Casa en el Agua A two-hour boat ride through the Caribbean Sea from the port of Cartagena takes you to the turquoise waters of the San Bernardo Islands, home to one of the wildest hostels in the world.
Casa en el Agua is in the Rosario and San Bernardo Corals National Natural Park, a massive protected area mainly for marine life. With mangrove forests and 170 fish species swimming in the crystal clear waters, there is much to discover here.
The hostel is in a three-decade-old building on concrete piles standing in the shallow waters of the Carribbean, with only the sea surrounding it. Once you step out of the hostel, you are in the water! It's like those Maldivian luxury resorts but much, much cheaper.
The house runs on solar power, so energy is scarce. And so is the water, which is limited to around 1,000 liters a day.
Before you start worrying about your long showers, the Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas on Earth, so consider it your giant bathtub!
ATMs and digital payments are not a thing in this part of Colombia, so everything is paid in cash.
There are direct boats connecting Cartagena with Isla Tintipan - the closest island to Casa en el Agua, with a stop at the hostel.
The hostel welcomes guests over the age of 18 only. Officially, this is for safety reasons, but as you can see in the photos, it's an adult's playground where kids would not fit in.
According to the official marketing, jumping into the water from your room is the best cure for hangovers. And hangovers you will get, as the happy hostel crew loves blasting reggae(ton) and filling up your empty cups with tropical cocktails.
The "House on Water" does not have WiFi. The owners don't want the usual hostel vibe, where each guest is busy looking at their phone.
Here, you can jump in the hammock and read a book or join your fellow adventurous travelers and have fun together.
The hostel's ground floor, surrounded by water, is where you will find all the common spaces: the "pool" bar, sunbathing platforms, and dining space.
The second floor is the sleeping quarters, where the cheapest option is to spend the night in a hammock. It takes a bit of getting used to it, but from the second night on, you will sleep through the night.
Alternatively, you can sleep in a dorm or one of the private rooms.
There is a double bedroom, and the most exclusive one has two double beds plus two hammocks.
Three meals per day are included in the price of whichever accommodation you book. Lucky for you because you cannot order food out in the sea!
Casa en el Agua is basically a photo op galore, with each corner having the perfect background, especially during the golden hours.
Around the hostel, you can do all kinds of water sports like snorkeling, paddle surfing, kayaking, and subwinging.
If this latter means nothing to you, it's the latest hype that lets you "fly" under the water. It's like snorkeling, but you hold onto a board that's dragged by a boat underwater.
You can also go on a bioluminescent plankton tour, which consists of a 40-minute boat ride through the mangroves that light up at night.
If you've read the Life of Pi by Yann Martel, then this is a must-do! During the magical night trip, you will spot luminescent jellyfish, too.
Santa Cruz Del Islote
The island hostel is right next to Santa Cruz del Islote - one of the most unique places on Earth. This tiny land is the most densely populated island in the world, with a length of 200 m (700 feet) and a width of 120 m (390 feet). With an official population of 816 and only a hectare of available space, Santa Cruz del Islote is one strange town in the middle of the Carribbean Sea.
The island is packed with residential buildings and basic amenities such as a school, grocery shop, and a solar power plant, and the remaining small open area is where the locals hang out.
Tourism has allowed locals to open a hotel and a restaurant, providing them with an extra source of income in addition to their fishing activity. This is due to the island's exotic status as the sea version of Hong Kong's Kowloon Walled City, which was demolished in 1994.
