Most would agree: there’s something glamorous about arriving at a hotel by speedboat, whether it’s a glittering five-star hotel or a tented camp.
An exciting start to a stay at Casa en el Agua in the Colombian San Bernardo archipelago in the Caribbean Sea is therefore guaranteed – because the only way to reach this hostel is by boat.
As its Spanish name, which means ‘House on the Water’ suggests, it is surrounded by water.
The 30-year-old wooden house stands on a concrete foundation and was once a holiday home. And despite its remoteness (it’s a two-hour drive from Cartagena, the nearest city), it attracts backpackers from all over the world.
Casa en el Agua – a beautiful hostel in Colombia’s San Bernardo Archipelago that is only accessible by boat
Despite its remoteness (it’s a two-hour speedboat ride from Cartagena, the nearest city), it attracts backpackers from all over the world
To get there, visitors can choose between a two or five-hour transfer from Cartagena.
The eco-friendly, solar-powered hostel offers a range of rooms from an eight-bed dormitory to private king and queen beds – with prices starting from 365,000 Colombian Pesos (£75/$94) per night.
As a cheaper alternative, guests can sleep in a hammock for 287,000 COP (£59/$74) per night. These, we are told, have ‘the most beautiful view in the house’.
There is no WiFi or running water and the toilets are made of compost. To shower, guests must use buckets of fresh water.
Speaking to MailOnline Travel, the hostel’s general manager Ronaldo Hurtado says it’s a ‘perfect’ getaway all year round. He claims, “It’s always sunny and the Caribbean water is always warm.”
The 30-year-old wooden house stands on a concrete foundation and was once a holiday home
Guests can swim in the clear Caribbean waters surrounding the hostel
Besides the location, he says the people at the hostel are what make it so unique.
“They create such a family environment that as soon as you arrive at the house you feel this energy and that is the beginning of the great time you will have with us,” says Ronaldo.
As if the location isn’t fascinating enough, guests can take part in a variety of exciting excursions, from snorkeling around the coral reef to traveling to the nearby islands of Tintipan, Múcura and Santa Cruz del Islote – the most populous island in the world.
Thrill seekers, meanwhile, can ‘fly underwater’ on a ‘subwing’ tour. Participants are towed through the water by a speedboat holding on to ‘wings’, allowing them to ‘experience the crystal clear sea from a whole new perspective’.
Tours and activities available from the hostel include snorkeling and island hopping
General manager Ronaldo Hurtado says the hostel’s people are what make it so unique, with staff working hard to create a ‘family environment’, especially at meal times
The hostel also offers plankton watching tours, where guests swim among the luminous creatures in the moonlight.
Back at base, guests can enjoy fresh food, caught daily, including octopus, fish and crab.
And while the hostel has a ‘don’t bring your own drinks’ policy, it’s far from teetotal: there’s a bar with an ‘all-day-every-day’ happy hour, coupled with a claim for the ‘best antidote to hangover in the world’. South America’ – a dive from bed to sea from the first floor deck.
Sharing some tips with new visitors, Ronaldo says: ‘Wear fresh cotton clothes, a swimsuit, trousers and a long-sleeved shirt to protect the skin from insects and branches that can cause minor injuries, and from the sun.’
The hostel claims to have ‘the best hangover cure in South America’: diving straight out of bed into the crystal clear Caribbean Sea
The hostel has a variety of rooms, from an eight-bed dormitory to queen and king size beds. It offers freshly caught food and an all-day-everyday happy hour at the bar
He advises guests to bring reusable and eco-friendly products to the eco-friendly hotel.
He says: ‘Not only will you enjoy the beauty that nature shares with us, but you will also have the opportunity to learn, raise awareness and take action for the conservation and care of the sea and the environment.’
The hostel has a four-star rating Tripadvisorand many consider it a ‘literal paradise’ and a must-see when in Colombia.
Visit the website to book a trip to Casa en el Agua casaenelagua.com.