3 Island Tour Cartagena – Bora Bora, Pao Pao & Islabela

The 3 island tour Cartagena travelers ask about most solves the hardest part of planning a Rosario Islands trip: choosing just one beach club. In a single day you visit three of the best-known names in the archipelago, Bora Bora, Pao Pao and Islabela, while a bilingual guide handles every hop between them. It is an adults-only (18+) island-hopping day, so expect a social, upbeat crowd on the boat.

Instead of committing to one sun bed from morning to afternoon, you get a taste of three different personalities. One club may suit your mood for a swim, another for photos, another for lunch. By the time you head back to the city, you will know exactly which island you would return to for a full day.

How the 3 island tour Cartagena day unfolds

Check-in is at around 8:00 AM at Gate 3 of the La Bodeguita tourist dock on Av. Blas de Lezo, in front of the Clock Tower. Before boarding you pay the port tax and the mandatory maritime insurance in cash, in Colombian pesos. The speedboat leaves at around 8:40 AM, with a bottle of water for everyone and a panoramic tour of the islands on the way out.

At each stop a reserved area and a welcome drink are waiting for you. There is enough time to swim, snap photos and get a feel for each club before moving on. Lunch with a drink is served at Islabela, where you choose fish, chicken or a vegetarian option. Boats head back to Cartagena at around 3:30 PM, and the exact timing depends on sea conditions and Port Authority clearance on the day.

Who will enjoy island hopping

This plan works best for first-time visitors who want to sample several Rosario Islands beach clubs before deciding where to spend a longer day. It also suits groups of friends who get restless staying in one spot, and photo lovers who want different beaches and open-water views in one trip. If you like having someone explain the islands as you go, the bilingual guide adds context you would miss on a simple boat transfer.

Because the tour is 18+, it is not an option for families with children. Couples and friends traveling without kids will find the pace lively but easy, and the 3 island tour Cartagena format means nobody in the group gets bored by mid-afternoon.

What to know before you book

There is one plan, and it is built around movement rather than lounging: you trade a full day on a single bed for variety. Towels, à-la-carte food and drinks, and hotel transfers to the dock are not part of the booking, so bring a towel and some extra cash for anything you order on the islands. Water shoes are a good idea, since some beaches have coral fragments underfoot. Times can change on the day with the weather and port clearance.

Prefer to stay put? Spend the whole day at Bora Bora Beach Club for the party atmosphere, or at Pao Pao Beach Club for snorkeling and a pool. For background on the islands, the national park and what to pack, read our complete Rosario Islands guide, or compare all Rosario Islands day passes.

If you only have one day for the islands, the 3 island tour Cartagena offers is the quickest way to see why everyone in the city talks about them.