Baru Island

Where to stay

Baru Island stretches roughly 25 km southwest from Cartagena toward the Rosario Islands, connected to the mainland by a bridge over the Canal del Dique. Most budget travelers and day-trippers cluster around the main beach area and the ferry terminal, where the hostels, beachfront bars, and food stalls are concentrated. Staying closer to the bridge means easier access to Cartagena; staying further down the island puts you nearer the quieter stretches of white sand but farther from services.

Getting around

• Boats from Cartagena are the fastest and most popular way to reach the island, though you can also take a bus or taxi across the bridge. Ferries run regularly but schedules can be thin in the late afternoon, so check departure times before heading back.
• Bring cash in pesos. The island's economy is small and many of the beachfront vendors, smaller hostels, and food stalls do not accept cards, and ATM access is limited compared to Cartagena.
• Baru is essentially a day-trip extension of Cartagena. If you need supplies, better dining, or nightlife, the bridge and frequent ferries make it easy to pop back to the city, so there is little reason to stock up on the island itself.

When to go

Cheapest and quietest during the rainy stretches of May through November, when fewer tourists head to the Caribbean coast. Prices climb and beds fill during the dry-season rush from December through April, especially around Semana Santa and the December-January holiday period when Cartagena and its nearby islands are at their busiest.