Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Islands
The peninsula you can drive to
Isla Barú: Playa Blanca by road or by boat
Barú is the one island near Cartagena with a road onto it. That road brings the coaches; the boats bring the island tours. Which of the two you take, and whether you stay the night, decides what kind of Playa Blanca you get.
I went to Barú on my trip to Cartagena in October 2023. Rainer Lang, editor
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.
1The answer
Is Barú worth it, and which way in?
Isla Barú is the long peninsula south of Cartagena, Colombia, cut off by the Canal del Dique and joined to the mainland by a road bridge. Its Playa Blanca is worth a day if you want pale sand and clear, shallow water and can share them. By road it is 39 km from the Clock Tower: about 2 hours on a beach-club coach that first collects guests at six pickup points in the city, or 50 to 60 minutes by car by the Aviario Nacional’s own figure. There is no dock, but the park’s accident insurance applies. By boat it is a stop on an island day, with 31,500 COP per person at the dock. Road tours are back in the city at 15:00, so a night on Barú puts you on the sand before and after them.
| Way | Pick it if | Skip it if |
|---|---|---|
| A road day to Playa Blanca | You want the beach, the cheapest day out and no sea crossing | You want the beach to yourself |
| A boat day with Playa Blanca as a stop | You want snorkeling in the Rosario Islands and the beach in one day | You want to avoid a rough ride, or travel December to March with small children |
| A night on Playa Blanca | You want the sand at sunrise and after the tours leave | You want a resort pool |
| The quieter parts of Barú | You want a resort, the lagoon side or the far south | You want Playa Blanca itself |
By boat, per person31,500 COPPark and dock fees together in 2026, about USD 10, paid at Muelle de la Bodeguita unless the tour includes them.
By roadNo dock and no dock fee. The park’s accident insurance and where the park begins: what is inside the park.
2The plan
The peninsula on one plan
The bridge at Pasacaballos.
Coaches and taxis leave the city on Vía Mamonal through the industrial zone, pass Pasacaballos and cross the Canal del Dique on the bridge, 24 km from the Clock Tower. From here the road runs through Ararca and Santa Ana.
The Aviario Nacional.
Beside the junction where the beach road leaves the Vía a Barú, 38 km by road. See the aviary on the way.
Playa Blanca.
The beach road ends at the south end of the sand, 39 km by road. The beach runs north for about 2.4 km, lined with posadas, kitchens and beach clubs (map).
The hotel zone.
Large resort hotels on the coast north of Playa Blanca, with their own beaches.
Cholón.
The shallow lagoon where party boats gather, 32 km in a straight line from the Clock Tower. More on the islands page.
Barú village.
The fishing village at the end of the road, 51 km from the Clock Tower (map).
Playa Tranquila.
The north end of Playa Blanca, where several beach clubs and the boat tours land. See the quieter parts.
How to read it. The coral line is Playa Blanca. The solid line is the road, and its figures are measured along the road from the Clock Tower. The dashed lines are the boat routes drawn straight from La Bodeguita: Playa Blanca lies 23 km from the Clock Tower as the crow flies, but boats leave the bay through Bocachica and sail farther than that.
Why the road matters. Coaches arrive from the land side and tour boats from the sea, on the same sand. The national parks authority has proposed a daily visitor limit for Playa Blanca, split between arrivals by sea and by land; in 2026 it was still a draft.
What is inside the park. The Rosario and San Bernardo islands and the sea around them form a national park, PNN Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo. At Playa Blanca on Barú, Parques Nacionales draws the park’s limit along the line of the highest tides (Resolución 0255 de 2017): the dry sand is outside the park, the water in front of it inside. Since 1 March 2026, everyone entering the park must carry its accident and assistance insurance; in June 2026 Parques Nacionales called Playa Blanca the park’s main point of entry, where its staff checked that insurance with Cartagena’s tourism office and the police (Parques Nacionales). The park’s 2026 fee resolution lists no charge for arriving by road. At the Cholón lagoon the shore falls under two authorities: CARDIQUE, the regional environmental agency, and the national park (Parques Nacionales, 2022). Jet skis and other motor water sports are prohibited in the Rosario Islands archipelago, including Playa Blanca and Cholón (DIMAR, February 2023).
