Cartagena Mangrove Tours: Canoe and Fishing Trips Compared
6 min read
For most people: the mangrove eco tour with fishing. It costs €52.86, lasts 2 hours and holds 4.8 stars from 230 reviews. For a longer day with lunch: the mangrove tour with beach lunch and fishing, €72.08 for 4 hours at 4.8 stars. Avoid choosing by price alone: the snorkel and Playa Blanca trip at €43.89 is a full day with a mangrove stop and rates 3.1.
The two La Boquilla trips here are short outings to an Afro-descendant fishing community 15 to 20 minutes north of the centre, where local guides take you through the mangroves and show you how they fish with nets and traps. They are not wildlife safaris, and the listings do not promise any particular animal.
Side by side
| Tour | Length | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mangrove eco tour and fishing | 2 hours | €52.86 | 4.8 (230) | A short canoe and fishing outing |
| Beach lunch, mangrove tour and fishing | 4 hours | €72.08 | 4.8 (102) | A half day with a meal |
| Snorkel, mangroves and Playa Blanca | 8 hours | €43.89 | 3.1 (138) | Mangroves as one stop of a beach day |
The two-hour trip
This is the short version, and the one we would book. The listing includes pickup and drop-off anywhere in the city, a welcome drink, entry to the Fisherman Island, a native bilingual guide, a drum demonstration and crab and fish fishing with nets and traps. It is a good fit for anyone who wants something quiet in a day otherwise full of boats and tour groups.
See dates and prices for the mangrove eco tour with fishing
The four-hour trip with lunch
The longer trip adds a visit to the community, a canoe tour through the mangrove, a look at how locals fish, and a lunch. At €72.08 against €52.86, the difference buys the lunch (fried fish, coconut rice, patacones, salad and fish soup, with a drink) and time on the beach afterwards. Worth it if lunch matters to you; otherwise the shorter trip gives you the same core.
Check availability for the mangrove tour with beach lunch
The cheap one is a different trip
The snorkel, mangroves and Playa Blanca tour is eight hours, and the mangroves are one stop of several. Its 3.1 from 138 reviews compares with 4.8 and 4.8 for the two La Boquilla trips, and its guide speaks Spanish only. If your real goal is a beach day, our Playa Blanca guide covers what to expect, and the island options are better rated.
Honest notes
- Check the minimum age on the booking page. The four-hour trip lists itself as unsuitable for people with mobility impairments.
- Bring sun protection. For skin products, ask a pharmacist what suits you.
- Respect the village. This is a working fishing community, not a theme park. Ask before photographing people.
Our recommendation
Book the two-hour mangrove eco tour with fishing unless you want lunch, in which case take the four-hour version. See all nature and mangrove trips for more.
