Why Rosario Islands Overnight is 10x Better Than a Day Trip

Rosario Islands are one of the most popular day trips from Cartagena. And it’s fine, but nothing like staying a couple nights on the remote islands.

Hear me out.

On a day trip You leave around 8am if you’re lucky to take a one-hour boat ride to Isla Grande. You spend a few hours at a crowded beach club and head back by mid-afternoon on another one-hour boat ride on very rough waters.

You pay a lot, fight for space on the beach and leave thinking the islands are overrated.

Or maybe you book a 5 islands snorkeling trip online to find out you’re being shuttled around to different beach clubs on the same island. And wait, all of the coral is dead.

It doesn’t have to be that way!

Rosario Islands Overnight Changes Everything

I stayed for two nights on Isla Grande and it felt like a completely different place. The day trippers cleared out around 4pm. Along with them the music stopped, the beaches emptied. I could walk along the water and actually hear the ocean instead of competing sound systems.

This is everything I learned about getting there, what it costs, where to stay and why the overnight experience is worth considering.

See For Yourself: Rosario Island YouTube Video

Getting to Rosario Islands from Cartagena

Boats leave from the main tourist pier in Cartagena at Muelle de la Bodeguita. Most departures run between 7:30am and 9am. Show up late and you’ll miss your boat.

The ride takes 45 to 90 minutes depending on which boat you’re on and how rough the water is. January through April is dry season and the water gets choppy in the afternoon.

The ride back can feel pretty rough and there’s nothing you can really do about it. Sit near the front and you will get wet so fight for the middle seats next to the captain.

Three Ways to Get to Rosario Islands

Day Trip Tours

These are the easiest to arrange. You’ll pay between 180,000 and 300,000 COP depending on which beach club is included. These almost always return between 3pm and 4pm.

There’s also a national park fee of about 30,000 to 35,000 COP. Some companies include it, others make you pay separately in cash. Bring small bills.

By regulation, all boats must be back at the Cartagena port by 5:00 PM due to safety concerns regarding stronger afternoon currents and rougher sea conditions.

Booking Through Your Rosario Islands Hotel

Booking a private boat if you have a group means no chaos. Someone picks you up and the boat takes you straight to your accommodation on Isla Grande or one of the nearby islands. It is also the most costly but with a group it can be worth it.

Booking at the Port

I learned the hard way that just heading to the port to book directly can be messy. I thought I would avoid tour agency fees but you don’t save money and it’s more complicated.

I arrived at the port and bought a ticket from one of the representatives of the tour guide collective. I also gave him the port entry fee. They escorted me to the turnstile and told me to wait in the crowded area for someone to call my name.

There are HUNDREDS of people. Multiple operators run boats and there’s barely any signage. And no one is calling names by microphone, it’s literally people yelling.

I was very worried but with my intermediate Spanish kept asking people where to stand. In the end after ALL the tours go they take the independent travelers. You tell them your hotel and they’ll drop you off at the closest dock.

Next time I would book a “transport only” ticket through a tour agency, so I knew what agency to look for at the dock and sit in their section. I did this going to Playa Blanca and it worked well.

Although our captain told us to take a photo of the boat name so we would know which boat to take when we returned to Cartagena, mine changed.

This must happen a lot as I was staying at Eco Hotel Las Palmeras and they asked to see my ferry ticket. On departure day they called to confirm the boat name before I went to the dock so I knew this in advance.

Island hospitality is the best!

Day Trip vs Staying Overnight

Let’s get into the details as a day trip away at a remote island sounds amazing, until you realize the experience isn’t quite like you thought.

The Day Trip Reality

After a one hour boat ride, most day trips go to beach clubs on Isla Grande or nearby islands. You get a chair or sunbed and a credit toward food and drinks.

By 11am the place is packed. Music blaring from multiple speakers. Large groups moving through the same small areas. If you want a social beach party atmosphere, this works. If you came for peace and quiet, you’re out of luck.

You also have zero flexibility. Your return boat leaves around 3pm whether you’re ready or not. You’re heading back right when the island starts to calm down.

The Rosario Islands are remote. They do not grow any food other than coconuts and some bananas. There aren’t even local fishermen supplying the island.

Beach club prices run higher than you’d expect. A simple lunch with fried fish, rice and a drink easily hits 70,000 to 100,000 COP.

That’s not a rip-off, it’s just reality when everything has to come from the mainland.

The other surprise is that many beaches have coral or rocky entry points. Some clubs clear areas for swimming but not all of them.

Pro tip: Water shoes help.

What Changes When You Stay Overnight

Despite its name meaning “big island” Isla Grande isn’t that big and you can walk most of it pretty easily.

Although the island has a string of beach clubs there are two public beaches that are so nice you don’t need to go to one of the expensive clubs.

Playa Libre

Playa Libre gives you that turquoise Caribbean blues that you share on social media to make others jealous. It’s right next to a beach club but instead of paying private beach prices you can rent a beach chair for a couple bucks from locals.

