Most Cartagena tours sold online are the same four or five things with different names on them. This page is the short, honest map: what there actually is to do, which of it we run ourselves, what a day costs per person, and which option fits which kind of group. Prices are in Colombian pesos and come from the live booking system.
Island day trips from Cartagena
The single most-booked excursion out of Cartagena, and the one with the widest quality gap between operators. The islands sit forty-five minutes to an hour away by boat; the boat leaves La Bodeguita pier between 7:15 and 8:30 in the morning and is back mid-afternoon.
If you are still deciding which island, start with the Rosario Islands day trip guide — it explains the crossing, the port taxes nobody mentions, and which beach club suits which group.
Your group alone on the sand, from 8 people
From COP 594,000 per personRosario IslandsBora Bora Beach ClubA DJ every day. Adults only
From COP 450,000 per personRosario IslandsPao PaoSpeedboat, guided snorkelling and lunch included
From COP 440,000 per personRosario IslandsPaue, Isla GrandeThe quiet one. Children from 4 years
From COP 300,000 per personRosario IslandsThree islands in one daySpeedboat and a bilingual guide
From COP 510,000 per personBaruAura, Cholon inletA pool by the sea. Children from 4 years
From COP 300,000 per personCartagena bayEtekaFacing the skyline. Three departures a day
From COP 290,000 per personTierra BombaMakaniThe closest island. Boat transfer included
From COP 184,000 per personBeach clubs
Not the same thing as an island day, even though they overlap. A beach club is a place with beds, a bar and a kitchen; some are on the islands, one is twenty minutes away on the bay with the city skyline in view. Adults-only at some, children from four at one.
The full comparison, with 2026 prices and what each day includes, is in the Cartagena beach club guide.
Cholon
An inlet on the Baru peninsula where boats raft up and the party happens on the water rather than on a beach. It is its own kind of day and it suits its own kind of group. Everything about how it works, what it costs and when to go is in the Cholon guide.
On the water: yachts, catamarans and boats
If you want the boat to be the day rather than the transport, you charter rather than buy a seat. A catamaran carries a large group comfortably and slowly; a sport yacht is faster and better for a smaller group that wants to move between spots.
- Boat and yacht rental in Cartagena — the full fleet, by size and capacity
- Catamaran charter — for groups, sunsets and slower days
Celebrations
Bachelor and bachelorette weekends, birthdays and corporate days are their own planning problem: the boat is the easy part, the schedule is not. The Cartagena bachelor party guide covers what works, what to avoid, and what it costs.
What a day costs
Rough figures per person, in Colombian pesos, for 2026:
- Island day pass with boat and lunch: COP 290,000 to COP 594,000 depending on the island and the menu
- The cheapest island day: from COP 184,000, on the island closest to the city, without lunch
- A private island for your own group: from COP 594,000 per person, minimum eight people
- Yacht or catamaran charter: priced by the boat and the hours, not per person — ask us and we quote it
Two costs that catch people out: the port departure tax at some piers, paid in cash on the day, and the boat transfer on the private island option, which is quoted separately because it depends on your group size.
How to choose, in one line each
- First time in Cartagena, no strong preference: an island day pass with the boat included
- Travelling with children: the quiet beach club on Isla Grande, which takes children from four
- A group that wants the party: the adults-only club on the Rosario Islands, or Cholon
- You want nobody else around: the private island, from eight people
- Half a day, not a full one: the beach club on the bay, with three departures a day
- The boat is the point: a private charter, not a day pass
Before you book
Two things worth reading first: how safe Cartagena actually is, written plainly rather than defensively, and where to stay, because the neighbourhood you pick changes how easy every one of these days is to reach. If you have four days and want them planned, there is a four-day itinerary too.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular tour in Cartagena?
A day trip to the Rosario Islands with the boat and lunch included. It is the excursion most visitors book, and the one where operators differ most in what they actually deliver.
How much does a day tour from Cartagena cost?
Between COP 184,000 and COP 594,000 per person in 2026, depending on the island, whether lunch is included and whether the boat is part of the price. The middle of that range buys the return boat, a bed on the sand and lunch.
Can I book Cartagena tours online?
Yes. Every island day pass on this page is bookable with a card: you pick the date, pay, and the confirmation arrives by email. Yacht and catamaran charters are quoted first because the price depends on the boat and the hours.
How far in advance should I book?
Island days fill fastest between December and April and around Easter. The private island takes one group per day, so that date is gone once it is taken.
Are there extra costs on the day?
Sometimes a port departure tax paid in cash at the pier, which is not part of the online price. Where it applies, the exact amount is on that option’s own page before you pay.
