The mangrove tunnels of nearby La Boquilla are an easy day trip from Cartagena. Guided tours will often combine a visit to the beach (one of the Playas De La Boquilla) with a boat or canoe tour of the mangroves, passing through Cienaga de Juan Polo and the Cienaga de la Virgen lagoons. Some tours will also include a closer encounter with local fishermen and offer insight into their craft. La Boquilla is an area of contrasts: the district of upscale hotels — Morros — borders on humble neighbourhoods populated by workers. When sitting down to tuck into no-frills seafood dishes served up by local eateries, make sure you're clear about the price of each item ordered from the get-go, as there have been reports of "surprise" bills amounting to several hundred US dollars.

Fernleigh railway track of the Adamstown-Belmont coal train line has been decommissioned and now serves as a destination for highly enjoyable 30km bike ride (15km each way) that goes through brick tunnels, attractive bush and wetlands. The Track is well-maintained for safe for cycling, jogging and walking. The gradients are gentle as befits an old train line, so there won't be any steep ups and downs. Stop at the Fernleigh Cafe at Adamstown for a delicious bite before riding back.

Convict Lumber Yard was once a industrial workplace for prisoners. This museum now houses sculptures and charts that bring the visitors back about a hundred years and show them what a convict's was like. Guests also get an insight into the development of the local settlement.

The palace of the sultans with its many courtyards and gates brings on a nostalgia for forgone times. There are several special museums in the area; highlights include the Treasure Chamber, where the famous dagger and Spoonmaker's diamond are true stars of the collection, and the harem, where the sultan’s wives and children lived (the two are not included in the ticket price to the palace).