Isla Tintipan: Why Visit This Island And How To Get There

I fell in love with Colombia in 2015, and then with Aleja, a Colombian woman, in 2019. Now living in Colombia, I spend my time discovering the country's hidden gems and crafting extraordinary itineraries.
CEO

Thomas Espeute

Editeur

Update

09/12/2024

Isla Tintipan is the largest island in the San Bernardo Archipelago, located two hours from Cartagena de Indias. This paradisiacal coral island boasts some of the archipelago’s most beautiful beaches. Wilder than its smaller sister, Isla Múcura, it is largely covered in mangroves and has no villages.

Is it worth visiting? Or should you choose another island? I’ve visited Isla Tintipan four times, and here’s my analysis.

Edit 06/2024: We completely revised this article.

San Bernardo Islands - Western Caribbean Coast

We are on a quest across Colombia to discover the top local agencies to establish a trustworthy network of experts and gather unique, valuable insights for each destination. Our aim? To make you fall in love with Colombia effortlessly.

→ Find out why our readers recommend us.

In Colombia since 2015
+ 1000 verified experiences
+ de 100 experts met
+ 150 optimized itineraries

What To Know

Map

KEY INFORMATION ABOUT ISLA TINTIPAN, COLOMBIA

For making smart choices quickly and effortlessly.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

My favorite island.

Isla Tintipan belongs to the San Bernardo Archipelago in the Gulf of Morrosquillo on the western side of the Caribbean coast, in the Bolivar department. It’s one of the most beautiful islands in Colombia.

The nearest mainland municipality is Rincón del Mar (40 minutes by boat), but administratively, Isla Tintipan falls under Cartagena de Indias, which is 2.5 hours away by boat. It is 1 hour by boat from Tolú, a Caribbean coastal resort, and 10 minutes from Isla Múcura, the other tourist island in San Bernardo. The island is 3.3 km long, with its widest part measuring 1.7 km. It is primarily made up of mangroves forming tiny islets.

Since 1977, it has been part of the Rosario and San Bernardo Corals National Natural Park.

Less known than the Rosario Islands, Isla Tintipan is a perfect place to hide away and lose track of time in a lost, romantic corner of the island, but also to share joyful moments with other travelers in a friendly hostel.

Your day will flow between swimming in turquoise waters and lounging on idyllic white sandy beaches.

You can grab your mask and snorkel for a quick snorkeling tour of the coral reef or paddle along the beach on a paddleboard.

If you’re curious, you can venture into the mangroves by kayak, where you might see birds like the beautiful colony of flamingos, or tour the other islands in the archipelago.

In the evening, after watching the sunset while enjoying a cocktail with your feet in the water, you can swim among the bioluminescent plankton.

On Isla Tintipan, it’s warm all year round. The average annual temperature is 28°C, rarely dropping below 20°C, but sea breezes can bring coolness in the evening. The hottest months are from late January to mid-April, and the rainy season extends from May to November without being very pronounced.

Isla Tintipan is pleasant year-round, although the sea tends to be a bit rougher in the afternoons between December and April.

I recommend avoiding the high season, as Isla Tintipan sees increased visitors from mid-December to mid-January, during Holy Week, and the school holidays in June.

If possible, also avoid weekends and public holidays, which are numerous in Colombia, as Colombians love to visit for the day and play loud music.

Isla Tintipan encourages laziness and slowing down time. To fully enjoy your little paradise, I recommend staying for at least 2 nights.

If your budget is tight, take a day trip from Rincón del Mar. You’ll still get a glimpse of the island’s beauty—but I’m not a fan because crowds will surround you.

THINGS TO DO IN Isla Tintipan

There are a thousand ways to relax on Isla Tintipan!

Dreaming of white sandy beaches bathed by warm, clear waters? You’ve arrived.

You can choose between the privacy of your hotel’s beach or the beautiful and unique public beach on the island’s north coast. Ask your hotel to take you there. You can enjoy delicious seafood dishes at one of the two beach bars and restaurants.

On weekends and during high season, the public beach gets busier, and you might be disturbed by the music from boats dropping off tourists.

Slip through the mangroves in a kayak and quietly observe the wildlife, or paddle along the shore on a paddleboard.

Join a snorkeling excursion organized by your hotel to explore the coral reef and discover the underwater world with an instructor. There are lovely diving spots for both experienced and beginner divers.

At night, take a boat ride with your hotel around the mangroves and get in the water for a magical experience with bioluminescent plankton.

Take a boat tour around the archipelago’s uninhabited islands; for conservation reasons, you won’t be able to land.

If you enjoy fishing, you can also hop on a fisherman’s boat and catch some fish with a simple line. You might even watch him spearfishing if you’re good at free diving. The fishermen of San Bernardo are known to be very skilled at this technique.

Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Santa Cruz del Islote, an artificial islet where a large part of the San Bernardo Archipelago’s population lives. You should tour with a local.

Get lost in the maze of its narrow, bustling streets and observe daily life. You’ll likely be invited to join an impromptu soccer match with the village kids.

If you’re in a festive mood, take a boat to Casa en El Agua, a hostel with a palm roof set on a tiny dead coral reef. You can sip a cocktail or a beer in a friendly atmosphere with good music in the background while cooling off in the shallow waters of the reef.

Admiring a stunning sunset while sipping a glass of wine from your hotel’s beach is one of the sweetest and most romantic ways to end your day on Isla Tintipan.

If you’re an early riser, know that the sunrises are just as magical.

WHERE TO STAY IN Isla Tintipan

The best hotels in Tintipan island.

This is one of my favorite hotels on Isla Tintipan.

Located at the northwest end of Isla Tintipan, Hotel Punta Norte boasts an incredible location. You’ll feel delightfully lost, far from everything, and invited to relax.

