If you feel up to some big game fishing, M & J's Charters will give you the opportunity to do just that. The trained crew will guide you towards the best spots to catch barracuda, mahi-mahi, snapper and even swordfish and white marlin. The tour includes sandwiches to carry you through the day, as well as a beach BBQ at the end.

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.

This aqua park offers rides of all kinds, as well as a cafe and restaurants. Spend the whole day relaxing in the lazy river, zoom through the Black Hole, giant slides, water tunnels, children's water chutes, the exhilarating kamikaze, and then back to the jacuzzi.

At the nature reserve Silverfallet-Karlsfors, an impressive waterfall pours down over the rocks. The falls are most popular in the spring when the water level is at its highest. The area is rich in rare flora and perfect for a Sunday outing. You can also see remains from the biggest alum operation in Skaraborg, which was abandoned in 1856.