Cartagena Boat Tour: Rosario Islands & Playa Blanca – Review

Thinking about a Cartagena getaway that includes dreamy beaches and crystal-clear waters? So, too many folks find themselves looking at the “Cartagena Rosario Islands Playa Blanca By Boat Lunch” tour. It’s almost become *the* thing to do, and for solid reasons! You get a taste of the Rosario Islands and some time at the super famous Playa Blanca, with grub thrown in. This here is a rundown, a way for you to see if it truly lines up with the picture you might already have.

What to Anticipate From This Tour

First things first, it is that a boat tour hitting up the Rosario Islands and Playa Blanca usually means a day loaded with tropical vibes. You typically hop aboard a boat in Cartagena bright and pretty early, often around 8 in the morning. The Rosario Islands, very much like a necklace of small paradises, lie about an hour’s boat trip off the coast. Many tours will show off some of the main islands, letting you see some coral reefs (if you’re into snorkeling or scuba diving, which is often a cost addition), along with stopping at an island beach club.

Then there is the lunch aspect! Tours sometimes try and highlight that, since getting great food out on the islands can definitely be variable. So, a prepared lunch is nearly part of the deal, but make a very slight point to ask exactly what that involves, since “lunch” may swing anywhere from a lavish fish spread to simpler eats.

Next stop, you know, tends to be Playa Blanca on Baru Island. Playa Blanca’s big claim to fame is basically that its shoreline is *really* lovely: picture white sand and that striking turquoise ocean you often find yourself daydreaming about. A tour commonly parks you here for several hours, a bit allowing for swimming, sunbathing, or just wandering and taking photos. Getting back, plan for a return to Cartagena late afternoon, sometimes fighting a good sunset show on the way.

Hits and Misses: A Careful Look

Let’s keep it real: Playa Blanca has some well-documented problems! That place is *very* popular, so it really means crowds—massive groups of people at practically any hour of the day. That, also, sometimes translates to hordes from sellers who approach you constantly, attempting to hawk you knickknacks, massages, sunglasses, you name it. Very, very relaxing it is not! The Rosario Islands, slightly, are better for dodging chaos, but the best beaches in this chain may demand an entry charge on top of the trip rate. Be ready to pay a bit extra.

What really can enhance the journey? Is that the specific businesses and what they feature, like amenities on boats, the size of passenger loads (think packed or not), and how nice and careful their staff happen to be. Reading actual customer feedbacks really does go a *very* long way.

Cost Considerations

Budget? That boat trip’s pricing, in some respects, shows you many variables, such as which business is doing it, if its private or group, and which “extras” get rolled in. Budget tours typically ring in around $50 – $80 US, possibly. Better, a little upscale ones featuring small groups, much comfier boats, plus higher food quality or drink perks often reach up over $150 – $200. And don’t shrug off looking at hidden fees – like I said earlier – reef taxing, terminal taxes (to use the port), or optional watersport fees are a way that cost increases quite rapidly.

Making It the Greatest Day

For top happiness, a little planning just assists. A lot. Sunscreen and also a hat is just crucial; the Caribbean sun really does joke with no one! So bring enough Colombian pesos; vendors mostly, only take funds. Showing up prepared for vendors helps in a way; having phrases such as “no, thank you” in Spanish practiced does lessen hassling to a degree, so brush up prior.

If a calmer experience has any appeal to your tastes, possibly, just consider shelling out a bit more for one with fewer people. Check very carefully if a specific boat has shady spaces for resting from all that sunshine, too it’s a point folks often overlook. A cool consideration is also, anyway, hunting down smaller tour operators with a better focus placed on green-tourism rules, showing assistance for ethical traveling!

Also, many might skip visiting during peak times and holidays, because it only ramps those crowd conditions way up. Then check the conditions of currents and seaweed: specific months on such beaches do bring greater seaweed amounts. Being knowledgeable enables arranging schedules!

Other Exploration Avenues

This particular boat tour, too it’s a pretty common way of sampling those islands combined with the renowned Playa Blanca easily enough, may not become someone’s lone calling from Cartagena. Maybe spend more on personalized trips to islands that are away from all the touristy usuals for quieter settings; Isla Mucura and Isla Grande give more escape!

Or Playa Blanca, sometimes people simply grab an early taxi/bus instead to beat other people; later go chilling just before tours overwhelm there sometime around midday. You know. And what should anyone visiting consider strongly when in Cartagena? Going around that Old City section to revel there too. Get on up along the old fortress (“Castillo San Felipe de Barajas”), explore Getsemaní, sample local street eats…those present other ways to absorb culture while you are here.

The Verdict

Wrapping things up on that “Cartagena, Rosario Islands, Playa Blanca by Boat” experience, so be really very wise of these particular trade-offs that come together with that particular day out! The potential exists; those lagoons and seashore truly deliver postcard brilliance. All you read when readying yourself determines should memories trend towards magical or chaotic. That much clarity helps tailor appropriate outlooks if going.

#Cartagena #Colombia #RosarioIslands #PlayaBlanca #BoatTour #TravelTips