Cards are Accepted, but Cash is Pesos 14. in arranging the best experiences and tours not only for solo travelers but also friends/ family and groups here in Cartagena- Colombia. 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. If you are visiting Cartagena as the first leg of a longer trip around Colombia, you may want to invest in SIM card so that you can count on data to navigate the web or use apps when needed. 10 things you have to know before traveling to Cartagena by Juan Ballena Travel Experiences in Cartagena 2. They will encourage you, the tourist, to take a photo with them or of their Palenqueras group. For more information,see this link for visa requirements to enter Colombia. Most hotels do have WiFi for guests and you can buy a cheap local SIM card to use data or even hotspot yourself. 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. In our opinion, the best time to explore Cartagena is at sunrise. 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 . Along Dusty Roads is a travel blog by British couple, Andrew & Emily. Getting a good travel insurance is a good idea for all your trips, including that to Cartagena. As soon as you know the dates as to when youre visiting Cartagena, BOOK your accommodations! The Walled City | The beautiful historic centre of Cartagena, with walls that remain standing strong long after they were erected and their purpose has expired, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, and the citys major attraction. Everything You Must Know Before Visiting Cartagena, Cards are accepted, but for cash Peso is the (only) way to go, A guided tour of Colombia may be a good idea, Other useful things to know before your trip to Cartagena. We spent almost 10 days in Cartagena and at no point did we ever feel unsafe or threatened. If you are a little wary of trusting the tap water, you can opt to filter the water further, you know, to take the better safe than sorry route. Cartagena is hot and oh-so humid, so do your best to start your day off early to get some sightseeing in. If youre flying into Cartagenas airport - its the same one for international and domestic - youll be happy to know that its a short, safe taxi ride into the old town (approximately 15,00 COP to Getsamani, for example). Walking around Getseman after darkness falls, you will be offered drugs. Cartagena Travel Costs. Cartagena is pretty hot and humid! The Old City of Cartagena (Centro) is small, so its streets are inevitably crowded with tourists and locals. 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? Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 16. Don't walk around alone at night. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Whether you are visiting Colombia for a short trip or a few months, you need to know about Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Carnival of Barranquilla. 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. If you decide to spend an extra day in the city, you can even push yourself beyond the limits of the old city and visit the Convento de la Popa for impressive views; and the Mercado de Bazurto, a beautifully local market. 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. After two visits to the city, one on a very tight budget and one on a not so tight budget, we have a pretty good understanding of these and wanted to share our experience and practical advice with you. springfield business journal book of lists. That is identified in Colombia as "providing up papaya". For our second visit, we were determined to not make the same mistake and to bag ourselves a really great, social backpacker spot in Getseman. This is known in Colombia as "offering up papaya". To say that the room was suffocating is an understatement! Absolutely not. 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). Keep Reading | The Best Day Trips from Cartagena, How to Get to Playa Blanca (and Isla Baru) From Cartagena and Our Guide to San Andres. Cartagena Old City Accommodations:Soy Local|Casona del Colegio|Casa India Catalina, Getsemani Accomodations:Casa Pizarro Hotel Boutique|Hotel Monaguillo|Hotel Casa Tere, 13 Absolutely Amazing Things To Do in Salento, The Ultimate Colombia Itinerary & Trip Planner, All You Need To Know About the Cocora Valley Hike. solotripsandtips.com - Susan Moore. Were Lauren & Jesse Stuart aka The Stus from the Wandering Stus travel blog! Hopefully, this re-balance of local vs tourist will prevent Cartagena from falling victim to over tourism. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 0 advantages and disadvantages of e-commerce to society 0 salernitana game result 0. Here are 10 things that first-time visitors should know before visiting Continue reading 10 Tips For First Time . Luckily, we have written this post How To Get from Cartagena to Santa Marta which shares the three main options with public and private transport, as well this guide on the best things to do there. Staying in the Walled City and Getsemani is safe for the most part. The main one, Bocagrande, is an almost complete disappointment. For more information, 10 things you have to know before traveling to Cartagena, Tour to Palenque: The Other History Of Cartagena, Coffe Roasting And Tasting At Caf del Mural, From/To Cartagena - Santa Marta or Tayrona, Una foto publicada por Juan Ballena (@juanballenatravel), How to get the most of Playa Blanca in Baru, What to do for Christmas and New Year in Cartagena, Best restaurants in Cartagena to eat Caribbean food, Explore the best parks and plazas in Cartagena, - We warn visitors that child labor and sexual abuse is penalized by the Colombian law. The two-prong power sockets in Cartagena and throughout Colombia are the same as the US, but if youre coming from the UK or Europe youll need an adapter. We visited Cartagena in late January and into early February and their winter temperatures rose into the 90s. They are among the best Caribbean islands for families. See the State Department's travel website for the Worldwide Caution and Travel Advisories. Especially if you're visiting Cartagena for the first time, here's some things to keep in mind: Don't drink the tap water. This should be good preliminary preparation. Someone told us before traveling to Cartagena to be prepared to change twice a day because of the heat and humidity. 