3The hour
Playa Blanca on the clock
November On the sand, which has no shade, it typically feels like 33 °C (91 °F) or less with the breeze until about 7:45, and it does not drop back below that before sunset at 17:37. Road tours are back in Cartagena at 15:00.
Sunrise 5:57Sunset 17:37Rain on about 9 days a monthSea typically calmer15 ship days
- Cooler on the sand, with the breeze
- Road tours, door to door
- Feels like (shade)
- With breeze
- At the dock
- Sunset
Road tours pick up from 7:00 and are back in the city at 15:00. Boat tours meet at the dock at 8:30 and reach the sand after their island stops; island boats are back at the dock about 16:30. The cooler windows are the hours when, with the breeze, it typically feels like 33 °C (91 °F) or less on open sand, from hourly readings at the airport weather station.
| Tour | Way | Stated times |
|---|---|---|
| Tours Aventura, small-group road day (GetYourGuide) | Coach | Pickups 7:00 to 8:15, return to Cartagena at 15:00 |
| El Mirador de Barú, beach-club day (Viator) | Coach, then a short boat | Starts at 7:30; 6 hours at Playa Blanca |
| Meray Agency, beach-club day (GetYourGuide) | Coach, then a speedboat | 2 hours on the coach, 7 minutes by speedboat, 5 hours at the club |
| Corales Cartagena, Rosario Islands and Playa Blanca (GetYourGuide) | Boat from La Bodeguita | Meets at 8:30; island stops first, then 2.5 hours at Playa Tranquila |
| Aviario Nacional | On the road | Monday to Sunday 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:00 |
What this means for you. A day trip by coach or boat puts you on the sand in the middle of the day. To be there early or late, sleep on Barú, hire a car at your own hours, or hire a private boat (what a private boat day must include).
Off a cruise ship, Barú is tight. Road tours are back in the city at 15:00; the most common call this season is 7:30 to 18:00, and 31 calls sail at 14:00. Tierra Bomba or a city beach is the shorter half day; ask your cruise line (the cruise port).
4Side by side
Road or boat, line by line
| Compared | By road | By boat |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A shared coach or van tour, a beach-club day with transfers, or a taxi you hire for the day | A speedboat tour of the Rosario Islands that stops at Playa Blanca, a party boat to Cholón, or a private boat |
| From where | Hotel pickup in Bocagrande, El Laguito, Castillogrande, the old town or the north | Muelle de la Bodeguita, on Avenida Blas de Lezo in Centro |
| Distance | 39 km by road from the Clock Tower | 23 km in a straight line from the Clock Tower; the route sailed is longer |
| Getting there | About 2 hours on a beach-club coach that makes six pickups first; a car for four, there, waiting and back: 250,000 to 300,000 COP | Island stops first; the beach comes after them |
| Time on the sand | About 6 hours on a coach day | About 2.5 hours on the Corales speedboat day |
| Usually included | Transport, guide, lunch; at a beach club also loungers, toilets and sometimes a pool | Speedboat, guide, snorkeling stops, lunch and a lounger at a beach club |
| You pay on top | The park’s accident insurance unless the tour includes it; drinks, tents or loungers outside a club. No park fee is set for arrival by road (the park) | The park and dock fees, 31,500 COP, and the insurance, unless the tour includes them |
| What it sells for | 5 road day trips with lunch, 24 to 50 USD; 3 beach-club days on Barú, 30 to 126 USD | 11 shared island-hopping days that stop here, 65 to 166 USD |
| The sea | No crossing (some clubs add a short boat ride from the road) | Typically rougher from December to March, calmer from May to November |
| Pick it for | A beach day, small children, a budget, no crossing | Islands and beach in one day, snorkeling |
5By road
By road: coaches, vans and taxis over the bridge
The road day is the simple one. A coach or van collects you at your hotel and drives south through the Mamonal industrial zone, over the bridge and across Barú: By bus through the Mamonal industrial zone and over the bridge to Barú, past Ararca, Santa Ana and the village of Barú. The Aviario’s visitor page gives the drive to its gate, 1.4 km short of the end of the beach road, as about 50 minutes from Cartagena, and warns of people flagging cars down on the way: Common at the bridge, the Ararca turn-off and in front of the Aviario, offering guides to Playa Blanca; do not open the window or stop the car.
