Home > Cartagena > Rosario Islands Day Trip from Cartagena
USD $95.00
Rosario Islands Day Trip from Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Escape Cartagena for the day and take a trip to the Rosario Islands! Enjoy a 1-hour cruise from Cartagena to the Rosario Islands, a magnificent archipelago and a must-see while in Colombia. Spend the day relaxing in the national park, swimming in the pristine Caribbean waters, and visiting the local aquarium.
The Rosario Islands are a group of private islands off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia. Due to its beautifully intact ecosystem, the archipelago was declared a national park in 1977. The beautiful array of natural flora and fauna is sure to impress you!
On this day trip from Cartagena, take a sightseeing cruise to the various islands and spend time relaxing on the beautiful beaches of a private island! Take in astonishing Caribbean views and go for a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear waters. Stop for lunch on the islands and enjoy an authentic Colombian meal.
Also included is a stop at the local aquarium, an impressive open-water display of aquatic wonders (entrance fee excluded). Relax as you watch a dolphin show, play with sea rays, laugh at the seals' playful performance, and admire the majestic sharks! Cruising back to Cartagena in the evening, witness a stunning sunset as you leave the beautiful Rosario Islands behind.
Basically a day at a pool/beach. Could have gotten the same experience at the hotel pool.
Review by: Jennifer Q, May 2018
My expectation was that we were going to be on a decent sized beach. In actuality we were taken to a small resort where they beach area was roped off and extremely small. Some of the people on our tour did not have even get chairs to sit on. I feel sorry for the guests that were staying in this small resort as we took up their entire beach area. I was very disappointed when we arrived at the destination. The only plus was the boat ride.
Review by: Isla M, April 2018
What a beautiful place. I would have liked to have more options to see the entire island by boat or maybe kayack. We spent the day at a beautiful hotel. Great location for kids and/or couples. beautiful scenery.
Review by: Jody S, April 2018
You must visit the Rosario Islands while in Cartagena because they are beautiful._br/_ However, on this tour we did not get picked up at our hotel as promised. The driver came to get us 15 minutes ahead of schedule, but we were eating breakfast. He promised to wait, but left. We could not get a straight answer about where he had gone. If the amazing staff at our hotel, the Sofitel Santa Clara highly recommend did not arrange for a taxi to take us to the correct port, we would have missed the boat! literally!! Given that we paid for four tickets over 400 US we were not happy about the situation. Also, we were not given a complimentary drink upon arrival at Isla del Sol and they didn't have enough floating noodles for visitors.
Review by: francisca a, April 2018
This tour was amazing, our guide was very experienced. Overall the trip was awesome. Tips for those who read this: if you want to order lobster make sure you tell the guide because we forgot and missed the chance of eating lobster. Snorkeling is totally recomended Instead of the dolphin show.
Review by: Wendy M, March 2018
We were picked up at our hotel and dropped off at the port. There is a fee there that has to be paid in cash. To get to the islands you travel on a speed boat that holds 20-40 people and cruise through the harbour and out into the Caribbean. If you get seasick, this is NOT the trip for you as the boat leaps the waves and smacks down on the other side. If you love boats, the trip is exhilarating and lasts about an hour. You do get to go by some massive ships as Cartegena is a busy port. The island itself is beautiful and the water a gorgeous turquoise. The group is dropped off on the wharf encompassing a small beach and the property behind it. The guide goes over the schedule for the day then you are free to grab a lounger, go into the water off the beach area or go down a ladder into the water off the wharf on the outside of the enclosed area. Water shoes are recommended as the beach is stoney with vegetation in the water. The water itself is beautiful warm and clear.
Review by: elizabeth u, March 2018
The trip itself was very nice and lived up to our expectations. That said, there was much confusion when we were dropped off at the pier as we had no idea what the name of the trip we were on was. Clearer directions would improve this much!
Review by: Angela S, March 2018
The day was nice. But, the photo for the experience is extremely misleading. You'll see no beach like that. And that's all I was looking for.
