Colombia · BARú & PLAYA BLANCA TOURS

The 15 Best Barú & Playa Blanca Tours from Cartagena

49 tours  ·  from $11

Playa Blanca is an hour by road or forty minutes by water, and the hawkers are part of the deal. These 15 sort the beach-club days from the island hops, with prices, what lunch includes and when you are back in the city.

Full-Day Rosario Islands Including Barú, Bocachica & Playa Blanca - Isla Grande offers the reef stop and a beach club
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Full-Day Rosario Islands Including Barú, Bocachica & Playa Blanca

1.Full-Day Rosario Islands Including Barú, Bocachica & Playa Blanca

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,729 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $88Our pick

Spend about eight hours boating from Cartagena to Bocachica, Isla Grande, Cholón, Playa Blanca, and Tierra Bomba. You’ll see San Fernando Fort, snorkel from a boat, eat lunch by the beach, and finish at Anaho Beach Club. Guides such as Franklin, Angel, Milton, and Cesar have earned praise, but rough seas, vendors, and crowded boats are part of the deal.

“I do not recommend this tour, especially for families. Despite being advertised as a VIP five island tour, there was nothing VIP about the experience. One of the main stops was a party island with excessive and very obvious drug and alcohol use. People openly approached us offering drugs, which made the environment feel unsafe and completely inappropriate for families. None of the beach clubs felt clean or well maintained, and the lunch provided was not good. On top of that, there were many hidden fees on the islands that were not clearly communicated in advance. Overall, the experience was disappointing and stressful. I would strongly advise families to avoid…”

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Baru and Playa Blanca Full Day - What the $39 price really covers
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Baru and Playa Blanca Full Day

2.Baru and Playa Blanca Full Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 371 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $39

Spend about seven hours at Playa Blanca on Barú, with air-conditioned minivan transport, a sun chair, local guide, and lunch with fish, chicken, or vegetarian choices. Guides such as José, Milton, Cristian, and Franklin have earned praise for friendly help. Expect beautiful water, rustic bathrooms, local vendors, and a crowded public beach.

“The morning of and transportation was a bit confusing as the website and the WhatsUp app said two different things as far as the meet location and or pick up from hotel. When we made the reservation it never asked to be picked up from hotel. We confirmed it morning of and canceled the uber as it was no longer needed. Bus picked us up on time and we were on our way with another group. Milton was our tour guide and he spoke English very well and answered all of our questions while on the bus. He was amazing and very nice guy. Once at the beach, it was…”

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Playa Blanca in Baru Island - The drive from Cartagena to Barú Island
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Playa Blanca in Baru Island

3.Playa Blanca in Baru Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 208 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $75

Spend about eight hours traveling from Cartagena to Playa Blanca on Barú Island, with an English-Spanish guide, beach chairs, umbrella, cold water, and optional Colombian lunch. Guides such as Karina, Michael, Natalia, and Boris have earned praise for personal care. Expect rough roads, vendors, and possibly a short boat transfer.

“Beautiful white sand and blue waters, the place itself is beautiful, however it’s not out of this world, been too many other beaches better than this. Be prepared to get pestered and bombarded by locals trying to sell you things , we just ignored them. The tour leader was nice.”

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tour to baru with lunch - Arriving at Barú and finding the beach plan
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tour to baru with lunch

4.tour to baru with lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 203 reviews · 7 hours (approx.)

This Cartagena to Barú outing is advertised as a seven-hour private transfer with lunch, air-conditioned transport, and return to the starting point. The details supplied do not name the beach, lunch venue, or guide, so confirm those points before booking. Vanessa is one driver praised for punctual, helpful service, while pickup reliability has varied.

“So much fun! Great experience, food and drinks were great! We had an amazing time. Not much else to say, but it’s forcing me to write more.”

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Full Day Barú island: Mangrove +Snorkel + Sunset + Plankton - Getting from Cartagena to Freedom Beach Club
Barú & Playa Blanca Tours, Bioluminescent Plankton Tours, Cartagena Tours, Evening Experiences, Evening Tours in Cartagena, Full-Day Tours, Full-Day Tours in Cartagena, Mangrove Tours, Snorkeling, Tour Reviews

Full Day Barú island: Mangrove +Snorkel + Sunset + Plankton

5.Full Day Barú island: Mangrove +Snorkel + Sunset + Plankton

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 139 reviews · 11 hours · from $69

Spend 11 hours from Cartagena at Freedom Beach Club in Barú, with a cocktail, lunch, mangrove boat ride, raccoon visit, snorkeling, sunset, and nighttime plankton swim. Spanish-speaking guides lead the day. Staff members Angie and Dequer have received particular praise, though transport and activity timing can vary.

