Islands and beaches

Cartagena beach clubs: which day pass for your day

Cartagena beach clubs sell the day as one ticket: a boat out, a lounger, usually lunch, and a boat back. Which pass suits you is mostly a question of distance. The clubs on Tierra Bomba, across the bay from Cartagena, Colombia, are the short crossings, 7 to 20 minutes to the north shore and about 25 minutes to Blue Apple at Bocachica, and their boats run into the late afternoon. A Rosario Islands club takes the whole day: Bora Bora’s boat leaves at 8:30 and is back about 16:00. The Barú clubs on Playa Blanca are reached by road. For a late boat back, Blue Apple or Makani; for a party, Bora Bora, adults only; with children, Blue Apple on a weekday or Cocoa Beach, which has a child rate; back by 15:00, Playa Linda, Nena or Cocoa Beach; without a boat, the Hotel Estelar pool in Bocagrande.

Edited by Rainer LangUpdated November 2026

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.

A Tierra Bomba beach with small waves and the Bocagrande skyline across the bay — Bocagrande across the bay from the sand on Tierra Bomba, February 2018.Photo: LauFlorez, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1The ledger

Eighteen day passes, side by side

The ledger holds eighteen passes sold on GetYourGuide and Viator in November 2026, with Bora Bora’s and Blue Apple’s own sites where they say more. Capri, Pura Vida, Pink Mango, Corona Island and Atoll are not in it. Choose where, who is coming and when you need to be back in the city; the passes that do not fit fold away. The club’s name books its pass. Where a seller leaves something out, the row says what to ask before you book; get the answer in writing.

Prices change by date and seller, so they are not printed here; the booking page shows today’s. What the dock charges on top is in the column “On top” and, in full, in what you pay at the dock.

Rosario Islands, park and dock31,500 COPPer person in 2026 at La Bodeguita, about USD 10, on top of a pass unless it says otherwise.

The national parkThe Rosario Islands and the sea around them are a national park. Parques Nacionales charges its fee to everyone entering the park by boat, and everyone needs the park’s accident insurance, compulsory since March 2026. Details at the dock.

