You can typically stay for up to 90 days for your first visit. Especially if you're visiting Cartagena for the first time, here's some things to keep in mind: Don't drink the tap water. Cartagena is a popular tourist destination in Colombia. 1. However if youre reading this post, know youre going to Cartagena, but havent sorted out your accommodation in Getseman or the Walled City, then please learn from our mistake and put booking something straight up to the top of your to-do list. The best shot here, is to take a day trip excursion to one of the hotels to offer the "day pass" service, however be aware of the option you choose as if your plan is to enjoy a quiet and relaxing day at the beach, most of this hotels host hundreds of people everyday; besides, not even all of them have really a beach. You should always ask the price before you make a purchase and if you think it sounds expensive try to put the price down, the vendor will surely accept it or work the price with you. However, when you arrive or leave or if youre on the wrong side of town after dark, its good to know how taxis operate. Read Next | The Best Day Trips from Cartagena. Landed in Cartagena and ready to explore? Consider your source. 2. Cartagena, Colombia is a colorful, one-of-a-kind South American city that has so much to offer. Pinterest. This basically means: don't give someone the opportunity to take advantage of you. It is hard to tell when is low season over here, as every year thousands of travelers walk the fascinating streets of this charming city. Here are nine things you should know before heading to South America's most northern country. Customs recommend at least two free pages. If you choose to go down this path, then you also have to accept the consequences and risks which it brings including robbery and a ruse between the dealer and police officers to then target you for a search and subsequent bribe. 8. ), here are 16 essential things you need to know before you visit this beautiful country. With that said, this lovely neighborhood is one of the most expensive. ATMs are in English and Spanish and the surcharge is about equal to US$ 3.00.". Update 2022 | As a city that has come to rely heavily upon tourism, Cartagena was particularly badly affected during the pandemic, with many restaurants and accommodations being forced to close permanently. The thing to know is that the Caribbean coast of Colombia is more expensive than elsewhere in the country, and Cartagena is generally the most expensive place on the Caribbean coast. Get information on travel, food, beauty, technology, and much more. If youre looking for a laptop friendly workspace, then go straight to Folklore Colombian Cafe (#4-17 Calle 32, Walled City) which has really good specialty Colombian coffee, nice lunch options, friendly staff and enough space / plugs for you to work for a few hours without feeling awkward. Located on Colombias Caribbean coast, Cartagena offers a wide variety of things to do like exploring the citys architecture, history, culture, and nightlife. you can also fly from most of Latin America, such as Buenos Aires, Mexico City, or Lima. On our second visit, it was clear that a lot of people arrived in Cartagena thinking that there were fantastically tropical beaches in and around the city. 13. 3. See Full Ranking List. Things to do in Madrid, Spain; A Guide . The best day trip from Cartagena is to Palenque de San Basilio, the first freed town in the Americas. On the contrary, it is a destination that is relatively close to the United States when direct it is approximately an hour and a half flight approximately from Miami but where you can find the perfect atmosphere and the liveliest people to enjoy a Caribbean paradise and . Old City Walls. You can't reach Colombia by road. So make sure they cover this. Currently, the city rates at a 82 while Bogota is at a 46, nearby Barranquilla at 47, and Medellin at 46. If you are already in . Feb 17, 2022 - We've fallen in love with Colombia. if you choose to purchase through them. But, that being said, its differences also . A private room will cost about 130,000 COP per night, and that's about as low as it gets. Here's our, Flight Costs Are Soaring But This Trick Will Find International Tickets For Under $200, Ukraine Launches War Tourism For Those That Are Brave Enough To Visit, free walking tour of Cartagenas beautiful Old Town, Colombia recognizes same-sex relationships. Incredibly cheap and very filling, this is the best way to eat in Colombia. But we recommend you to be patient and it should not be a reason to throw over the idea of visiting one of the best beaches near Cartagena, Swimming in emerald waters on Rosario's Islands is the perfect cure to 40 degree heat #Cartagena #JuanBallenaTravel, Una foto publicada por Juan Ballena (@juanballenatravel) el 16 de May de 2016 a la(s) 7:15 PDT. Especially if you're visiting Cartagena for the first time, here's some things to keep in mind: Don't drink the tap water. Related Post: Cartagena, Colombia Restaurants: Best Local Cuisine. You already know it, drink lots of water and protect yourself from the sun when you come over! Like uncomfortably hot. However, we know that isnt always going to be possible for everyone. I also found that the exchange rate in the States was better than the rate in Cartagena, by about $1,000 pesos. if you choose to purchase through them. If thats you, then we strongly recommend investing in a travel filter water bottle which will purify water from any source and greatly reduce the amount of single-use plastic you use on your travels. Eat Cheap Like many places, Colombian cities have many dining options, but one of the cheapest food options is available on the streets. Bocagrande and El Laguito: These are the modern touristic areas of Cartagena; both neighborhoods offer well established hotel chains as Hilton, Dann and Holiday Inn, as well as apartment rentals -which is often the first option for Colombian tourists when traveling with family or a group of friends. Explore Old Town . Don't go away your luggage unattended in touristy areas or flash your valuables whereas wandering the streets. But within a couple of days, we remembered that 'Cartagena Hot' is another level of hot almost entirely - and that's before you factor in the 80-90% humidity! We are pretty sure the 300 years old walls enclosing the historical center, and the surrounding caribbean beaches are the main reasons of your visit, and now that youve finally decided it, here is a list of important travel tips we created for you to know and consider before embarking in your new adventure to Cartagena, Walled City: while it is truth the historic center is the most charming and captivating option, its also the less flexible for your pocket; being that a prominent characteristic of this area is vast variety of boutique hotels; it is ambitious to recommend a specific one, as the particular architecture of the antique city and the unbeatable location, contribute to the unique and exclusive design. Most vendors are located at