Review by: Linda B, January 2018
The photo displayed is very deceiving ... our destination did not look like this in any way. In fact, it was a big disappointment that the beach we did have was extremely small, so small that it felt like we were on top of each other, and there was NO beach to walk on at all, it was so short. Looking forward to those two features were exactly why we booked this Day Trip, that now seemed excessively priced for what we got. The drinks were quite expensive at the bar, measured in only one ounce of liquor. On the plus side, the staff were great, the huts and trees, bougainvillea and shade area were appreciated. The lunch was plentiful and delicious!! But please advertise honestly!!!
Review by: saysha.ryan, January 2018
It was a wonderful day and the speed boat ride to the Island was fun. The resort area that you have access to is very small but, lovely and enjoyable. It includes a small beach area and pool area that is very well managed and ideal for relaxation. We chose not to do the snorkeling or go to the aquarium as it was so peaceful, sitting by the pool and enjoying our cocktails. I would be curious to know what others thought of these activities.
Review by: bosoxmug, December 2017
Enjoyed the trip greatly. Food was GREAT! Beach is not really a beach as portrayed but loads of fun and really enjoyed the marine show
Review by: Laura B, December 2017
A little expensive, considering once we got to Cartagena there were similar tours with lower prices. But the actual trip out there was beautiful and efficient. And the actual resort we hung out at was nice with a place to hang out in the water as well as a pool and the lunch included was pretty good too.
Review by: Patricia G, December 2017
over price for what you get._br/_ Did not meet our expectations, the beach did Mach the picture on the brochure, food was mediocre._br/_ It took over an hour to organized the group in to the speed boat, we left the port at 9:15 am . We got there about 10:20 am _br/_ The place is very nice a little hotel with a small beach, for about 100 people to be there. _br/_ They offer lobster for a extra price about Us40 a piece._br/_ By 3pm we were in the boats back to Cartagena by 5:30.pm_br/_ People was very friendly and helpful,
Review by: GOPALAKRISHNAN V, December 2017
Brilliant day out in the seas and beautiful islands, with snorkelling.
Review by: Maria S, November 2017
This was a fantastic tour overall and a great first look at the Rosario Islands. The staff was professional and knowledgable. Each boat had a bilingual speaker to accommodate foreign passengers. This particular trip destination was a private beachfront property called Isla del Sol on the island of Isla Grande. It was quite nice to have a private area so there are no vendors trying to sell items all the time. The pool and relaxing areas are quite nice and the food was excellent. I highly recommend taking a stroll off the property to see how Isla del Sol impacts the economy of the island. The snorkeling option was really fun and the guide was very attentive to everyone, both experienced snorkelers and the novices. There was quite a variety of beautiful fish in the area, but unfortunately the coral is in bad shape. I want to investigate Colombia's environmental protections and in particular how this company is working to protect the area. There were people standing on the coral with no repercussions. _br/_ The property is pretty small overall and this particular island is surrounded by coral so there are no large beaches to stroll on, but the pool area and ocean views make up for it. Overall a great first experience with the Rosario Islands!
Review by: Catherine O, November 2017
Amazing tour! Very organized as well. My son, spouse and I were picked up on time from our hotel in Bocagrande at 8am and dropped off at el muelle where we were directed to sit with those boarding the speedboat for the tour as well. Our speedboat was named Sensacion Ardiente and our tour guide was Tiberio. The speedboat ride lasted about an hour and beers and water were for sale on the speedboat as well. Upon arriving to the Corrales area, which was a private, secluded island in the Islas del Rosario I became mesmerized by its peacefulness and beauty. We were away from the vendors in a secluded, private beach/island. At 12noon we were taken to the Oceanario to see the dolphin and shark show and returned promptly at 1pm to eat lunch. Going to the Oceanario/Aquarium is not mandatory, however, my 5 year old loved it. For lunch we had the option of fish or chicken, which was served with patacones, arroz de coco, salad amongst other delicacies. Lobster was also an option, however, the lobster does have an additional cost. My spouse had the fresh lobster and stated it was well worth it! You can either lounge by the pool, which had a great bar with amazing cocktails or dive into the beautiful, clear ocean. Tiberio was very attentive and made sure to ask if there was anything additional they could prepare for my son such as soup or something to his liking. At 3pm we departed and headed back to el muelle in Cartagena, which is the port where we were dropped off and is located right by la torre del reloj in the walled city. Great experience and we all loved it. Would definitely recommend to others.
