The 9 Best Sailing Trips in Colombia

1.Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch and Snorkel

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,479 reviews · 7h 30m · from $107Our pick

Set out from Bodeguita Dock for a 7.5-hour catamaran trip toward the Rosario Islands. Expect a welcome fruit drink, snack, two water stops, snorkeling gear, lunch, and free soft drinks. This is mainly a boat-and-swim outing, not an island visit, so book it for time on the sea rather than beach exploration.

“It's a 2.5 hour trip to a snorkelling area. It's motorized not sailing. The crew were super efficient. Lunch was very tasty.”

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2.Sailboat day tour to Tayrona Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 352 reviews · 7h 30m · from $64

Sail from Santa Marta at 10am aboard the Sonata to Bahía Concha, passing Taganga, Granate Bay, and Aguja Island. Swim, snorkel, paddleboard, and enjoy grilled fish, chicken, or a vegetarian lunch. Carlos and the crew lead the trip in Spanish and English, with sailing usually possible on the return.

“Great way to spend the day in a sailing boat in Santa Marta. The crew, in land and on board, was very attentive and look after every detail. Highly recommend them, and I would definitely travel with them again.”

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3.Tayrona Bay Sailboat trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 107 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $60

Sail from Santa Marta at 9:30 a.m. to Bahia Concha in Tayrona National Park for a six to seven-hour boat-and-beach day. The crew provides lunch, fruit, water, one beer, snorkeling gear, a kayak, and a SUP board. Expect a friendly but lightly guided outing, choppy seas, and limited English.

“The trip is well organized. There is hardly any English spoken. The trip only takes you to the one, closest beach in Tayrona Park - Bahia Concha. You will have time in there. Bahia Concha is a beautiful, cove beach. BUT it has no shallow waters. The ascend to the sea is steep. (Not suitable for kinds who can't swim.) I am a Northern European female, traveling alone, and a nice person (it was my mistake). I have been harassed all the time. I had zero peace. Local vendors smelled the blood and circled like vultures, every 5 minutes.”

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4.Sunset Sailboat Tour with 2 Beverages

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 93 reviews · 2h 30m · from $47

Meet Tayrona Sailing at Santa Marta’s Marina Internacional and board the classic Sonata for a 150-minute sunset cruise. You’ll sail toward Taganga Bay, anchor for evening views, and return by 8:00 PM. Two drinks are included, with beer and water reported as the usual choices. English and Spanish assistance is available.

“O pôr-do-sol visto de dentro do mar é muito bonito e especial. Ficamos muito felizes por ter tido essa experiência. A equipe do veleiro é atenciosa e gentil, durante todo o passeio estiveram preocupados com as pessoas abordo e o bem-estar de todos. É uma experiência interessante, mas para quem tem medo de barco ou passa mal durante travessias eu não recomendo. Venta bastante e o veleiro fica instável, gerando movimentos contínuos para os lados, as vezes dando a impressão de que algo pode acontecer. Claro que a minha impressão é de alguém que não conhece/veleja, mas é uma impressão sincera sobre o passeio. Não dei nota máxima porque a…”

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5.Sailing Tour to Tayrona Park with Luis’ Team

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 76 reviews · 6h 30m · from $66

Meet Luis’ team at 10:30 am at Santa Marta International Marina, then sail toward Bahia Concha, Taganga, Granate Bay, and Aguja Island. Enjoy lunch, soft drinks, snacks, swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and beach time before returning at 5 pm. English and Spanish support is advertised, but English guidance may be limited.

“The crew was lovely and took good care of us. However, the tour didn't deliver and is quite expensive for what it is. Despite having booked an English tour with what was advertised as a bilingual crew, no one spoke any English and we did not understand any of the information given about the park or the day. So it was basically an expensive taxi to Concha beach. The beach is very full with boats who are blasting music despite it being a national park. We did some sailing back to Santa Marta, which was nice. In the end thay wanted to make us pay for some beers we hadn't…”

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6.Open Bar Sunset Cruise in Catamaran or Speedboat (Best Deal)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 68 reviews · from $20Best value

Choose a lively speedboat with Colombian rum, aguardiente, music, and dancing, or a roomier catamaran with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks plus a light snack. This two-hour cruise leaves central Cartagena at 4:30 pm, returns to the same dock, and offers sunset views. The catamaran requires a 16,000 COP port tax.

“I would give a negative 5 if I could. False advertisement. It’s a small ding boat with a motor. No open bar. Some guy standing around harassing you about beers and water and then throws the beer that you selected in the boat and that’s your open bar. There was chaos Read more”

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7.One amazing day in a private recent sailing boat in the Tayrona Park. The best sail trip from Santa Marta!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) Top rated

Join Thierry and Amy-Esther aboard a private sailing boat from Santa Marta for about seven and a half hours. Sail toward Tayrona, stop at Bahia Concha or another sheltered bay, swim, snorkel, paddleboard, sunbathe, and enjoy a fresh sandwich. The boat holds up to 12 people, with drinks available to buy onboard.

“We had an amazing time! The hosts are wonderful and make the day simply perfect, highly recommend. Had a great time selling in the beautiful day and swimming. And they are very nice to spend the day with.”

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8.Full-Day Catamaran Tour through Tayrona

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 50 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Sail from Santa Marta’s marina into Tayrona National Park, passing Taganga, Granate Bay, Aguja Island, and Playa Brava before spending about five hours at Bahía Concha or Gayraca. Swim, snorkel, paddleboard, or rest aboard. The crew may include Captain Luis, and lunch features fresh fish ceviche with vegetarian options.

“I had a wonderful experience. Except the lunch. Unfortunately I got sick from the ceviche. But I loved the service on the beach and the crew was great. I got jump off the front of boat and sail on my future dream boat. The rain ruined sunset but otherwise great affordable excursion.”

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9.Buffet & party night,cocktails sailing in the bay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 3 hours · from $107

You’ll board at Bodeguita Dock for a three-hour evening cruise around Cartagena Bay. A welcome cocktail, buffet dinner, national-liquor open bar, DJ, dancers, contests, and bilingual staff keep the night moving. The boat heads toward Bocagrande for city views, then returns to the dock with time to dance or enjoy the stars.

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