I was so in awe of the charm of Cartagena, Colombia, and its people that I didn’t want to leave. There is so much to love about this town, from its rich African history to its amazing seafood cuisines. This trip was for my boyfriend’s golden birthday. I wanted to do something special for him, so I gifted him this 5-day trip to Cartagena, Colombia. Traveling is definitely a love language. Make sure to read this post before going to Cartagena.
Lodging
We stayed at Bastión Luxury Hotel for the entirety of our vacation and I cannot say enough good things about this hotel! We will definitely stay there again upon return. It’s a boutique hotel. I love boutique hotels because the service and hospitality are unmatched; that’s exactly what you’ll get at Bastión. We grew to know the staff on a first-name basis. Ana, Argenith, Remberto, and Jorge all made our stay amazing. They truly went out of their way to ensure our comfort, they wouldn’t even let me open my own umbrella! LOL, they were literally always at our service. The hotel’s design and architecture are beautiful, the beds super comfortable, the rooftop pool/views amazing, and the food delicious! Breakfast was included in our stay. We ended up spending a lot more time at the hotel than we anticipated because the Cartagena heat/sun was intolerable. We racked up a hefty bill by the end of our stay, but considering all we drank and ate, it was very reasonable. When we missed our flight and returned to the hotel, the owner felt bad for us and upgraded us to a deluxe room for the price of a standard room which was so sweet. They really took care of us here, I highly recommend.
Day 1
We got to the hotel around 3 PM and decided to take it easy after a long day of travel. We had a late lunch at the restaurant inside our hotel, El Gobernador. The food was delicious! Next, we walked around la Cuidad Amurallada (the walled city aka old Cartagena) exploring our surroundings before heading back to our hotel for cocktails on the rooftop.
Day 2
We spent our second day island hopping! Cartagena is on the Caribbean side of South America, so they have beautiful islands 30-40 minutes away via boat. The islands have white sand beaches and crystal-clear blue waters. We rented a private boat via Luxury Boats from 9-5 PM. Included in our $500 fee were two bilingual captains, an ice cooler, gas, taxes, and fees. Juan, the owner, was our captain. He was great to work with while I was planning the trip from the U.S. A $250 deposit is required before booking (paid via Zelle) and the other half due on the day of. We brought our own booze on the boat which we bought from a nearby supermarket. I highly recommend Luxury Boats, to contact Juan, text, or call him, on WhatsApp at +57 3207818467.
Juan brought us to three different islands: Islas Rosario, Playa Agua Azul, and Cholón Island. We spent the most time on Cholón Island because it is a party island. Essentially all the boats line up blasting their music while everyone hops out and swims nearby. There are huts inside the water with tables you can chill at to eat and drink. You’ll have a waiter that’ll take care of you while you’re there. They also have banana boats and jet skis you can ride for a fee.
We went on a Tuesday afternoon and it was pretty lit. It tends to get wilder Friday-Sunday. Beware of the vendors on the island. They get annoying trying to sell you things straight off the boat. Prepare to say no a million times. BEWARE OF THE CARTAGENA SUN! Apply and re-apply sunscreen hourly. The sun is brutal out there, especially during the summer months.
Following this long and fun day on the islands. We went back to the hotel and hurried up for our 6:30 PM dinner reservations at Alma Restaurant.
Day 3
This was my favorite part of the trip. We did a cultural tour of Palenque through Experience Real Cartagena, a Black-owned tourist company. They are very intentional about highlighting the history and many contributions of Afro-Colombians in Cartagena. The Palenque Tour cost $100 and included transportation and lunch. It was 9 AM to 4 PM.
Palenque is a small village about 2 hours away deep in the mountains. It was the first freed town in the Americas. Today, Palenque is its own jurisdiction and isn’t under Colombian control. Palenqueros have their own laws, constitution, flag, anthem, police, and language. Their flag is black, blue, and green: Black represents their Blackness, blue the rivers that flow through the village, and green for the mountains that surround them. Additionally, Palenqueros have their own natural approach to medicine, believing that holistic health is best. Palenqueros speak Bantu, a mixture of Spanish, French, and Portuguese. In Palenque, they call themselves small Africa. They practice Santeria and only teach Black history in their schools.
After seeing a dance ceremony, learning to play the drums, and dancing with performers, we went over to the aunty of the village who is known in the village to make candy. We drove throughout the village learning more history about Palenque and their struggle for freedom. Next, we left for lunch and returned to Cartagena. This experience was like no other.
It was meaningful for me to have learned so much about their rich culture, but also connect with my brothers and sisters of the diaspora. I love exploring countries of the diaspora, especially in Latin America, and discovering small towns that are proud of their African roots and still honor their culture today.
We ended our night with dinner at Cuzco.
Day 4
We planned to return to the islands on the fourth day of our trip. This time we would spend the day at Blue Apple Beach Resort. They scheduled our roundtrip transportation which you could book through their website. You can rent beach loungers and towels while there, but can’t bring outside food and drinks as it’s expected you eat at their restaurants. I heard their food is great! Unfortunately, I was in pain from my sunburn so we had to cancel our trip. Next, we tried to walk around the city, but again it was too hot, so we opted to return to the hotel and hang by the pool until the sun went down. Finally, we ended the night listening to Salsa at Cafe Havana (a great spot for live music, cocktails, and food) then had dinner at our hotel again at El Gobernador.
Day 5 & 6
We were originally supposed to leave on this day. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 3 PM, so we needed to be at the airport at 1 PM. We spent the morning lounging by the pool, walking around the town, and getting lunch at La Cevicheria (highly recommend!). Long story short, get to the airport 3 hours early or you’ll miss your flight. Since we missed our flight, we went back to our hotel and chilled by the pool. We did some heavy drinking and ordered room service for dinner.
On day 6, our accidental final day in Cartagena, we spent the morning walking around one last time buying souvenirs. We left to the airport super early this time LOL.
Admittedly, we didn’t get to do nearly half the things I had planned on the itinerary! It was difficult to pack our days with activities knowing we had an 8 PM daily curfew. Despite this, we still enjoyed our time in Cartagena. We are looking forward to returning soon, during the fall/winter months, exploring Cartagena some more, as well as other Colombian cities. Below are some recommendations of things to do in Cartagena.
Things to do in Cartagena, Colombia:
- Walk and take pictures at the wall
- Watch the sunset from the wall or at Café Del Mar
- Visit Blue Apple Beach Club
- Stroll through Getsemani (used to be the ghetto now a frequented section of Cartagena known for its graffiti art)
- Grab drinks/day pass to Movich Hotel (best views of Cartagena)
- Islands: Playa Azul, Playa Blanca, Playa Tierra Bomba
- Volcano Mud Bath (book through Experience Real Cartagena)
Restaurants in Cartagena, Colombia:
- Alma – this restaurant is inside Casa de Augustin, the most beautiful hotel in Cartagena architecturally. The food was delicious!
- Cuzco – great seafood cuisine and known for their live music
- Don Juan – also known for their live music
- La Havana – highly recommend, I almost thought I was in Cuba! Great live music and people dancing.
- Maria Bonita – Mexican food
- Restaurant 1621 – this was closed due to construction while we were in Cartagena, it’s inside the Sofitel and had great reviews
- El Gobernador – highly recommend inside Bastión Luxury Hotel
- La Cevicheria – a must go for lunch!
- Vera – upscale lunch or dinner restaurant
Bars in Cartagena, Colombia:
- Unfortunately, most bars were closed due to the curfew while we were there so we didn’t experience any, but the ones below came highly recommended: Alquimico (3-story bar), La Baron, and Town House.
Shop all of my Cartagena looks below:
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