Three kinds of road day
- A plain beach day with lunch. The coach drops you on the sand and the day is yours. Road tours include the bus, a guide and a lunch of fried fish or chicken with coconut rice, patacón and salad. Not included on one: Drinks, boat and natural park not included.
- A beach-club day. Same road, but the day is spent at one club with loungers, toilets and sometimes a pool. Some clubs at the north end add a short boat ride.
- A taxi or a hired car. The same road, at your own hours. The Aviario’s estimate for a car for four, there, waiting and back: 250,000 to 300,000 COP. Agree the price, the waiting time and the hour you leave before you set off.
Book a road day
- Barú Island, Playa Blanca tour with lunch: hotel pickup in Bocagrande, El Laguito and Castillogrande, an air-conditioned bus, a guide and lunch; back in the late afternoon.
- Playa Blanca Barú with lunch, guide and transport: pickups from La Boquilla to Manga and at the Clock Tower; back in Cartagena at 15:00.
- Playa Blanca Barú day trip by the land route: pickup in Marbella, Bocagrande, El Laguito and Castillogrande, lunch, and chairs, tents or umbrellas on the sand.
- Playa Blanca day at Mambo Beach: the day at one club with toilets, lockers and chairs, a lunch voucher, towels and travel insurance.
- Barú beach club day with pool, lunch and transfers: starts at 7:30, beach beds, a pool and lunch. The insurance payment when boarding the club’s boat is not included.
The insuranceSold by the approved insurers, Positiva Compañía de Seguros, with Magenta Seguros, and Aseguradora Zurich; Parques Nacionales does not publish its price (June 2026). Ask the operator whether your ticket includes it.
On the sandAgree every price before anything starts. Jet skis and other motor water sports are banned at Playa Blanca (the park).
Read nextEvery beach near the city, by travel time: Cartagena beaches. Other trips out of the city: day trips.
6By boat
By boat: Playa Blanca as one stop of an island day
The boat day is an island day: you leave Muelle de la Bodeguita in the morning, pass the forts at Bocachica, snorkel or swim in the Rosario Islands, and end with lunch and a few hours at a beach club on Playa Blanca, then run back to the dock.
What you pay at the dock: 31,500 COP per person in 2026, park and dock fees together. The breakdown, the insurance, the gates and the morning routine: at the dock on the Rosario Islands page.
Yellow fever. The boat day runs inside the national park. What the park authority, CDC and Migración Colombia each say about the vaccine for an island day: yellow fever and the islands.
Before you book. The price usually leaves things out: one road tour lists Drinks, boat and natural park not included, and on the boat days the dock fee is paid on the day. On adverse days DIMAR can order a total closure to navigation for small boats, and Canada’s advisory notes Accidents with unlicensed tour boats noted in Cartagena, San Andrés and Santa Marta.
Book a boat day that stops on Barú
- Rosario Islands excursion with snorkeling and Playa Blanca: Return speedboat, guide, snorkeling, a view of Isla del Pavito and a sunken light aircraft, lunch, sun loungers, beach bed and hammocks at a beach club on Playa Blanca. The dock fee is paid on the day.
- Full day to five places in the Rosario Islands: a speedboat day that takes in Barú, Cholón and Playa Blanca.
- Party boat to three island beach clubs with lunch: Barú, Isla Grande and Cholón.
- Island-hopping party boat with Cholón and Barú: five stops with lunch.
- Private speedboat to the Rosario Islands and Barú: your group’s boat for a day; settle the fees, the insurance and lunch in writing before you pay.
The sea. For the boat, the month matters more than the hour: the sea is typically rougher from December to March, most of all on the ride back, and calmer from May to November. Month by month: the sea and the season.
Park fee, per person13,500 COPThe 2026 entry fee for the national park, one price for every nationality, about USD 4.00.
Dock fee, per person18,000 COP“Uso de Muelle 2026” at La Bodeguita, about USD 5.