“snorkel di 10 minuti senza boccaglio in una zona dove c'erano davvero pochi pesci, situazione molto confusa, barca per trasferimento al beach club scomoda. chiedono il 15% per pagamenti con carta, cibo non male ma nemmeno ottimo. un po' diverso dalla descrizione del tour. non consigliato”

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Cartagena: Snorkel, Mangroves and Playa Blanca Tour - Boarding the Boat at Barú
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Cartagena: Snorkel, Mangroves and Playa Blanca Tour

6.Snorkel, Mangroves and Playa Blanca Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 132 reviews

Spend eight hours traveling from Cartagena to Barú for a boat trip through mangroves, a snorkeling stop, and time at Playa Blanca. Spanish-speaking guides such as Ruben, Wilber, Diana, and Daker have earned strong praise for clear help and friendly service. Expect lunch, beach time, boat transfers, and a relaxed but sometimes loosely organized day.

“I highly recommend this tour . Ruben is my tour guy . He pick me up on time . We had a great time at the beach . After that we went snorkeling and mangrove tour. The food also delicious. Well worth the money . My tour guy Ruben offer above and beyond service”

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Cartagena: Isla Baru Beach Club at Playa Blanca - Choosing lunch with the 30,000-peso voucher
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Cartagena: Isla Baru Beach Club at Playa Blanca

7.Isla Baru Beach Club at Playa Blanca

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 124 reviews · 8 hours · from $40

Travel from Cartagena across Barú to Playa Blanca for five hours at Mambo Beach Club. Swim in warm turquoise water, use a sun lounger, enjoy a 30,000-peso lunch voucher, and meet bilingual guides such as Alex, Nicho, Juancho, or Angel. Bring cash, sandals, a towel, and mosquito repellent.

“The beach is wonderful! Calm sea, warm water, very pleasant. However, there are a lot of people going around with jet skis and speed boats, quite near to shore, and that made me quite anxious. The ride from Cartagena to Isla Baru was made on an old bus and took quite some time because of the traffic. The restaurant was OK. There were a lot of people selling stuff coming to us all the time with handycraft and other stuff. That can be irritating sometimes, but we ended up buying some things and we don't regret! It was a good day.”

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Cartagena: BEACH DAY ON TIERRA BOMBA ISLAND PUNTARENA - Punta Arena is easy, but not polished
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Cartagena: BEACH DAY ON TIERRA BOMBA ISLAND PUNTARENA

8.BEACH DAY ON TIERRA BOMBA ISLAND PUNTARENA

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 121 reviews · 1 day · from $11Best value

Take a 5 to 7 minute speedboat from Bocagrande to Punta Arena on Tierra Bomba Island. Spend the day by the Caribbean, with chairs, a table, optional fish or chicken lunch, coconut rice, salad, and patacón. English phone and WhatsApp help is available throughout, and your return time can be arranged between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.

“Tudo como descrito no anúncio. Se atentem a ficar nas barracas mais lá pro final, comida boa e pelo preço vale a pena. A água não é azul como nas fotos mas ainda assim é uma praia bonita”

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Quiet Beach, Baru Premium to the max - Lunch, Brunch, and the Food Details
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Quiet Beach, Baru Premium to the max

9.Quiet Beach, Baru Premium to the max

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 100 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $48

Spend about six hours at Playa Tranquila after a Cartagena pickup, traveling by air-conditioned vehicle and a short boat ride from Playa Blanca. Jet Set Travel includes lunch, a welcome drink, beach seating, a shrimp ceviche or fruit serving, Wi-Fi when available, and medical insurance. Expect a simple island setting, not a polished resort.

“The journey to the place was fine, but the Club Jet Set was a place that left much to be desired. The hosts did not guarantee us safety of our belongings, the bathrooms were dirty and had no water, there was also no water to remove salt from the sea and when we asked the managers for support they did not give it. They were totally unconcerned about the attention of the place. Viator should feed back with these comments as we have seen many bad reviews of this place, previously we have traveled with Viator and they had always been very good but this place did disappoint us.Auto-translated”

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Adventure full day Isla Barú + Mangroves + Snorkel + bioluminescent plankton - Mambo Beach and the crowded Barú shoreline
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Adventure full day Isla Barú + Mangroves + Snorkel + bioluminescent plankton

10.Adventure full day Isla Barú + Mangroves + Snorkel + bioluminescent plankton

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 95 reviews · 15 hours (approx.) · from $65

Spend a long day from Cartagena at Barú’s Mambo Beach, with lunch, a short mangrove boat ride, fish viewing with a mask, and a nighttime trip to see bioluminescent plankton. Expect shared transport, changing schedules, local boats, persistent beach vendors, and a return that may come late.

