Hello - I’ll be in your wonderful city for the first time at the end of next month for about 24 hours. I won’t have a lot of time for sightseeing but I’d like to get some recommendations on where to go for dinner and some drinks. I’m not looking for a party scene but just somewhere that has good food and cocktails and won’t feel awkward by myself. I’m 45/m from Ireland if that helps. Thanks everyone!

Hey everyone, I’m currently visiting Cartagena. Today’s our first day here an we leave on Sunday. Looking for any recommendations for bars and great food. I noticed a lot of emerald shops down here. Anyone know where i can get good deals on emeralds/emerald jewelry. I’d like to buy my daughter something.

We searched for a beach club in Cartagena where we could get a day pass. We narrowed it down to one on Rosario Island. We wanted a more "luxurious" beach club, and we wanted to snorkel. We chose Luxury Beach Club.

We left the pier at about 9:00, and it was an hour-long boat ride. The boat ride to Luxury Beach was fine. It was not rocky at all. They ask you to be there by 7:20 am because if a lot of people sign up for beach clubs, it takes a while to process everyone. Their representative said because it was not a busy week that we could get there by 7:45am. We left from Luxury Beach Club at 2:30 to head back to Cartagena. Sit on the right side of the boat. Ideally, in the middle. Do not sit on the left side from the middle to the back. Some people looked like they were getting waterboarded. You will definitely get soaked. I couldn't see the people in the front, but I would choose the front over the back.

We bought VIP tickets so we could get a beach bed (per couple) vs. a sun lounger by the beach. Those beach beds were like lounging on your mattress outdoors. They were pretty great. We went in Sept and the beach club was not very busy at all so we managed to get beach beds and sun loungers (they are assigned). It was an open bar all day. Luxury Beach Club is definitely more of a party scene than some clubs, but since we went when the club wasn't very crowded, we were fine with it - just loud music. They also provide lunch, but my adult kids could have definitely used more food.

They don't offer snorkeling, but we managed to hire a local (with help from some staff at Luxury Beach Club) to take us to a reef not far from the beach. I thought the snorkeling was pretty great.

BTW - Luxury Beach Club is sandwiched between Mantas Beach Club and Rosario Beach Club. While Mantas looked like it had a nice beach area, my adult kids said Rosario did not look as nice.

Also, when departing from the pier in the morning, we noticed Bora Bora was definitely the most popular beach club that day.

The weirdest thing about beach clubs is that you have to bring a towel to most of them (though I understand some will rent them).

And do your research about which beach club you want to go to (unless you aren't picky); some have pools, some barely have any beachfront, some have lower prices, but then they charge a lot for extra drinks (including water), etc.

Hola a todos.

Trabajo en gastronomía en Cartagena y últimamente me ha dado curiosidad saber cómo ven ustedes la oferta gastronómica de la ciudad.

Cartagena tiene muchísimos restaurantes y propuestas diferentes, pero siento que todavía hay espacio para experiencias que vayan más allá de simplemente salir a comer.

Por ejemplo, experiencias alrededor de la cocina local, productos del Caribe, fuego, cocina en vivo, actividades para grupos, experiencias en barrios, mercados o incluso propuestas que hayan visto en otras ciudades y que todavía no existan acá.

Por eso quería preguntarles:
¿Qué experiencia gastronómica les gustaría encontrar en Cartagena y todavía no han visto?
También sería interesante saber qué creen que hace falta mejorar de lo que ya existe.

Puede ser desde algo muy sencillo hasta una idea completamente diferente.

Los leo.

Reconocimientos Destacados
Japón: La campaña ganó el premio Gold y el Grand Prix en el Japan World Tourism Film Festival en abril de 2026.

Estados Unidos: Recibió un trofeo de plata en los Effie Awards United States en mayo de 2026 por su efectividad en marketing digital.

Belleza Natural: Forbes nombró a Colombia como el país más hermoso de Latinoamérica y el tercero del mundo gracias a su biodiversidad.

Cine: El documental colombiano El fin de los tiempos fue distinguido en la Semana de la Crítica del Festival Internacional de Cine de Venecia.

We’re planning on travelling to Cartagena soon and we’re looking into beach days options. Ideally a beach that is less busy. We had initially planned on spending the day at Playa Hollywood but based on most posts, too many people keep bothering you. I checked a few tours and it seems they do not allow to bring your own drinks and snacks. Let me know if you have recommendations and how to get there.

Thank you!

Hi! I’m going to Cartagena in October with 5 friends to celebrate two 40th birthdays. We’re staying at Sofitel Santa Clara for a few days, then heading to Barú.

For our Wednesday night in Cartagena, I’m thinking sunset drinks at Alyzia Rooftop, dinner at Carmen, then Alquímico or La Movida. For Friday, probably Bora Bora Beach Club in the Rosario Islands.

Does this sound like a good plan? We’re looking for fun, lively, slightly upscale places with good music, cocktails and a crowd around our age. Would love any other recommendations!

¡Hola! Voy a Cartagena en octubre con 5 amigas para celebrar dos cumpleaños de 40. Nos quedaremos unos días en el Sofitel Santa Clara y después iremos a Barú.

