Inside the ‘House on Water’: The amazing island hostel where you can jump straight from your bed into the Caribbean Sea

Most will agree – there’s something glamorous about arriving at a hotel by speedboat, whether it’s a glitzy five-star property or a tented camp.

So an exciting start to a stay at Casa en el Agua in Colombia’s San Bernardo Archipelago in the Caribbean Sea is guaranteed – because the only way to reach this hostel is by boat.

As its Spanish name meaning ‘House on Water’ suggests, it is surrounded by water.

The 30-year-old wooden house sits on a concrete foundation and was once a summer house. And despite its remote location – it’s a two-hour drive away from Cartagena, the nearest city – it attracts backpackers from all over the globe.

Despite its remote location – it’s a two-hour speedboat ride away from Cartagena, the nearest city – it attracts backpackers from around the globe

To get there, visitors can choose between a two or five hour transfer from Cartagena.

The solar-powered, eco-friendly hostel offers a variety of rooms, from an eight-bed dormitory to private king and queen beds – with prices starting at 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 best view in the house’.

There is no Wi-Fi or running water and the toilets are 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’ holiday all year round. He claims: ‘It’s always sunny and the Caribbean water is always warm.’

The 30-year-old wooden house sits on a concrete foundation and was once a summer house

Guests can swim in the clear Caribbean waters that surround the hostel

Besides its location, he says the people at the hostel make it so unique.

“They create such a family environment that as soon as you come to the house you feel this energy and that is the beginning of the amazing time you will have with us,” Ronaldo says.

If the location is not fascinating enough, guests can participate in various tours, from snorkeling around the coral reef to traveling to the nearby islands of Tintipan, Múcura and Santa Cruz del Islote – the most densely populated island on earth.

Thrillseekers, meanwhile, can ‘fly underwater’ on a ‘subwing’ tour. The participants are dragged through the water by a speedboat while holding on to ‘wings’, so they can ‘experience the crystal clear sea from a completely new perspective’.

Excursions 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 mealtimes

The hostel also offers plankton sightseeing tours where guests swim among the luminescent creatures in the moonlight.

Back at the base, guests can eat fresh food, caught daily – including squid, fish and crabs.

And while the hostel has a ‘don’t bring your own drinks’ policy, it’s far from over the top – there’s a bar with an ‘all-day-everyday’ happy hour, coupled with a claim of the ‘best cure against hangovers in South America’ – a dive from bed to sea from the first floor deck.

Sharing some tips for first-time visitors, Ronaldo says: ‘Wear fresh cotton clothing, a bathing suit, trousers and a long-sleeved shirt to protect the skin from insects and branches that can cause minor damage 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 several rooms, from an eight-bed dormitory to queen and king beds. It offers freshly caught food and an ‘all-day-everyday’ happy hour in the bar

He advises guests to bring reusable and environmentally friendly products to the eco-friendly hotel.

He says: ‘You will not only enjoy the beauty that nature shares with us, but you will also have the opportunity to learn, raise awareness and act for the conservation and care of the sea and the environment.’

The hostel has a four-star rating Tripadvisorhow many hail it as a “literal paradise” and a must-see when in Colombia.

To book a trip to Casa en el Agua visit its website casaenelagua.com.