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

Cartagena beach club day passes, nearest firstDistance: straight line from the Clock Tower to the island or beach, not the route the boat takes. Times and inclusions as the club or the product listing gives them, November 2026. The number matches the chart below.
Club	Distance	The boat	The pass includes	On top	Good to know
Hotel Estelar pool day Bocagrande, a hotel by the beach road · In the city, no boat	2.2 km	At the hotel, open 10:00 to 19:00 No boat Back: Leave when you like	A welcome cocktail, brunch-menu starters, mains, a dessert and drinks for the group, the pool areas and towels; a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays	transport to the hotel food or drink brought in (not allowed)	Pool Infinity pool Ask before you book: how many people the brunch menu covers (sold as a private group); what is charged at the dock; whether children may come.
Club Kabanna Tierra Bomba	6.4 km	The landing behind Hospital Bocagrande, Castillogrande	Boat both ways, entry with private beach, pool, restaurant and lounge bar, beach beds, lunch, a welcome cocktail	towel	Pool Ask before you book: the time of the boat back; what is charged at the dock; whether children may come.
Fenix Beach Tierra Bomba	6.4 km	La Bodeguita, gate 1 (Puerta 1), at the Fenix stand; time chosen when booking Ride: about 10 minutes by its Booking.com page	Boat both ways, a soft welcome drink, lunch, a beach bed and towel, the club’s facilities	dock fee, paid at La Bodeguita, 18,000 COP kayak, paddleboard, spa, jet ski	Pool Outdoor pool, by its Booking.com page Infants ride on a lap Ask before you book: the time of the boat back.
Makani Luxury Beach Club Tierra Bomba	6.4 km	La Bodeguita, gate 1; slots from 9:00, 10:00 or 11:00 Ride: about 15 to 20 minutes Back: 16:00, 17:00 or 18:00, by slot	Boat both ways, a lounger in the sand zone, the pool, a soft welcome drink, Wi-Fi, a cold towel	lunch pool-zone upgrades	Pool Ask before you book: what is charged at the dock; whether children may come.
Palmarito Beach Tierra Bomba	6.4 km	The beach behind Nuevo Hospital de Bocagrande, Castillogrande, at the blue Palmarito flag, 8:00	Buffet lunch, a welcome cocktail, the facilities, a hammock area, a playground		A playground is listed Ask before you book: the time of the boat back; what is charged at the dock; whether there is a pool.
Playa Linda Tierra Bomba	6.4 km	Hospital de Bocagrande, Castillogrande; 9:00, 10:00 or 11:00 Back: 15:00 or 16:00	Boat both ways, a rest area and social areas, a Caribbean lunch	extra drinks water activities	Ask before you book: what is charged at the dock; whether children may come; whether there is a pool.
Vista Mare Tierra Bomba	6.4 km	In front of Edificio Las Gaviotas, Castillogrande, 8:00	Boat both ways, a welcome drink, à la carte lunch on a voucher, a kiosk or Balinese bed		Ask before you book: the time of the boat back; what is charged at the dock; whether children may come; whether there is a pool.
Blue Apple Beach Bocachica, on the southern shore of Tierra Bomba (the club’s words) The club’s own page	12 km	La Bodeguita, gate 1, at 10:00 or 11:30 Ride: about 25 minutes Back: 16:00 or 17:30	Boat both ways, a sun lounger and towel, a welcome cocktail, a snack, a main course, ice cream and coffee, a short massage, filtered water, the pool and gym	port tax, under 5 USD VIP bed or cabana extra drinks	Pool Children on weekdays; over-12s only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays Quiet on weekdays, livelier at weekends (the club’s words)
Playa Morena Beach Club Tierra Bomba, by Fort San Fernando at Bocachica	12 km	La Bodeguita, gate 1, 8:30	Boat both ways, an island lunch, the club’s facilities, a guided half hour at Fort San Fernando de Bocachica with entry	departure tax snacks and bottled water	Infants ride on a lap Ask before you book: the time of the boat back; whether there is a pool.
Mambo Beach Club Playa Blanca, Barú	23 km	Hotel pickup, or Monumento Los Pegasos by the Clock Tower, 7:00 By road	Air-conditioned road transport, the club for the day, a lunch voucher, a welcome drink, toilets and lockers, a bilingual coordinator, travel insurance	Balinese beds	Infants ride on a lap Ask before you book: the time of the boat back; what is charged at the dock; whether there is a pool.
Nena Beach Club Playa Blanca, Barú	23 km	Hotel pickup, about 7:15 to 8:00, confirmed the night before By road Back: About 15:00	Air-conditioned van, a welcome cocktail, lunch, juice and coffee, the pool, sunbeds, Wi-Fi, lockers, showers	towels taxes and insurance	Pool Ask before you book: whether children may come.
Cocoa Beach Isla Grande, Rosario Islands	34 km	Muelle Todomar marina, Bocagrande; check in by 7:30 Back: About 15:00	Shared speedboat, water on the ride, a welcome drink, lunch (1 of 5 dishes) with a drink, a sunbed, kayaks and paddleboards, showers; a DJ on weekends only	departure tax, 18,000 COP towels snorkel gear	Child rate for ages 4 to 7 Ask before you book: whether there is a pool.
Hotel Isla del Sol Isla Grande, Rosario Islands	34 km	La Bodeguita, gate 4 (Puerta 4), 8:00	Speedboat both ways, a welcome cocktail, lunch, dessert and coffee, the beach, a saltwater pool, loungers, towels	park and dock fees, 31,500 COP snorkeling, mangrove tour, aquarium, spa	Pool Saltwater pool Ask before you book: the time of the boat back; whether children may come.
Bora Bora Beach Club Rosario Islands; Isla Grande, by the Viator pass The club’s own page	35 km	La Bodeguita, gate 4, at 8:30; at the dock by 7:20 Ride: about 55 minutes Back: Leaves the island 15:00, in Cartagena about 16:00	Speedboat both ways, a welcome cocktail, lunch (5 choices), a lounger from the second row	port tax and insurance, cash, 40,300 COP towels front-row beds	Adults only, 18 and over Party: “fiesta y mar” (the club’s words) Ask before you book: whether there is a pool.
Islabela Rosario Islands, a private island	35 km	La Bodeguita, 8:00; meeting details by WhatsApp after booking	Boat both ways, a welcome cocktail, a buffet lunch, beds, hammocks and loungers, the pools	pier entrance tax, 30,000 COP	Pool Ask before you book: the time of the boat back; whether children may come.
Mangata Beach Club Rosario Islands	35 km	Todomar marina, Bocagrande	Speedboat, a welcome drink, lunch (8 choices), snorkeling by a sunken plane, clear kayaks and paddleboards, a bike ride through Orika village, beds, towels, showers, a resident DJ	dock tax, 18,000 COP more alcohol	Ask before you book: the time of the boat back; whether children may come; whether there is a pool.
Pao Pao Beach Club Rosario Islands	35 km	La Bodeguita, gate 4, 7:30; say “Pao Pao” at the counter	Boat both ways, lunch (paella, seafood pasta, fish, chicken or vegetarian pasta), a sun bed	port fee and medical insurance, 40,300 COP VIP lounges on the beach, by the pool or the jacuzzi	Pool loungers at extra cost Poolside lounges cost extra Adults only (the listing) Ask before you book: the time of the boat back.
Hotel Isla del Encanto Barú, by its Booking.com page; inside the Rosario Islands coral park, by the day-trip listing	35 km	Hotel pickup in Bocagrande and Morros only; check in 7:40 to 8:00 Ride: about 1 hour by its Booking.com page Back: No drop-off at hotels	Hotel pickup, a guide, a buffet lunch, the pool, beach chairs and loungers, volleyball, table tennis, kayaks	the pier tax, paid on site aquarium, snorkeling, diving	Pool Ask before you book: whether children may come.

