San Bernardo Archipelago Colombia. Tour Islas del Rosario.

The Rosario and San Bernardo Coral Islands National Natural Park is a park that is made up of 28 islands that are located in the Colombian Caribbean Sea, being the easiest way to get there from Cartagena de Indias. We decided to go on our third day on the city. We decided to go on a trip to the islands on Friday since they are much more crowded on the weekend, hopefully we can go during the week. 

There are different options for going to the islands and hundreds of different hotels and tours to choose from.  We decided to rent a private boat, since on previous occasions we had had the opportunity to travel to different of these islands through tours with many more people. These types of tours are for approximately 20 people and take you to a particular island where you will have the opportunity to spend a couple of hours on the beach and have lunch there. We decided to rent a private boat through the company Nauty services, which provided us with excellent service and support throughout the reservation process and during the trip, of course. This company has different types of boats and yachts with different capacities.

 We were specifically two people but we wanted something private and that we could go wherever we wanted at our own time, and without a doubt we were not wrong. It was the best idea.

Our day began by finding us at the Navas dock in the la güito area in Cartagena (There are different ports and that is why we clarified), however the boarding point can be discussed between the travelers and the company led by Wilmer, as well as the time. meeting starting at 8 am. We finally started our tour at 9 am, then we passed by the tourist pier of Cartagena in Manga where we picked up the snorkeling equipment that we would use to snorkel and some ice (ideally to bring your own drinks) since in this occasion were not included. 

After this, our journey of approximately one hour out to sea began, passing through the different islands initially inhabited by native fishermen and merchants of the area, the industrial port and then the different and imposing islands, where it is evident that they are being increasingly used for build beautiful locations for tourists, some of which are hotels and others just for people to spend a pleasant day.

On board you will have the option of playing your own music at full volume to enjoy that beautiful view with the best musical atmosphere. Additionally, the crew is made up of a trained and experienced El Capitan, a navigation assistant and our tour guide. They will tell you about the islands and everything you want to know about it to have a better understanding of where they are and what they are seeing and where they are passing through at all times. 

Halfway through we decided to snorkel so the crew took us to a place where there are 3 areas of natural corals full of beautiful colorful fish of different sizes and how the water is so transparent was ideal to appreciate them. Additionally, you can enjoy delicious cocktails prepared in the sea itself (since there are people kayaking with floating bars that will offer you three types of drinks), an activity that you will undoubtedly be able to enjoy since it seemed like something quite particular and native to us. We were snorkeling for approximately 30 minutes until we got tired, you can imagine doing that under a blazing sun and in 30 degree temperatures.

Now began our time to decide where we wanted to have lunch and of course enjoy the beach and be able to swim in its calm waters and mainly relax a little more and enjoy the whole atmosphere. The crew gives you several options since they know all the places and even you will have the opportunity to see the different hotels and tours and you can decide based on what you see. Finally we decided and chose to go to Paue Beach Lounge. 
 

To enter you must pay a cover of 20,000 pesos and you must additionally guarantee a minimum consumption of 100,000 pesos per person. They have beautiful beds at height and on the beach to enjoy the view and relax for a while. We specifically wanted a bed in the upper area on the first line from which we could see the beautiful sea and the different boats.

 In the place and included is the kayak and paddle surf service. You must book in advance to ensure you will have the opportunity to use the service. We had the opportunity to kayak and walk through the boats and visit the other nearby hotels and see them from the shore. It is a very fun activity and since it is really calm it is easy to handle it even if it is the first time you do it.

After that we had the opportunity to enjoy lunch where you will find traditional seafood options from the area, we ate a fried sierra and a ceviche with patacones, the food is good to get a little energy after the trip. After taking a short nap we decided to go down and swim a little and enjoy the beach. It is truly a beautiful place and ideal to get out of the routine and change the landscape of the city.

 The return trip is generally around 3 in the afternoon, however we left a little earlier since the crew indicated that the waves were a little high and that the tide was getting a little more complicated. We had no problems and the truth is that we enjoyed the experience, we like the speed, adrenaline and it was spectacular. You have to have it in. Keep in mind that this type of tour with small children or older adults can be very hectic, so they can decide on larger boats, with more people, and also return much earlier to the city so that the boat does not move as much.

In 40 minutes you will be back in the city and you will have the opportunity to continue exploring it and enjoy how much it has to offer you in terms of gastronomy, culture and its people.