Plus, make sure that your credit card will actually work in Colombia. Exploring Colombia: A Guide for US Citizens. When we needed to work in Cartagena, this is where we went. Bocagrande is suitable for a few hours if youre really craving the rays, but definitely not somewhere that will give you a relaxing beach holiday. Known as palenqueras, these ladies have long formed a part of the fabric of the city, but have more recently become the poster girls for Cartagena. 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. Also Read: A Digital Nomad's Guide to Medellin, Colombia . Slow travel is a big part of our travel philosophy, and we try to spend a little bit longer in places so that we can go deeper, feel a little more connected to it, and also not have to rush around. Keep in mind the rule of asking the price before taking it also applies for cabs. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. You can read more about thisday trip and book itright here. Most dorms with 6-8 beds are 30,000 COP per night while 4-bed dorms cost 45,000-70,000 COP per night. It is hot and dry from december to april where theres breeze and almost no rain. The main one, Bocagrande, is an almost complete disappointment. 2. The good news about safety in Colombia. View and download my media kithere (updated July 2019). If youre in Colombia for two weeks or less, then you can cut that down to three nights. You can get a SIM card at one of the kiosks at the airport or in town. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted at restaurants all around Cartagena, but if you want to pay in cash, Colombian Pesos is the only form of currency accepted. The trip lasts around 5 days and you should expect to pay no less than $500 USD. Consider your source. Not only to beat the heat but the crowds too. In all honesty, Cartagena reminded us of Old San Juan. One day I packed my life and started traveling except I packed too much. No USDs or Euros. Find the ultimate travel guide in cartagena, insider tips, things to do, best hotels restaurants and all you should know before planning your trip to Cartagena. However, as tourism to the city skyrocketed, the unofficial demarcation between the two neighbourhoods has blurred and we were surprised at how many new hotels and businesses (and further redevelopment) had set up in Getseman. So I'm here to get some honest advice . When visiting Cartagena, two great areas are staying either withinCartagenas walled city (Centro)or just outside it, in theGetsemani neighborhood. We shouldnt really have trusted him, but we did - and it all worked out ok in the end. Meh, no. Particularly in case you're visiting Cartagena for the primary time, right here's some issues to remember: Don't drink the faucet water. That is identified in Colombia as "providing up papaya". This should be good preliminary preparation. Plus, it's a 2 1/2 hour direct flight from Florida! Taxi Rates in Cartagena ( valid through December 2016), There is also UBER, InDriver and Esay Taxi apps available in Cartagena, Un vdeo publicado por Uber (@uber) el 2 de Feb de 2016 a la(s) 11:41 PST. Share The Article Last Updated 6 hours in the past. All Department . Plan to have Google Translate downloaded and at the ready, in case you run into any language barriers. For anyone visiting Cartagena, not from the United States, youll need to pack your adapter with you. Cartagena is worldwide well known for its history and culture, our beaches are not the best but not everyone is aware of that, so they can get a big disappointment when they come to see the sand and water are not exactly as the caribbean postals they expected. So, if you are looking to travel for cheap, Cartagena may be expensive in your eyes. Most businesses now accept card payments, and in case you need cash you will find several ATMs in the old city where you can withdraw but keep in mind that most will charge a fee any time you withdraw, to which you will have to add your bank withdrawal fee (I use N26 and they dont charge!) If your flight is landing late, you may want to opt for that. The journey was long and tiring, and eventually, we found out that flight . In late January and early February each year, one of the most important literary and cultural festivals in the country takes place in Cartagena: Hay Festival Cartagena de Indias takes place. The bad news about safety in Colombia. Keep in mind that its a 5 to 6 hours drive from Cartagena to Santa Marta, which would leave you very little time to explore the national park. Thanks to Cartagena being a cruise port and its rise to fame through social media, Cartagena is one of the most visited places in all of South America. BY PLANE The airport in Cartagena is called Rafael Nunez Airport (CTG) and serves both domestic and international flights. In fact, it is probably the most expensive. I visited Bogota, Villa de Levya, Cartagena and Islas del Encanto last month and loved every minute of it! Our advice is to put the journey into Uber, and use its price as a guideline for your conversation with the taxi driver. Here are the highest issues to do in 2022.. Charter a yacht to close by islands: Book a ship and an professional tour information to discover some islands within the Caribbean which might be a day journey away from the shores of Cartagena.Top picks embody the Rosario Islands and Isla Grande. Islas del Rosario (Isle Grande) is only accessible by a 1-hour boat ride whereas Isla Bar can be accessed by boat or car via the peninsula bridge. Although many places in Colombia do not even accept credit cards, we suggest bringing at least one credit card with you but keeping it in a safe place at your hotel for emergencies. The most crowded beaches in Cartagena are Bocagrande and Laguito, thats why you will see lots of vendors harassing you. Hence, I thought Id share a list of things you should know before visiting Cartagena from interesting facts to tips that will help you plan your trip. Actually, there were 21 things you should know before traveling to Colombia, but we wrote this post on the road, and while