“Great overall except they were late and didn’t make it up. I informed that I had my car. I could have been there at least 2 hours more and it was closer from where I was as well. So I had to pay for parking (a crazy amount with a very rude guy)”

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Magical Full-Day Tour Through The Mangroves And The Beach In Isla de Barú - Leaving Cartagena for the Barú Peninsula
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Magical Full-Day Tour Through The Mangroves And The Beach In Isla de Barú

11.Magical Full-Day Tour Through The Mangroves And The Beach In Isla de Barú

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 90 reviews · 7 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $45

Spend 7 to 9 hours on Barú with a bilingual guide, beach time at Mambo Beach, a 30,000-peso lunch voucher, a mangrove boat trip, and snorkeling when conditions allow. Guides such as Gabriel and Jose have earned praise for their friendly help, but pickup, language, boat safety, and timing can vary.

“Playa Blanca/Magical tour is a must! The tour guides Gabriel and Jose were super friendly. The drive gives you a glimpse into the non tourist areas which I can appreciate. The beach club was nice and the staff attentive without being overbearing. The short ride through the mangrove is worth the somewhat chaotic ride to the snorkeling area. The guides were great, however I was thrown into the front part of boat that was beyond capacity (no actual seats left) and offered no life jacket. Even with the minor inconveniences, I would recommend this tour if you are looking to explore the area and be one with nature.”

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Cartagena: Barù Island Playa Blanca with Lunch - Starting Early in Cartagena
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Cartagena: Barù Island Playa Blanca with Lunch

12.Barù Island Playa Blanca with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 89 reviews · 7 hours · from $26

Ride from Cartagena to Barú Island, climb rustic stairs, and spend the day at Playa Blanca with a bilingual guide and traditional fish lunch with coconut rice. Hotel pickup is offered in several areas, though traffic, late arrivals, and the walk to the beach can reduce your time by the water.

“De quelle activité s agit il???? passer la journée a la plage”

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Cartagena: Baru Island & Playa Tranquila Day Trip with Lunch - The one-hour ride across to Barú
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Cartagena: Baru Island & Playa Tranquila Day Trip with Lunch

13.Baru Island & Playa Tranquila Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 67 reviews · 8 hours · from $26

Spend about eight hours traveling from Cartagena to Barú, then walk to Playa Tranquila for swimming, sun, photos, and a typical lunch of fish or chicken, coconut rice, patacón, and salad. English and Spanish assistance is offered, but beach chairs, tents, drinks, and snorkeling cost extra. Expect a rustic walk and a busy public beach area.

“The beach we visited was truly beautiful and definitely the highlight of this trip. Unfortunately, the overall tour experience didn’t match the expectations set in the description. Our guide didn’t speak any English and there was very little interaction or explanation throughout the day, which made the experience feel disconnected. The food was also minimal, and contrary to what was advertised, the only option available was fish instead of the seafood casserole mentioned in the description. While the destination itself was stunning, the tour experience could be improved. Based on this, I wouldn’t fully recommend it unless there are changes made.”

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Full day At Beach Club in Playa Blanca Baru cartagena - The water is beautiful, but watch your footing
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Full day At Beach Club in Playa Blanca Baru cartagena

14.Full day At Beach Club in Playa Blanca Baru cartagena

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 67 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $40

Spend about eight hours at Mambo Beach Club on Playa Blanca, Barú, with air-conditioned transport from Cartagena, a bilingual coordinator, welcome drink, lunch voucher, bathrooms, lockers, loungers, and beach access. The ride takes roughly 90 minutes each way, traffic can stretch it longer, and the beach has coral rocks in places.

“My wife has arthritis and we opted for this trip as we did not need to use transportation by boat as it is difficult for her to get in and out. Miguel our guide was punctual at the meeting point and communicated very well in English. However on the trip to the beach he was vaping sitting in the front seat which was uncomfortable to us especially as the van was full with 8 passengers at the back. The beach was average and had a lot of coral rocks in the sand and we had tto be careful walking in the ocean. The staff and service as well as the…”

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Playa Blanca Barú: VIP Access to Mambo Beach Club - Key points to know before booking
Barú & Playa Blanca Tours, Beach Clubs & Day Passes, Cartagena Tours, Tour Reviews, VIP, VIP Tours in Cartagena

Playa Blanca Barú: VIP Access to Mambo Beach Club

15.Playa Blanca Barú: VIP Access to Mambo Beach Club

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 61 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $39

Spend about nine hours traveling from Cartagena to Playa Blanca on Barú Island, with air-conditioned transport, a welcome drink, snacks, lunch credit, a sun chair, lockers, and club access. Mambo Beach Club adds music and bathrooms, but this is a public beach with vendors, boat traffic, and possible extra charges for shade, premium meals, and Balinese beds.

“Verdadeira arapuca! Não caiam nessa. O local é minúsculo, sem infraestrutura, apenas alguns sofás e espreguiçadeiras. Sujo, sem energia e sem água potável. Não vale a pena!!”

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