San Bernardo del Viento

The Sinu reaches the Caribbean here through a delta of mangrove channels and sandbars, and the town sits beside it - quiet, agricultural, and almost entirely outside the tourist circuit that runs along the coast further east. Boats go out through the mangrove into the channels, where the root systems hold nurseries for fish and crab and the birdlife is substantial. Isla Fuerte, a small coral island about eleven kilometres offshore with a resident community and no cars, is reached from nearby ports and has reef for snorkelling. The beaches on the mainland are brown-sand and river-influenced rather than Caribbean turquoise. The river mouth has shifted over time and delta land is being lost to erosion in places.

What you actually see

• The Sinu delta - mangrove channels and sandbars.
• Boat trips into the mangrove - through fish and crab nurseries.
• Isla Fuerte offshore - a car-free coral island with reef.
• River-influenced beaches - brown sand rather than turquoise.

When to go

December to April. A full day.

Honest expectations

Beaches here are not the postcard Caribbean - the river changes the water and sand. Tourist infrastructure is minimal. Boat arrangements are informal. Getting to Isla Fuerte takes planning and the crossing can be rough.

Nearby

Lorica and its market are east; Monteria is inland.