editing it later at home, we came up with a few more, so the math does not match. BY BUS Its interesting to note that while the airport is really close to the city, the main bus terminal is at 45 minutes drive from the historic center. Whether you want to spend a vacation sunbathing by the beach or plan an itinerary jam-packed with activities, here are the things to know before visiting the Jewel of the Indies. Top Tip // December to April are considered the dry season in Cartagena, and this also coincides with peak high tourism season (especially December to January when more Colombians visit the city). However, they do still need to complete Migracion Colombia's Check-Mig immigration . Uber and Cabify are famous options in Colombia. . Wake Up Early & Explore The Old Walled City of Cartagena Cartagena's Centro (old city) is a party town, no doubt. The good news is that it is really close to the city, and you can easily get there by taxi (they have fixed prices based on where you are going), colectivo (shared shuttle) or private transfer. If you would like to visit Cartagena, but have no time for planning or would rather leave this job to the experts, you should consider joining a guided tour of Colombia. 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. | Claudia Tavani P. Iva 03780660928. Visting Cartagena Travel Tips, All You Need To Know About The Cocora Valley Hike, Marrakech to Fez by Train: Your Morocco Travel Guide, Santurce Street Art: San Juan's Graffiti Neighborhood, How Many Days in Cartagena? On the COVID-19 end, at the time of this post, international travelers entering Colombia no longer need to present a negative PCR test. Laying just outside of Cartagenas historic old city is the neighborhood of Getsemani. Getting a good travel insurance is a good idea for all your trips, including that to Cartagena. Colombia is a fabulous country and an easy vacation destination from the U.S. My Adventures Across The World is by no means liable for any purchase of tours, tickets and any other online reservation that are made without having fully read the terms and conditions of any third party provider. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. At one time, 70+ years ago we are told, the coast along Cartagena was lovely. Colombia is also home to a wealth of tropical fruits, some of which are hard to find outside of the country. If you are looking to get some beach time in, we highly recommend skipping the beaches in Cartagena and heading to the neighboring islands of Isla Bar or Islas del Rosario. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Colombias most famous and celebrated writer lived in Cartagena most of his life and based his most popular novel 100 Years of Solitude right in the city. This can be uncomfortable or unpleasant for visitors. Of the many things to do in Cartagena, you may read about taking a horse-drawn carriage ride around the Old City. Shop; Pruducts. For most people visiting the north of Colombia, Cartagena will act as a gateway to the incredible sights dotted along the countrys Caribbean coast: places like Tayrona National Park, the laid-back hippy village of Palomino, or into the jungle to take on the Lost City Trek. In Cartagena we have two types of weather, hot and very hot :) During the whole year temperature in Cartagena average goes between 25 and 32 degrees (77 to 88 fahrenheit) and 80% humidity. With fantastic restaurants, bars, and street art, Getsemani is the hipper cousin to the more touristy old city of Cartagena. Call us in Washington, D.C. at 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the United States and Canada) or 1-202-501-4444 (from all other countries) from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Or, just leave us a positive note! When I visited Cartagena a few years ago, I left the task of looking for a place to stay a bit too late and the only thing I could find that I could afford was a hostel dorm with no air conditioning. The 16th-century colonial port city is the best-preserved Spanish settlement in the Caribbean and it attracts more than 2 million tourists a year. Share The Article Last Updated 6 hours in the past. When traveling to a different country it is good to know if the destination has any visa requirements (like India) or passport validity rules. If you are looking for fine, white sand and clear turquoise waters that are perfect for snorkeling, you can still find some just a bit out of the city. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. On our second visit to Cartagena, we craved the heat. The best part is you can easily experience both Getsemani and Cartagenas Old City in one day or spend several exploring both neighborhoods in detail. However, of the place we visited in Colombia, Cartagena was by far the most English-friendly destination. Colombia in 2021 was an amazing experience for us and a place we will never forget. And if you are traveling to Colombia soon, enjoy exploring this beautiful country! However, it can also push locals out of certain neighbourhoods, hollow out a place, and change its character; this of course removes much of what made a place special to travellers in the first place. 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. After 4 days in Cartagena, we took a 15-hour bus to Medellin. Here's a quick overview of the visa requirements, health and safety precautions, currency exchange, and other important information for US citizens traveling to Colombia. For the perfect Caribbean respite, consider flying to San Andres, off the coast of Nicaragua. Lets go exploring! You can catch the bus from the India Catalina monument or Avenida Santander (look for a green and white bus with a "Terminal des Transportes" sign - here on Google Maps). 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. The only dorm that was left was charging an extortionate amount, and we were saved by a guy who promised he knew a woman who had a room spare for a good price. To get started with Gabo, read 100 Years of Solitude. 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