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Tierra Bomba Island, or the Isla de Tierra Bomba in Spanish, is a large island located at the edge of Cartagena’s bay.
Although the Isla Tierra Bomba beaches don’t boast the crystal clear Caribbean waters of the islands farther off the coast, its proximity to Cartagena means it’s easily reached by a much shorter boat ride.
We’ve been here many times over the years for day trips and spending the night at different Tierra Bomba beach clubs and hotels.
While I’d encourage you to get out to the islands farther away, if you can only do a partial day, aren’t a big fan of boats, or want some additional beach time after enjoying the other islands, Tierra Bomba’s beaches are definitely nicer than those in the city proper.
If you think you might want to visit Tierra Bomba yourself, you can learn all about it in this practical guide to the Island of Tierra Bomba in Cartagena, Colombia.
Tierra Bomba Island Overview and Quick Tips
The Isla de Tierra Bomba is located just across the bay from Cartagena and, in fact, separates the bay from the open Caribbean Sea.
It’s grown as a popular beach destination, and a number of newer and nicer resorts, hotels, and beach clubs on Tierra Bomba have opened in recent years alongside the public beaches with modest beach shacks serving up fresh fish.
If you’d like to go to Tierra Bomba from Cartagena, the easiest and most convenient thing to do is to pick a place and book a day pass at a Tierra Bomba beach club,. There are a number of nice Tierra Bomba hotels that offer overnight stays too.
I’ll go into more detail about the different sectors of the Island of Tierra Bomba and more places you might consider visiting, but here I’ll give you a few quick options:
- Our personal favorite place is Palmarito Beach, which has a great, private beach area and pool.
- The newer Makani Beach Club on Tierra Bomba is a gorgeous, luxury resort style property, located on the far side of the island in a very private setting.
- Fenix Beach Cartagena is really well regarded and also a tad more upscale.
- Blue Apple Beach has a fun vibe and is located on the far side of the island where there’s usually no crowds.
- Namaste Beach Club, at Punta Arena, also has a nice set up.
There are also neat ATV tours on Tierra Bomba that include some time on the beach if you’re looking for something a bit extreme and less commonly done. Click here to book your Cartagena ATV tour with our partner.
Finally, there are also some really neat forts at the entrance to the bay at Bocachica on Tierra Bomba that are some of Cartagena’s best hidden gems for history buffs. I’ll cover more about visiting them below, but this cool pirate ship tour that also includes time on the beach would be my top recommendation for visiting the main fort.
Read on to learn more about the different sectors of Tierra Bomba, other things to see on Tierra Bomba, more options for Tierra Bomba beach clubs and hotels, and how to go from Cartagena to Tierra Bomba on your own.
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Isla de Tierra Bomba Detailed Guide
I’ll go into more detail about what to do and see on the Island of Tierra Bomba below, but first, a quick geography and history lesson.
Where is Tierra Bomba in Cartagena?: Geography and History
Tierra Bomba’s presence on the edge of Cartagena’s bay is part of what made the area so attractive as a major colonial trading port. If you take a look at a map, you can see why.
The island helped protect the bay from rough, ocean currents. Outer defenses built here also protected the approaches to the city from foreign invaders.
The two channels to enter the bay lie on either side of Tierra Bomba. The larger one is known as Bocagrande (literally “big mouth”) while the smaller one is known as Bocachica (“small mouth”).
Due to shifts in currents and buildup of sediment, the Bocagrande channel became impassable for larger ships, and three even got stuck here in 1640. Actually, a narrow strip of land, complete with mangroves sprung up in this period. The now underwater remains of a small fort was actually discovered here in March 2025!
So, Bocachica became the main entry into the bay.
This was advantageous because the smaller channel could be more easily defensible, and forts were built at Bocachica to protect the city from foreign attacks.
When currents shifted yet again and Bocagrande once more became passable in the mid-1700s, the Spanish actually constructed an underwater wall to once again close it and maintain the strongpoint of Bocachica as the main entrance to the bay.
It remains as such today.
Besides the forts, there were lots of kilns out here as well, used to convert limestone into lime for mortar used in the construction of Cartagena’s colonial walls, churches, and mansions. Fishermen also settled on the island.
The island remains only sparsely populated today, with only a few small towns.
