Isla Palma – The Best Island Day Trip from Cartagena
Cartagena is a top destination for its beautiful architecture and rich history, but also for its nearby beaches, as it is on the Colombia’s Caribbean coast. For the nicer, clear waters and white sands, most people take a day trip out to the Rosario Islands. They are closer to Cartagena, but due to their popularity, many of the Rosario Islands are also flooded with tourists, especially islands like Cholón. The fun, party vibes may be appealing, but islands like these also have tons of vendors trying to sell you things on the beach, which is not how I want to spend a day in paradise. If you’re looking for a true paradise, you should venture out to Isla Palma – the best island day trip from Cartagena.
When I looked into an island day trip from Cartagena, I definitely wanted something more remote and vendor free. I went on a walking tour of Cartagena, and the tour guide suggested Isla Palma. Isla Palma is a private island off the coast of Colombia, in the San Bernardo Archipelago. Since it is private, vendors aren’t allowed, so you are guaranteed a peaceful time in untouched waters.
I reached out to my walking tour guide from Beyond Colombia, and aside from the walking tours, they offer tours to the islands, in partnership with other tour companies. My tour to Isla Palma was done through Marina Tour Cartagena. You can book with them directly by reaching out via Instagram: @marinatour.cartagena or via the Beyond Colombia site, Isla Palma Day Trip. The tour is about 420,000 COP, or $115 USD, which you’ll pay via a secure link.
Before You Go
Isla Palma is a bit further out than the Rosario Islands, so you can expect a boat ride of 1.5 to 2 hours. The meetup is at Muelle de la Bodeguita, the port where all boats leave Cartagena. Before boarding, make sure to have:
- 29,000 Colombian pesos in cash, a mandatory port fee which will be collected before you are able to enter the seaport
- extra cash for any additional expenses at the seaport or on the island
- snacks, you will have to be at the seaport by 5:45 am, so you will most likely not be able to have breakfast at your hotel
- copy of your tour/payment confirmation, can show on phone
- headphones or a book for the long boat ride
- beach towel, sunnies, hat, and a change of clothes (you can get some essentials on the island gift shop)
- comfortable beach shoes, the island is a natural reserve and it is basically untouched, so some of the paths to get around one tip of the island to the other can be rocky
What to Expect
Even though the seaport doors open at 5:45, it will be a little over an hour before actual boarding. There are two boats with a total of about 70 people on this day trip to Isla Palma, so check in does take some time. If you’re not able to arrange for an early breakfast at your hotel, you can take this waiting time to have breakfast at the seaport as you catch the sunrise. There is a small food stand with empanadas and beverages like juice and coffee in the waiting area. This tour does provide a fruit bowl for all guests, but you won’t get it until you board the boat.
Once you board, the ride is about 2 hours and I found it to be quite smooth, though that depends on the weather. Most of us fell asleep during the ride, but as you pull away from Cartagena, you start to see the beautiful, clear, blue water. Once you arrive at Isla Palma (around 9 am), you’ll be greeted by some dancers and music. The tour includes a day pass at Hotel Isla Palma, the only all inclusive on the island. You’ll get a welcome drink (non-alcoholic available) as well as a buffet lunch at the hotel. After docking, you’ll also a mini briefing of what to do on the island.
EXTRAS: Depending on the weather, you can rent kayaks/ paddle boards. For an additional 20,000 COP, you can take a tour of the Bioparque to see mangroves and wildlife.
FYI, if you are staying at the hotel, you don’t have to pay an additional fee for the extras, as this is all included for hotel guests.
Even though there were 70 people on this tour, the island is basically a long strip that you can easily walk from one tip to the other. Everyone was spread out. Because I just wanted to lay out all day, I stayed in the quiet area, where there’s lots of little cabanas. I had three cabanas all to myself the entire time. I had an issue with my foot so I couldn’t walk on the rocky path to get to the other end of the island, but you could hear music in the far distance. At the other end you will find the instagrammable swings in the middle of the water, and the tip is so skinny you can walk from one end of the island to the other. Here’s where you can check out water activities like snorkeling, kayaking or scuba diving.
Drone view of Isla Palma from the Beyond Colombia website
Even though I didn’t opt in for any of the extras offered, I absolutely loved how secluded this island was. I laid out by my cabana for about 4 hours by myself. The water was so still l like I’ve never experienced before. I don’t know how to swim and I was all the way up to my neck in the water because there were basically no waves. Lunch was served at the buffet at 12:30, and boarding was at 2pm sharp, so I decided to stay at the eating area until it was time to go back. The food was okay, but considering we were on a private island 2 hours away from the city, I couldn’t complain. There’s also a small restaurant that you can pay for some a la carte dishes just outside the hotel. Once it’s time to freshen up, there’s a bathroom at the lobby. Since a day pass is included with this tour, you can take your remaining free time to walk around the property.
The ride back to Cartagena is just as smooth as it was coming, but we did encounter a few waves. The drop off is at the same meeting point at around 5 pm. Definitely stick around, as the seaport is much more lively, since the sunset cruises take off around this time. You’ll see lots of traditional dancers, hear local music and there will be lots more tourists hanging out around here. If you’re still hungry, try some local street food from the carts just outside the seaport.
