Cartagena Day 6: Island Escapade
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Our itinerary today had us visiting Cartagena’s local Barzuto Market followed by San Diego’s quiet elegance, but we have become weary of our routine: explore the city, shower, rinse and repeat. To break that cadence, we decided to go off to explore the islands, an excursion we had skipped earlier.
We chose the Blue Apple Resort, in part because it was highly rated and in part because one of the restaurants in Getsemani listed it in their “best things to do” in Cartagena list. The trip there involved a relaxing 20-minute speed boat ride leaving at 11:30 A.M., much less taxing than the 45 minute boat rides to Rosario, which typically leave at 7:30 A.M. Rather than have to rush out, we stocked up on provisions at the local market, then headed out to a day of rest and relaxation.
As the speed boat whisked us to the island of Baru, we caught some panoramic views of the neighborhoods we had visited earlier. Once we arrived we nestled into our beach side cabana for an uneventful day of rest and relaxation. The turquoise green waters were beautiful and warm. The air, tranquil and calm. The cabana, shaded underneath the hotel’s rustic chic garden, provided plenty of comfort. We could have hiked up and down the shoreline, but we didn’t. We just relaxed and took in the splendor.
After our boat ride back, we headed back to the hotel for a quick shower then went out for dinner at the nearby El Sombreron Ostreria. Colombians love shrimp cocktail, and they do it right. This is not your mother’s bland and boring boiled shrimp with cocktail sauce. No. Every bite of our cocktail was full of seasoned shrimp marinating in a delicious cocktail sauce, with brunoised onions, fresh herbs and lime. The cocktail is traditionally served with saltine crackers, which helps quiet your palate for the next, zesty bite. Ostrerias, which are very humble stands with plastic chairs, litter the streets near the murallas. We recommend trying one for a very tasty and inexpensive meal.
After dinner, we walked around the walled city, then headed back to the hotel. On the way, we remembered we had run out of beer and all the local supermarkets were already closed. Oh no! What to do?
Well, Cartagena has lots of mercados, the first floor of a building with twisting hallways that house all kinds of small shops, from barbers to cell phone repair shops. Some also house cafeterias, where Costenas gather to drink beer late at night. As luck would have it, the building right next to our cafeteria had just such a cafeteria, tucked way inside and towards the back of the mercardo. We heard the laughter from the street as we were approaching the hotel, cursing our fate. So we decided to stop by.
Costenas are warm inviting people, and the bar regulars were delighted to see us. We just wanted to buy a few roadies, but they pulled up a chair for us and started buying us rounds. The blue eyed bar tender was a former professional soccer player who, despite retiring from the sport, had retained his good looks. He shared with us his travel stories from his club team days: Brasil, Portugal and Norway. Our bar neighbor was an architect who restored old colonial houses and buildings. He showed us some of his projects, and even his YouTube channel. His work was gorgeous.
Day six was perfect; one of the best days we had during this visit. We tried escaping out tourist routine and ended up being welcomed by the locals. Check back tomorrow for our final day.
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It all began in Guadalajara, the creative heart of Jalisco, where our stay at the award-winning La Perla BnB sparked our devotion to Latin American boutique stays, exceptional hospitality, and meaningful storytelling. That inspiration continues to guide everything we create at Jet Set LatAM — a modern travel platform dedicated to showcasing Latin luxury, signature stays, and immersive cultural experiences. rom wine valleys in Argentina to colonial cities in Mexico, every journey we share is rooted in mindful travel and authentic cultural connection.
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