NENA BEACH - PLAYA BLANCA - BARU
OK first, have you already read what we say about the different island options here? Then have you read what we say about Playa Blanca here? Yes? Great, we can continue.
Nena Beach Club is currently the most stylish way to enjoy the white sand, blue water Playa Blanca beach, located on Isla Baru. Previously Playa Blanca visitors had to contend with a more rustic experience that included beach touts, plastic chairs, basic bathrooms and cash-only payment options (and to be honest, most didn't mind), but Nena Beach Club is a game-changer. It brings fashion, style and taste to what I have previously declared to be my favourite beach, and we are certainly grateful.
Options:
1. Arrive via land
Although Playa Blanca is technically located on an island (Barú), there is now a bridge that enables you to access it via land. Going via land means you get to avoid paying the marine tax (currently 17,500 pesos pp) and also avoid when the Cartagena seas turn rough and the tiny boats that are used feel less than secure.
Nena Beach uses 2 different land transport options. One includes pick up from your accommodation, the other shuttle you have to make your way to Mama Llena on Calle Media Luna. We're sorry to make things confusing!
Transport with hotel pick up:
So while there's the pro of getting picked up, the con is that even though they will give rough pick-up times, it is really difficult to predict the actual arrival time at each pick up location. If they are picking up a number of guests before you and they are delayed or the address information is confusing or incorrect etc it may be a frustrating wait for you especially if you are all about punctuality. Keep a book handy! The other pro of this option is that once you arrive to Playa Blanca, a guide will walk you to Nena Beach. Whereas with the shuttle option you will have to walk down yourselves (it's not far though! And Nena beach is easy to find and close to the entry). With the hotel pick up option, you also return at 3pm. There is no option to stay overnight or until 8.30pm with this option (in case you wanted to do Plankton tour or stay on the island).
Transport with Mama Llena shuttle:
This is the best option for people who don't have patience for picking up people throughout the city, people who are staying the night in Playa Blanca, people who want to return at 8.30pm after doing the night glowing plankton tour. As we explained above, for this option you will need to make your own way to Mama Llena hostel located on Calle Media Luna. The shuttle will leave you at the car park for Playa Blanca, then you will need to walk down the stairs and turn right once you get to the beach. You will walk until you find Nena Beach which you will recognise immediately from the above photos (and because it doesn't look like anything else on the stretch).
Land transport departs 8.30am and 12 noon; It returns 3pm and 8.30pm (media luna shuttle)
or pick up between 8am - 9 am, and return at 3pm.
Land transport departs 8.30am and 12 noon; It returns 3pm and 8.30pm
BONUS: If you choose to go back at the 8.30pm option, you will have time to do the Night Plankton tour where you can see the phosphorescent plankton. There is visibility all nights, but best visibility when there is less moon because the moonlight detracts)
Let us know if you also want us to book in a Plankton Tour for you.
2. Arrive via sea
That said, if being on the water is half the fun for you, you can also opt to go by boat. You will need to bring an additional 17,000 pesos to pay for the marine tax at the dock upon disembarking. These boats are not recommended for very young, or elderly, or pregnant or people who get boat sick or people of delicate constitution.
Boats depart at 9am and return at 3pm.
3. Make your own way there.
If you take Taxi or shuttle bus or hitch a ride with another boat, of have your own car etc you can opt just to pay the day entry price.
All these options include:
Alcoholic Caribbean Cocktail
Beach Bed
Lunch (choice of 3 options, vegetarians catered for)
Colombian Coffee
Personalised Customer Service
Changerooms and freshwater showers
4. Restaurant only
We can make a booking for you at the restaurant and you just pay what you consume. This option doesn't include a sun lounge and it isn't a set priced lunch.. but this could be a good option on a private boat day, or if you make your own way to Playa Blanca and are looking for a good restaurant and bar.
PRICES:
Option 1 (return transport via land): 175,000 pesos pp
Option 2 (return transport via sea): 175,000 pesos + 17,500 pesos marine tax pp
Option 3 (without transport): 150,000 pesos pp
Option 4: pay what you consume
You should know: Playa Blanca is still a public beach and Nena Beach can't really control their neighbours nor the volume they may want to play their music at. Weekends will always be more crazy and crowded, but for the most part Nena Beach is a much more chill option. Also, if you arrive by land, you will still have to walk to Nena Beach Club through the mild chaos that is the space between the carpark and the beach. At least it will mean you will appreciate the relative sanctuary of calm and cleanliness when you arrive at Nena Beach Club. Also consider Banana Beach which is at a more quieter end of Playa Blanca (but tbh I think the water is less nice there because there seems to be more rocks and seaweed around there).
Which transport option would we recommend?
After including the option of Nena Beach for almost a year, we can safely say that bookings proceed much more smoothly when clients arrive directly to Mama Llena hostel to join the shuttle. Transport companies get lost, slowed down by late clients, zig-zag all the way through the tiny maze of one-way streets that is Cartagena and clients can get very frustrated while they wait. Boats can be rough, crowded and the marine tax keeps going up and up, Alternatively you can arrive directly to a fixed, central point at the designated time and skip all that. It's your choice and we want to include all the options to allow for flexibility, but if you ask our opinion, we'd say choose the Mama Llena Land transport option.
Book:
Let us know which day, which option, where you are staying, how many people and what name we should put your booking under. If you are getting picked up from your hotel or accommodation we will need full address info, including room number. A number that we can reach you on if there are any issues finding you would also be appreciated. email info@cartagenaconnections.com or use the contact form below.
