You want to spend a few relaxing days on a small caribbean island with turquoise waters? This article will tell you all about theMucura Island in theSan Bernardo archipelago.
Where is Mucura Island?
The Archipelago of St. Bernard is a set of coral islands located in the Gulf of Morrosquillo in the Caribbean Sea. This archipelago has an approximate area of 213 km² and the »Mucura Island is part of. It is very small since you cross it in just 15 minutes! We go there either starting from Cartagena either starting from Three.
How to get from Cartagena to Mucura?
When I booked theClub Mucura hotel, the latter sent me an email which specifies the terms of transport with timetables, instructions and the reservation link. It is therefore with the hotel reservation that the transport reservation is made.
Boat reservation for Mucura
Here is the email I received:
“FROM TOLU: The arrival at Isla Múcura is by sea from the city of Tolú. Departure 8:30 am approx. - Isla Múcura - Tolú: Departure 14:30 p.m. Value: $ 50 per person each way.
TRANSPORT FROM CARTAGENA: Transport from Cartagena is provided by boat from the hotel Casa en el Agua. The boat departs daily from La Bodeguita quay at 9:00 a.m. This is a 2 hour trip on the open sea. You must enter the following link and follow the instructions below: http://www.casaenelagua.com/#reservations
Departure tax La Bodeguita pier: $ 16 Transport from Cartagena - House on the water: $ 500 Transport Casa en el Agua - Hotel Club Múcura: $ 100 Transport from Isla Múcura - Casa en el Agua: 000 $ 15 House of water transport - Cartagena: $ 000 Luggage allowed per person weighing 6 kilos«
Where is the pier for Mucura?
The pier in Cartagena is at MUELLE BODEGUITA (in the historic center) PUERTA 5. It was a 10 minute walk from our hotel Plaza de la Trinidad, so we walked there. Remember to leave your large luggage at the hotel so as not to be turned away when boarding! A small bag of 6 kg is authorized but you should know that they do not weigh the bags ...
How to get from Tolu to Mucura?
According to the same email, all you have to do is go to the Tolu pier and take a boat that leaves daily between 8 am and 9 am. The boats leave when they are complete. It takes about 1 hour to cross. Price: 100 COP Round trip.
What to do in Mucura ?
NOTHING !
THEMucura Island is perfect for doing nothing at all. Indeed, it is too small to jog, not possible to hike or cycle either, no tennis court, no golf course, no shops ...
FARNIENTE!
I had fun looking for the definition of idleness:
"Sweet idleness, a state of happy inaction, the pleasure of taking time to do nothing and indulge in total relaxation, daydreaming ..."
Well, that was exactly my only, my main, my exclusive activity on theMucura Island and I loved it! To hell with the complexes ...
LANGOUSTES!
Ah! I feel that this simple word attracts the attention of the readers… Yes, on mucura you can eat lobsters without breaking the bank.
We went to the small village and just asked who could cook us good lobsters for lunch? This is how we found ourselves faced with huge and succulent lobsters to taste for 45 COP (000 €).
Obviously, we ate it every lunchtime and tampis for the loss of meals included in the price of full board!
Our Hotel in Mucura
The accommodation on theMucura Island are few and I must admit that I selected my hotel by elimination.
When I consulted the forums, blogs and booking, I only had 3 choices between:
-
- sleep with a family of fishermen but you have to forget the comfort, the air conditioning, the shower ...
-
- choose accommodation in nature (hammocks and basic huts on Hostal Isla Mucura or Dahlandia); nice but I preferred a little more comfort ...
-
- a luxury hotel but really off budget for me (Punta Faro Hotel);
- (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and the Club Mucura hotel which was the best compromise (120 € per night with full board).
Hotel Club Mucura
The Hotel Club Mucura formerly belonged to the FARC. This set of luxurious residences served as their HQ, well isolated and far from everything ... The hotel is very large and atypical with its immense pontoon and its viewpoint.
What I liked about the Hotel Club Mucura
- The clean, comfortable room facing the sea with a hammock on the terrace;
- The hotel beach which is MAGNIFICENT!
- The calm of the hotel (imposed by the owner when he welcomes us)
- The nice breakfasts that are taken on the terrace facing the sea.
What I didn't like about the Hotel Club Mucura
- The air conditioning which was turned off by the owner from 6 am to 18 pm (for ecological reasons he explained to us…).
Classes available every day from Nine AM to Twelve midday.
can you tell me a little more about SANTA MARTA?
