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Our tour groups to Cartagena have often decided to spend a day at Rosario del Mar (formerly Gente de Mar), a beach resort on Isla Grande, one of the Rosario Islands. They’ve preferred this option rather than a trip to overcrowded Playa Blanca.
Day Pass at Rosario del Mar
Rosario de Mar charges COP$310,000 per adult and COP$210,000 per child for a day on their resort (as of May 2024). The cost includes lunch with 10 different options. It also includes access to all the facilities on the resort, a towel, and a beach chair. Not included are towel loans, spa services, snorkeling equipment, other optional activities, alcoholic drinks, and the COP$23,000 dock fee to enter the national park (as of May 2024). We always book directly through the resort.
The Excursion
To get to the island, you have to walk to the docks and find Gate 4. Once you arrive, you pay the dock fee and get escorted to the boat. The boat leaves at around 8:30am, and you should be on the beach just over an hour later.
There are usually anywhere between 30 and 50 people visiting the resort on a day trip plus the overnight guests, but it feels like fewer once everyone disperses on the beach and throughout the resort.
The beach wasn’t as good as I was expecting. There was lots of seaweed and some rocks, but at least the water was warm and calm.
It was a relaxing day (minus a few vendors trying to sell us souvenirs) and the lunch was decent. When it was over, we were taken by boat back to Cartagena at about 3:30pm and had to walk back to our hotel once we arrived.
Conclusion
It’s much more expensive than a day trip to Playa Blanca, but if you want to get away from the crowds and chaos and have a more peaceful beach experience, Rosario del Mar is a good option.
