Isla del Encanto day trip from Cartagena: beach, pool & lunch

The island has its own pool alongside the sea, so you can choose between salt water and fresh between loungers.

A full-day tour from Cartagena to Isla del Encanto, an island in the Corales del Rosario Natural Park with over 300 meters of sand, reached by speedboat in 60 minutes from Bodeguita Pier. The tour includes lunch, kayaking, sun loungers and pool access; you explore the island freely or with a guide, swim and rest between the sea and the pool, then return to Cartagena the same afternoon. A live guide speaks English or Spanish.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Isla del Encanto and Rosario Islands

• Depart from Bodeguita Pier gate 3
• Travel 60 minutes to Corales del Rosario Park
• Disembark at Isla del Encanto hotel
• Tour the island freely or guided
• Enjoy buffet-style local lunch
• Swim in sea and pool
• Relax on loungers or hammocks
• Optional visit to oceanarium (extra cost)
• Return to Cartagena Bodeguita Pier

The Experience

The boat leaves Bodeguita Pier in the morning and takes an hour to cross to Isla del Encanto, which sits inside the Corales del Rosario Natural Park. Once you land at the island's hotel, the day opens up — you can wander on your own or join a guide to learn about the place. The island stretches over 300 meters of sand, so there is room to find a quiet spot even when the boat is full.

Between swims in the sea and dips in the pool, you rest on sun loungers or hammocks set up on the sand. Lunch is a buffet of local dishes served at midday, and kayaking is included if you want to paddle out from the beach. The afternoon is yours to spend the same way — more water, more rest, or a combination of both. The return speedboat leaves in time to get you back to Cartagena before evening.

An optional visit to the oceanarium is available on the island, though entry costs extra and is not part of the tour price. Infants travel free but must sit on an adult's lap during the boat ride. The tour runs 8 hours total, counting the crossing and the return.

What’s included

• Speedboat transport from Bodeguita Pier and back.
• buffet lunch.
• kayaking.
• sun loungers and beach beds.
• pool access.
• a live guide in English or Spanish if you want one.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Colombia Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Cartagena without a car—the boat departs from Bodeguita Pier in the city itself, and you'll spend a full day on the island with both beach and pool time, so you can move at your own pace rather than following a guide's itinerary.

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Top questions

How long is the boat ride from Cartagena to Isla del Encanto?

The speedboat takes 60 minutes to cross from Bodeguita Pier in Cartagena to Isla del Encanto in the Rosario Islands.

What's included in the tour besides the island and the boat?

Speedboat transport, lunch, kayaking, sun loungers, beach beds and pool access are all included. A live guide in English or Spanish is available if you want one.

Can I explore the island on my own, or is it a guided walk the whole time?

You choose — the island is yours to explore freely, or you can join a guide to learn about it. Either way, you set your own pace between the beach, the pool and the rest areas.

What is the oceanarium visit I've heard about?

An optional visit to the oceanarium on the island lets you see dolphins, turtles, rays and cat sharks, but entry costs 30,000 COP per person and is not included in the tour price.

What time does the tour end and how do I get back to my hotel?

The return speedboat leaves in the afternoon and takes you directly back to Bodeguita Pier in Cartagena, arriving before evening. From there, you arrange your own transport to your hotel or elsewhere in the city.