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Rosario Islands

Rosario IslandsShow map of Islas del RosarioRosario IslandsShow map of ColombiaRosario IslandsShow map of Caribbean
Geography
Coordinates	10°10′30″N 75°45′00″W / 10.175°N 75.75°W / 10.175; -75.75
Archipelago	Rosario Islands
Administration
Colombia

The Rosario Islands (Islas del Rosario), also referred to as Corales Islas del Rosario (Coral Islands of Rosario), is an archipelago located off the coast of Colombia, approximately 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Cartagena. It is one of the 46 Natural National Parks of Colombia. The national park was founded in 1988, to protect one of the most important coral reefs of the Colombian Caribbean coast. People can visit the national park area of the islands, and tours are available. Isla Rosario has an aquarium and open-sea oceanarium (oceanario) that people can visit. Activities include swimming, snorkeling and fishing, among others.

Geography and geology

The park has an area of 120,000 square kilometres (46,332 square miles), from the line of the highest tide to the beryl of the 50 metres (164 feet) of depth, it extends from the underwater platform and the coral reefs west from the Island of Barú, the reefs of the archipelagos of Nuestra Señora del Rosario and San Bernardo and the underwater platform in between, as well as the Tesoro, Rosario, Mucura, and Maravilla islands.

Characteristics

This area was declared a Natural National Park due to the necessity to preserve and protect the coral reefs and the associated ecosystems, such as the sea grass and mangroves, and the numerous species of seaweed and animals that inhabit them.

Coral reef formation is "...enhanced on the windward side of the islands" due to wave action and water qualities that encourage coral growth.

The islands have become popular tourist destinations for day tours as well as hotels and lodges on a few of the islands.

History

In 1985, the area was described as "extremely dangerous to approach" by boat.

The Colombian drug lord and narcoterrorist, Pablo Escobar, owned a huge Caribbean getaway on Isla Grande. The compound, now half-demolished and overtaken by vegetation and wild animals, featured a mansion, apartments, courtyards, a large swimming pool, a helicopter landing pad, reinforced windows, tiled floors, and a large but unfinished building to the side of the mansion.

Scuba diving

There are 28 diving sites known in this area.

See also

• Caribbean region of Colombia
• Insular region of Colombia
• List of islands of South America

References

1. ^ Small Islands: Issues and Actions. United Nations Department of Public Information. 1999. pp. 59–62.
2. Encyclopedia of the World's Coastal Landforms. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 259. ISBN 978-1-4020-8638-0.
3. Woods, S. (2012). Bradt Colombia. Bradt Guides (in Dutch). Bradt Travel Guides. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-84162-364-1.
4. Schmidt, Chelsea (March 26, 2013). "Colombia Travel – The Rosario Islands". 2backpackers.com/. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
5. Griest, S.E. (2007). 100 Places Every Woman Should Go. 100 Places Series. Travelers' Tales. p. 168. ISBN 978-1-932361-47-6.
6. Burns, Robert H. (September 1996). Yachting. p. 34. ISSN 0043-9940
7. "Complete Guide to Visiting the Rosario Islands from Cartagena, Colombia". Cartagena Explorer. 6 November 2019.
8. Green, F.M. (1885). The Navigation of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico: The coast of the mainland, from Cape Orange ... to the Rio Grande del Norte ... with the adjacent islands, cays and banks. Comp. by Lieut. W. W. Gillpatrick. H. O. pub. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 159.
9. Macias, Amanda (12 May 2016). "Military & Defense: This dilapidated villa once served as a Caribbean getaway for drug-kingpin Pablo Escobar". Business Insider.
10. Wormald, Sarah (26 October 2023). "4 Must-Dive Areas in Colombia". blog.padi.com. Retrieved 21 August 2024.

