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âYou'll see, in Cartagena de Indias everything is different. This solitude without sadness, this incessant ocean, this immense sensation of having arrived,â wrote Nobel Prize winner Gabriel GarcĂa MĂĄrquez. City of many souls and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the port pearl of Colombia it has a lot to offer, but what perhaps not everyone knows is that off its coasts float on crystal clear waters small Caribbean islands which is worth discovering.
Tierra Bomba and Rosario Islands, small and splendid
A few minutes by boat from Cartagena you come across the island of earth bomb, which extends for about twenty square kilometers and is part of the city's bay and its political and cultural history. The quiet white sand beaches and azure waters, in addition to the historical and natural riches, have made this place a dream destination, ideal for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city and the busier beaches on the mainland. You can also admire the ruins of a 17th century castle destroyed during past battles.
I am instead 27 the Rosario Islands, 60 miles from Cartagena, surrounded by pristine coral reefs and a sea of ââevery shade between indigo and lime green. The archipelago is protected as National Natural Park, with four islands completely off limits. On the two largest â Big Island e Rosario Island â you will find hotels, guesthouses, diving and water sports services and programmes. Although feasible as a day trip, they are worth a stop of one or two nights, and are quieter in the evening, when most tourists return to the city. Inland you can visit the luxurious abandoned villa that once belonged to Pablo Escobar.
BarĂș and Providencia, two Caribbean jewels
Baru it shares the same Edenic sea as the Rosario Islands, but it only has the name 'island', separated as it is from the mainland by a thin canal and connected by a bridge. It is famous for its white and pink sands, as well as for the crystal clear waters which allow you to see the seabed and the numerous colorful fish, and which give the sensation of being on a tropical island. The abirdwatchers they come here to admire âthe largest aviary in South Americaâ. Most of the beaches are private, while beautiful Playa Blanca it is the only public beach.
Another paradise in the Caribbean Sea is the island of Providencia, just over 80 kilometers from the Colombian coast and 150 kilometers from Nicaragua. When you disembark, you can start your tour from largest coral reef in the country and the third longest barrier reef in the world, at Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Nature Park. You can also enjoy a beautiful view of the Seven Colors Sea Saint Andrew from the top of Cangrejo Cay, at a height of about 30 meters. You reach the Park by taking a boat from Providencia, with the opportunity to enjoy the view of Cayo de los Tres Hermanos and Cayo de la Cabeza de Morgan. The ideal place for lovers of ecotourism and water activities such as diving and snorkelling, thanks to the biodiversity that can be admired in its crystal clear waters.