Nena Beach Club is currently the most stylish way to enjoy the white sand, blue water Playa Blanca beach, located on Isla Baru. Previously Playa Blanca visitors had to contend with a more rustic experience that included beach touts, plastic chairs, basic bathrooms and cash-only payment options (and to be honest, most didn't mind), but Nena Beach Club is a game-changer. It brings fashion, style and taste to what I have previously declared to be my favourite beach, and we are certainly grateful.
Options:
1. Arrive via land
Although Playa Blanca is technically located on an island (Barú), there is now a bridge that enables you to access it via land. Going via land means you get to avoid paying the marine tax (currently 17,500 pesos pp) and also avoid when the Cartagena seas turn rough and the tiny boats that are used feel less than secure.
Nena Beach uses 2 different land transport options. One includes pick up from your accommodation, the other shuttle you have to make your way to Mama Llena on Calle Media Luna. We're sorry to make things confusing!
Transport with hotel pick up:
So while there's the pro of getting picked up, the con is that even though they will give rough pick-up times, it is really difficult to predict the actual arrival time at each pick up location. If they are picking up a number of guests before you and they are delayed or the address information is confusing or incorrect etc it may be a frustrating wait for you especially if you are all about punctuality. Keep a book handy! The other pro of this option is that once you arrive to Playa Blanca, a guide will walk you to Nena Beach. Whereas with the shuttle option you will have to walk down yourselves (it's not far though! And Nena beach is easy to find and close to the entry). With the hotel pick up option, you also return at 3pm. There is no option to stay overnight or until 8.30pm with this option (in case you wanted to do Plankton tour or stay on the island).
Transport with Mama Llena shuttle:
This is the best option for people who don't have patience for picking up people throughout the city, people who are staying the night in Playa Blanca, people who want to return at 8.30pm after doing the night glowing plankton tour. As we explained above, for this option you will need to make your own way to Mama Llena hostel located on Calle Media Luna. The shuttle will leave you at the car park for Playa Blanca, then you will need to walk down the stairs and turn right once you get to the beach. You will walk until you find Nena Beach which you will recognise immediately from the above photos (and because it doesn't look like anything else on the stretch).
Land transport departs 8.30am and 12 noon; It returns 3pm and 8.30pm (media luna shuttle)
or pick up between 8am - 9 am, and return at 3pm.
Land transport departs 8.30am and 12 noon; It returns 3pm and 8.30pm
BONUS: If you choose to go back at the 8.30pm option, you will have time to do the Night Plankton tour where you can see the phosphorescent plankton. There is visibility all nights, but best visibility when there is less moon because the moonlight detracts)
Let us know if you also want us to book in a Plankton Tour for you.
2. Arrive via sea
That said, if being on the water is half the fun for you, you can also opt to go by boat. You will need to bring an additional 17,000 pesos to pay for the marine tax at the dock upon disembarking. These boats are not recommended for very young, or elderly, or pregnant or people who get boat sick or people of delicate constitution.
Boats depart at 9am and return at 3pm.
3. Make your own way there.
If you take Taxi or shuttle bus or hitch a ride with another boat, of have your own car etc you can opt just to pay the day entry price.
All these options include:
Alcoholic Caribbean Cocktail
Beach Bed
Lunch (choice of 3 options, vegetarians catered for)
Colombian Coffee
Personalised Customer Service
Changerooms and freshwater showers
4. Restaurant only
We can make a booking for you at the restaurant and you just pay what you consume. This option doesn't include a sun lounge and it isn't a set priced lunch.. but this could be a good option on a private boat day, or if you make your own way to Playa Blanca and are looking for a good restaurant and bar.
PRICES:
Option 1 (return transport via land): 175,000 pesos pp
Option 2 (return transport via sea): 175,000 pesos + 17,500 pesos marine tax pp
Option 3 (without transport): 150,000 pesos pp
Option 4: pay what you consume
You should know: Playa Blanca is still a public beach and Nena Beach can't really control their neighbours nor the volume they may want to play their music at. Weekends will always be more crazy and crowded, but for the most part Nena Beach is a much more chill option. Also, if you arrive by land, you will still have to walk to Nena Beach Club through the mild chaos that is the space between the carpark and the beach. At least it will mean you will appreciate the relative sanctuary of calm and cleanliness when you arrive at Nena Beach Club. Also consider Banana Beach which is at a more quieter end of Playa Blanca (but tbh I think the water is less nice there because there seems to be more rocks and seaweed around there).
Which transport option would we recommend?
After including the option of Nena Beach for almost a year, we can safely say that bookings proceed much more smoothly when clients arrive directly to Mama Llena hostel to join the shuttle. Transport companies get lost, slowed down by late clients, zig-zag all the way through the tiny maze of one-way streets that is Cartagena and clients can get very frustrated while they wait. Boats can be rough, crowded and the marine tax keeps going up and up, Alternatively you can arrive directly to a fixed, central point at the designated time and skip all that. It's your choice and we want to include all the options to allow for flexibility, but if you ask our opinion, we'd say choose the Mama Llena Land transport option.
Book:
Let us know which day, which option, where you are staying, how many people and what name we should put your booking under. If you are getting picked up from your hotel or accommodation we will need full address info, including room number. A number that we can reach you on if there are any issues finding you would also be appreciated. email info@cartagenaconnections.com or use the contact form below.