Add dates

Cartagena Snorkeling

Our most recommended Cartagena Snorkeling

Cartagena: Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch and Snorkel

1. Cartagena: Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch and Snorkel

Set sail for the Rosario and San Bernardo Corals National Natural Park on a full-day tour from Cartagena. The catamaran departs from the Muelle de la Bodeguita pier in front of the walled city. After your welcome drink, enjoy the journey to the Rosario Islands, sailing and motor sailing on the catamaran. The vessel is equipped with comfortable seats, where you can sit both in the shade and in the sun. There is a bar service on board, so you can enjoy a variety of soft drinks throughout the excursion.  Experience paradise with a stop in front of an idyllic beach of turquoise waters and white sands, where you can swim and play with fun inflatables. Practice snorkeling, if you wish, and admire the fascinating underwater life with colorful tropical fish and various types of coral. The crew will prepare a delicious lunch for you to enjoy on board while you sail back to Cartagena at the end of a relaxing day.

Cartagena: Rosario Islands Day Tour with Snorkel & Lunch

2. Cartagena: Rosario Islands Day Tour with Snorkel & Lunch

Experience clear blue waters, white sand, and awesome corals on a day tour to the Corales del Rosario National Park. Discover the group of islands on the coast of Colombia, a perfect natural environment to have fun and relax. Start the day from the meeting point and after a speedboat ride, explore the fortress on Bocachica island. Continue to a relaxing private island where beach chairs and umbrellas await you. Spend time in the sun and have a seafood cocktail or lemonade in one of the most beautiful places you will visit. Afterward, continue to Cholon to enjoy a mini party in the water with music, drinks, and people from other boats. Finally, stop at Playa Blanca in Barú Island, where there will be a more private space waiting for you away from the main concentration of boats and vendors. Here, eat a typical island lunch and spend the rest of the day on the beach, relaxing and swimming, before returning to Cartagena.

Cartagena: 5 Islands Tour with Snorkeling and Plankton

3. Cartagena: 5 Islands Tour with Snorkeling and Plankton

Explore one of the Caribbean's top destinations, full of wonderful beaches, snorkelling opportunities and history, in Cartagena's surrounding islands. Get deeply acquainted with the former colonial port turned touristic hub with an extensive tour of its most iconic locations. Begin early in the morning, at 7:30 am, leaving from the hotel area in Bocagrande or Laguito, as well as the northern part of Cartagena. Rendezvous with your guide for the tour at the Pegasus Pier, where a sport boat will be waiting to take you sailing across the entire Bay of Cartagena. You will sail around the island of Bocachica, a stunning sight and where the city's first fortification was built. Stop at Isla Grande, famous for the mansion Pablo Escobar built, as well as the wreckage of one of his private planes. Following this landmark, the snorkelling begins in the natural pool of San Martín de Pajarales. Relax afterwards at the Cholón Island with a typical Caribbean lunch, as well as music coming from boats and yachts. Once rested, you'll head to Agua Azul Island, where crystal clear water greets you to enjoy of an unforgettable landscape. Just as the night begins to roll in, you'll head to a beach to witness the light show put on by the plankton. Marvel at their bioluminescent effect before heading back to the bus shuttles that will drive you back to your lodging.

Cartagena: Snorkel, Mangroves and Playa Blanca Tour

4. Cartagena: Snorkel, Mangroves and Playa Blanca Tour

Get picked up from your accommodation at 7:30 AM in an air-conditioned bus. Meet your guide who will provide all the details about your upcoming adventure and the route. At 9 AM, arrive at the island of Baru and board a boat. Cruise for 15 minutes through the crystal clear waters until you arrive at the snorkeling site. After 1 hour of enjoyable snorkeling, continue the tour into the mangroves to see birds, iguanas, and other species. Discover the fascinating landscapes of the island and the life of the native species who inhabit this magical ecosystem. At 1 PM, head back to Playa Blanca to enjoy a delicious lunch with options of fish, chicken, or vegetarian. Once you've eaten, spend some time swimming in the clear waters or relaxing on the beautiful white sand beach. At 3:30 PM, board the return bus which will drop you off back at your hotel.

Cartagena: Bioluminescent Plankton Tour

5. Cartagena: Bioluminescent Plankton Tour

Admire an extraordinary natural phenomenon which only occurs in a few parts of the world– the bioluminescent plankton. Begin your tour during the afternoon, as the sun begins to set. Gain an understanding of these unique creatures from your knowledgable guide. Hop aboard your boat and sail for 10 minutes to the cove of Puerto Naito. Dive into sea and swim in the warm water which is full of bioluminescent plankton. With every movement you make, the plankton will generate light, creating a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Choose to meet at the meeting point or choose the option including roundtrip transportation. If you choose the option with transportation, you’ll also have some free time to explore Playa Blanca.