Who should take the roadThe speedboat tour above says it is not suitable for people prone to seasickness, pregnant women, people with back problems or babies. DIMAR’s advice: 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).
7Elsewhere on Barú
The quieter parts of Barú
Playa Blanca is one strip of the west coast. The rest of Barú is dry country, mangroves, lagoons and villages, and its other beaches belong mostly to hotels and clubs.
Playa Tranquila, the north end of the beach
The north end of Playa Blanca is Playa Tranquila, with several beach clubs. One road day ends with a speedboat ride of 7 minutes from the road to its club: Barú beach club day trip with lunch.
Cholón, the party lagoon
Cholón is the opposite of quiet: a shallow lagoon on Barú where party boats gather. The party day: Cholón on the islands page.
The far south: Barú village and Punta Blanca
The Vía a Barú runs on past the beach junction to the village of Barú, 51 km from the Clock Tower by road. Around it and at Punta Blanca, the far western tip, are small beaches and hotels, several of them reached by boat. The lagoon side near Cholón has hotels with their own beaches and pools. Who stays where is in a night on Barú.
Glowing plankton after dark
Tours to see the bioluminescent plankton spend the afternoon at a beach club and go out after nightfall: the Barú beach club and bioluminescent plankton tour runs 5 hours, with pickup in Bocagrande, and the full day on Barú with mangroves, snorkel, sunset and plankton stays out all day. The two plankton evenings listed start at 79 to 91 USD a person, the lowest price listed on GetYourGuide, read 12 November 2026; nothing in either listing promises the glow.
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Other islandsA shorter crossing is Tierra Bomba, across the bay. For a day pass at a club with a pool, compare the beach clubs. The far islands: San Bernardo.
Which islandFive groups side by side, with five questions to pick one: Cartagena islands.
8On the way
The Aviario Nacional, beside the beach road
The Aviario Nacional de Colombia sits beside the junction where the beach road leaves the Vía a Barú, 38 km from the Clock Tower and a few minutes short of Playa Blanca. It shows Colombia’s birds in walk-through habitats. It is open Monday to Sunday 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:00 (visitor information).
Fitting it into a beach day. Coach tours to Playa Blanca do not stop here. With a taxi or a hired car, see the aviary at 9:00, when it opens and before the heat, and be on the sand by late morning; or come back at the end of the day, before the last entry. Without a car, the aviary tour with hotel pickup runs 5 hours. The full visit, with what to see and the best hour, is on the Aviario Nacional page.
Foreign adult90,000 COPFrom 1 September 2026, about USD 27 (price notice).
Foreign child or student65,000 COPForeign visitors, 2026, about USD 20.
TicketsAlso sold online.
9Overnight
A night on Barú
With a night on Barú you are on the sand at sunrise, before the road tours arrive, and after they leave for the city; in the middle of the day you share it with them.
“A hotel on Playa Blanca”
These are small properties on the sand itself, a few steps from the water, by type:
- HotelHotel Calamari Baru: on Playa Blanca in the Motica sector, family rooms with balconies and sea views, a private beach area.
- Beach club and hotelNena Beach Club and Hotel: on the beach road, direct beach access and a pool.
- CabinCabaña Coral Azul: at Playa Tranquila, the north end, with sea-view rooms.
- Bar with roomsThe Wizard and Bar Barú: on the sand among the posadas, with a restaurant and bar.
The resort hotels elsewhere on Barú
Away from Playa Blanca are bigger hotels with their own beach, several reached by boat:
- Five-star hotelHotel Las Islas: on the Cholón lagoon, with a spa, an outdoor pool and a private beach area.
- Four-star hotelAura Hotel Barú: a private beach near Cholón Bay and a pool; the hotel gives Cartagena as about 45 minutes by boat.
- HotelHotel Carey Beach Baru: at Punta Blanca, the western tip, with a private beachfront and quiet surroundings.
- Hotel with mealsHotel Isla del Encanto: near the village of Barú, meals included, 1 hour by boat from Cartagena, the boat at extra cost.
