The short version
Taxi from Rafael Nunez airport to Muelle de la Bodeguita, then our boat. About an hour door to door, and around 25 minutes of that is on the water. The airport sits roughly 6 km from the dock, so the driving part is brief unless the city is having one of its afternoons.
There is no other way in. We're on Tierra Bomba, there's no bridge, and no car will ever pull up at our gate.
Step one: the taxi to the dock
Your destination is Muelle de la Bodeguita, the dock on the edge of the old city, and every driver in Cartagena knows it. Tell them La Bodeguita rather than the name of an island hotel and you'll save a conversation. If you'd rather not negotiate anything after a flight, we can arrange your airport transfer in both directions. Just ask us before you travel.
One thing worth knowing before you land: we have no phone signal on the island. WhatsApp is how we talk to guests, and it's how we'd like you to reach us if your flight slips.
Step two: the boat
Our boat leaves Muelle de la Bodeguita at 10am, 11:30am and 5pm, and the crossing takes 25 minutes. Reserve your seat. Capacity is limited, and an unreserved arrival at a full boat means a long sit on the dock watching the water.
The ride itself is usually smooth, and calmer than the run out to the Rosario Islands, which is the crossing most people have heard stories about. In windy weather it gets choppy, though it isn't white-knuckle. Getting on and off does ask for a bit of balance, so pack accordingly and wear something you don't mind getting a splash on.
Going back, boats leave us at 4pm and 5:30pm.
When the sea has other ideas
If the tide is very high or the sea is unusually rough, we land at a dock in Bocachica village instead, about a mile from us. From there you ride pillion on a motorbike taxi through the village. Plenty of guests tell us afterwards that this was the best part of the day. If you'd rather it wasn't, tell us and we'll sort something else out.
If you're arriving on your own boat, there's a dock about 200 metres from our gate. If conditions are rough, or your boat is too big to dock with us, we can sometimes come out and collect you.
Flying home
Leave us three hours before your flight departs. That's the boat, the drive and the check-in queue with enough slack that nobody has to run. It sounds generous until the 4pm boat is the one you need and you've just ordered another drink.
If you're in a genuine hurry, the island is five minutes from the city by helicopter. Our friends at Galavanta handle that, and we're happy to put you in touch.
What about the cheap way?
There is a public option between 7am and 5pm. It's time-consuming, more complicated than it needs to be, and a little cheaper. It's also a real adventure if that's what you came for. Our front desk will talk you through it honestly, including the parts that are a hassle.
Most people take our boat, drop their bag and are in the water within ten minutes of walking through the gate. See you on the boat.