Travel Guide to Playa Blanca & Isla Baru: Cartagena, Colombia’s Island Paradise

Isla Barú, located just off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia, is the kind of tropical paradise that most visitors to Cartagena envision when they book their tickets. Palm trees, bright blue Caribbean sea, sandy beaches, fresh seafood and fruit juice… heaven, basically. But you won’t find that beachy paradise within Cartagena, a bustling city that is better known for its spectacularly colorful streets, flower-laden balconies, and delicious food than its beaches.

Many visitors choose to leave Cartagena to visit some of the nearby beaches on the Caribbean coast, such as Santa Marta or Parque Tayrona. But not everyone has the time to hop on a 5-hour bus to access those beaches. Luckily, there is Isla Barú, a small island floating in the Caribbean located under an hour away from Cartagena by ferry or taxi. You can visit Isla Barú for the day, sunning on the shores of stunning Playa Blanca, or you can choose to stay overnight, which is what we did. Read on for more tips about visiting Isla Baru and Playa Blanca, and our pick for the best Isla Barú hotel, written by Lia Garcia.

Mwandishi wa Blogu ya Picha
Maelezo ya Vyombo vya Habari kutoka kwa Wanderlust ya Vitendo
Wanderlust ya Vitendo

Vipi wewe! Sisi ni wa Lia & Jeremy. Tuliunda Wanderlust ya Vitendo mnamo 2016, kabla ya kutupa vitu vyetu vyote katika kuhifadhi na kuanza mwezi wa asali wa mwaka mzima. Mwezi wa asali ulikuwa janga kubwa, lakini tulikuwa na wakati mzuri hata hivyo.

Kwenye blogu yetu utapata vidokezo vya kusafiri vya vitendo, vya chini ya ardhi, ambavyo vitakusaidia kuepuka kufanya makosa yetu yote mabaya, ya kutisha. Tunapenda kusafiri kwa njia ya mbali na kugundua kile kinachofanya mahali kuwa ya kipekee (na ya kushangaza kidogo). Lengo letu ni kukujulisha na kukufanya ucheke (ikiwezekana kwa wakati mmoja). Tunataka kuonyesha kwamba kusafiri sio lazima kuwa kamili - wakati mwingine ni janga kamili, na hiyo ni sawa pia!

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

Sawyer’s picaridin lotion lasts a long time, stores well in survival kits and cars, and doesn’t have the laundry-list poison control label like DEET sprays.

Sean Gold
Founder & Lead Writer

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

Secure a small loop of cord to a trekking pole to create a convenient place to hang a water bladder and filter water.

Nathan Pipenberg
Mwandishi

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

It contains 20 percent picaridin, a powerful insect repellent that will make nights around the campfire much more enjoyable.

Liz Provencher
Freelane Writer