Why Cartagena?
Several years ago on a trip to Negril Jamaica, we met a native from Cartagena. There was a language barrier but we were able to communicate in small doses. But her words to me, were “Visit Cartagena”. So because of our interaction, Colombia was now added to my bucket list of places to visit.
Since that trip, I kept hearing more people talking about visiting Cartagena or other cities in Colombia. It reminds me of when you get a new car or researching a particular car, and then you start seeing your car more and more whereas before you didn’t see it as much on the road. That’s how it was for Cartagena.
So with that, I did some research about where to stay, booked our flights and it was set. We stayed for 5 nights which we found to be our sweet spot for how long to stay. I also contacted Deimer who has a private FB group regarding tour services. It was great to have someone from Cartagena to give us tips and answer questions about anything. Check out his FB for more info.
Getting There
We flew out of Dulles (IAD) around 7am thru Atlanta (ATL) to Cartagena (CTG). Around 1:30pm we arrived in Cartagena, which is on Central Time. It was an easy flight. Just a tip, Delta counters at Dulles open up 4:30am. So if you have an International Flight leaving at 7am and they say to be there 3 hours prior; you may be waiting to check in since you have to verify your passport.
After our two flights we landed in Cartagena. The heat smacked us right in the face. I don’t know if it’s because we haven’t felt that type of heat in a while, but it was hot. I know Central America is hot, but that just hit us as soon as we stepped off the plane.
We were not the only flight that had just arrived. The customs line was long. It took about an hour once we got in line before our turn to be checked. If you are meeting people or have a ride scheduled, note that this process may be lengthy for you.
Initial thoughts
We were warned that some of the natives could be aggressive as far as offering their services. So that was not a surprise when we exited the airport while waiting for our driver. Our guide, Diemer was on his way and said on the phone “Do Not Give Them Your Bags”.
Well, it’s hard to heed that warning when so many people are speaking quickly and in a different language at you. Our guide and driver arrived to pick us up and it was still chaotic.
Some of the people at the airport grabbed our bags to put in our car (even though we had 2 people to come pick us up to do that) and they were expecting some compensation for their troubles of moving the bags 2 feet.
Something that is familiar but somewhat uncommon when we do travel to another country, is that Colombians drive on the same side of the road as the US. So if you move to this country, you will not have that hurdle to overcome.
But there are lots of bikes and small cars and the way they move throughout the roads takes some getting used to. Since we have traveled to other countries, we’ve seen this “style” of driving. Meaning, cars cut in front of you, pull out, and the sounds of small horns alerting others is constant. But I didn’t see any accidents. They just make it work.
AirBNB
We decided to do an Airbnb for our trip. One of the factors was being able to see the ocean everyday and have a balcony. Many of the hotels that were on the ocean facing side did not have balconies so we found a great Airbnb that suited us just fine.
It was in an area with multiple shops and restaurants that you could walk to easily and also visit the beach. They do make you wear a bracelet for your entire stay. If you lose it, you have to pay for a new one.
This two bedroom/two bath condo was right up our alley. It was an end unit on the 40th floor with only 5 rooms per floor. Each room had a great view of the city and the ocean. In addition, there is a reception desk to help with check-in, a taxi available outside and a pool.
The view at night was just as beautiful as the views during the day.
Here is the link to the Airbnb.
Palenque
Lately we’ve been trying to add in a cultural experience during our trips and not just have a strictly lazy/beach vacation. Because I had heard a lot of wonderful things about the Palenque tour, I booked it. However, I will typically go for vacations in warmer climates. I don’t like being cold.
Our guide Deimer (Cartagena Cheap & Safe), booked it for us with a driver. The drive was about 1 – 1.5 hours away from Cartagena into more of the country side. But it was nice to see some of the countryside away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Palenque is the first free town for Africans in the Americas. We learned about the history, culture, medical and healing practices, dances, food and more. The tour was about 3-4 hours with the option to have lunch at the end.
The Dancing
There is a school where young adults perform native dances and give a brief history of the dance. They even invite the visitors to join in towards the end. I realized my dancing skills have decreased over the last several years.
