To explore the Caribbean, a friend and I took a day trip to the Rosario Islands, an archipelago of nearly 30 islands about an hour’s boat ride from Cartagena. We departed from Marina Santa Cruz on a boat arranged by Hotel San Pedro de Majagua, located on Isla Grande—the largest of the islands. Isla Grande offers two beaches and a range of activities: snorkeling, biking, hiking, or simply relaxing with a swim. The hotel stands on grounds that once housed the French painter Pierre Daguet, who made his home there in 1955.
In 1977 the State Ecological Authority designated the Rosario Islands a Colombia National Park to protect their ecosystems. The park’s coral reefs, mangroves and lagoons support more than 1,300 species of plants and animals native to the islands. Its 53 species of reef-building corals represent roughly 83 percent of the coral diversity found in the Colombian Caribbean. Keen to see some of this marine life up close, we joined a short snorkeling excursion and explored shallow waters alive with colorful fish, corals and other sea life.
After snorkeling, we made time to swim at a pristine stretch of beach before lunch. Our meal was a simple, delicious barbecue of freshly caught fish prepared by our hosts. They mentioned that the region had not seen rain for about eight months, but mid-meal a sudden squall rolled in—thunder, lightning and heavy rain—transforming our return boat ride into an exciting, wet adventure. Despite the weather, the trip left us with vivid memories of clear water, vibrant reefs and the peaceful atmosphere of the Rosario Islands.