FAQs

Question

What's the weather like?

Answer

It's hot, hot, hot, and humid! Expect temperatures of 80-90°F every day.

Question

How do I get around?

Answer

Uber is the safest/recommended way to get around; it's about a 20 min drive from the airport to the old city. The old city is small and easily walkable.

Question

Is Cartagena safe?

Answer

Yes! El Centro Hístorico, Bocagrande, and Getsemaní are all very safe areas of town. Cartagena has a big tourism industry and the locals are friendly and used to tourists. You'll see that there are lots of high end establishments all over. However as with any city, be aware of your surroundings and as they say in Colombia, "no da papaya," meaning don't display your fanciest belongings in public.

Question

Can I get by without Spanish?

Answer

Yes, however it's good to know that English is not widely spoken. Google translate can probably meet most of your needs, and your hotel concierge can help if you run into trouble trying to book something. Key phrase: Cual es la clave del wifi? (What's the wifi password?)

Question

Is the water safe to drink?

Answer

We recommend sticking to bottled water. Locals might be used to the water, but it might not be the same coming from the U.S. While the street food is amazing, we'd recommend avoiding it for similar reasons.

Question

Where can I get my hair and makeup done?

Answer

We recommend the following beauty salons, and calling ahead to make your appointment. You may need to ask your hotel concierge to help with Spanish. Centro Histórico: Diego Moya Bocagrande (10 min uber): Portada Monica Cruz Carlos Torres Jaime Castaneda

Question

Do I need restaurant reservations?

Answer

August is not high season for tourism, but we still recommend making dinner reservations ahead of time for popular restaurants, especially for larger groups.

Question

What typical dishes should I try?

Answer

Costeño/Cartagenero food is a unique mix of Colombian, African, Indigenous, Spanish, and Arab influences. The star is arepa de huevo, a deep-fried arepa filled with egg and sometimes meat. Also try carimañola (fried yucca filled with ground meat or cheese), pargo frito (fried red snapper) with patacones and arroz de coco, cazuela de mariscos (coconut seafood stew), posta negra (beef roast), sancocho, fresh seafood, ceviche, rice dishes, empanadas, chicharrones, bollo limpio and queso costeño. Some general Colombian favorites you might see include arepa de choclo, pan de bono, pan de yuca. 🥥🥭🍍🍊🥝 Something you can't miss is the incredible variety and quality of tropical fruit, often hard to find in the U.S. Look out for lulo, corozo, mango, granadilla, uchuva, caimito, zapote, papaya, pomelo, pitaya (dragon fruit), maracuyá (passion fruit), and mango biche (green mango with salt and lime). Fresh fruit juices are popular, especially with the hot weather, and limonada de coco or limonada de hierbabuena (mint lemonade) are also amazing. Favorite desserts include enyucado, tres leches, cocada (coconut candy), and anything with arequipe (like dulce de leche). There's an excellent cocktail scene with lots of interesting ingredients from all over Colombia, and because of more proximity to Chile/Argentina you can try some great wines from there.