2The chart

Where the clubs are

Each club sits in a numbered area, where the club or its listing places it: an island, a beach, a village or the Rosario group. The squares are the docks the boats leave from: Muelle de la Bodeguita by the old town, the Todomar marina in Bocagrande, and the landings on the beach at Castillogrande, behind the hospital, for several Tierra Bomba clubs.

Coastlines: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Squares: the docks the boats leave fromAreas: where each club or its listing places itNot for navigation

Bocagrande (a hotel by the beach road): Hotel Estelar pool day
Tierra Bomba (north shore and Punta Arena): Club Kabanna, Fenix Beach, Makani Luxury Beach Club, Palmarito Beach, Playa Linda, Vista Mare
Bocachica, Tierra Bomba (the south end of the island): Blue Apple Beach, Playa Morena Beach Club
Playa Blanca, Barú (the beach): Mambo Beach Club, Nena Beach Club
Barú (the peninsula): Hotel Isla del Encanto
Isla Grande (the island): Cocoa Beach, Hotel Isla del Sol
Rosario Islands (the island group): Bora Bora Beach Club, Islabela, Mangata Beach Club, Pao Pao Beach Club

Straight-line distances from the Clock Tower, for scale: Tierra Bomba at Punta Arena 6.4 km, Bocachica 12 km, Playa Blanca 23 km (39 km by road), the Rosario Islands 35 km and San Bernardo 76 km. The island itself, the forts and the boat over: Tierra Bomba. Every island group compared: the island picker.

3By name

Bora Bora, Blue Apple and Isla del Encanto

Three of the clubs in more detail, with Bora Bora’s and Blue Apple’s own timetables.

Bora Bora Beach Club

Rosario Islands · 35 km in a straight line · adults only · the club’s own page

Bora Bora sells itself as a party club: its home page says “fiesta y mar en Islas del Rosario”. The day pass is for adults only, 18 and over. Its own pages place it in the Rosario Islands; the Viator pass it sells names Isla Grande.