Up until 20 or so years ago, there was little tourist development out here beyond a few beach shacks on the Tierra Bomba beaches serving up fresh fish like the one Anthony Bourdain visited on his trip to Cartagena.
However, the last decade has seen a flurry of building of nicer beach clubs and hotels, and Tierra Bomba is now a common destination for those looking to escape the crowded beaches of Cartagena.
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Tierra Bomba vs Other Cartagena Islands
As I said in the introduction, I recommend the islands farther away from Cartagena over Tierra Bomba if you’re only going to do one island day during your time in Cartagena. The longer boat ride is worth the beautiful scenery and clear waters, which you won’t really find on Tierra Bomba
I’d recommend the Rosario Islands first, which, in my opinion, offer the best island experience in Cartagena.
Read my complete guide to the Rosario Islands here.
If you want those crystal clear waters but don’t want a long boat ride, Baru, connected to the mainland by a bridge could be another option. There are nicer, less crowded places out there, but the most popular beach, Playa Blanca, can get crowded.
Read my guide to Baru Island here.
I think Tierra Bomba works best for an additional beach day or overnight stay, people who aren’t fans of boats, those that can only spare a partial beach day, and/or those on a tighter budget that want to escape the beaches in the city proper for something a bit nicer without splurging on the more expensive islands.
If you want some more help deciding which island to visit, check out this comparative guide to the Cartagena Islands.
Other Things to Do on the Island of Tierra Bomba
Most of this guide is focused on the beach and suggestions for beach clubs and hotels on Tierra Bomba.
However, there are a few other things you can do on the island besides enjoying the sun, sand, and a tasty fresh seafood lunch.
For those looking for a bit of an extreme adventure, there are ATV tours that go through trails on the island and also stop for some time on the beach. You can book your Tierra Bomba ATV tour in Cartagena direcly with the operator here as well as on GetYourGuide or on Viator.
There are also the forts at Bocachica that are worth the visit if you’re a history buff. I’ll talk a bit more about doing them on your own in the section on doing Tierra Bomba without a tour below, but if you want to do them, I’d recommend this pirate boat tour that makes a stop here. The ATV tours mentioned above also stop here briefly.
You can also go horseback riding on Tierra Bomba. There may be other places too, but I know Blue Apple offers this, and I’ve heard it recommended a number of times.
Finally, if you’re looking for a service experience during your time in Cartagena, you could consider volunteering with Amigos del Mar, which works with the Isla de Tierra Bomba youth population.
Isla Tierra Bomba Beach Sectors
Ok, let’s talk about the main attraction of Tierra Bomba: the beaches.
While the island is fairly large, there are two main beach sectors that are fairly easily accessible from Cartagena. There are also some nice beach clubs and hotels set off on their own in little isolated areas.
I’ll cover the two main sectors as well as discuss the more secluded places nearby in the sections that follow.
Punta Arena and the Northwestern Coast of Isla Tierra Bomba
Punta Arena in Tierra Bomba, literally “sandy point” in English, is a decently sized stretch of beach located almost directly across the bay from the peninsula of Castillogrande in Cartagena.
I actually first came here on a work party beach day back in 2012. There wasn’t a whole lot beyond a handful of places offering food and beach chairs back then. It’s grown up quite a bit since then, and there are a number of beach front businesses, including some nicer ones.
There are also some beach clubs and hotels nearby that sort of sit apart and offer a bit more of a private experience.
One of those is our personal favorite and probably the one I’d characterize as the overall best beach club on Tierra Bomba in terms of quality and value.
That’s Palmarito Beach, which has a nice beach area protected with a jetty in front that makes it really nice for swimming. There’s also a small pool and rooms are pretty decent here.
We’ve been here lots of times for both overnight stays and day trips and have always really enjoyed it. In fact, a lot of the photos in this post are from Palmarito.
They have a cool vibe with things like dance contests, but it’s also family friendly and there’s a big soccer field in addition to the pool, making it a good fit for most types of travelers.
Also, they do a terrific Coco Loco!
You can check the cost of a room at Palmarito here or book a day pass at Palmarito here.
On the main stretch of Punta Arena, you’ll find Namaste Beach Club, which also has a nice set up with bohemian vibes. We’ve been here a handful of times too, and always enjoyed it. This used to be several beach clubs, including Bomba Beach Club and was eventually combined into one under the name Namaste.