Review by: Cynthia F, October 2017
We booked this tour and were informed that night that the tour was overbooked for the next day.I was offered a credit on my credit card but never received it.
Review by: Jonnathan O, October 2017
The tour is good. Basically the promised everything what was offered. Bring some cash to do extra activities. Lobster is a must and really cheap. Try it.
Review by: Garleny D, October 2017
The beach at the islands is beautiful! Very quiet and remote. The only caveat is that only food is included in the package and I never got my complimentary cocktail So this is basically just transportation to the island which I'm sure can be found cheaper elsewhere. Snorkeling is 50,000 COP, scuba diving is 150,000 COP. There is a bar also so if you go with this package definitely bring CASH!
Review by: Jordan M. S, September 2017
It was a great time. Definitely worth doing!
Review by: Judith G, August 2017
The tour started as very disorganized, with many people waiting for different tours but no good way to know which tour was ours. When we booked the tour we had asked an English guide, but the person handling the boat didn't speak English and wasn't really a guide - just pointed out certain places of interest as we traveled to the small island where we were let off. The stay on the island was ok - beds and seats with shade coverings on the beach - and the island was so small that we could walk the perimeter in a few minutes the only thing to do was relax, which in fact wasn't all that bad. Lunch fried fish and veggies was ok. Staff Spanish speaking on the island was fine - helpful and attentive. Before the trip we had asked about getting snorkeling flippers and were told that we could rent them on the island, but in fact only masks which we didn't need were available. The snorkeling itself was poor. All in all, not a wonderful experience.
Review by: gtyler, July 2017
The tour pick up and boat ride was great...just don't expect too much when you get to the island. The area reserved for the group was somewhat small. We did the snorkeling tour which was for 1 hour at an extra cost of 50,000 pesos per person. The variety of fish are great but the coral is dead.....so not the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Lunch was good.
Review by: James F, July 2017
The initial departure was disorganized. The guide spoke little English (the folks from Spain didn't understand either). The island is small and in desperate need of a clean up (ruins abound). The facilities are tired. It was overpriced. I had better experiences on cheaper tours in Europe.
Review by: Carlos P, July 2017
This was an awesome adventure. Very well organized at the dock and my family 3 ended up with 3 other people. Went to Bendita Beach, a small island in the middle of nowhere. Very cool. Nothing fancy but fancy is not necessary. Had fried fish, coconut rice and patacones and a beer. it was amazing. Later went snorkeling with Juan and Antonio extra and they were very helpful. Highly recommended.
Review by: gaetana c, June 2017
This tour was excellent!!! Well organized and safe. Was picked up on time at hotel. Tour leaves at 9 am in a fast speed boat, life jackets are provided. Rodrigo and his crew took very good care of everyone on the boat and the Island. Thank you!! Once at the island they serve fruit snack, there is a bar to purchase drinks, a pool besides the beautiful beach and palapas to keep cool, lounge chairs and hammocks for your siesta. You have the option to scuba, snorkel and visit the Oceanario small type of aquarium. I did the snorkel and it was great lots of colorful fish to see and also went to the Oceanario. All has to be done by boat. Opted for the fresh lobster for lunch at an extra cost from the included buffet of fish or chicken, rice, salad, fried plantains, soda, water, and coffee and it was delicious. After lunch you have a couple of hours to relax and we left the Island around 3:30 pm. It was a great relaxing day and next time will opt to spend at least a night. Yes, they have rooms for rent. This excursion is done in Spanish and English.
Review by: Robert M, March 2017
This was a total rip off of cost...we paid 112 per person and for that price I expected a much more personalized experience than the trips being sold at the dock directly which cost 30-50 per person. We got the exact same trip. A big boat full of people who paid less than half of what we paid. I felt duped. We were taken to a lousy little beach at a small resort. The trip would have been worth 30-50 for the boat ride, lunch, and access to bathrooms. The english speaking guide spoke endlessly in Spanish and then spoke for 2 minutes in English.
Review by: Jenna A, February 2017
This was one of my favorite things ever. Relaxing, fresh lobster, a fantastic massage. Definitely bring some cash with you, but seriously, I wish I could have stayed here for dayyyyys!
