Rincón del Mar in a sustainable lodge
I truly believe the best accommodations I’ve experienced so far were the most unexpected and unconventional ones. Like anyone else, I do enjoy five stars hotels and resorts but finding that one true hidden gem is so much more exciting. That’s why I was so thrilled to stay at el Rincón del Mar, a few miles away from the popular Tolu and far from the very crowded Cartagena which, don’t get me wrong, I find so beautiful. Moreover, I was eager to discover this hotel with such an inspiring mission to support the local community and environment through responsible choices and actions. Too often, we don’t realize all the impact we have while traveling and maybe feel like it’s just not our concern and that anyways, we are just visitors. Well, I do believe we can be more than that…
Dos Aguas Lodge
I think the general misconception with sustainable accommodation is that it’s less attractive, with compromise on the comfort, and services while it can actually be the complete opposite. Dos Aguas lodge was above anything I could expect and I would of stay in that little paradise for days if not, weeks! With its unique architecture and materials (walls made of cow dungs, bamboo and responsible wood cuts from Antioquia), perfect location between the beach and the swamp, and only an hour away from the small islands of Tintipan, Mucura, and Santa Cruz del Islote in a speedboat. Trust me you can hardly find a better option in the area and it’s worth the detour.
Islas San Bernardo
As previously mentioned, the Archipelago of San Bernardo is a group of 9 coastal coral islands and 1 artificial island, that island being Santa Cruz del Islote. This particular island started with as little as 4,000m² and now is 10,000m² with approximately 700 inhabitants, being one of the most densely populated islands in the world. While I do encourage anyone to visit this incredible tiny island with a quick tour done by locals (only 5.000 COP/2,25$) I strongly advise you against the “aquarium” on the island. If you want to swim with amazing fish and corals then a short snorkeling session closeby, in la piscina will do. Not a 10m² pool with tons of sad fish and shark that should be swimming freely in their environment. Personally, that’s my definition of responsible tourism.
