Top 7 Things to Do in Cartagena, Colombia
My name is Mishana Sturdivant and I own Tad Bit Rad Travels. The purpose of this blog is to share tips, tricks, and recommendations to empower my readers to travel efficiently and unapologetically. Here are my recommendations for the best activities in Cartagena, Colombia focusing on beaches, culture, and nightlife.
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Cartagena, Colombia stole my heart. It’s a popular destination for a reason. The locals are friendly, the colorful colonial-styled buildings tell their own story, and the walled city is walkable and comes alive at night. Many travelers visit Cartagena either as part of a group or solo. I traveled with a group and would highly recommend it to enjoy the nightlife. Here are my top 7 things to do in Cartagena, Colombia. Some of these activities are popular, so I will share recommendations to help you be fully prepared and avoid scams and tourist traps.
Rum Tasting at El Arsenal: The Rum Box
Starting strong with a rum tour, I visited "El Arsenal: the Rum Box" for their rum tasting and it was one of my favorite activities while in Cartagena. With our group of ten people, we had an intimate tasting and tried several different rums. The rum was paired with Colombian chocolate and savory treats, and we learned about the Colombian rum-making process. El Arsenal also has a restaurant across the street that serves delicious food that was perfect after the tasting. This was the ideal activity to set the tone for our trip. It didn’t require too much planning and was chill.
Walking tour around Palenque
No visit to Cartagena is complete without a day trip to Palenque. It’s on everyone’s list for a reason. This is a full-day excursion. You spend the entire day visiting America's first town for freed blacks. We received an herbal lesson, a dance performance from the town's children, a walking tour around the community, and a history lesson about the becoming of Palenque. Afterward, lunch was served. I recommend you bring cash to support the local vendors and a portable charger to keep your phone charged all day. My tour provided everything else from the transportation, the meal, and water. My tour was hosted by Travel Palenque with a local tour guide from Palenque.
Grab Coffee at Abaco Libros y café
As you are wandering the walled city, make sure you stop at Abaco Libros y café. This is a cute coffee shop and bookstore. I love to start my slow mornings with a visit to a locally owned café. This gives me a sense of the city and an opportunity to people-watch.
Delicious colombian coffee and pastries at Abaco Libros y Cafe
If you are booking a boat excursion, whether it's private or shared, you will most likely stop at Cholon. Cholon is a super popular party in the water. There are vendors with pineapples, coconuts, beer, and oysters. There’s loud music blaring. There are tables where you can order food and drinks. The water goes up to your hips. There’s so much going on here, so if it’s your preferred party scene, I would recommend it. This is something you enjoy when you’re drinking because you’re so busy partying, you don’t notice how murky the water is. If you prefer a more luxurious party scene, go to #5.
Partying at Cholon
Visit a luxury beach club
If you prefer to party on the beach with a private cabana or prefer bluer and clearer water, I recommend visiting a beach club instead of Cholon. You can request it during your private charter or just book transportation directly to the beach club.
Some beach club packages include transportation and a drink upon arrival. There are also islands around Cartagena that are only accessible by boat. Here are my recommendations for both:
Beach Clubs:
- Amare Cartagena (includes day passes with transportation included)
- Bora Bora Beach Club (includes day passes with transportation included)
Boat accessible Islands:
- La Rosalia Islands – boat transportation required
- Tierra Bomba – boat transportation required
- Isla Baru (here’s a tour that includes all three islands!)
Enjoy the nightlife, starting at the Alquimico rooftop
Nightlife in Cartagena is super fun once you get over the men catcalling in the streets or the men following you while giving you a rap performance. Just politely decline or ignore, whichever is your style, and head to the Alquimico rooftop. This bar is three stories, with three different DJs and a fun rooftop vibe. After you leave Alquimico, visit Delirium for hip-hop and rap music and Monkey Bar.
Exploring Getsemani neighborhood
Wandering the city, starting in Getsemani, and ending in the Walled City
One of my favorite thing to do in any city is wander the city center on foot. This is where I stop in a coffee shop to people-watch, or visit the local markets, or find a lunch spot that I can’t find scrolling on Google. Getsemani is a great place to start if you want pictures under the umbrellas. The area also has many bars and shops. After you leave Getsemani, go to the city center and stop by the Castle San Felipe de Barajas.
This list includes my favorite things that I did while in Cartagena, Colombia. As you may have noticed, I did not mention the mud bath at the El Totumo volcano or the pink lake. Book those experiences at your own risk. The pink lake is seasonal and many people stop by as they are headed to El Totumo. I passed on these experiences since they felt like tourist traps and money grabs from other reviewers. If you want to see for yourself, book from reputable tour guides such as Viator, (here’s a highly rated tour). They have positive reviews and let you know what you’re getting yourself into.
Sitting through the welcome ceremony upon our arrival to Palenque
