ECOtourism in Cartagena de Indias

Listen to the song of more than 1800 species of birds; stay in the ideal place to rest and connect with nature; immerse yourself in a volcano of mud for medicinal purposes; marvel at the absolutely crystalline and clean sea, where colors move between all the shades of blue and green; play in the warm, tiny, softest  sand you can imagine; listen to the branches of the palm trees that wave in the wind; practice water sports under a lot of adrenaline; perform romantic canoe trips; appreciate the dolphin show; get lost among the fragrances that emerge from the flowers and observe trees with more than 500 years old. All this is possible in Cartagena de Indias, a city that also surprises for its ecological tourism.

 Recommended Activities

Visit the National Natural Park Corales del Rosario and San Bernardo, protected area, which includes four islands. Two are located in the Archipelago of Our Lady of the Rosary and two in the Archipelago of San Bernardo (Isla Maravilla and Isla Mangle). Experience swamps with mangrove forests, such as Mohán swamp, Pelao and Cholón swamp on Barú Island, among others. In Corales del Rosario, it is possible to observe, in a very shallow depth and in totally crystalline waters, coral reefs that surpasses the imagination.

You can travel trough the mangroves here

Beaches

The beaches of Castillogrande, Laguito, Bocagrande, Marbella, Blas el Tezo, La Boquilla and Manzanillo, constitute the best option for sunbathing any time of the year. Castillogrande is ideal for walks and sunbathing. In the Laguito and Bocagrande beaches you can delight yourself with an exquisite fruit salads and a cold 'crazy coco' listening to the local music, vallenato; Blas El Tezo and La Boquilla are best options to enjoy a day full of folklore, a good sunset and a delicious typical lunch north of the city; Both Playa de Oro and Punta Hicaco are the quietest and least visited beaches in Manzanillo del Mar.

Between Mangroves

In the North Zone of Cartagena are the perfect places to do canoing in mangrove tunnels at the Ciénaga de la Virgen or Juan Polo. You can experience protected species, migratory birds and mangroves. Mangrove tunnels tours can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the preferences of the tourist.

Volcano of Totumo

45 minutes from Cartagena is the Volcano of Totumo. A point that receives daily tourists of different parts of the world in search of a delicious mud bath. Its abundant composition of 51 salts or minerals such as sulfur, iodine, potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium, offers natural properties for the skin. To arrive there it is necessary to take a road that borders the sea and connects to the cities of Cartagena and Barranquilla.

Make your reservation for your trip to the Volcano of Totumo here

Manglar Spirit Park

This new attraction of the city includes wonderful vegetation, water bodies, viewpoints, docks, sculptures, children's games, events and outdoor cultural activities, closed auditorium, aerobics area, spinning and various spaces of recreation.

Oceanarium

Isla San Martín de Pajarales, belonging to the Natural Park Corales del Rosario, is the best place to experience all the wonders that rest in the sea. The dolphins dance, jump, greet and entertain the audience with their spectacular shows. Turtles and sharks are other species on display. In addition to the diversity of species you can see in the aquarium.

National Aviary of Colombia

1800 birds of exotic and colorful plumage, fly around the National Aviary of Colombia, new tourist attraction and recreation on the island of Baru. It is a center of conservation and reproduction. 40 minutes from Cartagena, after the town of Santa Ana, near the paradisiacal and beautiful Playa Blanca. These animals live surrounded by rocks, plants and lakes that help their preservation. The journey through the whole aviary lasts about two hours.

Botanical Garden Guillermo Piñeres

The Botanical Garden Guillermo Piñeres is located 30 minutes from the center of Cartagena and is reached by taking the Highway “Troncal del Caribe”. The plan consists of a one-hour walk, where you can admire the fauna, contemplate the birth of streams together with a diverse aquatic fauna, get lost among the fragrances that emerge from the flowers and marvel at the particular beauty of red monkeys, Squirrels, birds, iguanas, lizards, snakes and other animals of the region. It is a protected area of 9 hectares, six representative ecosystems and more than 12000 species.

To take into account:

In Cartagena the schedule of use of beaches is from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. La Muelle La Bodeguita in Cartagena is the only authorized place for boat embarkment.