Journal

Where to Propose in Cartagena: Three Honest Options, and How We Help With Ours — Where to propose in Cartagena: the city walls at sunset, the fort, or a beach 25 minutes offshore. What each one is really like, and how we set up a beachside proposal.
Planning a Honeymoon in Cartagena, Colombia: How We'd Split the Nights — Honeymoon in Cartagena, Colombia: how to split city nights and island nights, what the boat costs, which cabaña to book and what a day with us actually looks like.
Things to Do in Getsemaní: A Walk We Send Guests On Before the Boat — Things to do in Getsemani, Cartagena: the murals on Calle de la Sierpe, Plaza de la Trinidad at dusk, and how to fit the barrio around our island boat times.
What to Pack for Cartagena, and What You Actually Need on the Boat — What to pack for Cartagena Colombia: a short, honest list from an island 25 minutes offshore, plus what to keep in your day bag for the boat over.
A Boutique Hotel in Bocachica: What Staying in Our Village on Tierra Bomba Is Like — Looking for a boutique hotel in Bocachica? We have 11 rooms on Tierra Bomba, 25 minutes by boat from Cartagena. Boat times, rates, rooms and the honest bits.
Eating Vegetarian or Vegan Around Cartagena: What Comes Out of Our Island Kitchen — Vegetarian and vegan food in Cartagena, Colombia, from an island kitchen 25 minutes offshore: what we cook without meat, how to tell us, and what a day costs.
Which Day to Visit a Beach Club Near Cartagena: Our Week, Honestly — The best day to visit a beach club in Cartagena depends on whether you want music or quiet. Here's how our week runs, hour by hour, with boat times and lounger prices.
Beach Club Cartagena: What a Day at Ours Costs, and How the Boat Works — A beach club near Cartagena, 25 minutes offshore on Tierra Bomba. Boat times, the $40 day pass, lounger prices, food and drink, and which day to come.
A Bachelorette Party Near Cartagena: How a Group Day on Our Island Works — Planning a bachelorette party in Cartagena, Colombia? Here's how a group day on our island runs: boat times, $40 day passes, $45 group menus, privatisation and the rules.
The Best Time of Year to Visit Cartagena, Month by Month, From 25 Minutes Offshore — The best time of year to visit Cartagena, Colombia: month-by-month rain and sea temperatures, which months we'd avoid, and the cheaper weeks worth gambling on.
Cartagena's November Independence Fiestas 2026: Dates, Parades and Where the Boat Still Goes — The Cartagena Independence Day festival in November 2026: key dates, the Bando parade, the Festival Nautico lineup, and how to get out to the island for a quiet day.
Things to Do on Tierra Bomba: An Honest List From the Island Itself — Things to do on Tierra Bomba island, 25 minutes by boat from Cartagena: diving the house reef, Bocachica village, mountain biking, cooking classes and what we don't offer.
A 3 Day Cartagena Itinerary That Includes a Day Out at Sea — A 3 day Cartagena itinerary from an island hotel 25 minutes offshore: the Walled City, Castillo San Felipe, boat times to Tierra Bomba and what a beach day costs.
A Tierra Bomba Beach Club Day: The Sand, the Hours, the Loungers, the Catch — What a Tierra Bomba beach club day is really like: volcanic sand, 11am to 6pm for day visitors, $40 with boat transfers, loungers from $5, and no snorkelling.
A Cooking Class in Cartagena, 25 Minutes Offshore in Our Island Kitchen — A cooking class in Cartagena that happens 25 minutes offshore on Tierra Bomba: how our island kitchen class works, what you cook, and how to book it.
Our Island Residency in Colombia: What You Get, and What We Ask For — An artist residency in Colombia on an island off Cartagena: one week to a month, room and three meals a day in Pitahaya Cottage, in exchange for a real proposal.
Is There an All Inclusive Hotel Near Cartagena? What We Do Instead — Looking for an all inclusive hotel in Cartagena, Colombia? We're not one. Here's what our $90 full board covers, what the bar costs, and how to work out the real price.
Planning a Cartagena Island Getaway: The Boat, the Costs, the Days — How a Cartagena island getaway works from our side: a 25-minute boat from Muelle de la Bodeguita, what nights and full board cost, and how the days go.
Christmas and New Year in Cartagena: What to Expect and When to Book — Christmas and New Year in Cartagena, Colombia: dry, hot, and full. What December weather is really like, how far ahead to book, and how the holidays run out on our island.
