14 Snorkelling Trips in Colombia to Build a Day Around

1.Excursion to the Rosario Islands with Lunch and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 569 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $106Our pick

Sail from Cartagena to the Rosario Islands aboard a spacious Bona Vida catamaran. You’ll stop near Isla Grande and Barú for swimming and snorkeling, enjoy lunch with seafood, chicken, or vegetable rice, and return after about 7.5 hours. Expect a relaxed boat day, not a beach-hopping tour.

“We had a fabulous time. They were super professional. The food was delicious. I highly recommend this trip,”

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2.5-Island Trip by Boat with Lunch and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 82 reviews · from $89

Spend 10 hours with an English or Spanish-speaking guide on a sports boat from Cartagena. Visit Bocachica, Isla Grande, Cholon, and beach stops in the Rosario Islands, with snorkeling, seafood tasting, lunch, swimming, and a nighttime look at luminous plankton. Guide David leads the water activities.

“Excellent crew and captain! The boat was so modern and powerful! The lunch was really good, at a great little island hang-out, and the party scene in the water, was a hoot! We would recommend this company!”

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3.5 Islands Tour from Cartagena Including Snorkeling and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 62 reviews · 8 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $100

Spend 8 to 11 hours on the water from Cartagena, visiting Tierra Bomba, Rosario, Cholon, Agua Azul, and Playa Tranquila Baru. A bilingual guide leads the day, with lunch, boat transport, chairs, and basic snorkeling masks included. You can add the Oceanarium for 40,000 COP, but confirm pickup details carefully before departure.

“We selected this operator specifically because they advertised and confirmed hotel pick-up at our hotel. The booking confirmation issued by Viator clearly listed our hotel by name as the pick-up location. This service was a deciding factor and was priced higher than comparable tours. Five minutes after the scheduled pick-up time, the operator messaged us instructing us to take an Uber to meet them downtown. We were explicitly told the Uber would be reimbursed. Once we were already en route, the operator reversed this commitment and refused reimbursement. As a result, we incurred approximately $50 in unnecessary transportation costs and were left waiting at a gas station in an industrial…”

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4.5 Islands VIP Escape : Snorkeling, Private Lunch & Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 48 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $120

This 5.5-hour Cartagena boat trip visits Bocachica, Rosario Islands, Isla Grande, Cholón, a private lunch island, and Playa Tranquila Barú. Expect guided snorkeling over a sunken plane, lunch, an air-conditioned transfer, and a return to Pegasus Pier. Hotel drop-off, bottled water, and alcohol are not included.

“We had lots of fun, the boat trip was very informative, lunch was delicious and the islands very entertaining.”

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5.5 Islands Boat Tour with Lunch, Snorkeling, & Bar

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 39 reviews · 11h 30m · from $159

You’ll leave from Bocagrande or El Laguito, cross Cartagena Bay by sport boat, and visit Bocachica, Isla Grande, San Martín de Pajarales, Cholón, and Agua Azul. The day includes a shrimp cocktail, lunch, snorkeling equipment, swimming, music, and a nighttime plankton viewing. English and Spanish guiding is offered.

“A little confusing with the added plankton activity; I should’ve known better that the bus would make me arrive late back to Cartagena for my flight. I would’ve liked a little more explanation in English but the guide mostly spoke Spanish once the rest of the English speakers left”

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6.Magdalena: Tayrona Park Cruise with Snorkeling & Beaches

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 39 reviews · 7 hours · from $70

Meet Felipe and the Tutour Colombia team at Santa Marta International Marina for a seven-hour small-group boat trip to Tayrona Park. Snorkel at Remanso and Granate, look for turtles, relax at Concha Bay, and eat fresh fish aboard the Tranquila. Spanish and English service is available, with a local-beach backup during park closures.

“Matka Tayronan kansallispuistoon peruuntui, sain siitä tiedon vasta ollessani jo satamassa! Valitsin toisen vaihtoehdon, koska olin jo satamassa. Snorklauspaikat oli hirveitä, kaikki korallit kuolleita ja vain muutama kala. Mainoksessa sanottiin, että rajaton määrä snacksejä ja hedelmiä matkan aikana. Meille tarjottiin yhdet omenat, jotka ei edes riittänyt kaikille. Saimme jokainen yhden pienen pussin chipsejä. Kapteeni ja sen apuri eivät osanneet sanaakaan englantia. Lounas oli syömäkelvotonta; kala oli kuivaa, maustamatonta, täynnä ruotoja. En suosittele tätä retkeä kenellekkään!!!!”

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7.5 islands tour to rosario Islands with snorkeling activity!

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 36 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $90

Spend 7 to 8 hours touring Cartagena’s Rosario Islands with a bilingual guide, visiting a private island, Isla Grande for snorkeling, Cholon for music and drinks, and Playa Blanca for lunch and beach time. Guides Milton and Alex have earned praise for keeping the boat informed and lively, though the day can feel loud and loosely organized.

