Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included
Traveler rating
3.8/5
Based on 12 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included worth booking?
Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included is a 14-hour experience in Cartagena, Colombia, from $110 per person. It scores 53 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Worth a Look”, based on a 3.8/5 rating across 12 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 53 / 100
- Rating
- 3.8/5 (12)
- Duration
- 14 hours
- From
- $110 per person
Discover the beauty of the Colombian Caribbean in the Rosario and Tierra Bomba Islands, explore its crystal clear waters with snorkel and live a unique experience in the best beach club of Isla Barú with Mambo, to culminate by submerging yourself, if you wish, with luminous plankton .
What you get
About this experience
Discover the beauty of the Colombian Caribbean in the Rosario and Tierra Bomba Islands, explore its crystal clear waters with snorkel and live a unique experience in the best beach club of Isla Barú with Mambo, to culminate by submerging yourself, if you wish, with luminous plankton .
What's included
Included
- Snorkeling in the Big Island.
- Travel insurance
- Use of facilities at Mambo beach
- Visit to private island
- $30,000 COP voucher for lunch (Different options)
- Sports boat transportation with music
- Bilingual Coordinator
- plankton activity
- Panoramic view of the Bocachica Fort.
- Snacks
- Sunset on Isla Barú
- Visit to Isla Barú to the exclusive Beach Club Mambo
Not included
- Unspecified services
- Dock tax
What you'll see and do
Cartagena
Departure from the Pegasus dock, a dock decorated with statues of pegasus are a pair of Horses Next to the Cartagena La Bodeguita Boarding Dock, a member of the team will be waiting for you, please be there at 8:00 a.m. We leave at 8:30 am.
40 minutes here
Fuerte de San Fernando de Bocachica
FIRST PANORAMIC STOP; The sighting of the forts of Bocachica, constitute a historical and architectural heritage of the city of Cartagena de las Indias. Located on the banks of the channel to which it owes its name, Bocachica is one of the most recognized places on the island of Tierra Bomba, thanks to its great historical and cultural value for the city and the region. Here are located the San José de Bocachica Fort and the San Gabriel Ángeles Battery, which together with the San Fernando Fort protected the city from attacks by pirates and enemy troops during colonial times, making it the epicenter of epic battles that they put the military ingenuity of the Spanish to the test.
45 minutes here · Admission not included
Isla Grande
THE SECOND STOP is in a natural pool on Isla de Grande, where you will do scuba diving, which consists of swimming underwater with a transparent plastic mask and a breathing tube (snorkeling equipment). You can observe marine life in coral reefs by simply floating upside down on the surface or you can go underwater and swim with the fish. you will have the opportunity to observe marine life.
60 minutes here
Isla Grande
THIRD STOP We will visit a private island, where we will rest, sunbathe on loungers and enjoy the turquoise blue sea. Accompanied by a shrimp cocktail or lemonade as you prefer.
60 minutes here
Playa Blanca
FOURTH STOP: Playa Blanca Famous for its white beaches and turquoise waters. It is the only public beach, where you can spend time in a sun lounger or Balinese beds, you can explore the beautiful crystal clear waters. Lunch is a $30,000 bonus that you must redeem for the options we have on our menu. You can use the boohíos, camastros, bathroom and social areas at no extra cost.
420 minutes here · Admission included
Baru
FIFTH STOP: On the white beach you will wait for dusk We will take you in the company of native islanders in a boat to see The plankton is a set of organisms that float and drift in suspension in fresh or salt water. when shaken, they produce a bright light as if it were a star or diamond.
45 minutes here
Cartagena
return to the city
45 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Cartagena
Reservation details will be sent the day before.
Hotel pickup
No pickup: everyone meets at the start point.
Ends at
Reservation details will be sent the day before.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 30 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Nexxt Tours
Know before you go
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 11 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
6 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Photo opportunities
4 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Food and drink
3 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Value for money
2 mentionsTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Organization
2 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Good for families
2 mentionsReviewers traveling with kids report it landed well with their group.
Traveler reviews
11 verified traveler reviews for Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
High cost, without safety and without quality
The transport is done on a small, uncovered boat, the places where we stop the infrastructures are old, few options. Chollón Island is horrible, too many people, dirty place. In Barú, Mambo Beach is a place needing space recovery, very bad, beach with many stones. After the plankton survey which is carried out in a small boat without any signage. Subsequently, for the return, we entered a place that resembled a dump and boarded a bus with no safety, looking like an illegal transport. Expensive tour of very poor quality. I do not recommend.
