Playa Blanca & the peninsula of Baru

Playa Blanca & the peninsula of Baru

The beach Playa Blanca is located to the south-west of Cartagena, and although it’s in the continental zone, it belongs to the Park of the Rosario Islands (Islas del Rosario); located exactly in the peninsula of Baru, and known for its white sand and the turquoise colour of its waters. Close by you will see typical bars where you can relax and refresh. You can also find a lot of parties (rumba!) and water activities like kayaking and snorkelling, among others. There are various hotels here where you can spend day and night, enjoy the local beaches with fewer tourists because after 3:00 P.M. the majority return to Cartagena. Additionally, from here you can do the “Tour del Plancton” and bath under the light of the moon and the stars while you enjoy the marvellous setting.

 

 

Peninsula of Baru and its beaches

The peninsula of Baru, or Isla de Baru, is delimited by the Bay of Cartagena and the Canal del Dique. The Canal del Dique is an arm of the river Magdalena and Baru is inhabited by people of African descent, most of whom work in Tourism. 

 

The majority of the beaches are private with the exception of Playa Blanca, which belongs to the Park of the Rosario Islands (Islas del Rosario). Here you can find a great variety of hotels and hostels of different prices. You can get active with snorkelling and diving or visit small natural parks. The beaches here have especially white sand and even some small channels between the islands that are surrounded by mangroves and multi-coloured reefs. 

 

In the Isla Baru there are other beaches that can be visited by travellers, the most important being: Punta Iguana, Puerto Naito, Playa Blanca, La Playita de Cholón, Playita de los Muerto y Playa Bobo; you can eat lunch here in little restaurants on these beaches. 
 

 

How to get to Playa Blanca & Baru?

You have two options: you can go by motorboat from the Bay of Cartagena, or if you prefe a bit more adventure, you can go there by land. Baru is 40 kilómetros from Cartagena, and it’s very easy to go by road as it takes about 20 minutes from the center of Cartagena to the “Mall Plaza el Castillo”, from which you take the bus toward Playa Blanca. The locals here are very nice and can tell you which bus is the right one to take. Because this land-route takes an hour and twenty minutes, most tourists prefer to go by boat. Just as for all the destinations described here, the hotels in Cartagena will offer you many ways to visit Baru. 

 

To finish, some suggestions:

• Don’t miss the Rosario Islands (Islas del Rosario). The fast motorboats take 45 minutes to get there from Playa Blanca, by slower boats it takes a bit longer, but you will have more time to appreciate the scenery and views. Here you read more about the Rosario Islands.
• Don’t forget to jump in a canoe and explore the tunnels between the roots of the mangrove trees: it’s a unique experience. Oh! And visit the Laguna Encantada to discover true tranquillity.
• Last but not least, try to spend a night in this magical place and, why not, do the “Tour del Plancton”, which is an experience you’ll always remember. To really experience Colombia, you have to get out there and live it!
• Here you learn more about the other beautiful Cartagena beaches.