the beaches of Bocagrande, Laguito and Playa Blanca; we are very sure you gonna find different prices from each vendor and please never accept nothing for free, we can asure you it will cost you more, for that you should alway agree on price before taking or accepting any product or service from any vendor. This post may have affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path's latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox, Travel Off Path is an Off Path Enterprises production, This post may have affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) Bring Cash 3. Castillogrande beaches are where you want to go. The Rosario islands are integrated by an archipelago of 27 islands; all with white sand, narrow beaches and warm turquoise waters. Laureles: Photo courtesy of Canva. Be prepared to experience any kind of weather if you plan to travel throughout Colombia. And even in your accommodation place 24 hours don't worry is safe but you will see them anytime of the day. The only problem now is that many many more people know about it; this was the biggest surprise to us on our second visit in 2019. 23 June 2020. This is in general the best option for price and location. You may like: Where to exchange money in Cartagena. It is . Some people say it reminds them of old Havana, for others its their favourite nooks and side streets of Spain. A rather common tour offered by tourism agencies is the Rosario Island and Playa Blanca in a Day; This tour is more like a panoramic route made on the same boat around some of the islands, and in which they only make a stop of about an hour at the aquarium and then take you to playa blanca where you have just the time to take your lunch and enjoy a bit of the beach and the sun; you really spend more time in the boat and can not get enough of it in the island or Playa Blanca. Always Carry Hand Sanitizer and Toilet Paper 9. Getting there. Keep Mum About the Man from Medelln 7. See what all the buzz is about and why Cartagena is an amazing destination in Colombia for your travel radar. Most dorms with 6-8 beds are 30,000 COP per night while 4-bed dorms cost 45,000-70,000 COP per night. Cartagena today is actually pretty safe - in fact, it's one of the safer places in Colombia. Like many touristy destinations, local vendors try to take advantage of tourists by hiking up the prices. Islas del Rosario, Playa Blanca, and Islas del Encanto are all easy to reach from Cartagena in less than a couple of hours independently or with a tour. During your research, youll like have seen many photos of beaming black Colombian women dressed in beautifully colourful dresses and carrying a fruit basket upon their heads. The Walled City | The historic centre of Cartagena, its home to most of the nicer hotels, restaurants, and bars and is the natural epicentre for most tourism in the city. . Avoid to exchange money at the airport as rates are the less convenient. #2. There are only 7 rooms, but 4 pools, creating an intimate atmosphere like none other in the city. Obviously, there will be quite a few travel styles and travel budgets spread across those diverse groups, but Cartagena is slowly evolving to try and cater to them all. Clearly changing your money into pesos is better, but in a worst case scenario they will happily take your U.S Dollar. On the contrary, it's a destination relatively close to the United States - direct it's about an hour and a half flight or so from Miami - but where one can find the perfect atmosphere and the liveliest people to enjoy a Caribbean paradise and, at the same time, travel back in . Yes Cartagena is right by the Caribbean sea, and yes there are various city beaches, but they are not really going to be what youre looking for. Today, the colonial streets are bursting with vibrant colors and charm. Drop your stereotypes about drugs and cocaine. Though there are so many fun things to do in Cartagena, there are quite a few day trips that are worth doing if you have a couple of extra days. We started doing our research weeks ahead of time, but were in for a surprise: not only had accommodation prices in Cartagena skyrocketed, but most of the decent options were already booked out for our dates. Share The Article Last Updated 6 hours in the past. Protect Your Trip: Search, compare and buy the best travel . The local currency is Colombian pesos, COP. The colorful streets of Cartagena are a beautiful place. Visited Bogota and Medellin and highly recommend both cities but Medellin is a wonderful city as well.. highly recommend you see it. Most visitors to Cartagena will fall into four camps: those backpacking for a month or longer in Colombia, those who are visiting for a two-week vacation in the country, those who are taking advantage of cheap new flight connections with the US to spend their time solely in and around Cartagena for a few days, and the cruise ship hordes being dumped on to the streets for a day. If you're used to spicy foods or foods with lots of seasoning, you may want to bring your own spices or ask for hot sauce. Alternatively, you can book an affordable private transfer to be waiting for your arrival if its your first time in the Colombia and you dont speak Spanish. You will get by ok without it, but knowing a little bit goes a long way! Have no worries because there is no tourist visa required for US citizens traveling to Cartagena under 90 days. Sit-down restaurants in the Old Town will also be much more on par with U.S. and Western Europe prices than other areas of the city. with therighthealth insurancejust in case you get sick or if your travel stuff gets stolen or lost at some point during your travels to Cartagena. You sound like someone who shouldn't travel. Reception staff at hostels and hotels and many tourist restaurants and attractions will of course speak English, but anywhere that isnt tourist facing will be exclusively in Spanish. Travel Insurance That Covers Covid-19 For 2022, Colombia Continues to Grow in Popularity With US American Travelers, El Salvador: 10 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting. Don't walk around alone at night. If you live like a local in Bogota or Medellin, or even Santa Marta, youll notice that prices there are much cheaper. Hostel prices - Cartagena has some great accommodation options, although you will notice a big increase in price in comparison to the rest of Colombia. We also have Punta Arena, a closer and nicer beach on Tierra Bomba Island just 7 min away. We recommend avoiding lodging in other areas not mentioned as these are the safest alternatives that also offer infinite options of bars, restaurants and points of interest, Una foto publicada por Juan Ballena (@juanballenatravel) el 7 de May de 2016 a la(s) 1:10 PDT. There's plenty of police officers on the street and the city is seeing improvements to the crime rate and general security. After living and traveling in this country for several months, we want to share this video and our trips for travel to Colombia. 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