via Tripadvisor (translated)
This tour is down right dangerous
I feel a need to update my review. This trip was not what I thought it was going to be. I booked this trip for the promise of snorkeling. We were given a grand total of 30 minutes in the water, far less than what I expected. Things got bad for me when I attempted get back in the boat. There was no ladder to get back in. I have snorkeled in many places and never seen this. There was life ring attached to the side of the boat that you were expected to put your foot in and pull yourself in. While struggling to get in the boat, being assisted fellow passengers I slammed my side on the rail of the boat. I either cracked, broke or badly bruised my rib. All because there wasn't a proper dive ladder. By the way the crew wasn't paying attention. And about ladders. Twice we were at an actual dock. The other times the boat was run up the shore and an employee of the beach club set up a step ladder in the surf for you to get out and in the boat. The boat was drifting to and fro. It was very difficult and dangerous. It would have been easy to break a leg. Another thing, while life vests are provided, the crew just tosses them at you. They are not sized for the person wearing them. Nor or they put on properly by the crew. This a real danger. Later, my son pulled a little boy out of the water. His life jacket was too big. The kid could have drown. This tour has no water safety at all! It is dangerous. A word about the party islands. They are just that. You are taken to so-called beach clubs. There you can buy drinks. I had an overpriced beer. I am sure the tour company is getting a profit for taking you to these islands. You won't see anything of the islands except for overly aggressive peddlers. You tell them no and they keep coming at you. Now, about the Plankton element. We were packed like sardines in a boat. The boat was badly overloaded. The whole throwing of life vests happened again. This time in the dark! The boat put our for the Plankton. The boat was speeding through the water with no running lights. Nor was there a light to see if we wouldn't hit another boat. This beyond dangerous. When we arrived at the Plankton site. People were encouraged to jump into the water. But, the "crew" wasn't paying attention to where people were in the water. Again, this dangerous. My son and I stayed in the boat. He helped that little boy back up. The crew wasn't paying attention. As a matter of fact, the photographer on board was only interested in the people in the water who had bought the photo package. We sped back through the darkness with no lights. In the USA this would have been illegal. Only by the grace of God did we make back to the beach club. There we sat for at least an hour because there was power failure in a town on the way to Cartagena. While this was not the fault of the tour company we were left in the hands of beach club staff. The club was a dump with garbage stuck in chairs. It was only lighted by one blub was it was mostly dark. Eventually we were taken to our van for the ride back to Cartagena. There was a massive traffic jam on the highway. We sat in that jam for over an hour. When we did get moving again the van had a flat tire that needed replacing. Another twenty minutes of sitting around. We were dropped at our hotel at 12: 15 am. Our pickup (which was late) was around 7:45 the previous morning. We spent something like 17 or 18 hours on this trip. It was a terrible experience. I would never again book with this company.
via Tripadvisor
Beautiful landscapes, but the experience could be better.
The islands are beautiful! The beach clubs chosen for the first two stops were great for relaxation, and what I liked most was snorkeling! I could see various fish, of different species and colors. It was worth it! The only part I really didn’t like was Cholón Island. I found the place extremely chaotic and with pretty precarious conditions, in many respects. If I could give you some advice, it would be: don't take your family to Cholón. Another point I didn’t like very much was that I was the only person in the group to hire the plancton tour. Therefore, I ended up giving up doing it, as it would be necessary to wait about 3 hours until the time of the tour, with another guide / group. That was disappointing and I ended up losing money.
via Viator (translated)
sad experience
Well , from a tourist point of view a completed disasters. It says 5 island , we only visit 2 the other 3 we saw from far away . The tour guide 🤦♂️ the organization 🤦♂️. Please take this as a very important feedback … BATHROOM AT MAMBO BEACH NEED TO BE CLOSE ASAP!!!!!!! THAT RESTAURANT NEED TO BE CLOSE the hygiene is out of control there bathroom are clog no water no toilet paper a complete disaster .. Very very bad experience . Will not recommend this trip unless they really change the entire organization …. Am sorry but if you don’t follow my advise you will end up writing the same things …
Response from the operator: I hope this is okay. We will take your comments into account to improve our experiences. We will strive harder to provide excellent service.
via Viator
I absolutely loved this...
I absolutely loved this tour! The tour guides were amazing and made sure we had a great time. I couldn't have asked for a better day. They made sure we got to experience the beauty of Colombia.
Response from the operator: We are very happy that you liked in our tour, thank you for choosing us and living this experience with us.
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 14 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- No pickup, meet at start point
- Booked in 30 days
- 4
- Verdict
- Worth a Look
Who runs this experience
Operated by Nexxt Tours, who run 8 experiences we rank across 1 city, with an average Outty Ranking of 61.6.
See everything Nexxt Tours runsWhy this scores 53
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Cartagena.
How much does Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included cost?
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Prices start at $110 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Cartagena usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included take?
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Plan for about 14 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Cartagena is not rushed.
Is Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 53 out of 100, which we label "Worth a Look". That score blends traveler sentiment (3.8/5 across 12 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Cartagena, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 14-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included?
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Around 4 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Cartagena can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Cartagena and add a light layer if any part of the 14-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Cartagena within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Cartagena?
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On Outty we rank every Cartagena experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Historic Center & Getsemaní Shared Tour in Cartagena, Cartagena Antigua & Barrio Getsemani group with audio system, Cartagena VIP Boat Tour: Rosario Islands & Snorkel. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Cartagena?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Cartagena?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included?
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Included: Snorkeling in the Big Island; Travel insurance; Use of facilities at Mambo beach; Visit to private island; and $30,000 COP voucher for lunch (Different options). Not included: Unspecified services; and Dock tax. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Where is the meeting point for Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included?
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Reservation details will be sent the day before. Hotel pickup is not included, so plan your own transport and arrive 15 minutes early.
What languages is Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included offered in?
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It is offered in English and Spanish. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap; and Not recommended for pregnant travelers. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Cartagena. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about Full Day Cartagena Tour of 5 Islands with Plankton Included?
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Across 12 reviews averaging 3.8 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, photo opportunities, food and drink. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
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