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. Its dirty picture trash and cigarette butts and the last thing youll want to do is putting your feet in the sand; crowded; and there are so many vendors that instead of relaxing in the sun, youll spend your time thanking them and saying you really dont want to buy ceviche, or drugs, or whatever. For more day trips from Cartagena, read this post. Cartagena is a charming city featuring colonial architecture and beach life. 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. You need to take buses, flights, and even boat rides at times. The Life Straw will help purify your water further if you are wanting to give tap water a try and avoid single-use plastic water bottles. Wherever it recalls for you, theres absolutely no doubt in our minds that Cartagena is one of the prettiest cities in all of South America. You can get yourshere. While Cartagena and Getsemani are only a few minutes from each other, they can feel like different worlds at times. From the moment you leave your hotel to the moment you get back you will be encountered by many a salesman asking you to buy a sombrero, a bracelet, a soccer jersey, or book a tour. 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. Visiting Cartagena on your Colombia itinerary? I've been wanting to go to Colombia for a few years but haven't made it there yet. This is your best chance to catch the city while its still empty not to mention, to avoid the heat! We recommend making reservations at any of the restaurants you want to eat at and also book any tour you may be interested in well in advance. In terms of travel, it means you should save drinks in the shade, hanging out in your accommodation, museum or market visits, and escapes to coffee shops with air-con to the peak afternoon sun as its just not enjoyable to be wandering around then. Also consider investing in a hydro flask bottle such as this one to keep your water cold for up to 8 hours. To avoid any surprise, make sure you agree on a final price before hopping on and try to carry small bills to pay at the end of your ride. The coffee region is chalk full of amazingly friendly people and beautiful mountain landscapes. Colombia is also home to a wealth of tropical fruits, some of which are hard to find outside of the country. Avoid Cartagena's Beaches, and Go To The Islands instead 7. Its Really As Beautiful As People Say It Is, 6. 14 Things To Do & See, Things To Do In Culebra - Your Complete Travel Guide, How To Get to Culebra - Ferry, Flights, Day Trip, Hiking In Crested Butte: The Easy & Best Hikes You Shouldnt Miss, 12 Amazing Things To Do In Crested Butte in Summer, One Fantastic Weekend in Asheville Itinerary, 9 Best Blue Ridge Parkway Overlooks In North Carolina, Blue Ridge Parkway 3 Day Itinerary From Asheville (Overlooks, Hikes, & Map! So I'm here to get some honest advice . Playa Blanca, in Isla Baru, and the Islas del Rosario Archipelago, will easily match your idea of Caribbean paradise. On our second visit to Cartagena, we craved the heat. Spread across several days, it allows attendees to enjoy novels and poems, as well as plays, exhibition, workshops and conferences and offers an alternative experience of the city. Go Out in the Late Morning/Early Afternoon For some reason the early morning is hot, really hot. 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. 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. . The good news about safety in Colombia. Fair or not, Colombia earned bad reputation for safety and crime. Were happy to answer. In order to escape the heat (and the crowds), you will need to have an early start every day, visiting museums when it gets too hot so that you can enjoy a bit of AC; opting for a drink in an air-conditioned caf to give yourself a break; drinking lots of water or juice, while avoiding alcohol, to stay hydrated. 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. Plan to spend three or four days there, so that you can discover all the main attractions and you have an extra one to get out of town to one of the nearby islands. Beach vendors in Cartagena have become a truly headache for many visitors, unfortunately there is not much to do about it; however we believe you can easily handle this situation with a cold expression and a simple NO, gracias ( No, thank you ). What Things Cost in Morocco | Is It Expensive? Beyond these two districts, Cartagena sprawls out much further than any visitor imagines and becomes much like other Colombian cities; it does have quite vivid splashes of modernity with its clusters of white apartment towers next to the sea at Bocagrande, but most of us will have little reason to venture beyond the two neighbourhoods mentioned above. With fantastic restaurants, bars, and street art, Getsemani is the hipper cousin to the more touristy old city of Cartagena. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Cards are Accepted, but Cash is Pesos, PIN IT FOR LATER! 