Boat and speedboat rental in Cartagena: the essentials
In Cartagena almost every island day runs on 36- to 50-foot speedboats and sport boats, always with a captain and crew. They leave from a marina about ten minutes from the Old Town mid-morning and return before sunset: a full day is about eight or nine hours. Boats can also be rented by the hour for a bay or sunset cruise.
Full-day prices
| Boat | Full day | Comfortable for |
|---|---|---|
| 36–40 ft speedboat | USD 850–1,500 | Up to about 12 people |
| 45–50 ft | USD 1,500–2,500 | 15–20 people |
| Over 50 ft or catamaran | USD 2,500–3,800 | 20 or more |
You pay per boat, not per person: the same 36–40 ft speedboat works out to about USD 125 per person split twelve ways. When you rent the boat with us there is no separate park or dock tax; if there is a fee, it is the beach club's and we confirm it beforehand.
Where to go: the bay, the Rosario Islands, Barú and Cholón
The bay is the short trip: the walled city and its forts seen from the water, ideal by the hour or at sunset. Cholón is the sheltered bay off Barú where boats raft up side by side: shallow, warm and lively, and packed on weekends. The Rosario Islands are further out, with clearer water, quieter anchorages and beach clubs, better for a long lunch and a swim. A full day can include both.
What is included and what is not
Included: the boat for the agreed hours, captain and crew, fuel, life jackets and the departure permit. Extra: beach club minimum spends and water toys when the boat carries them. Food and drinks on board are included, and there is no separate park fee. If the Port Authority does not clear the departure because of sea conditions, the day moves rather than going ahead anyway, which is why the island day should go early in the trip and never on the last morning.
Before you pay: four documents
Ask in writing for the captain's licence in their name, passenger liability insurance, the day's departure permit and the boat's maximum legal capacity, crew included. A boat that cannot show all four should not be carrying your group.
For larger yachts, catamarans and the real difference between a "yacht" and a speedboat in Cartagena: yacht charter in Cartagena. Heading to the islands: Rosario Islands by private boat.
Tell us what you need and get it back in 24 hours
Send us your dates, how many people and what is non-negotiable for the group, and within 24 hours you get a quote with an itemized breakdown per unit — the house, the boat and the van cost the same for 8 people as for 16 — what is included and what is not, and the payment schedule: a deposit to hold and the balance before the trip, against a company invoice. No agency fee, no commitment.
Before you pay anyone, check us. We are a local operator in Cartagena with RNT 215668, free to verify in the Colombian National Tourism Registry, operating since 2021. You should never pay 100 percent upfront or wire money to a personal account. Here is how to verify any operator in ten minutes.