Cartagena: Rosario Islands Private Boat Tour with Snorkeling

6. Cartagena: Rosario Islands Private Boat Tour with Snorkeling

Your trip to Cartagena won’t be complete without giving yourself a whole day just to chill and relax in the beach. And what better way of doing it than going to a place away from all the noise and chaos of the city. Get on board and travel with us for less than an hour to Rosario National Natural Park, a group of Colombian Caribbean islands of amazingly blue waters, white soft sand and great coral reefs that, due to the intact ecosystem of its archipelago, was declared a protected area. This trip will start early in the morning, after you get picked up from the hotel or the chosen departure spot and then driven to the port to take the boat. You will stop in Playa Grande where you will have the chance to snorkel for a while (masks, safety recommendations and guides will be handed) and see the corals. Then, you will jump to Cholón, a famous party island, where you will stop to take some drinks and pictures. And the final stop will be in Playa Blanca, at Barú island. You will have a private space where you will be able to spend the rest of the day just lying down the beach chairs under the palm trees shade, swimming into the pristine water, or even playing something or reading a book. Time will be all yours. Of course, a traditional lunch will be included in the tour and you will get the chance to taste Caribbean flavors with fresh fried fish, yuca or green plantain sort of chips and coconut-based rice. Don’t forget also trying fruity cocktails made by locals to refresh your sunny and relaxing day. You just bring your best beach attitude and we will do the rest.

From Cartagena: Rosario Islands Day Trip

7. From Cartagena: Rosario Islands Day Trip

After pick-up from your hotel, head to the port to board a speedboat with a small group; this boat will take you to the area of the archipelago. On the route, have an excellent view of Tierra Bomba, a beautiful island right outside of the city. Cartagena shrinks as you spot islands of all shapes and sizes surrounded by crystal clear water. The beauty of the Rosario islands of Colombia will amaze you. Arrive at an eco-hotel on Isla del Sol, a private island with beach and crystal clear waters, swimming pool, hammock kiosk, bar, and a small restaurant. Decide how to structure your time, whether that be relaxing or taking part in the offered activities such as hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and body-massage. Alternatively, embark on a trip to the aquarium. Enjoy a wonderful open-water display which hosts the best examples of marine biodiversity in the region. After visiting the aquarium, head back to the island just in time for a tasty lunch prepared with fresh fish and the best ingredients of the region. After lunch, enjoy some time to relax at the beach before returning to Cartagena. Upon your arrival to the harbor, you will be taken back to the port.

Mambo beach with mangrove and snorkel

8. Mambo beach with mangrove and snorkel

In our tour Mambo + snorkel + mangrove you will make a short tour of several points of the city, and you will be told a little history of the fantastic Cartagena, after an hour drive we will arrive at our beach club Mambo where you can enjoy crystal clear waters and a place of tranquility, During the day you will live a magnificent experience with the tour through the mangroves where you will have the opportunity to feed the raccoons, you can also appreciate the flora of the place, and finally, we will snorkel where you can observe a variety of fish and corals.

From Cartagena: Rosario Islands Private Boat Tour

9. From Cartagena: Rosario Islands Private Boat Tour

Welcome to our Rosario Island Tour! This experience is perfect for those who want to explore the beautiful Caribbean waters and beaches of Colombia.(Private boat) We will start our adventure by picking you up from Nautical Club. From there, we will set sail towards the Rosario Islands, a group of 28 small islands located about an hour away from Cartagena. Once we arrive at the islands, we will have plenty of time to explore and enjoy the crystal-clear waters and white sandy beaches. You can swim, snorkel, sunbathe, or simply relax and take in the stunning scenery. During the tour, we can stop by to a recommend restaurant where you can have a delicious lunch featuring local cuisine, including fresh seafood and tropical fruits. (Not including in the price) Our experienced guide will be with you throughout the tour to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable experience. We will also provide all necessary snorkeling equipment and life jackets. At the end of the day, we will take you back to the Nautical Club, leaving you with unforgettable memories of your Rosario Island adventure. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to discover the beauty of the Colombian Caribbean!

Available activities

Frequently asked questions about Cartagena Snorkeling

What are other things to do than Snorkeling that are worth visiting in Cartagena?

The other unmissable things to do in Cartagena are:

Which Cartagena Snorkeling are taking additional COVID-19 precautions?

Other Sightseeing Options in Cartagena

Want to discover all there is to do in Cartagena? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Cartagena

Overall rating

4.2 / 5

based on 166 reviews

Great expérience. The boat was very comfortable with plenty of seating in the sun and in the shade as well as 3 bathrooms below deck. The ride to the first set of islands was about an hour and a half and it’s a very nice ride very relaxing. At the first stop there is swimming and snorkelling with optional life jackets and poop noodles (altho not much to see underwater, just nice to jump in the water!) about and hour ride to next stop where you are served lunch and salad bar which was quite delicious. At the second stop you are anchored for 2 hours close to a nice beach which we swam to and enjoyed some time on the smooth, sandy shores. Quick swim back to the boat with a spirited ride back to the dock where we just lounged, had some cocktails, and enjoyed the view. All in all a nice day!

The execution of the tour was by the company BackPackers. The guides seemed a little lost in organizing the exit at the meeting point. Very good boat and guide (Christopher) very friendly, always attentive. They reversed the tour claiming that Baru was too crowded. Stop at Cocotea for a drink was quick. Basic snorkeling, not much to see. Cholon was pretty crowded. Lunch in Baru was nice. It's worth noting that it's not quite "lunch included". Each person has a credit of 25K pesos, the rest is up to you (25K pesos pays for a hotdog).

Great day trip. Well organised, staff were super friendly, the boat itself was really nice and modern & the lunch served was fantastic - way better than expected (had a fruit and salad platter on top of the chicken, seafood or veggie rice). Good vibe with music playing on the boat too. A day well spent.

It was a full excursion, and it was a fantastic way to experience the ways around Cartagena. It was nice having a bar to purchase our own drinks from, and the food was pretty good considering it had to be prepared aboard a catamaran! Highly recommend this experience.

super fun, beautiful landscape, all around good way to spend a day