BarúA peninsula south of Cartagena connected by a narrow strip of land, and home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the region. Barú deserves more than a day trip — stay at least a night or two to actually enjoy it. Skip Playa Blanca unless you're prepared for an intense gauntlet of persistent vendors. The far better approach is to stay at a property with a private beach. The Sofitel Calablanca is the gold standard: five-star, stunning private beach, genuinely family-friendly, and the kind of place you check into and immediately stop caring about your return date. Hotel Las Islas is another exceptional option — the property feels like a tree village, with golf carts ferrying you to your room through canopies of trees, across wooden plank bridges and winding jungle paths. It's unlike anything else in the region.