Review by: Mark, January 2017
We were disappointed that we were not picked up at our hotel as it was not the included in the package. However, were just outside of it near the San Felipe fort. We had to therefore pay for a taxi to the port. Once we arrived there was much confusion on which gate we were to go and were sent to one area only to be called back to the gate we were at with a quote oh I forgot that is my partner which was Carlos Dias- why did she not know that when we showed her the ticket voucher? We finally got on the boat taking us to the Rosario Islands. Getting on and off these boats is tricky and can be dangerous if you are not wearing the right shoes as you enter/exit via one of the seats. Ride over went well, and we arrived at Rosario Islands when stated. The beach and swimming area are small. We wanted to just relax on the beach but there was not much room to do so. There were 2 tour boats there which meant more people. Lunch was provided and was very good. There were 2 bars and bathrooms on site. A few vendors were there but they were not very pushy. We departed Rosario at 3:00pm, and had to take a different route back to Cartagena due to the high winds on the sea. This proved to be advantageous as we went along a river that was sheltered from the winds and saw some wildlife, birds and some of the residents who live along the river. Suffice to say, this turned out to be a better part of the tour. Overall, it was nice but not what was expected. If you are looking for beach time, Bocagrande beach in Cartagena was better with more room, cleaner open beaches and easy access to the water.
Review by: Vanessa R, October 2016
This tour really surprised me with how organized and memorable it was. Most tours I've been on have a habit of taking you to places where you only spend 15 minutes - 1 hour only. We were taken to a beautiful Island where La Isla del Sol hotel is situated and given 4 hours to do whatever our hearts desired from walking through the local village and seeing the secret mangroves, scuba diving, snorkeling, etc. We also had a flexible meal of fried fish or chicken with coconut rice, patacon, yuca, and soup. We also had the option of choosing a lobster and having it freshly prepared for us and i'm not the biggest fan of lobster, but I tried it anyway. And wow! That was the best lobster Iobster I've ever had. By the end of those four hours, I was so beat and ready to head back home. It was definitely a memorable and very satisfying adventure. I definitely recommend this tour!
Review by: Jputvin, October 2016
The beach was beautiful. You get there around 10:30 and leave around 3pm. Lots of lounge chairs both in the shade and sun, , good water for swimming, pool, activities. Rodrigo was a great guide--super friendly and answered all of our questions. Drinks at the bar and lunch were great. Wish we could have spent more of the day there!
Review by: Erik T, September 2016
Nice tour. Nice change from sightseeing Cartagena. Interesting islands.
Review by: Tetyana K, September 2016
This is not exactly a tour. It's a boat ride to Rosario Island and back 45 min each way with lunch on the island. If you don't purchase any additional services on the island snorkeling, scuba, massage, and dolphin show, you get approximately 3-4 hours on the island, with a tiny beach with chairs. _br/_ This tour is also completely over-priced. Save yourself some time and money and book this with the local vendors. Very disappointing.
Review by: Harvie Hopkins, September 2016
The beach we went to was right behind a coral reef, which was spectacular to see while snorkeling. Crystal clear waters, lobsters plucked right out of the ocean and grilled for you if you want, and a range of activities to keep you occupied made this day very fun and relaxing. Was too bad really only one guy spoke English, I tried my best to understand all the facts the snorkeling leader was saying during our hour out at sea but most of it was over my head. Word of advice to the photographer on the snorkeling tour, try aiming the camera to include views of the reef and the people you're photographing! Part of the appeal in buying photos is being able to show other people the awesome natural wonders you're seeing. Also, dispense with using CDs to transfer photos, upgrade to cloud sharing or USBs. I was actually disappointed by the lunch, the fish was kind of blah, not a fan of coconut rice, and the fried yucca was meh too. There was a kind of sugary brick dessert though which tasted awesome.
Review by: stecky, September 2016
This was beautiful! It was nice being at an almost private beach/resort without being harassed by vendors and massage people at the local beaches in Cartagena. I highly recommend it!...just make sure you bring enough money for extra expenses at the island.
Review by: Joon S, July 2016
If you have an extra day, it's a nice way to spend it. Take cash with you in case you'd like to indulge in some of the activities offered by the island resort. Small beach, but relaxing. Great lunch.