The day, by the club’s timetable. Be at gate 4 of La Bodeguita by 7:20; the boarding gate shuts at 8:20 and the boat leaves at 8:30. The crossing takes about 55 minutes. The boat back leaves the island at 15:00 and is in Cartagena about 16:00.

In the pass: the speedboat both ways, a welcome cocktail, lunch with five dishes to choose from and a lounger from the second row back. Not in it: towels and front-row beds, and the port tax and insurance, 40,300 COP (about USD 12) per person, in cash at the dock.

Book: the Bora Bora day pass on GetYourGuide, or the Viator pass in its ledger row.

Island day-trip speedboats with twin outboard engines tied up at a dock in Cartagena — Speedboats for the island day trips at a dock in Cartagena at 8:18 on a Sunday in January 2016.Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Blue Apple Beach

Tierra Bomba, Bocachica · 12 km in a straight line · pool · the club’s own page

Blue Apple places itself at Bocachica, on the southern shore of Tierra Bomba, and says it lies within the bay of Cartagena, so “the infamous rough afternoon seas do not affect us”. It calls itself quiet during the week and livelier at weekends, and it has a pool with VIP daybeds in front of it.

The boat. The club’s own boat leaves Muelle de la Bodeguita, gate 1, at 10:00, 11:30 and 17:00, and comes back at 16:00 and 17:30. The ride takes about 25 minutes; a port tax of under 5 USD is paid at the dock. Day visitors are welcome from 11:00 to 18:00.

Two passes. The club day pass has the boat, with the lounger chosen and paid separately and food and drink paid as you go; the all-in-one pass adds a two-course lunch and a cocktail. Children are welcome during the week; on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays the club is for over-12s only.

Book: the Blue Apple beach day with lunch, sold by the club on GetYourGuide, which adds a lounger and towel, a snack, a main course and dessert.

Loungers under a slatted shade on a Tierra Bomba beach, with the Bocagrande towers across the water — Loungers under a slatted shade on Tierra Bomba, with the towers of Bocagrande across the water (2023).Photo: Richardaemix, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hotel Isla del Encanto

Barú · pool · day pass with hotel pickup

Isla del Encanto is a hotel with two pools. Its Booking.com page puts it on Barú, about 1 hour from Cartagena by boat; the day-trip listing places it inside the Rosario Islands coral park. Its day pass is sold as a day trip (book it from its ledger row), with hotel pickup in Bocagrande and Morros only, check-in from 7:40 to 8:00, a guide, a buffet lunch, the pool, beach chairs and kayaks. The pier tax is paid on site, and the trip does not drop you back at your hotel. To sleep there instead, see Isla Barú.

Earliest boatBora Bora, 8:30 from La Bodeguita.

Latest boat backMakani’s last slot, back at 18:00; Blue Apple’s boat at 17:30.

Shortest crossingsThe Tierra Bomba clubs on the north shore and at Punta Arena, 7 to 20 minutes. The island itself: Tierra Bomba.

4Who can come

Adults only or children welcome

Where a pass states an age rule, it is here. For any other pass, ask the seller before you book with children.

Adults only

Bora Bora Beach Club: adults only, 18 and over
Pao Pao Beach Club: adults only (the listing)

Children named

Fenix Beach: infants ride on a lap
Palmarito Beach: a playground is listed
Blue Apple Beach: children on weekdays; over-12s only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
Playa Morena Beach Club: infants ride on a lap
Mambo Beach Club: infants ride on a lap
Cocoa Beach: child rate for ages 4 to 7

Many product pages also list who the day does not suit, often pregnant travelers and people with back problems. Read that list on the booking page before you pay.

A pool, as statedHotel Estelar pool day, Club Kabanna, Fenix Beach, Makani Luxury Beach Club, Blue Apple Beach, Nena Beach Club, Hotel Isla del Sol, Islabela, Hotel Isla del Encanto.

5Pass or tour

A day pass or a boat tour?

A day pass is one place for the day: one boat out, one boat back, your lounger, your lunch and often a pool at the same club. Pick it for shade, a fixed spot and an easy day.

