Apart from being known for the walled city, Cartagena adds to its charms the attractions of an intense nightlife, cultural festivals and paradisiacal beaches, making it a perfect city for sightseeing, resting, having fun, and enjoying the warm water of the Caribbean Sea. Today I am going to tell you about all these attractions that the city has, so you can discover all it has to offer.
Best Beaches in Cartagena
The city of Cartagena de Indias is not very popular for its beaches, because near the walled city you can not enjoy many places with clean sea. However, the north of the city has a very popular area for beaches called Morros. In this area of Morros there are many new and luxurious buildings that rent apartments in front of the beach. There is also a large hotel called Las Americas, which is very large and offers direct access to the sea. These beaches have warm water from the Caribbean Sea, and are generally clean beaches. The sand is usually dark, so the water doesn’t seem very clear when you go in, however, they don’t have many fish, and they don’t have sharks either, so they are pretty safe beaches for swimming. The only problem is that these beaches have a lot of people. You usually have to wake up early in high season to get a tent on the beachfront, and you will find that these are full of tourists or street vendors, which can be a bit annoying if you want to rest and relax without any interruptions.
So, if you want a little more privacy and tranquility, or crystal clear waters. I recommend you to visit some of the islands around Cartagena. Cartagena has more than 5 island complexes around it that provide more than 20 beaches to visit and enjoy. The white sand, the palm trees, the sea breeze and in some cases the coral reefs, will make you think you are in Bora Bora, or in some island paradise. The islands I recommend the most are: Tierra Bomba, Baru, San Bernardo, Rosario Islands and Cholon.
Tierra Bomba, Baru, San Bernardo
Tierra Bomba has two forts, Fort San Fernando and Fort San Jose, both were built by the Spanish to defend against pirates and are a tourist attraction today.
Baru has a great crystalline beach called Playa Blanca, it is the most popular for resting, and in San Bernardo you can go to enjoy beautiful beaches and practice water sports.
Rosario Islands
The Rosario Islands are my favorite, and are the most popular for beaches with crystal clear water, white sand, tranquility and privacy. This is a small and charming archipelago with 28 islands, which you must reach by boat. The trip takes a little less than an hour. The Rosary Islands are the best place to relax. Although snorkeling services are offered around the islands to discover the coral reefs, there are not many fish, so I do not recommend snorkeling here.
Cholon
Cholón, my last recommendation, is an island full of partying. Here you will find many boats and yachts with very loud music, and there is a beak war going on. The pico is a big speaker that is very popular on the Caribbean coast, and part of the party culture in Cartagena is to have a pico war, that is, to play the music as loud as possible on your speaker. This becomes a war when there are many people with their own music at maximum volume, and this is known as “La guerra del pico”. Cholon is not an island to relax, or to rest, because the atmosphere is heavier and it is party. However, if you want to party and music, this island is the one for you.
Island Recommendations in Cartagena
In Cartagena you can find many tourist agencies that make a tour of one or several of these islands, and you can take a tour in a big boat, sharing it with other people, or in a private boat. If you prefer to rent a private tour there is an agency called Boats for You, where you can rent and decide which islands to visit, and for how long. This option is good, because you can create your own tour depending on your tastes, and stay in one beach or another, without having to wait for the times of the shared tours. I leave you the link in the description if you prefer to visit the islands with a private tour.
If you want to enjoy the beaches to the fullest, the best time of the year to travel would be the end of November and the end of April. These months are low season, and the weather is drier and cooler due to the sea breeze, so you can enjoy more and with more privacy than in the other months of the year.
One last recommendation I can make about the beaches and bays of Cartagena is to take a cruise. Cartagena receives many cruises all year round, and although I have never taken a cruise from here, there are several that leave from Cartagena to explore the Caribbean Sea, and visit islands and cities for several days. This can be a good option if you want to spend several days at sea, and want to sail the warm waters of the Caribbean. Be sure to check prices, itineraries and destinations before your trip, so you can schedule a cruise well in advance.
Best Music Places in Cartagena
Cartagena is known for its nightlife and parties. In Cartagena there is a very popular musical genre called Champeta, which is a mix of many genres, such as reggaeton, hip hop, and upbeat music.
Discover Champeta: Cartagena’s main musical genre
Champeta is a genre that lifts your spirits, and always puts you in a party mood. It is believed that this genre was created by the slave community that went to live in Palenque, as it has a lot of afro influence and is very similar to the music you can find today in South and East Africa. Some Colombian artists that are very popular with champeta are Bazurto All Stars, Kevin Florez, and Mr Black. This genre, characteristic of Cartagena, is very difficult to dance to, but there are places where you can go to learn, or to watch others dance. Bazurto Social Club is the best place to dance champeta. Also, in this bar they make the Machacao, a variation of mojito but Cartagena style. This is my top recommendation if you are looking to party like a local, listen to local music, and get local drinks.
Discover Salsa in Cartagena
If champeta seems too difficult for you, you may prefer to go to a salsa place. Although salsa is not originally from Cartagena, it is a representative genre of Colombia and Latin American culture, so it is very popular with foreign tourists. In the walled city you will find a place called Fidel. Fidel is the best place to dance salsa in Cartagena, so if you like this genre, I recommend you to go there.
Drinks in Cartagena
Finally, if you don’t like to dance much, and you just want to go out for a drink, I recommend you to go to Getsemaní, because it is a very popular neighborhood at night. The trinidad square in Getsemaní is a very popular place among the Cartageneros to have a drink and enjoy street music. This square also has free Zumba classes on Sundays, if you want a different plan on the weekends.
Getsemaní, is a neighborhood that used to be working class, but today it is a bohemian neighborhood, full of artists and urban art. Apart from going out to party in Getsemaní, I recommend you to take a graffiti tour around the neighborhood. On the walls of Getsemaní there is history, memories and Caribbean symbols, and the different tours help you understand the hidden message of the works.
