“Great but beware of scams”

Please read my travel advice below to avoid getting ripped off. To travel here hop in a boat by the hospital in Bocagrande (taxi drivers/locals will direct you there). Avoid the often aggressive comisionistas (mostly human garbage) on the beach; they will sell you a return ticket to Tierra Bomba f… Più

Please read my travel advice below to avoid getting ripped off. To travel here hop in a boat by the hospital in Bocagrande (taxi drivers/locals will direct you there). Avoid the often aggressive comisionistas (mostly human garbage) on the beach; they will sell you a return ticket to Tierra Bomba for anything from 30cop to 50cop return. Instead be polite and smile and just walk to a boat that is already filling up (ignore comisionistas who say these boats are not going to Tierra Bomba; they are) and tell the boat guys you will pay 10cop (if solo; a large group could negotiate lower) one way and the same on the way back. Do not pay a return fare; often the boat drivers will not come back for you or will not wait at the time you agreed - they left me high and dry once after paying 30cop return. When you hop off the boat in tierra bomba (crossing can be choppy; keep your possessions to minimum) ignore the boat captain and/or his workers who will try to steer you to their preferred restaurant (where they have struck a commission deal with the owner and where you will likely pay above the odds). Instead, tell the boat workers you are doing a "vuelta"/lap of the beach before you sit at a lounger/chair in a restaurant; this way you will avoid conflict (always best in Colombia). Then walk to another restaurant ideally out of their view. I typically head up the beach from where the boats stop and take a dog's leg turn to the left. Get a beer or some drink in the hotel immediately to your left and sit down at one of the loungers outside. Local comiisionistas will approach you and insist you pay 30cop to 50cop for this privilege for the day. This is a lie - I know after coming here three times. I argued this the other day with the comisionistas and got the hotel worker at the loungers in the shade to back me up. The cops were walking by and saw the commotion and stood beside me as I argued, which gave me clout, or at least assured these two guys didn't get aggressive with me. In the end I won and paid these guys nothing, and didn't buy their lunch. I enjoyed my small victory. (Once I paid other guys 70cop for a lunch that cost 55cop and they never returned with my change; that same afternoon my boat guy didn't collect me and I had to pay again to another boat guy to get back to Cartagena). All in all, take the whole experience with the workers/commisionistas with a pinch of salt (not everyone is cut out for conflict). And enjoy your time there - it's beautiful.

Meno

“A HIDDEN GEM”

I read some of these reviews and do not agree with some peoples statements. The boat ride to the hotel from Cartagena was very safe and enjoyable (unlike the boat ride i took to Playa Blanca in Isla Baru where I thought I was going to die). Everytime we would take a picture the driver would stop th… Più

I read some of these reviews and do not agree with some peoples statements. The boat ride to the hotel from Cartagena was very safe and enjoyable (unlike the boat ride i took to Playa Blanca in Isla Baru where I thought I was going to die). Everytime we would take a picture the driver would stop the boat to accomodate us. The cook at the hotel made the best chicken, fish soup, and coconut rice of my trip to Colombia and was very kind. The resort is beautiful and well maintained for the price. There are hammocks everywhere, beautiful pool and the beach has a unique view of the cartagena skyline which made for great pictures. although the water at the beach was not as turquoise as at playa blanca the privacy of having your own beach (free of vendors harassing you for your money like at Playa Blanca) more than makes up for it. i though the beach was great and if you really wanted turqiose water a 10 minute walk down the shore would bring you to it. the hotel provided tarpes and chairs on the beach and there was a man who was in charge of cleaning any shells/rocks in the sand. I stayed here with 2 girlfriends and with the exception of one other couple we were the only ones at the resort. i was very surprised given the quality of the resort, proximity to cartagena, and the price it seemed like more people should be there. if you are looking for a relaxing beach/pool day, want to get away from the city and annyoing beach vendors, and just want to relax on a private beach with chairs, a volleyball net etc. i highly recommend staying at this hotel! it was a relaxing two day beach vacation after spending a few days walknig around the city of cartagena and being harassed by vendors at playa blanca. the only concern i had was the balcony door lock was broken in our room and when i forgot the key to my room i was able to climb from the stairs onto our balcony and easily get into my room. other than that i highly recommend this hotel!

Meno

“Dont plan your trip to Cartagena only by internet, ask people from Cartagena”

I stayed in Tierrabomba a couple of nights this summer and it was great, I didnt leave the islan for 4 days and I had a closer encounter with the people of the island. This place only has one great beach and you have to walk there or take a ride in a "lancha", they will always charge you more than … Più

I stayed in Tierrabomba a couple of nights this summer and it was great, I didnt leave the islan for 4 days and I had a closer encounter with the people of the island. This place only has one great beach and you have to walk there or take a ride in a "lancha", they will always charge you more than it should!!!... so you have to ask first and negotiate. people is kind , but the conditions of poverty makes them try to take advantage for everything. I dont recomend people that want to be in Cartagena , to stay in tierrabomba ....is not a GOOD CHOICE..... Tierrabomba is an island , but is not like San Andres, there is just one beach with white sand and is hidden a bit from public eye... the other ones are dark ..... Cartagena is a beautiful colonial city, but you all have to understand that the places we all turists go or visit are the "perfect" ones and not the reality of the city. that is sumerge in poverty. Lets hope the money we invest in our vacations in someway touches the people of Cartagena.

Meno

“Nice place but I would've chosen Cartagena if I had a second chance”

Tierrabomba is an island 10 minutes by boat from Cartagena. We chose to stay here because we wanted something more private that the public beach in Cartagena but at the same time be close enough to enjoy the city amenities. Although the place was cute and the service was good, at the end we didn'… Più

Tierrabomba is an island 10 minutes by boat from Cartagena. We chose to stay here because we wanted something more private that the public beach in Cartagena but at the same time be close enough to enjoy the city amenities. Although the place was cute and the service was good, at the end we didn't feel that the back and ford trip from the island to Cartagena was worth it. During the day the hotel offered free transportation on a tight schedule to Cartagena, but at night you have to use private transportation and it's really pricey ($50 dollars, one way). This was a big inconvenience since there are not other restaurants or night life in Tierra Bomba. We went out to eat every night to Cartagena and then hit the bars and we wished that we were staying in a hotel in the the actual city. The beaches in Tierrabomba are not any better than the ones in Cartagena, so we spend a lot of time at the hotel pool and we did a day trip to Playa Baru in Islas del Rosario, were the water and the beach are really clean. So if you like good food and night entertainment just book any hotel with a pool in Cartagena. Cab fare is really reasonable and you'll be free to come and go as you please.

Meno