A boat tour moves: a shared speedboat or a catamaran stops at several islands, with snorkeling and a beach club stop for lunch, and more of the day is spent on the water. Pick it to see more islands. The four ways to see the Rosario Islands are compared on the Rosario Islands page; a boat of your own, with your own stops, is on boat rental.

In between, Bora Bora’s operator sells a three-island day at Bora Bora, Pao Pao and Islabela with lunch and a welcome cocktail on each island.

What each sells for. The lowest price listed for each kind on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, one figure where a single listing was found and the lowest and the highest start where there were several, per person: a day pass on one of the Rosario Islands, 8 listings, 120 to 157 USD; a beach-club day or beach day on Tierra Bomba, 13 listings, 14 to 222 USD; a beach-club day on Barú, 3 listings, 30 to 126 USD; a shared island-hopping boat day, 11 listings, 65 to 166 USD; the one catamaran day listed, 119 USD. The partner sets these prices and they change, and what you pay at the dock is on top unless the listing says it is included.

High aerial view over a Rosario island toward the open sea and other islands — A high aerial view over a wooded island in the Rosario Islands, with more islands and reefs out toward the horizon.Photo: República de Colombia (Presidencia de la República), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

6The hour

A club day against the midday heat

Tap or move along the strip to read any hour.

Boat
Pool and shade
Feels like (shade)
With breeze
Sea, typically
Sunset

The guide’s heat rule for open sand, which has no shade: only while it feels like 33 °C (91 °F) or less with the breeze, and never between 10:00 and 15:30, when the sun stands high. On a Rosario pass that leaves at 8:30 you land about 9:25 and leave at 15:00, so in every month the whole stay falls in the hot part of the day. Choose a pass with a roofed lounger or a pool, and take the sand in short spells between swims.

At 13:00 the shade with the sea breeze typically feels like 32 to 36 °C (90 to 97 °F) across the year; in still air it is 37 to 39 °C. A pass with a pool in the ledger: tick “With a pool”.

Several Tierra Bomba passes start later, between 9:00 and 11:30 (Makani, Playa Linda, Blue Apple), and land straight in the block. Their advantage is the end of the day: Blue Apple’s last boat back leaves at 17:30 and Makani’s last slot runs to 18:00, after the sun has dropped. The table in the next section gives the cooler stretch on the sand for each month.

A resort pool with blue loungers and a footbridge on Isla Grande in the Rosario Islands — A resort pool on Isla Grande in the Rosario Islands, loungers along the edge, just before noon on a January day trip (2016).Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tables and loungers in the shade of palms on Isla Grande, facing the open sea — Tables and loungers in the shade of the palms on Isla Grande, the open sea beyond the balustrade (January 2016).Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The figuresFelt temperatures are typical values from hourly readings at the airport weather station, in the shade. Every month and hour: the weather page.

7The month

The crossing home, month by month

The Rosario and San Bernardo boats cross open sea both ways, and the sea is typically rougher from December to March. The Tierra Bomba boats cross inside the bay. The sea by month in more detail, with rain: the sea and the season.

The crossing and the late afternoon, by monthSea: typical model values. Open sand: the heat rule above, until Blue Apple’s 17:30 boat back.
Month	Sea, typically	15:00, shade with breeze	Open sand from, before 17:30
January	rougher	32 °C (90 °F)	15:30
February	rougher	31 °C (88 °F)	15:30
March	rougher	32 °C (90 °F)	15:30
April	moderate	33 °C (91 °F)	15:30
May	calmer	35 °C (95 °F)	none
June	calmer	35 °C (95 °F)	none
July	moderate	34 °C (93 °F)	none
August	calmer	35 °C (95 °F)	none
September	calmer	35 °C (95 °F)	none
October	calmer	34 °C (93 °F)	none
November	calmer	34 °C (93 °F)	none
December	rougher	34 °C (93 °F)	16:00

On a rough day the port captain can close the bay to small boats altogether; on a yellow-flag day in February 2023 boats had to be back at the dock by 15:30 (DIMAR, February 2023). Bora Bora’s cancellation policy says that when the sea or the port captain cancels the departure, you choose between a new date within six months and a full refund (its cancellation policy). A rough-sea day is also when the city pool pass at the Hotel Estelar needs no boat at all.