Its private beach is the perfect spot to admire both sunsets and sunrises. The rooms are unpretentious but pleasant, with lots of colorful touches. The cuisine is excellent, although expensive. Sure, you’re paying for the exceptional setting, but it’s the perfect place for a romantic getaway.

You’ll need to take a boat if you want to explore places other than the hotel beach.

Sal Si Puedes is a beautiful establishment with only 3 private rooms. They are elegant yet minimalist and air-conditioned at night. If you can, book the room on the upper floor; it is the most charming one with its terrace facing the sea.

A superb private beach with sun loungers and hammocks, shade and sun, and attentive staff, everything is designed for your relaxation. The food is delicious, especially the seafood dishes, although it can sometimes lack variety. The prices are not excessive.

You can choose to entertain yourself with a wide range of activities. Sal Si Puedes’s location between the sea and the mangrove is perfect for a kayaking trip in this amazing ecosystem.

The hotel is not far from the public beach, where you can stroll and have a drink in one of the bars/restaurants.

Located on the north coast of the island, El Embrujo Tintipan offers modern rooms with minimalist decor that can accommodate up to 4 people and elegant chalets made from natural materials. If you are coming with family or friends, El Embrujo offers dormitory-style accommodations in a beautiful maloka with a palm-thatched roof.

The hotel’s private beach is relatively small, with a long pier extending into the sea to a palm-thatched kiosk. The setting is lovely but slightly less idyllic than other hotels. The food is delicious, the prices are a bit high, but remember that you are on a remote Caribbean island.

The hotel offers various activities, including swimming among bioluminescent plankton in the mangrove, which is just behind.

If you are traveling on a tight budget and really want to stay on Isla Tintipan, Hostel Villa Luz Beach, located on the island’s south coast, is the perfect option.

A very friendly family welcomes you to a wooden stilt construction with one floor in a peaceful location surrounded by mangroves. The rooms are very basic, with the most minimal furniture. Dormitory-style rooms are ideal for accommodating a family or a group of friends. There is no running water; you will shower with a jug. You will eat well.

There is no white sandy beach, but rest assured, you can access the clear waters of the Caribbean Sea via a small pier. And there are good snorkeling spots nearby.

The family will offer you activities at very reasonable prices.

Located at the southwest tip of the island facing Santa Cruz del Islote, Hotel Tintipan is an all-white establishment with deep blue balconies. It offers various room options with private bathrooms for different capacities (up to 9 people). The rooms are simple but comfortable and air-conditioned at night.

The hotel has a small beach and a nice grassy relaxation area with hammocks and palm trees. A pier extends over the clear, shallow waters to a palm-thatched kiosk, perfect for sipping a drink with friends. The cocktails are great; try the Tintipan cocktail. The cuisine is traditional and good.

You can swim and snorkel peacefully; remember to bring your own gear. The hotel provides kayaks and paddleboards, and there are good diving spots nearby.

It’s a great option with excellent prices, as it includes a full board.

Find a hotel

HOW TO GET TO Isla Tintipan

And getting around the area.

It is the longest trip to reach Isla Tintipan. The journey from Cartagena is easy to arrange via the agency Tranq It Easy.

Boats depart every day at 9:00 AM (check the agency’s website) from the La Bodeguita port. You can choose which hotel you wish to go to. The trip takes about 2.5 hours. The return to Cartagena is scheduled every day around 11:00 AM.

The luggage weight limit is 8 kg per person.

There is no official transport from Rincon del Mar. The easiest option is to book a day trip (you can ask for the contact at Hotel Dos Aguas) and tell the captain to drop you off at your chosen hotel. Expect the journey to take about 40 minutes.

For the return, you need to ask the hotel to find a fisherman’s boat or keep the contact details of the tour agency that dropped you off at Isla Tintipan.

Primarily covered in mangroves, you won’t be able to move around Isla Tintipan on foot.

Moreover, the vast majority of Tintipan Island is privately owned.

You might be able to walk on the long public beach located to the north of the island if your hotel has access to it.

So, the boat is your only option! Whether you want to visit another island in San Bernardo like Isla Múcura or Santa Cruz del Islote, spend some time at Casa en El Agua, explore other preserved islands in the archipelago, or head to snorkeling and diving sites.

SAFETY IN Isla Tintipan

I’ve never had any problems in Isla Tintipan.

my last TIPS

Here are a few tips for preparing for your visit to Tintipan.

There are no ATMs in the San Bernardo archipelago. I recommend bringing enough cash to pay for your drinks and extras, even if you have a full board.

Card payments are rare because Internet access is highly unreliable, and when it does work, there are fees.

As you’ve seen, you’re on an island covered in mangroves—it’s a mosquito paradise! So, I recommend packing some insect repellent in your bag. It will also protect you from sandflies; you don’t see them, but they know you’re there.

Also, bring a long-sleeve shirt; you’ll appreciate it more in the evening when the sea breeze picks up.

In choosing your hotel, don’t just focus on the price. Make sure also to consider its location and the activities it offers, tailored to the type of experience you want on Isla Tintipan. You’ll be spending a significant amount of time at your hotel and won’t have the freedom to move around the island, so choose wisely!

Getting lost in the middle of the ocean means accepting power outages and water supply issues. I strongly recommend forgetting your phone and the Internet during your stay on Isla Tintipan; you’ll enjoy it much more!

I find Isla Tintipan more charming because it has smaller hotels that match the island’s romantic atmosphere.

However, if you’re looking for larger, more developed (and higher-end) accommodations, you’ll be happy staying on Isla Múcura, as two hotels might suit you.

Our articles About The San Bernardo islands

Isla Mucura: Why Visit This Island And How To Get There

Read

Santa Cruz Del Islote: A Tiny, Densely Populated Island

Read