Cartagena · LA BOQUILLA MANGROVES & BIRDWATCHING
18 reviewed
Just north of the city, La Boquilla’s mangrove tunnels are paddled by the fishing community that has always worked them. Below are the best trips: canoe versus motor, which go at dawn for the birds, whether a beach or seafood lunch is included, and what each costs for a calm morning away from the crowds.
Cartagena mangrove eco tour in La Boquilla with sustainable net fishing, crab activity, coconut drink, drums, and pickup.
“Kind people are making the trip. It’s genuine and authentic. Everyone should like it.”
Full-day Barú from Cartagena: mangroves and raccoons, Rosario snorkeling, sunset views, and bioluminescent plankton at night.
“snorkel di 10 minuti senza boccaglio in una zona dove c'erano davvero pochi pesci, situazione molto confusa, barca per trasferimento al beach club scomoda. chiedono il 15% per pagamenti con carta, cibo non male ma nemmeno ottimo. un po' diverso dalla descrizione del tour. non consigliato”
8-hour Cartagena tour: snorkel near Barú, walk mangroves for birds and iguanas, then relax at Playa Blanca with lunch.
“I highly recommend this tour . Ruben is my tour guy . He pick me up on time . We had a great time at the beach . After that we went snorkeling and mangrove tour. The food also delicious. Well worth the money . My tour guy Ruben offer above and beyond service”
A long Cartagena day trip to Isla Barú: Playa Blanca beach time, mangrove boat wildlife, snorkeling in shallow waters, and night bioluminescent plankton.
“The activities (mangroves, plankton) were a lot of fun. There isn't much to see with the snorkeling. The sunset and the moonlight over the ocean at night is very beautiful. I wanted to relax on the beach between everything, but the vendors are relentless. Three of them tried to steal my friend wallet. Also according to viator lockers would be provided. We did not get lockers. Overall experience was... eh.”
Full-day Cartagena trip to Isla de Barú for beach time, a mangrove boat ride, and snorkeling—budget-friendly but run by weather and timing.
“Unfortunately very poorly organized. Meeting point unclear, buses dirty with extremely dark windows, air conditioning not adjustable. No information on the procedure on site. The booked mangrove and raccoon trip did not take place for us as we were wrongly only scheduled for the beach stay. Very disappointing, especially since it was our only day in Colombia.Auto-translated”
Canoe through Cartagena mangroves, crab and net fish with a private guide, then eat a filling beachfront lunch at Ciénega de la Virgen.
“Safe, fun, highly educational, personable. Highly recommend this operator & experience. Paying the pittance extra for the private island was absolutely worth it. Wait until you meet the resident racoon (but mind you, he's an ankle biter). The roads get a little crazy, but you're almost there when they do.”
Mangrove canoe tour in Bolívar with native guides, hands-on fishing, Fisherman Island, and a big beachside lunch for $84.
“La Boquilla is an authentic town that keeps its natural beauty. The mangroves are unique and the people friendly. We felt save and well taken care of.”
Private Rosario Islands day trip from Cartagena with mangrove boat tour, coral snorkeling, beach time, and homemade Barú breakfast and lunch.
“Great guide and fun activities. We loved snorkeling and having lunch and seeing the town.”
Aviary entrance with round-trip transport from Cartagena plus beach time on Barú’s Playa Blanca. About 7 hours, bilingual guide.
“Todo el paseo fue genial, pero el vehículo era viejo con sillas en mal estado y la guia no estuvo pendiente a la salida de playa blanca, para tomar el transporte, pues caminó muy rapido. Faltó verificación de la compra de los tiquetes del Aviario Nacional, pues me requirieron pagar la entrada, dónde ya la había pagado y eso ocasionó retraso en el Tour. Todo fue muy bonito... gracias”
Birding meets beach time in Barú: Eco Plan aviary trek with raptor show, then lunch and downtime at Playa Blanca’s Mambo Beach.
“Too rustic and too crowded. Water was warm but cloudy, Lunch was mediocre . Lounge chairs were cracked and uncomfortable.”
A fast, early day trip from Cartagena to the National Aviary and Playa Blanca in Barú, with lunch and beach-club basics included.
“The aviary was a really unique experience and the beach was great! A nice day trip from Cartagena, we really enjoyed ourselves and would recommend if you only want a few hours at the beach as opposed to a whole day.”
Private English mangrove sail from Cartagena’s La Boquilla. See 3 tunnels, crabs, birds, flamingos, and pelicans in about 2 hours.
“L’activité a été annulée sans possibilité de remboursement.”
Private bird-watching near Cartagena at dawn with a Colombian breakfast, nature reserve sightings, and guide photos you receive afterward.
“My partner and I were lucky enough to go bird watching with Luis (of Horses Cartagena) - and it was truly one of our favorite things we did on our entire vacation. We are new to birdwatching, but Luis showed us the ropes -- and pointed out so so so many beautiful birds. Also: sloths, monkeys, dragonflies, and frogs. Luis picked us up in at 5AM - we felt safe and comfortable with him immediately; it's clear he's a total pro. His English is perfect but he'll also speak slowly and clearly if you want to practice your Spanish (thanks, Luis). The Matute preserve is a privately owned farm about…”
Paddle Cartagena’s mangrove tunnels with La Boquilla fishermen. Small-group canoe trip, culture lessons, and hands-on fishing fun.
“Big Thanks To Javier, our guide for Canoe Trip in the Mangroves. On our recent trip to Cartagena we decided to take 3 hour Canoe trip in the Mangroves. We were picked up by Javier from our hotel just on time. Our guide created such a friendly and flexible atmosphere. The tour was very interesting and informative. We learnt a lot about mangroves and wild life surrounding them, 3 hours just flew by. Highly recommend for everybody.”
A full 8-hour Cartagena day trip to Isla Barú: Aviary of Colombia bird tour plus Playa Blanca beach time with lunch and a welcome drink.
“The aviary is unmissable for any nature lovers! We visited the aviary as part of a beach trip package. The beach element was very meh and felt a little like a walking atm for hawkers, but the aviary made it feel more worth it. So if you can organise it I'd just do an aviary trip and avoid baru island beach visit. The park was a very unassuming place at first glance but as you progress through it's just incredible and gets better and better. A seemingly unending whirlwind of thousands of beautiful birds most of which I've never seen before, and wherever safe they put you right in with…”