Although it’s not set apart all on its own like Palmarito, it is at sort of the end of the beach and has a semi-private feeling. I do kind of like that can also walk up more of the beach if you want.
Check the cost of a room at Namaste here. They do also offer day passes.
Just south of Punta Arenas, you’ll find Fenix Beach, which offers a bit more of an exclusive and private feeling beach similar to Palmarito.
It was one of the first nicer beach clubs and hotels to open on Tierra Bomba, although there are a few similar places that have opened up more recently, which I’ll discuss below.
You can check the price of a room at Fenix Beach here or book a day pass at Fenix here.
Two of those newer places that offer an experience similar to Fenix are Eteka Beach and Vista Mare Beach House, both located just north of Punta Arena, Both have nice reviews and set ups.
You can check the price of a room at Eteka here and check the price of a room at Vista Mare here.
Bocachica
At the southern tip of Tierra Bomba, you’ll find Bocachica.
The name, as mentioned above, derives from the name of the channel into the bay here, but the tiny town nearby is also named Bocachica.
As also mentioned above, you’ll find the Castillo San Fernando, on Tierra Bomba, and Fort San Juan, across the channel. There’s actually a third fort, the Fort San Rafael, built on a hill nearby.
All three are well preserved and free to enter.
The forts are neat to see if you are a history buff and like old forts, and to be honest, they are the main reason I see to come out here over doing Punta Arena. You can learn more about visiting the forts of Bocachica here.
There is also a beach nearby with beachfront shacks that serve food.
The beach isn’t anything special here, in my opinion, but if you come out to visit the forts, getting some fresh fish or lobster, enjoying a cold beer or three, and taking a dip is a good way to cool off and relax a bit afterwards.
There is a cool pirate ship tour that goes to the main fort and the beach here, and that would probably be my recommendation for most people to do this if you want to see the fort. You can book the pirate ship on GetYourGuide or on Viator.
There are some multi-island tours that make stops at the Castillo San Fernando at Bocachica on the way out of Cartagena too if you wanted to combine it with the Rosario Islands. You can book this 5 island tour on GetYourGuide or this 5 island tour on Viator if you wanted to do it that way.
You can also get a boat out to the dock by the town nearby from the main docks in Cartagena, which you can learn more about in the section on doing Tierra Bomba without a tour below.
Secluded Beach Clubs and Hotels on the Western Coast
There are a couple nicer beach clubs and hotels on the western side of Tierra Bomba, north of Bocachica.
The newest and most luxurious place on Tierra Bomba is Makani Luxury Wanderlust, which has a terrific, resort style setup. If you’re looking for a more luxurious beach escape in Cartagena without going out to the islands farther away, it’s the top choice for sure.
You can check the price of a room at Makani Beach Club in Tierra Bomb here.
Blue Apple Beach Club, closer to Bocachica, also has a really cool setup.
A former vacation home turned beach club and hotel, Blue Apple on Tierra Bomba has rooms for overnight stays as well as a few really nice looking separate bungalows with their own little private splash pools. There’s also a nice sized main pool here and a big, practically private, beach.
We actually mototaxied here after visiting the forts one day, and we really enjoyed the vibes plus they had great food and drinks. We had our niece along and thought it was family friendly, but it does seem to be marketed primarily towards adults.
Besides horseback riding, they also offer diving, including PADI courses, dance lessons, glass blowing and candle making, and mountain biking on Tierra Bomba. So, if you wanted to spend a few days more secluded, you can do some things that aren’t just chilling on the beach or by the pool. But, of course, you can do plenty of that too!
You can read more in my review of Blue Apple Beach Club here, you can check the price of a room at Blue Apple here, or you can book a day pass at Blue Apple here.
There isn’t a whole lot else on this side of the island besides a handful of privately owned homes.
Near the northern tip of the island, you can find Amare Beach Club, which has a cool set up and I have heard lots of good things about.
You can book a day pass at Amare here.
Doing Tierra Bomba without a Tour
You can do some of the public beaches on Tierra Bomba on your own without a tour, reservation, or day pass.
Keep in mind if you want to do one of the nicer beach clubs or hotels mentioned above or want to be sure you have access to facilities like proper bathrooms or pools, you should just book a day pass, which should include transportation and either lunch or a voucher to spend on food and drinks.
It should go without saying that booking one of those offers a more convenient and an overall more comfortable and nicer experience. If you plan to buy food and want a nice beach spot, they often work out to be not all that much more expensive than if you go and rent beach chairs and buy food on your own.
