prepaid reservation of transportation for 9 persons from Cartagena airport was a total disaster & service unacceptable. We waited at the airport for 1.5hrs in the heat & totally exhausted while the agent tried to find us a van to take us to our destination. Excuse after excuse only made things worse after a full day of traveling from Canada. The agents excuses were ridiculous such as the president is in town, i don’t know where your van is, the roads are closed, and the repeated “wait just another 10minutes & maybe your van will come” - did nothing to satisfy our group of exhausted travellers. Extremely frustrated &…”
Isla Barú beach club time and the National Aviary of Colombia in one day, with hotel pickup, lunch voucher, and included admission.
“It was a great experience. Pick up and drop off was included. Angel and Valentina as well as the driver were extremely helpful, knowledgable and accommodating. It was a day well spent and I would absolutely book again. The aviary was amazing. The beach was beautiful. As a solo traveler I appreciate the fact that they had lockers so I could enjoy myself freely without worry for my belongings. Also, the food at Mambo beach club was really good! 10/10 experience!!!”
Full-day Barú tour from Cartagena: mangroves, raccoon feeding, Rosario snorkeling, bioluminescent plankton at night, and sunset at Freedom Beach Club.
“snorkel di 10 minuti senza boccaglio in una zona dove c'erano davvero pochi pesci, situazione molto confusa, barca per trasferimento al beach club scomoda. chiedono il 15% per pagamenti con carta, cibo non male ma nemmeno ottimo. un po' diverso dalla descrizione del tour. non consigliato”
Cartagena to Playa Blanca beach club with air-conditioned transport, Mambo facilities, lunch voucher, and welcome cocktail in 8 hours.
“I enjoyed the day and it was a nice excursion to a beach outside the city. The beach had amazing water and sand, and Mambo beach club was a convenient place to relax, have drinks, and eat food. The staff was very nice and attentive. There were some vendors allowed in so you will have some interaction with them. One critique is that there was no music or vibe at Mambo. The beach club looked nice but it had no atmosphere. I was told the speaker was in repair but there should really be a temporary solution since the beach club experience comes with expectations.”
Private full day by boat from Cartagena to the Rosario Islands, Cholón, and Baru, with snorkel gear, iced cooler, and a quieter marina departure.
“We had a fantastic time on our tour of the Rosario Islands. The boat operators were knowledgeable and knew the great spots to take us to make sure we enjoyed our day out on the water. We would highly recommend this to anyone! Great full day on and in the water.”
A full day on Baru from Cartagena, with Playa Tranquila calm, lunch options, beach beds, and a boat hop. Great value, watch the details.
“Excelente, nos lo disfrutamos mucho. Puntuales, buen servicio y la comida excepcional. La playa cristalina. Muy recomendado”
Isla Barú and mangroves by boat, short snorkeling, plus night bioluminescent plankton. Beach club lunch voucher, bilingual guide, long day.
“This was not a good experience. The beach is VERY crowded and dirty. There is trash everywhere. You cant enjoy the water because of all of the boats and jetskis constantly around you asking if you want rides. There are so many vendors on the beach as well. The snorkeling isn't snorkeling. They give you dirty goggles and someone pushes you under water. You can hardly see anything. And the planton are barely visible. It was a long day of disappointment.”
Full-day trip from Cartagena to Isla de Barú for Mambo Beach time, mangrove wildlife boat ride, and snorkeling near Playa Blanca.
“Playa Blanca/Magical tour is a must! The tour guides Gabriel and Jose were super friendly. The drive gives you a glimpse into the non tourist areas which I can appreciate. The beach club was nice and the staff attentive without being overbearing. The short ride through the mangrove is worth the somewhat chaotic ride to the snorkeling area. The guides were great, however I was thrown into the front part of boat that was beyond capacity (no actual seats left) and offered no life jacket. Even with the minor inconveniences, I would recommend this tour if you are looking to explore the area and be one with nature.”
Cartagena day trip to Barú and Playa Tranquila with hotel pickup, air-conditioned ride, and traditional Caribbean lunch for $26.
“HUIR: - nada esta incluido en el todo includo, la descripción engaña! no hay snorkling incluido, ni sombrilla, ni un vaso de agua, nada, tendran que pagar todo aparte - la playa NO es nada tranquila, hay MUCHAS lanchas y motos acuáticas justo al lado tuyo con mucho olor a gasolina - 4h en total en el bus sobre las 8h de atividad NO recomiendo para nada en todos mis viajes una de las peores experiencias, realmente ahorrense su tiempo y dinero”
Pick a hillside, a coastline or a coffee farm.
