Tobe was once a separate town to the south of Matsuyama. It's home to many potteries producing ceramics known collectively as Tobe-yaki. These tend to be white with navy blue decoration, although there are many varieties. You can purchase very serviceable tableware for everyday use at the potteries, and you can also try your hand at making your own ceramics. Tobe is also home to a number of interesting museums and a sake brewery.

Giant sequoia trees and mixed conifer forests draw countless nature enthusiasts each year. Calaveras has been a State Park since 1931, when it became apparent that the beautiful North Grove needed preserving. The Grove features the wondrous 'Discovery Tree,' also known as the 'Big Stump,' which was the first Sierra redwood noted by Augustus T. Dowd in 1852. Guided tours are offered on Saturdays.

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.