A day trip to Blue Apple Beach on Tierra Bomba Island makes for a relaxing day away from hot and hectic Cartagena, Colombia. Blue Apple Beach’s Beach Club offers Cartagena day-trippers the opportunity to unwind by the peaceful ocean or trendy pool, indulge in tasty cocktails with lunch, schedule a massage, go horseback riding, or try SUP.
Planning a visit to Blue Apple Beach is super easy. In this blog post, I will detail why we chose Tierra Bomba Island and Blue Apple Beach for a day trip during our Girl’s Weekend in Cartagena and what travelers can expect during the excursion.
Looking for more details about planning a Girl’s Weekend in Cartagena? Check out my post Cartagena: Your Guide to the Ultimate Girl’s Weekend.
Why Take a Day Trip from Cartagena to the Islands
Cartagena’s Walled City and Getsemaní are bustling tourist destinations. Outside the calm and coolness of the hotel, the streets are boisterous and offer little reprieve from the unrelenting heat and humidity.
After a few days of getting lost in the maze-like streets of Cartagena, an outing away from the city is much appreciated. A day trip will rejuvenate your traveler’s spirit while showing a different side of what the greater Cartagena region can offer visitors.
I promise you won’t regret taking a day away from immersing yourself in Cartagena to recharge by the ocean on Tierra Bomba Island.
Where is Tierra Bomba Island
Tierra Bomba Island is found in the Bay of Cartagena. It is much closer to Cartagena than the more famous Rosario Island archipelago.
Blue Apple Beach is on the southwest end of Tierra Bomba.
Why Tierra Bomba over the Rosario Islands, Playa Blanca, and Baru Island
Our priorities for the day trip from Cartagena were ease of access, positively reviewed, and the peacefulness of the resort. As two married women in their 30s, we weren’t looking for loud music and shots to be the focus of our time away.
Ease of Access to Tierra Bomba Island
Proximity to Cartagena is a big factor. Blue Apple Beach is only 20 minutes by boat from the docks just outside the Walled City. Compared to the Rosario Islands, Tierra Bomba Island is quick and easy to reach. Boat rides to the Rosario Islands are infamous for being long, choppy, and turbulent as the boats have to cover 12 miles of open ocean.
If we had chosen the Rosario Islands, these resorts piqued my interest while researching:
The Rosario Island’s distance off the coast does have a huge advantage, the beaches are the classic Caribbean blue with white sand. For us, the beach on Blue Apple Beach’s property was still beautiful.
I will admit it is not like the beaches advertised in the Rosario Islands, but the water was clear, warm, and calm enough for a quick dip.
Positively Reviewed Resort like Blue Apple Beach
A day trip to the islands off of Cartagena is costly and eats up a whole day of your limited travel time.
I had read more than a couple of horrible reviews of resorts, boat tours, and island excursions. I wanted to be confident that our time and money would be spent well at Tierra Bomba and Blue Apple Beach.
Blue Apple Beach has excellent ratings with 4.8 stars and over 1,200 reviews on Google.
Peacefulness of Blue Apple Beach
Peacefulness was a high priority for our day trip away from Cartagena. Baru Island is a former peninsula now connected by a bridge to Cartagena. It is where popular day trip destinations like Playa Blanca and Cholón are located.
Playa Blanca is one of the few beautiful beaches in Cartagena that is accessible by car and boat. For this reason, visitors complain that Playa Blanca is overcrowded, rowdy, and the opposite of relaxing. On the weekends, partygoers head to Cholón.
There are accommodations on Baru Island that offer peaceful, non-party-centric atmospheres. This blog provides a deeper description of those beaches and resort options.
One final, and important, note about peacefulness at the resort. We visited Blue Apple Beach on a weekday and it was a delight, absolutely perfect. On the weekends, the Beach Club advertises a DJ and party vibes.
Beach just outside of Blue Apple Beach
How to get to Blue Apple Beach on Tierra Bomba Island
Muelle de la Bodeguita
Almost every resort that offers a day pass includes transportation either in the package price or at an additional cost. All boats leave from Muelle de la Bodeguita (Bodeguita Dock). The docks are just a 10-minute walk from the Plaza del Reloj (Clocktower Plaza) outside the Walled City.
Your resort will give you instructions as to what time to arrive and which Puerta or Gate to enter for the boat.
Our boat to Blue Apple Beach left from Puerta 1 or Gate 1 at 10 am. Visitors to Blue Apple Beach are expected to arrive 15 minutes early at the gate. Blue Apple Beach offers 3 departure times from Cartagena: 10 am, 11 am, and 12 pm. Guests can then choose between two return options: 4 pm and 5:30 pm.
At the gate, the city of Cartagena charges a 12,000 pesos ($3) per person tax. The tax must be paid in cash before boarding the boat. The entire process from getting to the right gate and paying the tax was easy and quick.
There are street vendors selling tours, sunscreen, sun hats, and sunglasses along the walk to Muelle de la Bodeguita.
Boat Ride to Blue Apple Beach
The boat ride to Tierra Bomba Island was super chill. After reading about the rough boat rides to the Rosario Islands, I was a little nervous but it ended up being an enjoyable cruise.
The speed boat had comfortable, padded seating and we wore life jackets. At only 20 minutes, we arrived quickly at Blue Apple Beach!
