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Voykit pocket guide · Colombia
Rincón del Mar
Two nights: one full day for island tours and bioluminescent plankton, a second morning on the beach. A day-trip from Tolú or Cartagena is too rushed.
Rincón del Mar is a fishing village turned budget beach base on Colombia's Western Costa Norte, 15 km from San Onofre. Its appeal is affordable boat tours to the San Bernardo islands and a bioluminescent plankton lagoon, not the village itself. Most travellers stay two nights and leave satisfied.
- Country
- Colombia
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Avoid
- Oct–Nov (rainy, fewer tours running)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- COP
- Money
- Currency is the Colombian peso (COP, $). Cards work in hotels, malls and many restaurants; cash is needed for small shops, markets and rural areas.
- Daily spend
- Budget COP 80,000–120,000 excl. bed · Mid COP 120,000–200,000 excl. bed · High COP 200,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro (best coverage), Movistar and Tigo SIMs in malls and at airports; passport required and IMEI registration may apply for longer stays — check.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance, fire 123
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 110–120 V · 60 Hz · US-style plugs.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10% propina voluntaria offered on the bill.; Guides: COP 20,000–50,000 per person per day.; Taxis: Round up.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Bogotá and Medellín; drink bottled on the coast and in rural areas.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin in most places; bring tissues for bus stations.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Seafood plate (fresh fish, rice, patacón) | COP 20,000–35,000 |
| Cocktail shrimp (coctel de camarones) | COP 15,000–25,000 |
| Beer (bottle on the beach) | COP 4,000–6,000 |
| Cocktail (rum or vodka) | COP 10,000–18,000 |
| Motor-taxi within the village | COP 3,000–5,000 |
| Island tour (full day, lunch included) | COP 70,000–100,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CTG · Rafael Núñez International (Cartagena)
- About 2 h by bus + taxi; the nearest major airport.
- MTR · Los Garzones (Montería)
- About 2.5 h by bus + taxi.
Typical fares
- Cartagena → San Onofre (bus)
- about COP 25,000, 2 h (check)
- San Onofre → Rincón del Mar (motor-taxi)
- COP 10,000–15,000, 15 min
- Island tour (full day)
- COP 70,000–100,000 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is walkable end-to-end in 10–15 min. Motor-taxis (moto-taxis) wait at the bus drop-off for trips to nearby beaches or San Onofre.
See and do
Known for
- San Bernardo island tours (Múcura, Tintipán, Santa Cruz)
- Bioluminescent plankton night tour
- Mangrove boat trips
- Cheap seafood
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tolú | Motor-taxi to San Onofre (15 min), then bus (30 min) | About 1 h |
| Cartagena | Bus from San Onofre (2 h) | About 2.5 h |
Sleep
- Beachfront strip
- Most hostels and guesthouses face the sea; walk to restaurants and tour operators.
- Inland village
- Quieter and cheaper, 5–10 min walk to the beach.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much does the tour cost? | ¿Cuánto cuesta el tour?KWAN-to KWES-ta el toor |
| I'd like a seafood plate, please. | Quiero un plato de mariscos, por favor.KYEH-ro oon PLA-to de ma-REES-kos, por fa-VOR |
| Where is the ATM? | ¿Dónde hay un cajero?DON-de eye oon ka-HEH-ro |
| Can I pay with card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-do pa-GAR kon tar-HEH-ta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, cheek kiss between women and mixed pairs; avoid: Launching into requests without a greeting
- Politeness: 'Con gusto', 'a la orden'; avoid: Blunt commands
- Topics: Coffee, football, food; avoid: Escobar jokes, drug talk
- Showing valuables: Keep phones away; avoid: 'Dar papaya'
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATM in the village: bring enough COP cash for accommodation, tours and meals.
- Tours run on demand, not on a fixed schedule; confirm the day before.
- Bioluminescent plankton is seasonal and weather-dependent; ask your host if it's visible.
- Motor-taxi prices are negotiable; agree the fare before getting on.
Rincón del Mar is safe for tourists; petty theft is rare. The main risk is sunburn and dehydration on boat tours: bring sunscreen, water and a hat.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rincón del Mar yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- San Bernardo island tours (Múcura, Tintipán, Santa Cruz)
- Bioluminescent plankton night tour
- Mangrove boat trips
- Cheap seafood
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Rincón del Mar, revision 5305745 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5305745
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Rincón del Mar
A esta dirección, por favor.
To this address, please.
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance, fire123
Cash only in the village; no ATMs.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/rincon-del-mar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.