However, if you want to go for a shorter time, like half a day only, or don’t care much about having access to bathrooms or a pool, you can do Tierra Bomba cheaper by going on your own.
Punta Arena and Northwestern Coast of Tierra Bomba on Your Own
To do Punta Arena from Cartagena, you can get boat transportation from behind the hospital in Bocagrande.
These are in small boats sort of like water-taxis, that board directly from the beach. The ride across is usually pretty smooth since it’s just in the bay and not open seas, but it is occasionally a bit bumpy, especially coming back in the afternoon.
Boats go when they are full, and they generally pack them in fairly full.
In fairness, a lot of the hotels and beach clubs also use similarly sized boats and load here too, although they might not pack it in quite so tight, and they usually do have docks to land at on the island.
Be aware that as you arrive behind the hospital, you’ll approached by numerous vendors. A lot of times they even come up and surround the taxi. This sometimes intimidates people, but they’re not trying to rob you or anything, and it’s, for better or worse, normal, if informal and a tad chaotic.
You’ll need to negotiate your transportation to and from Tierra Bomba. Be sure to make sure you agree on a pickup time and know your boat captain’s name.
The price to Punta Arena should be $8,000 Colombian Pesos (COP) per person each way.
I last confirmed that price with a trusted source in April 2025, but it should at least give you a point of reference if you’re reading this at a later date. Don’t be afraid to negotiate if you’re being quoted a much higher price.
Once across, there are a number of beachfront businesses that have beach chairs and umbrellas for rent as well as serve lunch and serve drinks. Like everywhere else on the beach in Cartagena, be sure to confirm price and be willing to negotiate. I’d recommend trying to negotiate complimentary or an all inclusive price for chairs if you’re planning to buy lunch and/or drinks from the same place.
Of course, you can always just set up a towel on the beach as well, but if you plan to eat on the island, it’s best to just negotiate chairs and stuff all in.
Doing Bocachica on Your Own
If you want to go to Bocachica to see the forts and/or the beach on your own without a tour, you’ll need to get a boat from the main docks at the Muelle de la Bodeguita near the Clocktower.
These boats are primarily meant to serve the locals coming into Cartagena from Tierra Bomba to work, buy supplies, or visit family, but tourists are allowed to use them. They don’t operate on a set schedule but leave once full, so sometimes there can be a bit of a wait.
Just go to the entrance to the gate and say you’re going to visit Bocachica, and you pay the boat captains directly. No need to buy a ticket at the window.
They leave from Gate 2 and should cost $10,000 COP per person each way.
I last confirmed that price in April 2025.
Generally, they make 2-3 stops on the way. Occasionally, they stop at a dock beside the Castillo San Fernando Fort, but more often, the last stop is at at a dock in the town of Bocachica. From there, it’s about a 15 minute walk to the beach and fort, or you can mototaxi for a few thousand pesos.
To come back, you’ll usually need to go back to the dock in Bocachica. I’d recommend asking what time the last boat goes back to Cartagena, and go a bit earlier. Again, this is pretty informal without a set schedule.
Where will you go on the Isla Tierra Bomba?
There you have it, a complete guide to Isla Tierra Bomba in Cartagena, Colombia!
I hope you found this guide useful and it helped clarify the different areas of Tierra Bomba, how it compares to other islands near Cartagena, and what’s the best way to do it for your needs.
If you do go, I hope it helped you plan the best experience, and, more importantly, you have a great time. I’d love to know where you went and what you thought in the comments!
Cheers and Happy Exploring!
Want Some Help Planning Your Dream Colombia Trip?
Let my partner travel agency help you craft a custom trip package,
tailor made to your interests. Readers get a special discount!
Want to connect with me and fellow travelers to Cartagena and Colombia?
Click here to join the Cartagena, Colombia Travel Tips Facebook Group
It’s a great place to ask questions, share tips, and get inspiration!
Planning a trip to Cartagena?
Be sure to check out the rest of the site to help you plan!
In particular, you might want to check out my complete guide to planning a trip to Cartagena, my guide to the best areas to stay, my list of over 75 things to do, my picks for the best Cartagena tours, the best day trips from Cartagena, my suggested packing list, my guide to the Rosario Islands, and my guide to all the beaches of Cartagena.