Your datesThe forecast for your days: Cartagena weather. Which months suit a trip: best time to visit.

SunsetThe sunset time for your month, against the late boats back: the sunset page.

8On top

What you pay at the dock, on top of the pass

Almost every pass leaves out a fee paid before boarding. What it is depends on the dock and the destination. Carry pesos in cash.

The Rosario Islands figure is the official ticket sold for the dock: the park’s part is 13,500 COP, the dock’s 18,000 COP. Bora Bora’s and Pao Pao’s figure combines a port tax with insurance. The park includes the water in front of Playa Blanca, and Parques Nacionales charges its fee to everyone entering the park by boat (the park line). What each part pays for, who is exempt and how the turnstile works: at the dock. Official prices across the city: Cartagena prices.

Tips and extras. Front-row beds, towels, VIP areas and drinks beyond the pass are sold on the island. Ask the price before you sit down or order.

Fuerte San Fernando de Bocachica seen from the water, with its gate, flag and corner sentry box — Fuerte San Fernando at Bocachica, on the southern tip of Tierra Bomba. Island boats pass it on the way out of the bay.Photo: Samael Alejandro Zapata Ibarra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Playa Blanca on Barú seen from a boat: turquoise shallows, a few swimmers, tents and thatched huts along the sand — Playa Blanca from a boat at about 11:00 on a February morning: turquoise shallows, a handful of swimmers and the tents along the top of the beach.Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Fees on top of the pass, per personOfficial figures where they exist; otherwise the club’s or the listing’s figure.
From and to	What is charged	Figure
La Bodeguita to the Rosario Islands	Park fee and dock fee, the 2026 ticket	31,500 COP
La Bodeguita, Bora Bora and Pao Pao	Port tax and insurance, in cash	40,300 COP
La Bodeguita to Islabela	Pier entrance tax, as listed	30,000 COP
Todomar marina to Cocoa Beach or Mangata	Departure or dock tax, as listed	18,000 COP
La Bodeguita to Tierra Bomba (Fenix)	The dock fee, “Uso de Muelle 2026”	18,000 COP
La Bodeguita to Blue Apple	Port tax, by the club	under 5 USD
Castillogrande landings to Tierra Bomba	The Kabanna, Palmarito, Vista Mare and Playa Linda passes name no dock fee	Ask
By road to Barú	Taxes and insurance are extra on the Nena pass	Ask

Dock fee at La Bodeguita18,000 COP“Uso de Muelle 2026”, about USD 5.

SafetyColombia’s maritime authority, DIMAR, asks visitors to book boats only with legally established companies leaving from authorised docks, and to wear the life jacket aboard (DIMAR). Choosing an operator: boat rental.

9Questions

Beach club questions

Which Cartagena beach club is closest to the city?

Without a boat, the Hotel Estelar pool day in Bocagrande. By boat, the Tierra Bomba clubs across the bay: Fenix gives its ride as 10 minutes, Makani as 15 to 20 minutes and Blue Apple as 25 minutes. Several Tierra Bomba clubs leave from the beach at Castillogrande rather than from La Bodeguita.

Is Bora Bora Beach Club adults only?

Yes. Bora Bora’s own page says the day pass is for adults only, 18 and over, for both the Club and the VIP area. Pao Pao, sold by the same operator, is listed as adults only too. For children, look at Blue Apple on weekdays, Cocoa Beach, which lists a child rate for ages 4 to 7, or the Tierra Bomba and Barú passes that let infants ride on a lap.

How do you get to Blue Apple Beach?

By the club’s own boat from Muelle de la Bodeguita, gate 1, at 10:00, 11:30 or 17:00; it comes back at 16:00 and 17:30. The ride takes about 25 minutes, and a small port tax is paid at the dock. Book the day ahead: the boat has limited seats. You can also arrive by your own boat; there is a dock near the club.