And if you just decide to sit on a towel under the trees no one will give you a side eye.

This beach is best in the morning as it get’s pretty rough in the late afternoon when everyone goes home.

Playa Escondida

This beach is technically on the other side of the island, but it only requires a 10 minute walk from Playa Libre. It’s on the south side so when Playa Libre waters get rough this is a great place to go.

I think they call it hidden beach because day trippers never find it. There are locals selling food, drink, and chairs for a few dollars. But again you can just sit on your towel if you want.

Although I think it’s a great place to support local families with a fruit juice or ceviche. This was where I learned they needed to bring all the delicious Colombian fruits over from the mainland for the juices they make, which is why prices are slightly higher.

Orika aka El Pueblito

Staying overnight also gives you time to explore the village on Isla Grande. There’s one main town with small shops, simple restaurants and local homes. This is where you find food that actually makes sense price-wise.

I woke up early and walked into town for breakfast after I had a local tip that Restaurante Micelio was top rated. It was definitely a highlight as the family runs it out of their house and opened the restaurant for me.

Meals on Rosario Islands

All of the hotels on Rosario Island also have restaurants. And you’ll find little tiendas or shops that offer snacks.

A basic Colombian breakfast of arepas, eggs and coffee costs 20,000 to 30,000 COP. Most meals start at 50,000 COP but you can get traditional Colombian food and huge portions.

Fried empanadas or cheese-filled arepas run 3,000 to 8,000 COP. You can eat well without spending beach club money.

Where to Stay on the Rosario Islands

Accommodation options range pretty widely.

Budget eco stays run about 30,000 to 80,000 COP per night for a dorm or basic room. Most have limited electricity that only runs in the evening. No air conditioning, just natural airflow.

I stayed in a dorm at Eco Hotel Las Palmeras as they were almost fully booked. When I arrived I think they were worried I would hate the dorm because I’m not in my 20s.

But I loved it. There were people staying in it of all ages. No one partying and everyone was quiet.

It was a handful of comfortable beds with mosquito nets and there was screening around the top of the building so the wind was natural AC.

However, they also have private rooms and family size units. I just booked too late.

There are also luxury hotels in Rosario Islands and house rentals. Higher-end beach hotels can cost 300,000 COP or more per night with private rooms, full meals and organized activities.

Internet Speeds

I prepared for zero internet access. However, I had 4G local data and Eco Hotel Las Palmeras had slow but functioning wifi if you just want to check emails or social media.

Don’t expect to video stream.

Because I’d told so many people I wouldn’t have internet I decided to stay offline. I have learned that for me paradise is truly being offline. I read a book over two days, wrote in my journal a

ATMs & Paying by Credit Card

There are no ATMs anywhere on the island. But beach clubs, hotels and even some beach vendors allow you to pay by card, but you need to cover the processing fee.

I just brought cash but it was good to know if I needed more money it was possible.

What to Do Besides Beach Time

Most people only think about the beaches but there’s more if you stay longer. Although I was planning a chill beach stay I wanted to choose one activity to support a local guide.

Local Tours

There are a number of tours available to various islands, which means money goes directly to people on the island instead of the mainland companies.

You can also hire a guide to explore the area by bike or hiking. And at night they have bioluminescent tours, although I believe it’s only visible around the full moon.

If you dive, there are a few operators on Isla Grande that run trips to nearby sites. Costs run higher than mainland Colombia but the convenience factor matters if you’re already on the island.

Snorkeling and Diving

It’s sad but most of the island’s coral is dead. My accommodation told me there’s one spot left where day trippers don’t go but it’s possible to go with a guide. They want to ensure it doesn’t become crowded and also die.

Walking the Island

Isla Grande isn’t huge but you can spend a couple hours walking around. There’s a path that loops through the village and along parts of the coast. Early morning is best before it gets too hot.

You’ll pass local homes, small gardens and the occasional chicken or pig wandering around. It’s not a nature reserve, just a regular island where people live.

You can also bike it and most hotels on the island have inexpensive bike rentals.

The Mangroves

I read reviews that the mangrove tours were tourist but I think it’s because people took them on a day trip.

Eco Hotel Las Palmeras organized a private mangrove tour at sunset and we were the only ones around. My guide took me through 3 mangroves, explained the vegetation, animals and showed me a medusa jellyfish.

I have taken lots of mangrove tours but doing it under golden light in the quiet was beautiful. It cost me 70,000 COP and I was happy to support eco-tourism efforts.

Best Time to Visit the Rosario Islands

Dry season runs from December through April. This is peak tourist season so expect more crowds and higher prices.

May through November is rainy season but it doesn’t rain all day. You might get afternoon showers but mornings are often clear. Fewer people visit during these months and some places offer lower rates.

The water can get rough during certain times of year. If you get seasick easily, take something for it before the boat ride.

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