The History
Our tour guide Sofy, was amazing. She provided the history while we walked through the town and answered any questions that were presented. If you ever visit Palenque, hopefully you get Sofy.
If you wanted to take pictures with the women in the colorful dresses you could, but there was no pressure. But there was plenty of opportunity if you missed it the first time. There was also several gift shops to buy souvenirs at. And they accepted both cash and card.
Make sure you have comfortable walking shoes, sunblock, hat, water (which they provided) to have a comfortable time. The day was a bit cloudy so the heat was not as intense.
One stop was to see how traditional sweets were made and got a taste of it.
The Music
We got to see a native musician and his studio. He was also on the Tiny Desk series representing Colombia. The best part was having the visitors participate. My husband played the xylophone.
Featuring Mr. Banks.
Winding Down
As we were ending the tour, a traditional lunch was served. You could have the option of fish or chicken. Of course we went for fish. Having it served on a bamboo leaf reminded me of when were in India.
Before leaving Palenque, we captured one last picture with the women of Palenque.
Bora Bora Beach Club
Getting There
Although there was an ocean that you could go to right outside of the condo, we were told there were better beaches, but you just had to travel more of a distance to get to them. And if you did use the closer beach, only bring what you need.
From seeing the pictures, I booked the Bora Bora Beach Club for us to have some time to relax. We did the VIP section which also came with lunch and a front row cabana.
Getting there was a journey. We were dropped off at gate 3 and had to show ID. We prepaid for Bora Bora but you had to pay a port fee in cash at La Bodeguita port. Once we did that, we checked in, got our bracelets and waited for the staff to call “azul” Bora Bora since we had blue bracelets.
We all loaded into the speedboat. Let’s just say I’m glad I had my water shoes on for this. It was overcast and rainy off and on. How funny that the other days were like 90+ degrees and the day we have a beach day it’s probably low 80s, rainy and cloudy.
But our trip on the speedboat was about 45 minutes. My husband saw lightning and the rain started to come down even harder slapping us in the face. Let’s just say we were drenched by the time we got to the beach club.
The Vibe
Once we arrived we checked in and went to the dining area. They were also serving breakfast so we decided to eat because our cabana wasn’t ready yet and it was still raining. After about an hour it let up and we were able to relax in front of the ocean.
One thing to note is that there is a DJ that plays a mix of techno/Caribbean music so if you are looking for serenity and quietness, this isn’t the place for you. From the cabana you could just walk down the steps to the beach. Our VIP side was sectioned off so there was only a few people in the water on our side. The water was warm, however it was still chilly due to the sun not being out and the previous rain.
Around 12:30pm our lunch was ready and we were served the typical Colombian dish. Similar to what we had in Palenque but it was still good.
Restaurants
Overall, I was happy with all the food choices in Cartagena except for one, but that was my fault. I was tired of seafood and wanted some pizza and it was a little too cheesy for me. But everything else I enjoyed.
Morena
Morena is literally a 1-2 minute walk from the condo. That’s probably why we ate there 3 times. The food was great, the atmosphere was fun and the staff was amazing. The majority of the people basically spoke to us in Spanish. So between us pointing to the menu and speaking our broken Spanish, we made it work. I believe they appreciated the effort.
The nights we went, there was music from local musicians which was nice. I highly recommend checking it out if you visit.
Here is a little taste of the music from one of the nights.
La Brioche Bocagrande
La Brioche Bocagrande was a quaint breakfast spot about 5 minutes away from our condo. Despite our language barrier, we were able to get our order across without any issues. No complaints with the breakfast food. It seems to be very popular so try not to be in a rush if you eat there. Also, you can get their pastries to go.
Carulla Express
Right across the street from La Brioche, was the Carulla Express. This has everything you need from food and alcohol to toiletries for your Airbnb. We came here 3 times during our stay when we needed a few items.
Cande
Cande was more of an upscale restaurant with an Italian feel. It was on a recommendation list and we needed a last minute place to eat. The food was good here too, but we enjoyed a similar meal at Palenque and Bora Bora just a little more.
Things to Note
Transportation
There are plenty of options for transportation. We used a private driver for most of our stay and hopped a taxi from one of the malls within the city when we had finished dinner one night.