Review by: JERAMEY R, July 2016
Tour was amazing. Snorkeling in the deep blue water. Enjoying the coral reef. Drinking Caipirinhas by the pool. This is a must try if you visit Cartagena
Review by: charlotte t, June 2016
My only complaint is that the tour marketed itself very differently than it was. Although it was of course a really fun day, there was no private tour of islands, etc. We went to one island and stayed there the whole day and there were different activities offered, but they all cost additional money. _br/_ I think the tour should market itself as a one-island resort stop, then people will know what they are getting themselves into
Review by: chrisn, May 2016
The tour was very interesting. We took small boat to get to the island. There is snorkeling there, so you should take advantage of it. Beach itself is nice, but very small. Lunch is very good. You can swim outside the guarded area. On way back, we got a nice boat tour of other islands in the archipelago. Only limitation is - and you should be aware - that they virtually do not speak any English at the attraction, and there is no tour guide with the group at the island, so you are on your own.
Review by: MASSIELLE B, April 2016
Tour guide was very nice and gave history details of the different forts we passed on the way to Rosario island. _br/_ Ride back to Cartagena was fun because of the choppy waves .
Review by: Aisha S, April 2016
This was a great day trip, with only some small things that could have made it perfect. The islands were beautiful of course. The lunch was excellent and still has me thinking about it-- fresh fish, yuca fries, rice, salad, and a dessert of cocadas. They offered massages and trips to the aquarium, snorkeling, and a hike, however it would have been helpful to know how much those activities cost before we arrived on the island. I didn't have enough cash to do everything I wanted to and could have easily taken out more cash from the ATM before getting on the boat if I had known the cost. I don't like to carry around a lot of cash I may not need, so I hadn't withdrawn any large amount beforehand. On the boat trip back to Cartagena, the water was too choppy so for safety reasons they took a different route. I appreciated the concern about safety and would recommend this trip to friends.
Review by: Andrea M, March 2016
The hosts and location where excellent the initial set up was horrible no one knew who this voucher was accepted by tour company but after that horrible long line and wait the service was impeccable and so where the tour guides!
Review by: Karl S., February 2016
It is well-worth the trip. You get to see the Bay Inside of it and interesting Old Edifications of the time. Once you get to Rosario, you have the choice several activities Not Included in the Tour. You can relax and sunbathe at the beach or add more fun to your excursion.
Review by: abel c, January 2016
The trip was great, just don't book through viator. This was the second trip they bungled, and we almost missed it. After we booked it and paid, there was miscommunication with the tour group. It wasn't until we called that morning, after they were late, that they contacted the tour group. _br/_ But like I said, the trip was great!
Review by: Pierre L, January 2016
Nice day trip with interesting activities to choose from. We chose to do snorkeling and it was worthwhile.
Review by: Dolores H, December 2015
It was a wonderful tour. Very interesting, a great boat ride and all of the people on the tour were fantastic. I would certainly recommend this tour to anyone. You will not be disappointed.
Review by: Ferhan T, December 2015
- You only visit one private island. Going to the second island with the aquarium is extra._br/_ - Total time spent on island: 3-3.5 hours including lunch._br/_ - They did not drop us off back to the hotel, and it was very difficult to get a free cab from the port._br/_ - Reef for snorkeling is away from where the boat anchors, so you need to sign up for an extra tour 10 to do any snorkeling._br/_ - Island staff barely speak any English._br/_ Lunch was very good._br/_ Tour guide was knowledgeable and helpful.
Review by: Jovica N, November 2015
Great experience! I suggest to everyone visiting Cartagena to take this trip. It's really worth of time.
Review by: laura.sargent, November 2015
Really cool day, heading to the aquarium was hard if you don't speak Spanish.
Review by: Rhea S, November 2015
Our tour was operated by a group that took us to Isla Del Sol. There was a tiny and #34;beach and #34; where the water was murky and there was construction, so not relaxing. If you wanted to do any other activity than kayak, you had to pay extra. Lunch was good (and a lot) but I felt trapped for 5hrs. Not good
Review by: Roshan R, October 2015
The start of the tour was extremely manic. The dock is really unorganized. But once we were allocated to a boat, we had a great bilingual guide who explained the day, some of the sights out to the island and other notable information. The day out at the island was fantastic, there are plenty of activities to do whilst out there including kayaking, snorkeling, massages, scuba diving etc.
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