Cartagena Boat Tour: Rosario Islands Snorkel & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.86 (948 reviews) 93% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/19

Duration8h

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Snorkel colorful reefs, glide through mangrove tunnels, then relax on a private island

A full-day boat tour from Cartagena to the Rosario Islands with snorkeling at Isla Grande, a mangrove tunnel, and lunch at Playa Cristal. The tour runs 8 hours, departs at 8:30 a.m., and uses a sports boat built for comfort instead of capacity. You choose one of three options at checkout: snorkel with lunch only, snorkel plus drinks and snacks, or snorkel plus a 30-minute massage at the private island.

Step-by-step itinerary

Rosario Islands boat tour and snorkeling

Depart Cartagena at 8:30 a.m.
Enjoy historic information from the boat
Panoramic tour through mangrove tunnel
Snorkel at Isla Grande
Relax on private island
Lunch at Playa Cristal
Return to Cartagena at 4:30 p.m.

The Experience

The boat leaves Cartagena at 8:30 a.m. and heads out to Isla Grande, the main island of the Rosario Islands archipelago. You'll snorkel at the surface with a mask and tube, then move to a private island to rest while taking in the Corales del Rosario National Park. The route includes a panoramic run through a mangrove tunnel before reaching Playa Cristal, where lunch and the day's best views happen together. A Cuba Libre waits at the first island, and the boat carries music and a small group—the operator runs these tours on sports boats, not the 40-50 person ferries that show up in other listings.

Lunch is a typical island meal: your choice of fried snapper, grilled chicken breast, or rice with vegetables, all served with coconut rice, patacones, salad, and natural lemonade. The snorkeling gear is included, and so is bottled water and Gatorade. If you book the VIP option, you also get drinks and snacks throughout the day. The Spa option adds a 30-minute massage at the private island. The entrance fee to the national park is built into the price.

The tour runs 8 hours total and returns by 4:30 p.m. Public transportation options are available near the departure point. The guide speaks English and Spanish. The boat is designed for comfort, which matters on a full day at sea—the difference between a sports boat and a packed ferry shows up in how the day actually feels.

What’s included

Snorkeling equipment.
entrance fee to Corales del Rosario National Park.
one Cuba Libre at the first island.
bottled water and Gatorade.
typical island lunch with a choice of fish, chicken, or vegetarian, plus sides and natural lemonade.
a snack option at the first island (patacones with hogao, egg arepa, shrimp ceviche, or beer). The VIP option adds drinks and snacks throughout the day.
the Spa option adds a 30-minute massage at the private island.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by PANA TOURS COLOMBIA

Is this one for you?Small groups on a sports boat matter if you've booked other Caribbean tours on ferries packed with 40-50 people—this one trades capacity for the kind of comfort that makes 8 hours on the water feel like a choice instead of an endurance test.