Is there a place (authentic) authentic atmosphere to spend two days and a nearby beach, I hesitate a lot between staying 2 days in SANTA MARTA or going to MINCA totally different
In fact a lot of comments are negative about Santa Marta, thank you
Hello Véronique,
For more information on Santa Marta, I suggest you read the article: https://sacavoyage.fr/que-voir-a-santa-marta-j13/
Bonne journée.
Hello! Muchas gracias por la información que cuentas. Tengo pensado ir con mi pareja este mes de julio, pasaremos una noche en Mucura y otra noche en Tintipan. Sabes si sería posible contratar la ida en Lancha desde Tolú y la vuelta desde Tintipan? Is it necessary to book the lanchas con antelación oa través de alojamiento en Tolú? El hotel de Mucura gave me the option of resevar la lancha con ellos pero sale muy tarde de Tolú y queríamos ir más temprano para aprovechar el día. También quería preguntarte, porque tenemos dudas de cómo hacer la vuelta desde Tintinpan, si hacerla a Cartagena o si volver a Tolú y de ahí a Cartagemos, ya que no si al volver en lancha a Tolú hay autobuses por la tarde de Tolú a Cartagena? Muchas gracias!!!
Hello, Marina,
Hace ago 5 años que hice este viaje a Colombia. El transports y la logística están cambiando. You recommend that you preguntes directly to your hotel por la reserve del barco oa Casa en el Agua (https://casaenelagua.com/).
Bon voyage!
Hello,
Thank you for your information in all 1st, I would like to know if it is easy to find 1 accommodation in the fishing village.
Thank you
Hello Mickael,
I can't tell you because I didn't look for it myself ...
But I know that there is the possibility of making a reservation on booking.com:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/co/puerto-caracol-isla-mucura.fr.html?aid=1518664&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2
Hello,
I confirm the comments already posted, your blog is very well done and detailed. We are 4 friends in Colombia at the moment and we have booked two nights from tomorrow for Isla Mucura.
I have a quick question about the boat to take to Cartagena. Do you think that we will be able to take it tomorrow morning without reservation but by going directly to the pier around 8:15 ?!
Thank you very much for your answer which, I hope, will reach us in time given the tight deadline within which we have to leave for this island which seems fabulous!
Hello,
I don't know at all… But I do know that there is a Tranqiteasy agency in Cartagena (calle carlos escallon 34 - 62 Edificio Banco de Bogotá, Piso 5, oficina 505) that you could call if it's open: +57 301 4043633
Hope you can leave today!
Thank you for your blog, thank you for all this info!
We are leaving in February and will do a classic Bogota-Salento-santa Marta circuit (the TAYRONA park will be closed ... but we will still meet the Kogi population) Cartagena then Mucura (Providencia being too far away)
For your information, we make the crossing with Tranqiteasy, it is easy to contact them by WhatsApp, they are very responsive, to book you have to go to their site and pay online.
Congratulations again for your blog!
Thank you for the information on the crossing with Tranqiteasy, they will be useful for future readers ... Have a good trip and enjoy!
Can you tell me about this crossing, you say that there is a lot of wind but are we also wet by the spray? Because in fact on the way back we go directly to the airport for our return to France… I feel that it will be folkloric!
Hello,
On the way out we were well shaken up and a little watered! But on the way back, it was much quieter. It all depends on the swell and the speed at which the boat is spinning. Maybe bring a big rain cape ...
Hello,
Your article is very good, thank you 🙂
I am going to Colombia myself in February and like many I want to end up in idleness mode on a paradise island, providencia being too expensive and the Rosario islands too touristy, I am thinking of going to Mucura and staying at the hotel club…
So you took the boat from Cartagena on the way there and the Lancha to Tolu on the way back if I understood correctly?
Is it not possible to return with the same company to Cartagena?
Since tolu I don't have the impression that there is any weight restriction for the luggage… can you confirm that?
Thank you very much and happy new year 🙂
Hello Laure,
For the boat trip, we did well there and back with the same company. We left Cartagena and returned to Cartagena where we had left some of our luggage ...
It's my turn to wish you a happy new year 2020 and happy travels!
Hello Coco,
great your blog. We are leaving for Colombia (among others) for a month - February- March 2020 - in this country, and we have just given up the beaches of San Andres, (much too touristy and expensive plane) for other beaches just as nice and bcp more authentic. Your blog naturally directs us to Mucura. Reading the comments, I see that you have also been to the cienaga grande. I programmed that too. My wish would be to go with a fisherman from Santa Marta or Barranquilla to see the nueva venecia, new venice, lakeside city. Did you do that? Do you have a plan to find the fisherman who is doing well? (without going through overpriced agencies? (at 200 € a day for 2 !!!).
Thanks again for your advice. e * t bravo again for the quality of your blog and your photos.