Cartagena's Old Town or an Island? How to Split Your Nights — Deciding where to stay in Cartagena: old town or island. What each one gives you, what the island costs you, and why most people should do a few nights of both.
The Best Beaches Near Cartagena, Ranked by How Far You'll Travel — The best beaches near Cartagena, Colombia are all off the coast. An honest look at Playa Blanca, the Rosario Islands, Bocagrande and our own Tierra Bomba sand.
How Many Days to Spend in Cartagena (From People Who Live 25 Minutes Offshore) — How many days to spend in Cartagena, Colombia: three for the city, five or six if you want island days too. Costs, boat times and what fills each day.
One Day in Cartagena's Walled City: What We Tell Guests Before They Get on the Boat — What to do in Cartagena's Walled City in one day: where to start, which squares are worth it, and how to fit the old town around a day on Tierra Bomba.
Staying the Night on Tierra Bomba: What an Island Hotel Near Cartagena Is Actually Like — What staying at a Tierra Bomba island hotel near Cartagena involves: 11 rooms, no cars, no phone signal, boat times, full board at $90 a night, and the honest caveats.
How to Pick a Beach Club in Cartagena (From One 25 Minutes Out to Sea) — Choosing the best beach club in Cartagena: city sand versus island, what a day pass costs, boat times from Muelle de la Bodeguita, and how our day actually runs.
Visiting Bocachica: The Village and the Fort on Tierra Bomba — What to see in Bocachica, Tierra Bomba: the San Fernando fort, the village itself, how to get there from Cartagena by boat, and what to expect when you arrive.
Farm to Table Near Cartagena: What Comes Out of Our Island Kitchen — A farm to table restaurant near Cartagena, 25 minutes by boat on Tierra Bomba. Who cooks, where the food comes from, the wine list, and how to eat with us.
PADI Courses Near Cartagena: What We Charge and Where You'll Dive — Learn to dive near Cartagena. Our PADI courses run from a US $90 house reef discovery dive to a 4-day Open Water at US $460, 25 minutes by boat from the city.
An Island Beach Club Day Pass From Cartagena: What $40 Gets You, Boat Included — An island beach club day pass from Cartagena with boat transfer: $40 including the 25-minute crossing, loungers from $5 to $30, open 11am to 6pm. How the day works.
Rosario Islands or Tierra Bomba? Choosing Your Day Trip From Cartagena — Rosario Islands or Tierra Bomba for a day trip from Cartagena? Honest comparison of boat times, costs, sand, crowds and who each one suits, from an island hotel.
How to Get to Tierra Bomba From Cartagena: Boat Times, Costs and What the Crossing Is Like — How to get to Tierra Bomba island from Cartagena: our boat leaves Muelle de la Bodeguita at 10am, 11:30am and 5pm, 25 minutes to Bocachica. No bridge, no cars.
Renting a Private Villa Near Cartagena for a Group: What Taking Over Our Island Place Involves — Private villa rental near Cartagena for groups: we hire out our whole 11-room island hotel and beach club. Capacities, group rules, corkage and boat logistics.
Where to Eat on the Islands Near Cartagena (An Honest Guide From Our Kitchen) — Looking for the best restaurant on the islands near Cartagena? Here's what we cook on Tierra Bomba, who cooks it, what it costs, and what the islands don't have.
A Romantic Getaway Near Cartagena: How Two Nights on Our Island Actually Goes — Planning a romantic getaway near Cartagena? We're 25 minutes by boat on Tierra Bomba: 11 rooms, a beach club, no phone signal. Here's how to plan it.
Cartagena in September and October: Honest Advice on the Rainy Season — Visiting Cartagena in September or October? October is the wettest month, with around 15 to 16 rainy days. Here's how the rain actually behaves and how to plan a beach day.
What a B Corp Hotel Near Cartagena Actually Does Differently — Looking for a sustainable hotel in Cartagena, Colombia? We're a B Corp certified 11 room hotel and beach club on Tierra Bomba. Here's what that means, and what we still get wrong.
Scuba Diving Near Cartagena: What It Costs and What You'll See — Scuba diving in Cartagena, Colombia: a discovery dive on our house reef off Tierra Bomba is US $90, PADI Open Water is US $460 over four days. No experience needed.
A Tierra Bomba Day Trip From Cartagena: How Ours Actually Works — Planning a Tierra Bomba island day trip from Cartagena? Our boat leaves Muelle de la Bodeguita at 10am and 11:30am, the crossing is 25 minutes, day passes are $40.