Communicating
Practice up on your Spanish and use your phone to translate. With the exception of a few people, the majority of the people we encountered spoke limited English or none. Both Rudy and I took Spanish in high school several years ago and that helped with simple stuff, but you just needed to know how to use other tools to communicate. It’s not like Costa Rica where when you go to restaurants in the tourists areas, there will be someone who can flip back and forth. It’s just something to consider.
Toilet Paper
I noticed this in our Airbnb, but thought it was referencing feminine products and not flushing anything down the toilet. However, we believe it meant all paper products. When I went to other restaurants i noticed similar signage. So I googled. To my surprise, they meant all paper products. Cartagena’s infrastructure is not as advanced as far as the plumbing in some areas, so the guidance is not to throw paper in the toilet.
Day/Night
With the amount of windows and views we had from the condo, you could definitely tell when morning came. Which seemed to be about 5:30-6:00am. My body was still on east coast time but it felt like sleeping in was not happening. The rooms had automatic blinds but I enjoyed being able to see the sun in the morning and set in the evening. On the flip side, around 7pm, it was night. Back home it is still daylight till after 8:30pm. Just something to consider if you like to be in before it gets dark when visiting a new place.
Unemployment
Due to high unemployment, you will find people that will ask for money. We were sitting at a restaurant outside and someone approached us asking for money to help feed her baby. She even had the Similac container and everything. Even with the language barrier she got her point across. The native people are friendly, but you may be approached when you least expect it while you are dining outside.
So much to do, so little time
We didn’t do everything that was offered. On vacation our plan is to relax but take in 1 or 2 excursion type events and play the rest by ear. There is so much to see or do such Salsa classes, Mud Volcano tour, Exploring the Walled City and more. We were walking out of a restaurant in Getsemani and someone walked up to us asked if we wanted a tour with a Horse and Carriage. We declined because we were tired from the day, but that could have been a spur of the moment type of event.
Night Life for Introverts
Cartagena is also known for the night life, but I am not. We did see the imfamous Party Bus from the condo. It’s bright, flashy, and drives around in a circle it seems. There is a DJ turning up the music for all those to have a great time and dance the night away. If this is your vibe, check it out.
Money Exchange/ATM
Before the trip I exchanged money from my local bank. It took about 3 business days so I had some cash before we landed without having to go to the Exchange booth at the airport. The issue I ran into is that the bank doesn’t give you enough smaller bills. So I ended up with a lot of 20.000 and 50.000 Colombian Pesos which is equivalent to $5-$13 USD. However, that can go quickly if you don’t have any 1 mil or 5 mil Colombian Pesos on hand. I only received some back as change when we went to the La Bodeguita Port for the beach tour. And when I could, I would use my card for other purchases.
It’s a great exchange rate but if you go to fancier restaurants in the touristy area, then the prices seem comparable to the US in my opinion.
Once we started to get around I saw several Money Exchange shops, although I didn’t enter inside. Most of the time I saw them in passing while we were heading some place else.
Not all ATMs will take your card if you need to withdrawal additional money. I found two ATMs that were close by the condo and it kept erroring about “Not able to Service”, but in Spanish of course. So my driver took me to a bigger bank in town and it worked better for me. If I had smaller bills, my cash would have lasted longer.
Farewell Cartagena
Our flight out of Cartagena was around 2:15pm and we had to leave our condo by 11am. Our driver picked us up and we were on our way. Checkout was simple enough. I told them the room number and they cut the bracelet off our wrist. I know that was for safety but I was glad to have that cut off.
Arriving at the airport to leave the country was a lot less hectic than the arrival. We thanked our driver and headed to check-in. We talked with a Delta rep about the trip, checked our bags, and then headed upstairs thru security.
The Cartagena airport is pretty organized compared to other airports I’ve been to in the Caribbean. It’s also relatively small. There is a few stores and a restaurant and then a lot of seats in front of all the gates.
We did have a good time and will probably re-visit again in the future, but there are still other places to visit. If you’d like to check out our adventures with another warm destination, read about out trip to Puerto Vallarta. It’s wedding season so this may give additional ideas.
~Angela
