Full day Isla del Encanto – Rosario Islands

Isla del Encanto gives you a full Caribbean beach day without arranging an overnight stay. After a roughly 60-minute speedboat ride from Cartagena, you have sand, clear water, a pool, hammocks, loungers, kayaking, and lunch at a resort on the Rosario Islands. The quiet beach setting is the main draw.

I like the simple rhythm of the day: boat ride, beach, swim, lunch, then more time in the water. I also like that you can choose your pace once you arrive, spending the day freely rather than following a tightly packed program. The resort setting makes this a comfortable choice for couples and families.

The catch is the price. At $158 per person, you still pay the Cartagena boarding tax, and the Oceanarium costs extra. The pier can feel disorganized, and the return ride may be rough when the sea is choppy.

Key points to know before booking

• A resort beach day, not an isolated island escape: You use Isla del Encanto’s facilities, including loungers, hammocks, a pool, and a buffet lunch.
• The boat leaves from Gate 3 at Bodeguita Pier: Plan to be ready for the 8:00 a.m. departure and allow time for the COP 31,500 boarding tax.
• About 60 minutes each way by speedboat: The trip is fairly quick, but rough water can make the return ride uncomfortable.
• The Oceanarium is optional: Admission costs COP 30,000 per person, with an additional COP 20,000 boarding fee.
• A good fit for families and couples: You get swimming, rest, lunch, and kayaking in one easy day.
• Bring a towel and extra cash: Towels are not listed among the inclusions, and added charges are part of the day.

What your $158 day at Isla del Encanto really includes

This is a packaged beach day in the Corales del Rosario Natural Park, not a bare-bones boat transfer. Your $158 covers speedboat transportation, lunch, use of the pool, beach beds, sun loungers, and kayaking. That can be good value if you want most of the day handled for you.

Still, the headline price is not the final cost. You need to add the COP 31,500 boarding tax per person at the Cartagena pier. If you choose the Oceanarium, admission is another COP 30,000, plus a COP 20,000 boarding fee connected with that stop.

That makes the price easier to judge in practical terms. You are paying for transport, a full day at a private resort area, food, and use of facilities. You are not simply paying for a boat ticket to a beach. If you want a low-effort island day and plan to use the pool, loungers, and beach space, the package may suit you.

If you mainly want to see the Rosario Islands from the water and spend a few hours swimming, the cost may feel high. The included buffet also matters. It is convenient, but the meal is described as a basic buffet rather than a special culinary event. I would book this for comfort and ease, not for a gourmet lunch.

Starting at Bodeguita Pier in Cartagena

The morning begins at Gate 3 of the Bodeguita Pier, at Muelle de la Bodeguita in Cartagena’s historic center. The listed start time is 8:00 a.m., and the same pier is where the day ends.

The pier is an important part of the planning. Getting through the gate and onto the boat can take patience, especially if several groups are leaving at once. Keep your booking confirmation handy, arrive ready to identify the correct departure point, and do not assume the boarding process will feel calm or neatly paced.

There is also a boarding tax of COP 31,500 per person. This charge is not included in the tour price, so carry enough Colombian pesos or confirm the accepted payment method before setting out. The tour is for up to 40 people, which is large enough to feel like a group outing but not a giant cruise.

The boat is a speedboat, and the ride to the island takes about an hour. That is a useful advantage over a much slower vessel, especially when you have only one day. On the other hand, speedboats respond sharply to waves. If the sea is rough, you may feel the boat hit hard at the front, particularly on the return trip.

The 60-minute ride to the Rosario Islands

The trip takes you from Cartagena’s harbor toward the Corales del Rosario Natural Park. The ride itself is part of the outing, but it is mainly transportation rather than a guided sightseeing cruise. The key benefit is the distance: you can reach the island in about an hour and still have several hours at the beach.

Bring protection from the sun and keep anything delicate in a secure bag. The supplied details do not promise covered seating or dry storage, so it is wise to treat the ride as an open-water transfer. A towel, swimsuit, sunscreen, and a change of clothes make the day easier.

The sea conditions can change. A smooth trip will feel quick and pleasant, while a choppy return can be jarring. If you are sensitive to boat motion, sit where the crew recommends and avoid treating the speedboat as a place to move around freely.

Once you reach Isla del Encanto, you disembark at the hotel. From there, the schedule becomes much less demanding. You can join a guided walk around the island or explore at your own pace, though the supplied information does not name a guide or set out a detailed walking route.

A resort beach with more than 300 meters of sand

The island’s main feature is a stretch of more than 300 meters of sand. You get the classic Caribbean setup: clear water, warm weather, places to lie down, and plenty of time to swim.

The beach is connected to the Isla del Encanto hotel, so this is not an untouched strip where you arrange everything yourself. That tradeoff works well for people who want a chair, a pool, lunch, and a place to rest. It is less suited to anyone hoping for a completely quiet, undeveloped shore.

The strongest part of the day is the freedom to set your own pace. You can swim, sit on a lounger, rest in a hammock, use the pool, or try the included kayaking. Families can split up without everyone needing to do the same thing. One person can stay near the pool while another spends time in the sea.

The beach has been described as private and quiet, which is a major reason to choose this trip over a faster stop at several crowded sites. Still, do not confuse private resort access with total solitude. Other day visitors will be using the same facilities, and local sellers may approach you with products or souvenirs.

That sales pressure is worth expecting. A firm no, gracias usually does the job, but you should not feel obliged to buy. Keep valuables close and avoid bringing anything you do not need.

