Fuerte de San Fernando de Bocachica

Bocachica is the narrow southern entrance to Cartagena bay, and after Admiral Vernon's large British force failed to take the city in 1741 the Spanish rebuilt the defences of the channel properly. San Fernando, finished in the 1750s, is a horseshoe-shaped work on the Tierra Bomba side with gun galleries, a moat, barracks and cells, and it worked with the smaller Bateria de San Jose directly opposite - a chain could be drawn between them across the channel to stop ships. It is reached only by boat, which keeps visitor numbers far lower than the forts in the city. The village of Bocachica around it is an Afro-Colombian community with limited services, and the site is less restored than San Felipe.

What you actually see

• A horseshoe sea fort - finished in the 1750s after the 1741 attack.
• Gun galleries, moat and cells - largely unrestored.
• The paired battery opposite - with a chain drawn between them.
• Boat-only access - which keeps the crowds away.

When to go

December to April. Half a day including the crossing.

Honest expectations

Access is by boat and the fare should be agreed before departure - overcharging is common. There is little shade and no facilities to speak of. The fort is less restored than those in the city. The village is poor and services are minimal.

Nearby

Cartagena's walled city is across the bay; Playa Blanca is south.