Which Cartagena beach clubs have a pool?

By what the clubs and their listings state: Hotel Estelar pool day, Club Kabanna, Fenix Beach, Makani Luxury Beach Club, Blue Apple Beach, Nena Beach Club, Hotel Isla del Sol, Islabela, Hotel Isla del Encanto. Pao Pao has poolside lounges at extra cost. For any other pass, ask the seller if a pool decides it.

Does a beach club day pass include the dock fee?

Usually not. Most Rosario passes leave out the park and dock ticket, 31,500 COP in 2026, or a port tax with insurance, 40,300 COP at Bora Bora, paid in cash before boarding. Tierra Bomba passes from La Bodeguita add the dock fee of 18,000 COP. The ledger’s column “On top” shows what each pass lists.

Are there beach clubs on San Bernardo?

Yes, but it is a long day: the San Bernardo Islands are 76 km from the Clock Tower in a straight line. A day at the Quinta del Mar beach club on Isla Tintipán includes hotel pickup to La Bodeguita, a welcome cocktail, a morning snack and loungers. Whether a night there is worth it: the San Bernardo islands.

Thatched shades, a boat on a wooden jetty and pale shallows on Isla Tintipán — Tintipán, the largest of the San Bernardo islands: thatched shades, a jetty and pale, shallow water.Photo: Williamzarza, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