“Avoid at all costs. This was the worst island tour I have ever done. Terrible, inedible food, they take you to the worst parts of each island, all drinks and additional food are in way overpriced.”

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8.Sisiguaca Beach Hike with Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 13 reviews · 4 hours - 270 minutes · from $70

Meet near Santa Marta’s Parque de los Novios, ride to Taganga, and follow a 30 to 40 minute coastal trail to Sisiguaca Beach. Your bilingual guide, often Humberto, leads the hike and snorkeling, points out fish and corals, and provides equipment, a snack, and digital photos. Bring water, swimwear, and sturdy shoes.

“La ville n’est pas très propre. La plage est sympa, mais ça ne vaut pas de payer ce montant alors que nous pouvons le faire seul. Je déconseille de le faire ou alors allez-y par vos propres moyens. Il n’y a qu’un sentier à suivre, vous ne pouvez pas vous perdre.”

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9.5 Islands Premium Tour with Lunch and Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 10 reviews · from $96

Spend a full day by speedboat among Tierra Bomba, Rosario, Cholon, Agua Azul, and Barú. A bilingual guide handles the route, lunch and beach chairs are included, and you can snorkel with provided goggles. The oceanarium and nighttime plankton stop cost extra or require a longer return.

“In general, well, they should clearly specify to the tourist that it is a recreational tour and not a party and liquor tour, it was uncomfortable and annoying to be waiting for people who were not interested in the total tour but only in the place where they were going to party and then wait for them to that they ride more people who didn't go on the tour with the rest.”

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10.5 Rosario Islands Tour with Snorkeling and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4 reviews · 8 hours · from $128

Leave Cartagena by sports boat for Bocachica, coral reefs, Isla Grande, party-minded Cholón, Agua Azul, and Playa Tranquila. You get snorkeling gear, snacks, water, and lunch. Guide David and the El Peluche crew have handled rainy days well, but confirm the current snorkeling equipment and return pier before booking.

“Snorkeling was marginal as masks only due to past Covid - no snorkels. Lunch was delicious as the fish was tasty and spiced just right - tender and flaky. The waist deep water restaurant near shore was a blast with Cerviche and great Latin music and dancers on boats”

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11.5 Rosario Islands, Full party with drinks, Snorkeling and lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4 reviews · 8 hours · from $132

Spend about eight hours exploring five Caribbean stops from Cartagena by sports boat. You’ll visit Bocachica, snorkel near Isla Grande and Pablo Escobar’s submerged plane, eat lunch on a private island, party at Cholon, and relax at Playa Tranquila. English and Spanish support, drinks, seafood cocktail, and pickup are included, but the open bar is limited.

“It was nice. Just felt rushed in the snorkeling section.”

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12.Tour to Playa Tranquila with Snorkeling + Luminous Plankton and Parasol

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 4 reviews · 7 hours · from $76

You travel from Cartagena to Playa Tranquila in Baru by air-conditioned bus and fast boat, with lunch, a welcome cocktail, snorkeling, beach facilities, and a night swim with luminous plankton. English and Spanish service is advertised, but confirm your language and schedule by WhatsApp before departure.

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13.SANTAMARTA: TOUR Remanso, Taganga, Playa Grande Lunch and Snorkeling Included

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 4 reviews · 8 hours · from $56Best value

Spend eight hours around Santa Marta with a Spanish-speaking guide, van transfers, Taganga viewpoints, a boat ride to Remanso, 35 minutes of snorkeling, and lunch at Playa Grande. The $56 price includes transport, snorkeling, photos, and a choice of grilled chicken, beef, or fried fish, but drinks and beach tents cost extra.

“Do not do this excursion. It is a waste of money and time. They pick you up in a bus that is barely running and no air-conditioning And overpacked. They say they take you to three different beaches, but that is not true. It is a complete lie. The bus picks you up from your hotel and drops you off at the first “beach” but it is only to board a panga to go snorkeling. That is not visiting a beach, stopping to load on a boat is a transfer then the second beach is not a beach either you stop at a bunch of rocks and they say you’re…”

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14.BARÚ Playa blanca with SNORKELING INCLUDED

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 3 reviews · 7 hours · from $61

Spend seven hours traveling from Cartagena to Barú for snorkeling, beach time, photos, and a Caribbean lunch. You can choose fish, pork, or vegetarian food, with English or Spanish guidance and hotel pickup in Bocagrande, Laguito, Castillogrande, Crespo, or central meeting points. Expect a busy day, a long road transfer, and limited time at each stop.

“it was overall ok. we had issues with the boat that didn't have a ladder so going in and out of the boat was not really fun plus it ran out of gas in the middle of the water so we had to be carried by another boat. overall ok, seeing raccoons was nice.”

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