GP
Hello,
We too would have preferred to go to Cienaga Grande with a fisherman to save a little ... but we couldn't find any other means than to go through the Aventure Colombia agency. If you can find a good plan, do not hesitate to mention it in the commentary on this blog with the coordinates. This could be useful for future readers! Yours truly.
Hello Coco,
Sorry to bother you… we can't figure out how to get us from Cartagena to Mucura: where to book the boat that allows this trip?
A big big thank you.
Bénédicte and her friends
Hello,
It was while booking the Club Mucura hotel that I received by email the instructions to book the boat transport from Cartagena to Mucura (the hotel puts you in touch for the boat reservation).
If you want to book by yourself, the Taquiteasy company provides the connection Cartagena-Casa en el Agua-Mucura or Tintipan: https://bookings.tranqiteasy.com/product/to-mucura-tintipan/
Have a good stay !
Here I am again, I confirm TB your blog, I had also squinted on Providencia and due to lack of time I booked 3 "dodos" at Mucura Island, the comments in the "beautiful" hotels made me make the big difference , ie I booked at "Puerto Caracol" in the village in the heart of the authentic ??? !!!
Puerto Caracol: this is surely the best way to be in contact with the locals. If you are not looking for comfort at all costs, this is a good idea. Especially since the superb beach of our hotel was quite accessible to all… It would be a shame to deprive yourself of it.
thank you coco for comforting me in my choice…. it's true, I like being at the most of real life…. as long as it stays nice… I'll tell you that when you get back… .. see you soon for other questions, I think…. thank you very much for your attention
Bonjour.
And thank you again for sharing your experiences in Colombia with us. .
If I understood correctly, you left your luggage at the hotel before going to Mucura. Can we easily leave our luggage at the hotel for a few days when I have to pay extra? Is there an alternative where we can still leave our suitcases?
Have you visited any other islands nearby?
Hello,
We actually left our big rucksacks at the Hotel Plaza de la Trinidad. They kept them for us free of charge. Regarding other islands, we have not visited others. If I had had the time, I would have liked to go to the Island of Providencia. But neither the time nor the budget ...
Hello,
Are there a lot of tourists on Mucura Island?
Have you dived? We saw that there is a club in the hotel where you were, have you heard of it?
Hello,
No on Mucura, there are very few tourists because it is a very small island with nothing on it except beautiful beaches and coconut trees. No shops, no activities except a little kayaking and the observation of phosphorescent plankton during night swims (excursion organized by the hotel). I haven't heard of a diving club, but since I don't dive, I wasn't interested in it… On the other hand, since the owner of the hotel is French, you can question him directly.
Have a good stay !
Hello, I am following your very exciting blog very carefully. I have to go to Colombia at the end of the year and I prepare this trip with a local agency Aventure Colombia at the end of the tour we finish at Mucura Island at the Hotel Punta Faro. I see that you ate lobsters, where is this restaurant you are quoting in relation to our hotel? your answer will allow me to choose where full board or half board
Thank you in advance
Martine
Hello Martine,
As the island is very small, wherever you are staying you can quickly go and eat lobsters in the village. You have to go to the bottom of the village and ask for lobsters. The best is to order them and come back because on site we waited more than an hour before being served. To order them, you will choose them alive in their net in the water and will be able to negotiate the price according to the size. Hum you are going to enjoy ...
Hello Coco, I am still coming back to your blog, it inspires me so much it is by far one of the best blog to see the best blog that I have been able to consult on the web, I still wanted to ask you 2 questions…. The crossing from Cartagena to Mucura 2h you said, what type of boat was it? Because I read that some crossings were stormy or even dangerous depending on the weather and my daughter is seasick and if it is a big motor boat I am afraid that it will not Then in your opinion there are many things to see or do around Cartagena. Because I hesitate to stay longer in Santa Marta or Cartagena. Thanks again Pierre. PS I have already made an appointment with some of your contacts with success!
Hello Pierre,
Thanks for the compliments on my blog! Regarding the crossing to Mucura, I am not very skilled in the boat to tell you exactly what it is. In any case, it is a boat of about forty places which goes very fast. At this speed, you don't feel the swell but simply the wind which almost blows your head! I took a photo of the boat, I'll send it to you by email.
Between Cartagena and Santa Marta, I preferred the second. Indeed, Santa Marta is less touristy than Cartagena and therefore more authentic. There are great things to do around this town (in the Sierra Nevada and of course in the Cienaga grande). Cartagena is interesting for its cultural richness and its architecture. It is more lively, there are better restaurants, and trips to the coast of the Caribbean. So it all depends on your desires.