v t e Recreational dive sites in Colombia
Caribbean coast	Capurganá Rosario Islands San Bernardo Islands Múcura Tintipán Sapzurro Taganga Tayrona
Caribbean insular	Providencia San Andrés
Pacific	Gorgona Malpelo Nuquí
Andean	Lake Tota
Biodiversity Natural regions Protected areas

v t e Treasures of Colombia
Archaeological sites Colombia magia salvaje National monuments National parks World Heritage sites
Heritage of humanity Bolívar Cartagena Mompox
National heritage Antioquia Puente de Occidente Atlántico Complejo Cultural de la Antigua Aduana Boyacá Estación de Chiquinquirá Tunja Vargas Swamp Lancers Villa de Leyva Caldas Palacio de la Gobernación de Caldas Salamina Cauca Popayán Tierradentro Cundinamarca Plaza Bolívar Casa de Moneda de Colombia Estación de la Sabana Museo del Oro Museo Nacional San Francisco Church San Francisco Palace Santa Clara Church and Museum Santamaría Bullring Teatro Colón Huila San Agustín Quindío Parque del Café Santander San Juan de Girón Valle del Cauca San Francisco Church
Architectural, artistic and archaeological treasures Antioquia Botero Collection Haciendas cafeteras Boyacá Ráquira Caldas Haciendas cafeteras Manizales Cathedral Cundinamarca Haciendas cafeteras Monserrate Sanctuary Quinta de Bolívar Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá Magdalena Ciudad Perdida Haciendas cafeteras Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino Nariño Las Lajas Shrine Norte de Santander Haciendas cafeteras Quindío Haciendas cafeteras Risaralda Haciendas cafeteras Santander Barichara Haciendas cafeteras Tolima Haciendas cafeteras Valle del Cauca La Ermita Church Hacienda El Paraíso Haciendas cafeteras
National natural parks and treasures Amazonas Amacayacu Amazon River Angostura del Caquetá Araracuara Canyon La Chorrera Putumayo River Raudal de Jirijirimo Antioquia Los Katíos Piedra del Peñol Arauca Sierra Nevada del Cocuy Bolívar Rosario Islands Boyacá Lake Iguaque Páramo de Ocetá Sierra Nevada del Cocuy Siscuinsí Lake Lake Tota Caldas Los Nevados Caquetá Angostura del Caquetá Araracuara Canyon Caño Paujil Chiribiquete Claro River Mirití River Casanare Sierra Nevada del Cocuy Cauca Gorgona Island Lagunas de la Magdalena y de Santiago Nevado del Huila Puracé Volcano Cesar Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Chocó Cabo Marzo Ensenada de Utría Los Katíos Cundinamarca Chingaza Lake Guatavita Rocas de Suesca Guainía Atabapo River Cerros de Mavecure La Guajira Alta Guajira Cabo de la Vela Los Flamencos Sanctuary Salinas de Manaure Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Guaviare Cerro Pintado Chiribiquete Ciudades de Piedra Inírida River Raudales Huila Claro River Estrecho del Magdalena Lagunas de la Magdalena y de Santiago Nevado del Huila Tatacoa Desert Magdalena Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Meta Caño Cristales Chingaza Nariño Cumbal Volcano Galeras Volcano Laguna de la Cocha Laguna Verde del Azufral Putumayo River Sanquianga Norte de Santander Los Estoraques Putumayo Cascada del Indio La Paya Putumayo River Quindío Cocora Valley Los Nevados Risaralda Los Nevados San Andrés y Providencia Providencia Island Santander Chicamocha Canyon El Gallineral Tolima Cerro Bravo Nevado del Huila Los Nevados Valle del Cauca Farallones de Cali Malpelo Island Vaupés Apaporis River Tunnel Raudal de Jirijirimo Raudal de Yuruparí Vichada El Tuparro
Source: Wills, Fernando; et al. (2001). Nuestro patrimonio – 100 tesoros de Colombia [Our heritage – 100 treasures of Colombia] (in Spanish). El Tiempo. pp. 1–311. ISBN 958-8089-16-6.

• National parks of Colombia
• Geography of Bolívar Department
• Caribbean islands of Colombia
• Underwater diving sites in the Caribbean
• Underwater diving sites in Colombia