How to choose. Stay on Playa Blanca if the beach is the point and simple rooms are fine. Stay at a resort for a pool and quiet, and accept a boat transfer. For the city instead: where to stay in Cartagena.
Getting there with luggageTo a hotel on Playa Blanca, the road is easiest: a taxi or the hotel’s shuttle. To the resorts in the south, ask the hotel which way it brings guests, by road or by boat, and from where.
BringCash in pesos, a torch and insect repellent. Before you go: is Cartagena safe.
10Questions
Barú, asked and answered
Is Barú, Colombia worth visiting?
Yes, for a beach day with pale sand and clear, shallow water, if you accept company at midday. Road tours are on the beach from morning until they head back to the city, and boat tours arrive after their island stops. For a quieter Barú, choose a beach club at Playa Tranquila, a resort on the lagoon side, or a night on Playa Blanca.
How do I get to Isla Barú from Cartagena?
By road or by boat. Coaches and vans pick up at hotels from 7:00 and drive through Mamonal and over the bridge at Pasacaballos; a taxi takes the same road. By boat, Barú is a stop on Rosario Islands tours from Muelle de la Bodeguita, where you pay 31,500 COP in park and dock fees unless the tour includes them.
How long is the boat ride from Cartagena to Barú?
It depends on the boat and the stops. Hotels on Barú give about 45 minutes to 1 hour by boat, and a party boat gives about 45 minutes from Cholón back to the dock. Tours that stop in the Rosario Islands first take most of the morning to reach the beach.
Is it worth visiting Playa Blanca?
Yes, if the beach itself is the goal. The sand and the shallow water are the reason; sharing them with the day tours is the cost. Road tours are back in the city at 15:00, so a night on the beach, or a beach club at the north end, gives you the sand before and after them.
How far is Isla Barú from Cartagena?
By road it is 39 km from the Clock Tower to Playa Blanca and 51 km to the village of Barú. In a straight line, Playa Blanca lies 23 km from the Clock Tower, but boats leave the bay through Bocachica, so the route sailed is longer.
Sources
- Aviario Nacional de Colombia (Barú, km 14.5, near Cartagena, Colombia): foreign adult ticket: 90,000 COP. Aviario Nacional de Colombia: Aviso actualización de tarifas 2026, 2026-08-13.
- Aviario Nacional de Colombia (Barú, km 14.5, near Cartagena, Colombia): foreign child 2-12 / student ticket: 65,000 COP. Aviario Nacional de Colombia: Aviso actualización de tarifas 2026, 2026-08-13.
- Aviario Nacional de Colombia (Barú, km 14.5, near Cartagena, Colombia): opening hours: Monday to Sunday 9:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:00. Aviario Nacional de Colombia: Info para tu visita, 2026-11-04.
- Road distance from the junction of the Vía a Playa Blanca beside the Aviario Nacional (Barú, near Cartagena, Colombia) to the end of that road at the south end of Playa Blanca, length of OSM way 181383532: 1.4 km. OpenStreetMap way 181383532 'Vía a Playa Blanca', geometry as fetched 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
- 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.
- Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the bridge over the Canal del Dique at Pasacaballos (road to Barú), measured on OpenStreetMap road geometry: 23.9 km. OpenStreetMap road geometry (Overpass API, fetched 2026-11-11), shortest path measured with haversine segments, 2026-11-11.
- Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the junction of the Vía a Playa Blanca beside the Aviario Nacional on Barú, measured on OpenStreetMap road geometry: 37.9 km. OpenStreetMap road geometry (Overpass API, fetched 2026-11-11), shortest path measured with haversine segments, 2026-11-11.
- Road distance from the Clock Tower, Cartagena, Colombia to the village of Barú at the south end of the peninsula, measured on OpenStreetMap road geometry: 50.6 km. OpenStreetMap road geometry (Overpass API, fetched 2026-11-11), shortest path measured with haversine segments, 2026-11-11.
- PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: entry fee (all areas except the San Bernardo sector), single price for nationals and foreigners: 13,500 COP. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025, 2025-12-19.
- 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.
- 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.
- Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025 (Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia): land-transport (vehicle) entry charge set for PNN Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo: none listed. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 551 de 19 de diciembre de 2025 (text PDF uploaded Feb 2026), 2025-12-19.
- Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, Resolución 070 of 25 May 2022 (file 036-2019): a mangrove clearing on the shore of the Cholón lagoon, sector Barú, lay in two environmental jurisdictions: CARDIQUE and PNN Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo. Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia: Resolución 070 del 25/05/2022 (archivo indagación preliminar 036-2019), 2022-05-25.
- PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo (Islas del Rosario), near Cartagena, Colombia: insurers approved for the mandatory accident insurance: Positiva Compañía de Seguros, with Magenta Seguros, and Aseguradora Zurich. 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.
- DIMAR notice of February 2023 on motor water sports (jet ski, towed tubes and rings) near Cartagena, Colombia: prohibited in the Rosario Islands archipelago, including Playa Blanca and Cholón. DIMAR: notice 24 Feb 2023, 2023-02-24.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Rosario Islands Excursion with Snorkeling and Playa Blanca in Barú' (CORALES CARTAGENA), Cartagena, Colombia: time at Playa Tranquila on Playa Blanca (lunch, free time, swimming): 2.5 h. GetYourGuide product page t934710 (provider CORALES CARTAGENA), itinerary block.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Rosario Islands Excursion with Snorkeling and Playa Blanca in Barú', Cartagena, Colombia: what the boat day includes: Return speedboat, guide, snorkeling, a view of Isla del Pavito and a sunken light aircraft, lunch, sun loungers, beach bed and hammocks at a beach club on Playa Blanca. GetYourGuide product page t934710 (provider CORALES CARTAGENA), Includes.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Baru Island Beach Club Day Trip with Lunch' (Meray Agency), Cartagena, Colombia: coach from Cartagena to Barú Plaza: 2 h. GetYourGuide product page t1463107 (provider Meray Agency), itinerary block.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Baru Island Beach Club Day Trip with Lunch' (Meray Agency), Cartagena, Colombia: speedboat from Barú Plaza to the beach club at Playa Tranquila: 7 min. GetYourGuide product page t1463107 (provider Meray Agency), itinerary block.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Baru Island Beach Club Day Trip with Lunch' (Meray Agency), Cartagena, Colombia: free time at the beach club on Playa Tranquila: 5 h. GetYourGuide product page t1463107 (provider Meray Agency), itinerary block.
- Viator listing 'Cartagena Full-Day Beach Club Access With Lunch, Transfers' (El Mirador de Baru, product 5573502P1), Cartagena, Colombia: start time: 7:30. Viator product page 5573502P1 (supplier El Mirador de Baru), Meeting and Pickup.
- Viator listings 'Cartagena Full-Day Beach Club Access With Lunch, Transfers' (5573502P1) and 'Visit in Cartagena Playa Blanca in Baru Island' (172398P5), Cartagena, Colombia: time at Playa Blanca in the itinerary: 6 h. Viator product pages 5573502P1 (El Mirador de Baru) and 172398P5 (Nexxt Tours), itinerary blocks.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Barú Island, Playa Blanca Tour with Lunch' (AV COL), Cartagena, Colombia: not included: Drinks, boat and natural park not included. GetYourGuide product page t605513 (provider AV COL), Includes.
- 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.
- Booking.com listing 'Aura Hotel Barú', Barú, Cartagena, Colombia: boat time to Cartagena as stated by the property: about 45 min. Booking.com property page sport-baru.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Barú Island, Playa Blanca Tour with Lunch' (AV COL), Cartagena, Colombia: road route to Playa Blanca: By bus through the Mamonal industrial zone and over the bridge to Barú, past Ararca, Santa Ana and the village of Barú. GetYourGuide product page t605513 (provider AV COL).
- GetYourGuide listing 'Playa Blanca Barú with Lunch, Tour Guide and Transportation' (Tours Aventura), Cartagena, Colombia: day plan by road: pickups 7:00 to 8:15, return to Cartagena at 15:00. GetYourGuide product page t1421808 (provider Tours Aventura).
- GetYourGuide listing 'Barú Island, Playa Blanca Tour with Lunch' (AV COL), Cartagena, Colombia: length of the Playa Blanca beach as stated by the operator: 2.4 km. GetYourGuide product page t605513 (provider AV COL).
