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Our day starts early with a pick-up from the pier just outside Secreto, our resort on Isla Grande in the Caribbean just off Cartagena in Colombia.
And when I say resort, it’s more back-packer hostel than swanky resort, but the grounds are stunning, there’s a pool or two and the rooms are comfortable.
Plus, we’re right on the beach, on an island, in the Caribbean.
The ride out is short, and calm, and the ocean is that beautiful deep blue.
The kind of ocean you just want to stare at.
But we want to see what is underneath, to see the coral and the sea life.
So one by one, we dive from the boat.
The water is as clear as it looked from the boat.
And it‘s warm.
Perfect for snorkelling.
Our guide points out fish and different types of coral.
We follow him through the ocean, stopping whenever we come across interesting sea life.
But some of the fish are hard to see.
Or a little skittish.
Our second stop is a plane.
At the bottom of the ocean.
Our guide tells us it’s the crashed wreck of Pablo Escobar, the Colombian drug lord and politician.
But after a little digging (ie, a quick google search).
We find no evidence of a plane crash in this area.
We do, however, find suggestions of a plane being sunk here to form an artificial reef
for a research study.
Whatever it is, it’s cool to see.
Our final stop is at an island, where Ade snorkels in the reeds, while the rest of us chill out in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean.
We soak up the sun and sit in the shallows as the waves lap over us.
Read more about our adventures in South America here.
Fast Facts
We travelled to Isla Grande in 2025.
We travelled to Isla Grande in 2025.
We stayed at Secreto Hostel.
We were here for four nights.
Was it long enough? You could definitely stay longer and simply soak up island life but three days was long enough for us.
We organised our half-day snorkelling trip through the hostel.
Highlights: The snorkelling was definitely a highlight!
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