Best Beaches in Cartagena
Cartagena sits on the coast of Colombia, with the azure waters of the Caribbean all around. While there are many reasons to visit the city, from its history to its nightlife, but wherever you are, you are never far away from a wonderful beach.
Here are five of the best beaches you can enjoy in and around Cartagena that offer the beach experience you are looking for.
Playa Castillo grande
Sitting in front of the exclusive high-rise apartments and hotels of Bocagrande, this is perhaps the best free to access beach on Cartagena itself. It has darker sands than you may expect, but the sheltered bay and an underground seawall, built to deter pirates, means calm waters for swimming. It is usually the quietest of the city’s beaches, and all the better for it.
With fewer vendors and less hustle around the sands, you can relax here without the interruptions you may get from some of the more commercial beaches.
Playa Las Mantas
A stunning beach on Isla Grande, an island off the coast and a 40-minute boat journey from Cartagena itself. While most of the island’s pristine white sands are private property of the numerous hotels and resorts located there, Playa Las Mantas is the one public beach.
Clear, calm waters and beautiful sands make it a real pleasure to spend time, while you can also take walks through the trees on the official trails if you want a break from the sun. There is snorkeling on offer too, making it a perfect adventure for everyone.
Isla Tierra Bomba
Just 10 minutes from the coast by boat, Isla Tierra Bomba is one of the many small islands you can access from Cartagena. Here you find palm lined beaches of white sand and beautiful blue water, but the reason this is a beach to look for is for what you don’t find. Crowds.
Cartagena itself can get very busy, but take the time to venture here, and you can find quiet stretches of beach that are perfect for a day relaxing and enjoying the views of Cartagena’s skyline across the sea.
Playa Blanca
Travel about 40 minutes along the coast, and you arrive at the exquisite Isla Barú, where you will find Playa Blanca. If you close your eyes and imagine the Caribbean beach of your dreams, this is the beach you would be thinking of. Its white sands and blue waters are stunning, with lush greenery, mangrove trees, and more providing a beautiful backdrop.
However, while it is the picture-perfect beach to visit, it is also the busiest beach in the area, and if you do make the trip, do it during the week and avoid weekends. It not only gets very crowded with tourists but with vendors too, and it can be a frustrating experience.
La Boquilla
This is the beach that locals go to when they want to spend time by the ocean, which should tell you everything. A little way from the center of the city, but still within Cartagena, it remains undeveloped, which is why you rarely see tourists here.
But if you do make the trip, you find a lovely beach lined by restaurants and kiosks for food and drink. It has a very different vibe to the tourist focused beaches in Cartagena itself, but if you want something less intense, you will find a more relaxed experience.