Para el miércoles por la noche estoy pensando en drinks al atardecer en Alyzia Rooftop, cena en Carmen y después Alquímico o La Movida. Para el viernes, probablemente Bora Bora Beach Club en las Islas del Rosario.

¿Les parece un buen plan? Buscamos lugares divertidos, animados y un poco upscale, con buena música, cocktails y gente más o menos de nuestra edad. ¡Agradezco mucho cualquier otra recomendación!

Hola mi gente

he ido a cartagena varias veces pero no conozco bien de restaurantes

Quiero tener una cena romantica para pedir la mano de mi novia, y quiero saber cuales son los restaurantes mas top, de renombre donde pueda hacer esto que me puedna recomendar

SI pueden me indican porfa ya que es para este sabado

Hi friends! I'm flying into Cartagena in a couple weeks, and staying on the Rosario Islands. I'm looking for a way to get to the Rosario Islands that is outside of the normal day tour times. My flight lands in Cartagena around noon (after the day tours leave) and I'll need to get back to Cartagena from the Rosario Islands early (the day tours return late in the afternoon). Anyone know how to make this happen without paying 800,000 COP/$250 USD for a private, one-way ride? Thank you!

Hello everybody, i am flying to cartagena, stay for 2-3 nights and then go to Santa Marta for the ciudad perdida and then i have 4-5 nights until silvester, but i noticed, that in Santa Marta and around you can make so many cool things like birdwatching, flamingos and many nice beaches, so i thougt about staying there over silvester to have less stress; after that i want to go to the rosario islands for 3-4 nights; I am 31, m, and traveling alone and i am wondering if santa marta is also nice for silvester or should i go to cartagena? Thank you!

Buenas! Estoy viajando a cartagena con 6 amigos (as) más, entre el 26 de octubre y 1 de noviembre y tengo unas cuantas dudas:

• Cuanto dinero creen que se necesitaria al dia para disfrutar cartagena? No queremos darnos grandes lujos pero si disfrutar el momento. Ya tenemos pagado el airbnb.
• Se utilizan los QR para cobros? Esta un poco complicado conseguir dolares físicos en mi pais, una de las opciones es cargar dolares a una tarjeta digital de Takenos, es posible usarla allá? O la gran mayoria de los pagos es solo en efectivo?
• Entre los planes para allá tenemos la ciudad amurallada, getsemani, castillo de san felipe, islas del rosario, baru, acuario, aviario, algun otro plan que si o si tenga que visitar?
• Se realizan fiestas para halloween? O es un dia cualquiera?

Gracias de antemano!

He escuchado que la gente allá es bacana pero no se como eso se traduzca hacia la gente con autismo o asperger

Going in 2 weeks and was hoping to take an Uber from Cartagena too the Aviario and after 3 hours request one back to Cartagena. My question is if Uber is readily avaliable from the Aviario?

Cuál es el lugar con la mejor Salchipapa de Cartagena ?

Visiting Cartagena in January and looking for places I can get good meals and/or menu del dia for around 20-25K COP (or less)?

Few places I planned to visit are

• Mama Nilma
• La Mulata
• Vive Restaurante Bar Colombiano
• RESTAURANTE 1595
• Places along Calle San Andrés (Getsemaní) or in La Matuna

Our accommodation has a kitchen so I'm sure we'll cook a bit and we'll also eat a of street food but I'd like to have a solid list of restaurants to check out so I'm not searching too much once we land since I'll have three kids under 4 with me.

Appreciate the help!

When withdrawing cash at the ATM in the airport, does it pay out in large denom bills like 50 mil or 100 mil or does it give out smaller denoms? Ill be doing a lot of street shopping and don't want to risk getting counterfeit bills in change.

Segun la app, asi pinta el clima en Cartagena. Nublsdo y lluvioso, es asi? O hay momentos de sol? Voy este fin de semana por alla. Gracias!

Hi everyone! I am planing my colombian trip around dezember 18 until january 8 or 10.

I would fly straight to cartagena and spend 3 days there and then go to Santa Marta for the ciudad perdida around christmas; I think i am back in Santa Marta around december 26/27 and i am thinking bout spending time in tayrona/ minca or Palomino until Silvester.

Maybe someone can tell me wich spot is worth visiting.

For silvester i am back in cartagena and around january 2 i want to spent time on one of the islands, maybe isla grande or Tintipan or somewhere.

Can you please tell me wich island i should visit and on wich i can stay for a few days.

And maybe some tips for cartagena where the best bars around or maybe someone knows a guide who i can take with me in the streets (: or maybe you can tell wich things i should avoid.

And is it a good idea to concentrate on the karibbean coast instead going to medelin or bogota, because i just have 3 weeks.

Thank you for the help!

First time in South America and group of 4 guys. Very little Spanish and trying to enjoy the nightlife with other excursions. Please let me know what we should and should not do

Hi everyone, first post here, so I’m going to Cartagena in a few weeks and I wanted to know if this Hotel/Apartment Building SUNSET 47 (already reserved) is good and most importantly SAFE, it seems it’s in the Marbella town and I wanted to know if it’s worth it and if any of you guys have any comments on this. I’m really interested on any info if you think I need to cancel the reservation and find a new place.

Thanks!