Lunch, pool time, hammocks, and kayaking

Lunch is served buffet-style and features local flavors. This is practical rather than fancy. You can eat without leaving the property or searching for a restaurant, and a buffet makes it easier for a group with different appetites.

The meal has received some of the warmest praise connected with this outing, but another account found it cheap and basic. Both points can be true. The buffet may satisfy you after the boat ride and swimming, but you should not book this trip expecting a carefully prepared restaurant meal.

After lunch, you can return to the water or settle into one of the resort’s rest areas. Sun loungers and beach beds are included, as are hammocks and pool access. Those inclusions add real value because a full day on a beach becomes tiring when you have nowhere comfortable to sit.

Kayaking is also included. The available information does not specify the type of kayak, length of use, or whether an instructor is assigned. Think of it as an extra water activity rather than the central purpose of the tour.

Towels are not listed among the included items. Bring your own from Cartagena. You may also want a dry bag, since switching between pool, sea, and boat makes it easy for clothes and phones to get wet.

The optional Oceanarium stop

The Oceanarium is an optional one-hour visit. It features dolphins, turtles, rays, cat sharks, and other marine animals. Admission is COP 30,000 per person, and the Oceanarium stop also carries a COP 20,000 boarding fee per person.

The stop gives the day a second focus beyond swimming. If you enjoy marine life or have children who want more structure, it may be worth adding. If your main goal is a long, relaxed beach day, the extra hour and added charges may not appeal.

Because the Oceanarium is optional, you should decide based on your priorities before leaving Cartagena. The beach portion already fills most of the day, and the schedule returns to Cartagena in the afternoon. Choosing the Oceanarium means giving up some free time on the island or accepting a busier day.

The available details do not say how the optional stop fits into the exact boat schedule, so ask the crew about timing once you arrive. Confirm the total cost before paying, since admission and the boarding fee are separate charges.

The afternoon return to Cartagena

The group returns directly to Bodeguita Pier in the afternoon. The full outing lasts about eight hours, with roughly seven hours assigned to the main island stop and one hour available for the Oceanarium.

That timing gives you a proper day away from Cartagena, but it does not leave much room for an independent extension. You return to the same meeting point rather than being dropped at another location. Plan evening reservations with some flexibility in case the boat or pier runs late.

The return sea crossing deserves attention. Conditions can become choppy, and the speedboat may hit the water hard at the bow. If you are traveling with young children or anyone prone to seasickness, bring whatever personal motion remedy you normally use. The trip is not presented as dangerous, but it can be physically uncomfortable.

The direct return is still convenient. You do not need to arrange a taxi from a distant marina or figure out a separate boat home. Once back at the pier, the activity is finished.

Who will enjoy this island day most

I would recommend Isla del Encanto for a couple or family that wants one easy beach day with the main details arranged. You get transport, lunch, swimming, a pool, seating, and kayaking in one booking. That simplicity has value in Cartagena, where planning separate transfers and meals can take time.

It also suits you if you prefer a resort-style visit over a rougher, more independent island outing. The loungers, beach beds, hammocks, and pool make it easier to spend seven hours without feeling as if you need to keep moving.

You may not like it if you want a strong sense of adventure. The day follows a set pattern, the beach is tied to a hotel, and the meal is a buffet. The optional Oceanarium gives you something else to see, but it adds both time and cost.

It is also a poor match if you dislike group departures, sales pitches, or boat rides in rough water. A maximum group size of 40 is manageable, but this is still a shared outing with a common departure time.

Practical details that affect your decision

Confirmation is provided when you book, and most people can participate. The information supplied does not list special accessibility arrangements, so contact the provider if you need specific assistance at the pier, on the boat, or at the island.

The tour requires good weather. If poor weather causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund. For your own cancellation, you can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made inside that window are not refunded or accepted.

Colombia Travel operates the activity. No guide names are provided, so you should not book this expecting a named naturalist or historian. The island portion is mainly about rest and recreation, with the option to explore freely or join guidance on site.

Bring:

• Swimsuit and a change of clothes
• Towel
• Sunscreen and sun protection
• Secure bag for phone and valuables
• Extra money for taxes, Oceanarium costs, food, or purchases
• Motion-sickness supplies if boat rides affect you

Is Isla del Encanto worth booking?

Book it if you want a comfortable, organized Rosario Islands beach day and value having lunch, a pool, loungers, hammocks, and kayaking included. The quiet beach, clear water, and relaxed schedule make it especially appealing for couples and families.

Think twice if you are focused on low cost, untouched beaches, or active adventure. The $158 starting price rises with the boarding tax and optional Oceanarium, and the pier process and buffet may not match your expectations. For the right kind of day, though, Isla del Encanto delivers a pleasant break from Cartagena with less planning and more time by the water.

FAQ

Where does the Isla del Encanto tour start?

The tour starts at Gate 3 of Bodeguita Pier, or Muelle de la Bodeguita, in Cartagena’s historic center. The listed start time is 8:00 a.m.

How long does the boat ride to Isla del Encanto take?

The speedboat ride from Cartagena to the Rosario Islands takes about 60 minutes. The ride back goes directly to Bodeguita Pier in the afternoon.

What is included in the tour price?

The price includes lunch, speedboat transportation, sun loungers, beach beds, pool access, and kayaking.

Is the Oceanarium included?

No. The Oceanarium is optional and costs COP 30,000 per person for admission. There is also a COP 20,000 per person boarding fee for the Oceanarium stop.

Is the Cartagena boarding tax included?

No. The boarding tax costs COP 31,500 per person and is not included in the tour price.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. For a personal cancellation, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the start time to receive a full refund.