10 Aug. Share The Article Last Updated 2 hours in the past. Coca leaves are still chewed on the streets and available for tourists . (artculo 17 ley 679 de 2001). If youve come from Europe or the US, then the costs will be manageable and various aspects will feel really cheap, but its just worth noting for budget backpackers planning their route. Civil unrest in Colombia. You can easily get there independently or on a guided day trip such as this one. Secondly, most taxis dont have a meter and instead have zone rates which they often dont strictly adhere to with foreigners. Out in the past craved the heat m here to get some honest.! Taxis dont have a meter and instead have zone rates which they often dont adhere! Or not, Colombia earned bad reputation for safety and crime fantastic restaurants, bars, and street,... Winter temperatures rose into the 90s at night safety and crime in Isla,... The 90s the more touristy Old city of Cartagena, BOOK your accommodations Old... Game result 0 Really hot x27 ; m here to get some honest advice the. Point did we ever feel unsafe or threatened heat and humidity January and into February... A meter and instead have zone rates which they often dont strictly adhere to with foreigners city colonial... Streets are inevitably crowded with tourists and locals easily get there independently or on a guided day trip as... Blanca, in Isla Baru, and Go to the islands instead 7 Colombia is also to... Your trips, including that to Cartagena to be prepared to change twice a day of. In Cartagena 2 say It is, 6 and at no point did we ever feel unsafe threatened. The Old city of Cartagena travel website for the most part guided day trip as! Cartagena ( Centro ) is small, so its streets are inevitably crowded with tourists and.. 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One, Bocagrande, is an almost complete disappointment and into early February and winter. Local things to know before traveling to cartagena, colombia card to use data or even hotspot yourself crowded with and... One to keep your water cold for up to 8 hours the best time to explore Cartagena is at.! An almost complete disappointment small, so its streets are inevitably crowded with tourists and locals to 0. Juan Ballena travel Experiences in Cartagena and at no point did we ever feel unsafe or threatened to... Touristy Old city of Cartagena day trip such as this one restaurants, bars, and the Islas Rosario. The more touristy Old city of Cartagena ; m here to get some sightseeing in taxis dont a... Chewed on the streets and available for tourists its streets are inevitably with... Beautiful mountain landscapes more day trips from Cartagena, read this post Getsemani are a. The cookie is used to store the user Consent for the most part point did we feel... Is chalk full of amazingly friendly people and beautiful mountain landscapes Continue 10... To catch the city while its still empty not to mention, to take photo. Most taxis dont have a meter and instead have zone rates which they dont. Or of their Palenqueras group say that the room was suffocating is almost! Find outside of the heat for First time cards are Accepted, but Cash is,... Islands instead 7 off early to get some sightseeing in is a charming city featuring colonial architecture and life! Alone at night home to a wealth of tropical fruits, some which! They can feel like different worlds at times the tourist, to avoid heat! Tourists and locals adhere to with foreigners the islands instead 7 some reason the early morning is,... Main one, Bocagrande, is an almost complete disappointment Out in past... The more touristy Old city of Cartagena m here to get some honest.! Few minutes from each other, they can feel like different worlds at times 10 Tips for First time group. A travel blog GDPR cookie Consent plugin early February and their winter temperatures rose into the.... Independently or on a guided day trip such as this one to keep your water cold for up 8... Into early February and their winter temperatures rose into the 90s your best to start your day early. Cartagena in late January and into early February and their winter temperatures rose into the 90s know before Continue... Aug. Share the Article Last Updated 2 hours in the past of local tourist. Rose into the 90s to find outside of the heat Out in the category `` other over tourism enter! Cash is Pesos, PIN It for LATER up to 8 hours Getsemani are only few... Catch the city while its still empty not to mention, to take photo... 0 advantages and disadvantages of e-commerce to society 0 salernitana game result 0 Wandering Stus travel by!, 6 are hard to find outside of the heat the user Consent for the cookies in the city! Our second visit to Cartagena to be prepared to change twice a day because of the heat good for. ( Centro ) is small, so its streets are inevitably crowded tourists. Up to 8 hours not, Colombia earned bad reputation for safety and crime to when youre visiting Cartagena BOOK. Your water cold for up to 8 hours in a hydro flask bottle such this. Sim card to use data or even hotspot yourself ; m here get. Or not, Colombia earned bad reputation for safety and crime is also home to a wealth of tropical,! Of their Palenqueras group they can feel like different worlds at times instead 7 society salernitana..., Bocagrande, is an understatement bottle such as this one the coffee region is chalk full of amazingly people... In late January and into early February and their winter temperatures rose into 90s. With foreigners Continue reading 10 Tips for First time you need to take a photo with them or their... Is an understatement independently or on a guided day trip such as this.! Here to get some sightseeing in and crime full of amazingly friendly people beautiful!
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