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena Urban Party Boat to Cholón: 5 Stops with Lunch and Drinks' (KevinTour02), Cartagena, Colombia: speedboat from Cholón back to Muelle de la Bodeguita: 45 min. GetYourGuide product page t1263278 (provider KevinTour02), itinerary block.
- 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.
- 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.
- Playa Blanca Barú day trip by road with lunch (shared), Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide and Viator, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (5 listings, per person): 24 to 50 USD. GetYourGuide and Viator Cartagena pages (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
- Barú bioluminescent plankton evening tour, Cartagena, Colombia: lowest to highest from-price on GetYourGuide, read 12 November 2026, in US dollars (2 listings, per person): 79 to 91 USD. GetYourGuide Cartagena page (read 2026-11-12, USD), 2026-11-12.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: 5-Stop Rosario Islands Day Tour with Lunch & Beach Club Passes', Cartagena, Colombia: Eco ticket hours: 8:00 to 16:30. GetYourGuide product page t497946.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Aviary National Park Tour with Hotel Pickup', Cartagena, Colombia: duration: 5 h. GetYourGuide product page t834089.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Barú Beach Club and Bioluminescent Plankton Tour', Cartagena, Colombia: duration: 5 h. GetYourGuide product page t1545255.
- GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Rosario Islands Excursion with Snorkeling and Playa Blanca in Barú', Cartagena, Colombia: meeting time at Muelle de la Bodeguita, gate 2: 8:30. GetYourGuide product page t934710.
- 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.
- Government of Canada on boating accidents in Colombia: Accidents with unlicensed tour boats noted in Cartagena, San Andrés and Santa Marta. Government of Canada: Travel advice Colombia, 2026-11-02.
- Aviario Nacional visitor page on the road to Barú, near Cartagena, Colombia: people flagging cars down: Common at the bridge, the Ararca turn-off and in front of the Aviario, offering guides to Playa Blanca; do not open the window or stop the car. Aviario Nacional de Colombia: Info para tu visita.
- 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.
- Aviario Nacional de Colombia, questions page (Barú, near Cartagena, Colombia): travel time by car from the historic center as stated by the Aviario: about 60 min. Aviario Nacional de Colombia: Preguntas Frecuentes, 2026-08-14.
- Aviario Nacional visitor page, Barú, near Cartagena, Colombia: estimated price of a third-party car for 4 passengers from the Clock Tower, there, waiting and back: 250,000 to 300,000 COP. Aviario Nacional de Colombia: Info para tu visita.
- Aviario Nacional visitor page, Barú, near Cartagena, Colombia: travel time from Cartagena as stated by the Aviario: 50 min. Aviario Nacional de Colombia: Info para tu visita.
- Ship days. Sociedad Portuaria Regional de Cartagena, Programación de Cruceros 2026-27 (PDF updated 2026-11-03).
- Distances on the chart. Straight-line distance from the Clock Tower, computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates (ODbL).
- 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).
Photographs
- 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
- Cañaguate trees in yellow flower in dry pasture beside a fence on Barú. Photo: Anamajitri, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Playa Blanca on Barú at ground level: pale sand, turquoise shallows, boats close to the swimmers and stalls along the beach. Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chicken and plantains on a charcoal grill at a beach kitchen on Playa Blanca, with a boat in the turquoise water. Photo: Gatograma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- The Cholón lagoon on a busy day: people standing waist-deep among thatched bars in the water. Photo: Imagen23jr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A beach near the village of Barú at the south end of the peninsula, with a buoy line and moored boats. Photo: Project5443, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Late afternoon on Playa Blanca: the sun low over the sea, a single boat at the shore and a buoy line. Photo: Dasha Shishkova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A rustic beach hostel on Playa Blanca at dusk: hammock beds and loungers facing the sea under a wooden deck. Photo: Gatograma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Playa Blanca on Barú from the air (Barú, not the Rosario Islands). Photo: Felipeortegag, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fishermen in a canoe off Barú at sunset (Barú). Photo: SergiXCX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons