Bocagrande and Laguito
Cartagena has beaches such as Bocagrande and Laguito, drenched in warm Caribbean sunshine and sea. These are the two most important places for beach-goers, where you can find plenty of hotels, restaurants, and cafe’s.
One of the most common tourist spots, it’s buzzing with people year round. Small tents are available for rent and the atmosphere is very casual. You might even catch a group of locals playing a game of baseball, one of the passions of the friendly coastal folks you’ll encounter.
If sports aren’t your cup of tea, then enjoy some fresh tropical fruit sold by one of the palenqueras, women who carry a huge container filled with fruit on their heads on top of their beautiful colored head dressings. Replenish your energies with freshly picked watermelon, papaya, mango, bananas, melon and other tropical natural fruit wonders. Come nightfall, the fun doesn’t stop with the rows of clubs and bars, offering catchy Caribbean and Latin tunes, located a walking distance from the beach in San Martin Avenue.
Hotel Bocagrande
Avenida San Martín # 7-159 Cartagena
Ph. (5) 665 4437
www.hotelbocagrande.com
La Boquilla
La Boquilla Beach in Cartagena is a nice alternative spot if you’re looking for a place that’s not that crowded. This small fishing village, which can be reached after a 25 minute ride from the Old Walled City, has inhabitants that make their living from fishing and tourism. Mangroves are a typical site here, so try to get a canoe tour to see them up close. These beautiful and unusual landscapes are only accessible through small boats and canoes, and the tours offered will take you around and under their hidden natural routes and tunnels. Some tours offer a lunch stop as well. Don’t forget your camera, as you’ll be coming across plenty of different bird species. Stay at: Las Americas Global Resort
Las Americas Global Resort is located in Cartagena, near the Crespo neighborhood, a short car or bus ride away from the Old Walled City. The hotel offers 250 rooms, each with a spectacular ocean or garden view. Features include air-conditioning and ceiling fans, hammocks in the balconies, and 4 excellent restaurants.
Las Americas Global Resort
Anillo Vial, Sector Cielo Mar, Cartagena, Colombia
Ph. 57 (5) 656 7222
www.hotellasamericas.com.co
Boca Chica
The small village of Bocachica (meaning “small mouth” in Spanish) gets its name from the small passage in the Canal of Bocachica, which was used as the only entryway into the Bay of Cartagena when the Canal of Bocagrande (“big mouth”) was blocked due to the construction of a breakwater during Colonial times. Bocachica can be reached by a 45 minute boat ride, which leaves from Los Pegasos dock, located on the Bahía de las ánimas.
You’ll find dressing rooms, freshwater showers, bars, and restaurants (great for typical fish dishes). Aside from the beach, tourists can enjoy the “horse-shoe shaped” San Fernando and San José de Bocachica Fort (constructed by engineers Lorenzo de Solis and Antonio de Arvalo), located on the Tierrabomba Island. These forts were built in order to defend the strategic entry into the Cartagena Bay. The inside spaces used to hold the chapel, hospital, armory, food stocks, kitchen, and official headquarters.
Stay at: Decameron Cartagena All Inclusive Decameron Cartagena is strategically located in Cartagena de Indias, South America’s Heroic City and the historic heritage of mankind. Only 10 minutes away from the Cartagena International Airport, between the modern city and the Walled Colonial City, fronting the lovely Bocagrande beach, the Cartagena Decameron stands out from the rest.
Decameron Cartagena All Inclusive
Bocagrande Cra 1a # 10-10
Ph. +57 (5) 665-4400
http://www.decameron.com/eng/colombia/
Playa Blanca
Located in the southern part of Cartagena, you can get there by several modes of transportation. Grab a bus or taxi that will drop you off at “Mercado Bazurto”. From here, every day but Sundays, you can catch a ride on one of the cargo boats, which will cost you around $10.00. A cheaper but longer way of getting there is by first taking a bus to Pasacaballos, then catching a ferry to Canal del Dique, once you’re there grab a bus/taxi/jeep to Santa Ana. You can walk for 2 hours to Playa Blanca or take a mototaxi which will set you back $6.00. This remote area has amenities such as restaurants, but not hotels.
Hammocks are available to rent though. You will find white sand and green/blue water beaches, so you’ll probably be raving about the views back home. Playa Blanca is a hidden treasure so this means you won’t come across locals trying to sell you fruits and souvenirs. Outdoor lovers will be able to scuba dive and snorkel, amongst other activities.
Islas del Rosario
Islas del Rosario are definite stop on your visit to Cartagena. This tiny cluster of islands nestled in the Caribbean, holds various luxury top-end hotels, as well as more wallet-friendly options. Even though most beaches are private and only accessible if you are a guest at one of the hotels, there are several options for day tours which will let you enjoy the views, food, and attractions the enchanting Islas del Rosario holds. The only way to get here is by taking a 2 hour ride on a boat, leaving from the Bay of Cartagena. You will also come across a great variety of restaurants and even attractions such as an aquarium. Lounge on the beach, swim, snorkel, and scuba-drive all day long!
Stay in: Hotel San Pedro de Majagua
Hotel San Pedro de Majagua, located in the Islas del Rosario, a couple of hours away from Cartagena, Colombia, is the best choice to really wind down, relax, and enjoy a tropical paradisiacal getaway. Only holding 17 rooms, the hotel is designed to maximize guests’ privacy and relaxation time. Specially designed with a minimalist French Polynesian feel, the bed linens are 300 thread count, there’s fan air conditioning in each room, and healthy exotic meals served fresh at the restaurant. Guests may enjoy diving and nautical activities, ecological walks, canoeing, bicycle rides, canoe night rides, bird watching, an aquarium, and massages.
Hotel San Pedro de Majagua
Toll Free reservations (within Colombia) 01-8000-972-525
www.hotelmajagua.com
Day tours: Hotel Isla Pirata
Day tours to the Islas del Rosario include: assistance at dock prior to departure, transportation to Hotel Isla Pirata via speedboat, coffee and fruit, lunch break at hotel, and panoramic tour around the archipelago. Prices for tour range from $35 for kids, up to $50 for adults. Tour contact: Excursiones Roberto Lemaitre
Bocagrande, Calle 6 #2-26, Local 2, Edificio Granada
Ph. (+575) 665 29 52 / 665 56 22
Cartagena, Colombia
www.hotelislapirata.com