Playa Blanca Baru

Baru was an island until a canal cut it from the mainland in the twentieth century, and a bridge now carries a road, so the beach is reachable by land as well as by boat. The sand is white and the water clear and shallow, and early in the morning before the day boats arrive it is genuinely quiet. From mid-morning it changes: day trippers arrive in numbers and a large vendor economy operates on the sand selling massages, food, drinks, jewellery and photographs, with persistent approaches that many visitors find wearing and some find worse - prices are often quoted after service rather than before. Staying overnight in one of the simple cabanas is the usual advice from people who have done both.

What you actually see

• White sand and shallow clear water - the reason for the reputation.
• A quiet early morning - before the day boats land.
• An intensive vendor economy - from mid-morning onward.
• Simple overnight cabanas - the alternative to a day trip.

When to go

December to April; arrive the night before or very early. A full day or overnight.

Honest expectations

Vendor pressure is persistent and prices are frequently quoted only after the service - agree everything in advance. Day boat crowds transform the beach by mid-morning. Facilities are basic. Boat operators overcharge routinely.

Nearby

Cartagena is north-east; the Rosario Islands are offshore.