Caribbean beach village on Colombia's Gulf of Morrosquillo, facing the Islas de San Bernardo
Rincón del Mar is a small Caribbean beach village in the municipality of San Onofre, Sucre, about three hours by road from Cartagena. It sits on the Gulf of Morrosquillo, a calm stretch of the Caribbean sheltered from the open sea by the Islas de San Bernardo.
The main beach is wide and sandy, the water warm and generally calm. It's a popular weekend and holiday destination for Colombians from Cartagena, Barranquilla, and Medellín, but sees few foreign visitors — which is part of its appeal. Seafood is fresh and cheap: fish, prawns, snails, and crab, often served with coconut rice.
From the village, boats run out to the Islas de San Bernardo — a coral archipelago with white-sand cays, snorkelling reefs, and lagoons that glow with bioluminescent plankton on dark nights. Inland, a short trip south brings you to a small mud volcano where you can climb in and float on dense, mineral-rich mud. The nearby towns of Coveñas and Tolú are also accessible by colectivo or boat.
Guide
Eating Out
Rincón eats fish. There are no fancy restaurants — instead, a string of family-run cantinas along the beach serve red snapper (pargo rojo), sea bass (mojarra), prawns, shellfish, and the local crab in coconut sauce. The usual sides are coconut rice, fried plantain, and a small salad. A whole grilled fish with sides will cost a fraction of what you would pay in Cartagena.
Look for the cantinas where the locals eat at lunchtime — generally a sign the fish was landed that morning. The best are at the southern end of the beach. The town also has a couple of small panaderías and a fruit stand near the bus stop. Bring cash; very few places take cards.
Guide
Getting There
The standard route from Cartagena is by colectivo van: head to the Bazurto bus terminal, take a Brasilia or Rapido Ochoa bus toward Sincelejo, and get off at the San Onofre crossroads (about three hours). From there, mototaxis or shared taxis run the 12 km to Rincón. A direct shuttle service operated by some Rincón hostels picks up from the centre of Cartagena and runs four to five hours door to door.
Coming from the south (Medellín, Montería), get to Tolú and take a colectivo north along the coast. The road is paved most of the way but the last stretch into Rincón is bumpy. There is no airport; the closest is Corozal/Sincelejo, an hour away.