Speed Boat to Tierra Bomba Island
What to Expect at Blue Apple Beach
Everything about a day trip to Blue Apple Beach’s Beach Club is splendid.
I loved our day at Blue Apple Beach Club so much, that I was already thinking about how I could return for an extended stay in one of the resort’s adorable villas before we had even returned to Cartagena.
Resort and Beach Club Property
I loved how charming and inviting Blue Apple Beach felt immediately off the boat. The property doesn’t feel enormous.
From where the boat docks, visitors walk along a beach path to reach the entrance to Blue Apple Beach. Through the bamboo gates, you are led to the pool area by a stone pathway shaded by a grove of trees.
The pool and restaurant instantly come into view along with the outdoor fitness area. Further back from the pool are the resort’s villas. Each is positioned to have the utmost privacy. Some areas of the resort are off-limits to non-resort guests.
Blue Apple Beach refers to its style as “Mediterranean inspired” and “where the Riviera meets the Caribbean.” I’d describe it as laidback beachy chic.
Pool and Beach at Blue Apple Beach
Lounging at Blue Apple Beach’s pool in their comfy, terrycloth-covered day beds was my absolute favorite.
When booking the Beach Club day pass, daytrippers have several options for seating or lounging at the pool and beach.
Sun Lounger Options at Blue Apple Beach
We chose the VIP Poolside Day Bed. The beds are super comfortable and have pillows to adjust your head height. They are 100% worth the $30 for 2-3 people. The day bed readily fits two people, three people might be a little tight when everyone is lying down.
Blue Apple Beach has done an enchanting job with landscaping. The whole pool area feels lush and tropical.
I was mildly concerned about being placed in an area with a lot of shade since in some photos online it looks like about half of the pool lounge is shaded by trees. But our day bed was located directly in front of the pool, and an umbrella was available if needed.
The poolside loungers looked comfortable as well. Some of these are in shadier areas than others though.
VIP Beach Cabanas
Beach v. Pool
One of the primary reasons we opted to be poolside instead of by the beach was because of the sun lounger options.
The day beds on the beach are more like cabanas and are almost fully shaded. The garden loungers are fairly simple and look less comfortable than the day beds and poolside loungers.
During busier times of the year or on weekends, there may be limited availability for your first choice of sun lounger or chair. This is a great excuse to book in advance!
Food and Drink at Blue Apple Beach
The food and drink menu at the Beach Club is extensive and moderately priced. In my opinion, beach resorts in the US and Europe charge much more for their poolside food and drink.
At booking, a reservation can be made for lunch. On weekdays, Blue Apple Beach offers an “All-In-One Beach Club Day Pass” that includes the boat transfer, a welcome cocktail, and lunch. We chose not to purchase the All-In-One Beach Club Day Pass because we wanted flexibility in what we ordered to drink and for lunch.
To drink we started with the classic Costenita light beer. We also enjoyed the Coco Loco and Cartagena Mule.
For lunch, we ordered the Burrata Small Plate, Battered Seabass Filet Sandwich, and Chicken Mole. All of the food and drink was fresh and delicious.
We ate at our Day Bed lounger and the staff provided a bed tray that rested on the mattress. Guests can also eat at a table in the restaurant area.
Service at Blue Apple Beach
The service we received at Blue Apple Beach was top-notch and professional. We never had to get up from our Day Bed to order drinks or food at the bar.
Number of Day Pass Guests at Blue Apple Beach
I was surprised at how uncrowded the resort was. There were only 4 other daytrippers on our 10 am boat ride and a few more arrived on the 11 am boat. As for resort guests, we only noticed a family hanging at one end of the pool.
The tranquility of the pool area was a huge plus for us wanting to escape Cartagena.
Reminder – We visited Blue Apple Beach on a weekday. During the weekends, there is a DJ and party-like atmosphere.
Activities at Blue Apple Beach
Day trippers have the option to add additional services or activities to their day trip.
- 60-minute massage
- Half-day horseback riding
- Special event pool party – see the Blue Apple Beach event calendar for more information
Villa at Blue Apple Beach
Overall Value of Day Trip to Blue Apple Beach
A day trip from Cartagena to Tierra Bomba and Blue Apple Beach is worth your time and money.
The amount of time (5.5 hours) spent at Blue Apple Beach Club felt just right. By the time our boat departed from Tierra Bomba, we felt rejuvenated and sunkissed ready to return to Cartagena for a night out on the town.
Price Breakdown for 2 People
Club Day Pass with Boat Transfer – $70
VIP Day Bed Sun Lounger – $30
Lunch – $40
Drinks – $30
For $80 a person, we had a magical day lounging in the Colombian sun, devouring yummy food, and sipping refreshing cocktails.
A day trip to the islands off of Cartagena should definitely have a spot on your itinerary to Colombia. Tierra Bomba and Blue Apple Beach made our girl’s trip even more memorable.
What to Read Before Traveling to Cartagena
Two novels that are excellent reads before visiting Cartagena are by Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author – Gabriel García Márquez.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Love in the Time of Cholera
I loved both of these books. They are not true stories but highlight themes relevant to history and culture in Cartagena.
Looking for more book recommendations about South America? Check out my page – Books for Travel.
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