Bora Bora Beach Club, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): port tax and insurance per person, not in the day pass, cash only: 40,300 COP. Bora Bora Beach Club Cartagena, official site, Pasadía Área Club page.
Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): port tax payable at the dock: under 5. Blue Apple Beach, official site, Getting Here.
Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the end of the Vía a Playa Blanca at the south end of Playa Blanca (Barú), via Vía Mamonal, Pasacaballos and the bridge over the Canal del Dique, measured on OpenStreetMap road geometry: 39.4 km. OpenStreetMap road geometry (Overpass API, fetched 2026-11-11), shortest path measured with haversine segments, 2026-11-11.
Muelle La Bodeguita, Cartagena, Colombia: ticket 'Parques Nacionales 2026 – Islas del Rosario', park fee part: 13,500 COP. Corpoturismo Cartagena de Indias: ticket store (catalogue in page source).
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).
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Booking.com listing 'Hotel Isla del Encanto', Barú, Cartagena, Colombia: boat trip from Cartagena as stated by the property: 1 h. Booking.com property page isla-del-encanto.
GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Beach Day on Tierra Bomba Island, Punta Arena' (AV COL), Cartagena, Colombia: boat ride from Cartagena to the island: 7 min. GetYourGuide product page t567775 (provider AV COL).
GetYourGuide listing 'Makani Beach Club w/ Boat Transfer, Drink & Sunbed', Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: boat time from Cartagena: 15 to 20 min. GetYourGuide product page t1297562 (provider Cartagena Day Tours).
Viator listing 'Pao Pao Beach Club Islas del Rosario Full Day Experience', Pao Pao Beach Club, Cartagena, Colombia: port fee and medical insurance, not included, per person: 40,300 COP. Viator product page d4498-103760P3 (Bora Bora Cartagena Beach Club).
GetYourGuide listing 'COCOA BEACH: Beach Club Day Pass in Islas del Rosario', Cocoa Beach, Cartagena, Colombia: departure tax, not included, per person: 18,000 COP. GetYourGuide product page cartagena-private-beach-club-day-pass-in-islas-del-rosario-t1508558 (Cocoa Beach).
GetYourGuide listing 'Rosario Islands: Beach Club W/ Lunch, Bikes, Snorkeling & DJ', Mangata Beach Club, Cartagena, Colombia: dock tax, not included, per person: 18,000 COP. GetYourGuide product page rosario-islands-beach-club-w-lunch-bikes-snorkeling-dj-t1349040 (Cartagena Day Tours).
Viator listing 'Full Day Private Island Islabela Beach Club with Food', Islabela, Cartagena, Colombia: pier entrance tax, not included, per person: 30,000 COP. Viator product page d4498-374721P55 (vuelamax actividades y tours).
Viator listing 'Bora Bora Cartagena Beach Club Full Day Experience' (d4498-103760P1, operator Bora Bora Cartagena Beach Club), Cartagena, Colombia: location as stated: Isla Grande, Rosario Islands. Viator listing d4498-103760P1, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
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.
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.
Beach-club day pass or beach day on Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (13 listings, per person): 14 to 222 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
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.
Beach-club day on Barú (Playa Blanca area, boat or road), Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (3 listings, per person): 30 to 126 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
Booking.com page 'Fenix Beach Cartagena' (Tierra Bomba): boat ride from the city, as stated: 10 min. Booking.com property page, read 2026-11-11.
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.
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.
Bora Bora Beach Club, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): what the Área Club day pass includes: round-trip speedboat, welcome cocktail, lunch with 5 choices, a lounger from the second row. Bora Bora Beach Club Cartagena, official site, Pasadía Área Club page.
Bora Bora Beach Club, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): age rule for the day pass: adults only, 18 and over. Bora Bora Beach Club Cartagena, official site, Pasadía Área Club page.
Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): boat ride from Cartagena: 25. Blue Apple Beach, official site, Getting Here.
Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): location: Bocachica, on the southern shore of Tierra Bomba, facing the open sea. Blue Apple Beach, official site, FAQs.
Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): children: children welcome during the week; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are only for the over-12s. Blue Apple Beach, official site, FAQs.
Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): mood, in its own words: quiet during the week, livelier at weekends. Blue Apple Beach, official site, FAQs.
Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): day pass options: club day pass with the boat (sun lounger chosen and paid separately, food and drink paid as you go), or an all-in-one pass that adds a 2-course lunch and one cocktail. Blue Apple Beach, official site, FAQs.
Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): pool: a pool, with VIP daybeds in front of it; loungers by the pool or on the beach. Blue Apple Beach, official site, FAQs.
Blue Apple Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia (official site): the crossing, as the club describes it: within the bay of Cartagena, so 'the infamous rough afternoon seas do not affect us'. Blue Apple Beach, official site, Getting Here.
Bora Bora Beach Club, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia (official cancellation policy): when the departure is cancelled for sea conditions or by the port captain, the guest chooses at no cost: a new date within six months or a full refund. Bora Bora Beach Club: Políticas de cancelación.
DIMAR advice to visitors taking boats in Cartagena, Colombia: Book tours and sea transport only with legally established companies that leave from authorised docks; wear the life jacket aboard; do not jump in or swim around boats under way or at anchor. DIMAR: 'Cartagena refuerza seguridad marítima para la temporada de mitad de año', 2024-06-21.
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).
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).
Distances on the chart. Straight-line distance from the Clock Tower, computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates (ODbL).
Ship days. Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena, Programación de Cruceros 2026-27 (PDF updated 2026-11-03).

Photographs

A Tierra Bomba beach with small waves and the Bocagrande skyline across the bay. Photo: LauFlorez, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Island day-trip speedboats with twin outboard engines tied up at a dock in Cartagena. Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Loungers under a slatted shade on a Tierra Bomba beach, with the Bocagrande towers across the water. Photo: Richardaemix, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
High aerial view over a Rosario island toward the open sea and other islands. Photo: República de Colombia (Presidencia de la República), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A resort pool with blue loungers and a footbridge on Isla Grande in the Rosario Islands. Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tables and loungers in the shade of palms on Isla Grande, facing the open sea. Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fuerte San Fernando de Bocachica seen from the water, with its gate, flag and corner sentry box. Photo: Samael Alejandro Zapata Ibarra, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Playa Blanca on Barú seen from a boat: turquoise shallows, a few swimmers, tents and thatched huts along the sand. Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Thatched shades, a boat on a wooden jetty and pale shallows on Isla Tintipán. Photo: Williamzarza, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons