Snorkeling Rosario Islands: 5 islands with plankton

Five islands, two snorkel stops, and bioluminescent plankton in one day

A full-day snorkeling tour of the Rosario Islands with a live guide in English or Spanish, departing from Cartagena with hotel pickup included. You snorkel at a coral pool and a sunken plane site, visit five islands with stops for lunch and a shrimp cocktail, and finish with a plankton swim at sunset. The tour runs eight hours and includes snorkeling equipment, bottled water, an air-conditioned boat and restroom access; entrance to the oceanarium is separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Rosario Islands snorkeling and plankton tour

• Meet at meeting point
• Panoramic of Bocachica fort and history
• Stop at sunken plane site
• Snorkel at coral pool in San Martin de Pajarales
• Choose activity: oceanarium, coral snorkeling, or beach
• Stop at Cholon Island for shrimp cocktail
• Stop at Isla Agua Azul
• Lunch and sunset at white beach on Isla Baru
• Enjoy plankton activity

The Experience

The day starts at your hotel with pickup and a drive to the dock, where you board an air-conditioned boat for the Rosario Islands. On the way out, the guide points out the fort of Bocachica and its history, then you make two snorkeling stops before reaching the main islands. The first is at the site of a sunken plane in the water; the second is a natural coral pool at San Martin de Pajarales where you get in with full snorkeling gear to see the reef up close.

Once you reach the Rosario Islands proper, you choose your own activity: enter the oceanarium to see the marine life in tanks, snorkel again in the corals, or stay on the beach. After that, the boat stops at Cholon on Baru Island, a busy anchorage full of yachts and music, where you eat a shrimp cocktail. The next stop is Agua Azul Island, quieter and smaller, then you move to a white sand beach on Baru where lunch arrives and you watch the sunset. The plankton activity happens after dark—you swim in the water and see the bioluminescence light up around your body as you move.

You can book with or without the plankton swim, and the tour runs as a shared group or as a private booking for one or two people. A guide travels with you the whole day and speaks English or Spanish. Snorkeling equipment, bottled water, an ice chest, and restroom access on board are all included; bring a towel and sunscreen.

What’s included

• Snorkeling equipment for all stops.
• bottled water and an ice chest.
• lunch and a shrimp cocktail.
• air-conditioned boat with onboard restroom.
• plankton swim at sunset (if you choose that option).
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• hotel pickup in Cartagena.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by GR TOURS Cartagena

Is this one for you?Book the version with plankton if the bioluminescent swim is your main draw; without it, you get the same snorkeling and island stops but skip the night water activity.

Traveler reviews

4.25★★★★★★★★★★

4 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What exactly is the plankton activity at the end of the day?

The plankton swim happens after sunset in the water around Baru Island. As you move through the water, the bioluminescent plankton light up around your body, creating a glowing effect in the darkness. It is included in the tour if you book the plankton option; you can also book the same islands and snorkeling without it.

Where do you actually snorkel on this tour?

You snorkel at two stops before reaching the main islands: first at a sunken plane site in the water, then at a natural coral pool at San Martin de Pajarales. Once you arrive at the Rosario Islands, you can choose to snorkel again in the corals or visit the oceanarium instead.

How many islands do you visit and what do you do at each one?

You stop at five islands across the day. At the Rosario Islands main stop, you choose between snorkeling, the oceanarium, or the beach. Cholon on Baru Island is where you eat a shrimp cocktail surrounded by yachts. Agua Azul Island is a quieter stop. You return to Baru Island for lunch and the sunset, then the plankton swim if you booked that option.

Is snorkeling equipment provided, or do you need to bring your own?

Snorkeling equipment is included in the tour. The boat provides everything you need for the two main snorkel stops and any additional snorkeling you choose at the Rosario Islands.

What is included in the price, and what costs extra?

The tour includes snorkeling equipment, bottled water, lunch, a shrimp cocktail, an air-conditioned boat with restroom access, a live guide, and hotel pickup. Entrance to the oceanarium is not included if you choose that activity at the islands.

How long is the full day, and what time does it start?

The tour runs eight hours total. Hotel pickup is included, so the guide collects you from your accommodation; the exact start time depends on where you are staying in Cartagena.