Tolu
A Sucre beach town where bicycle taxis outnumber cars, and the departure point for the San Bernardo islands.
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Tolu sits on the Gulf of Morrosquillo and is primarily a domestic holiday town - Colombians from Medellin and the interior rather than international visitors, which gives it a different feel from the Cartagena coast. Its most visible feature is transport: bicicarros, bicycle-drawn carriages with sound systems, are the main way to move around town and there are hundreds of them. Boats leave the pier for the San Bernardo archipelago, ten islands including Isla Múcura and Santa Cruz del Islote - the latter is a small coral islet holding well over a thousand people in around a hectare, generally described as the most densely populated island on earth, built up over generations by families filling in around the original rock.
What you actually see
- Bicycle carriages as transport - hundreds of them, with sound systems.
- A domestic rather than international resort - the character is different.
- Boats to the San Bernardo islands - ten islands offshore.
- Santa Cruz del Islote - among the most densely populated islands on earth.
When to go
December to April; Colombian holiday weeks are the busiest. A full day or several.
Honest expectations
Town beaches are muddy and not the reason to come - the islands are. Boat operators overcharge and crowd the vessels; agree terms first. Santa Cruz del Islote is a home to over a thousand people, not an exhibit. Holiday periods fill the town.
Nearby
Coveñas is south; the San Bernardo islands are offshore.
What to pack for Tolu
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.