a colourful inhabitant of the Palmar bird sanctuary
	Majagua open-air spa pavilion
	The boatride from Cartagena to Majagua goes past the historic San Fernando fort.

Serenity, The Greatest Of Luxuries
 
Sometimes the biggest luxury of all is removing oneself from the world of suites, limousines, and personal butlers to declutter the mind and remember what the simple life used to be like.  Stepping back and simplifying what modern life complicates on a daily basis—namely, our existence—is a pleasure worth pursuing, and this is what places like Hotel San Pedro de Majagua are for. 

There's no doubt about it:  Colombia is back and better than ever, and nowhere is the country's  natural beauty more apparent than the Islas Rosario, an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea just off the coast of Cartagena.  While the islands are home to many resorts, some of them as busy with bothersome beach vendors as with holidaymakers, Majagua is different.  Located on the island of Isla Grande, its informal, relaxed atmosphere is the essence of what a Caribbean holiday used to be before the advent of cruise ships spewing two thousand dawdlers in a single convulsion.  With only 17 casual-chic rooms built bungalow style across the private beachfront property, Majagua (pronounced mah-HA-gwa) is never crowded.  Daytrippers do come to enjoy a smattering of what the overnight guests have all to themselves in the morning and late afternoon into evenings, but there is room for everybody here. 

In any case, it is the darkness that reveals Isla Grande's most enchanting attraction, the Laguna Encantada, a small bay alive with phosphorescent fish that glow in the dark.  The fish are phosphorescent due to their consumption of the equally phosphorescent plankton, which turn the bay into something special; stir the water with a stick and it leaves a light trail like a comet. 

By day, guests can enjoy a variety of activities such as canoe rides through mangroves to the other end of the island, where a visit to the Palmar bird sanctuary will reveal a few of the many bird species in Colombia, the country with more bird species than any other country in the world thanks to its huge diversity in climate and topography.  Bicycles are also available for the short ride to the sanctuary, and many guests combine a canoe ride in one direction with a bike ride in the other to enjoy the traffic free paths as much as the scenery.  Majagua is also a diver destination, with a PADI-certified dive centre on the hotel grounds. 

The excellent cuisine served in Majagua's restaurant reflects the rich culinary history of Caribbean Colombia, using a variety of fresh local ingredients to create traditional dishes with contemporary twists.  The abundant fruits of the region are most commonly enjoyed as delicious freshly prepared juices.

With jetBlue's new nonstop service linking New York-JFK with Cartagena, an exotic sidetrip to South America for Asia-Pacific travellers to the Big Apple has become a tantalising reality.  Many Australians head to New York in the depth of winter, so why not add a few days of sunshine and a chocolate spa treatment to the itinerary?

Hotel San Pedro de Majagua
Isla Grande
Islas de Rosario
Colombia
tel:  57 5 650 4460
www.hotelmajagua.com