Do's and Don'ts in Cartagena // Colombia Travel Vlog

There are so many do's and don'ts in Cartagena Colombia and in this video we share the biggest ones with you! Cartagena is one of Colombia's most popular travel destinations for both foreign and local tourists, and that also means it is full of scams that you will want to avoid. There will also be tons of awesome things you will want to do during your time in Cartagena because it is a beautiful coastal city!

Some of the don'ts that we suggest you avoid (unless you are ready to pay) are taking videos of the rappers on the streets, taking pictures of the women with baskets of fruit on their heads (Palenqueras), and not being firm with the people giving massages on the beach who will start massaging you without asking! You may have to be firm because these folks know how to make a buck, but that is all part of the travel experience :)

Some of the many do's of Cartagena include seeing San Felipe Castle in the morning, visiting the beaches (maybe Playa Blanca and the Rosario Islands are better choices than Bocagrande), grabbing a drink from a street cendor near Cafe del Mar, walking around Getsemani, and shopping in El Centro. Cartagena is a beautiful coastal town with lots to offer tourists, but we would suggest learning about the scams and tourist traps before your visit!

== Connect with us! ==
♥ Instagram: @nicoleandmico_

== OUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL GEAR ==

*Some of the links above are affiliate links and we may get a small commission at no cost to you if you choose to use a link to purchase a product!

== Chapters ==
00:00 The don'ts of Cartagena
00:27 El Centro (the centre)
01:04 Relentless rappers!
02:45 San Felipe Castle with epic views (if it weren't raining)
05:30 Cartagena at night time
06:13 Playa de Bocagrande (is it any good?)
08:14 Who's touching your feet?
10:05 Getsemani; the hipster neighbourhood
10:34 Photos with the fruit ladies
11:10 Cafe del Mar and the city walls
12:20 Bloopers

#colombia #travelcolombia #southamerica #cartagena

======================

Hey there! We are Nicole and Mico, full-time travel vloggers searching for adventures all around the globe. In March 2021 we quit our jobs, sold our belongings, and hopped on our first ever one-way flight leaving our home country #Canada. We believe #travel builds understanding that reaches across culture, language, and boundaries, and we want to share our experiences as we create connections all over the world. If you like learning about unique places, new cultures and different foods, then come follow our adventure as we explore all our beautiful planet has to offer.

[mariamusicmaria]

This was very helpful. Most videos I’ve seen about Cartagena are men talking about the partying and women. Your content was more on the level that I’m interested in. I’m going on my first solo trip and I’m excited. I did enjoy your vlog. Thanks!

[zakk]

I'm from Cartagena, I can say that everything you said is 100% legit

I am proud that you guys as tourists can enjoy the good side of the city and share these great experiences

[BklynFlgirl]

We went to Isle Baru and it was the most beautiful beach especially the warm blue clear waters. It’s worth the trip. Thanks for the video

[veetour]

Even with the not so great things that happen during your travels, you both seem to have a good time. This shows that it’s not where you travel, it’s who you travel with.

[jfrunn]

Did you go to Sierra La Popa? That is the best view of Cartagena. DO go to Playa Bocagrande, however once there, take a water taxi to Isla Tierra Bomba, book a hotel for the night and enjoy the beaches there, which are less busy, I would suggest this over going to Playa Blanca, Playa Blanca can be just as busy as Boca Grande and is very touristy, also seeing Cartagena lit up at night from the Island is beautiful. I consider myself Costeno by heritage and spend a lot of time in Cartagena as it is generally my entry point to the country.

[WiestTravel]

I'm going mid September i really enjoyed this video a lot! Thanks for the tips!!

[JohnS_Unruh]

The best way to say no to vendors is to smile, say "gracias!" and then walk away or ignore them.

[sirsmith]

Very good tips for everywhere! I don’t smile, engage, or speak. I act the way I act in the States (East Coast), I don’t talk to strangers or sketchy people.

[MarshallandSabrina]

Such a great video!! We always try to become aware of the scams in the places we’re visiting, so thank you for helping us get there with Cartagena 😊

[ciwane]

Good video! The city is just beautiful. The weather looks good over there. It's good city to visit. Thank you for sharing. I watch your video from Canada. 🍁

[Ubo]

Nice video!! May I know which month you guys went there? Do you know if mid-November is usually still rainy?

[lionellizaire]

BRAVO NICOLE AND MICO votre vidéo est très instructive un GROS MERCI pour ces bons renseignements !!!

[marsdoria]

From what I've learned, many countries take down their flags by sunset because flags are displayed when there's adequate light. It has something to do with flags as a symbol of a country and displaying it in the dark is disrespectful or bad luck or something.

I've seen flags being raised at sunrise and taken down by sunset when I visited countries like USA, Greece, France, Philippines, etc...

Anyway, me, my family, and my close friends are now making plans to go to Peru after watching your videos. Thanks for the inspiration!

[armenstaubach]

Was a great video, thanks guys.. I’m going there this week, hopefully I’ll enjoy it like you guys

[dominickgrasso]

Thank you for this! My friend and I are going to an Air BnB along Bocagrande & we have very little to no Spanish speaking capabilities. We love going out and partying, but it seems we should really try to control ourselves just in case with other videos I’ve seen.

Any additional advice on bars, drinking, things to look out for would be great! Thank you for shedding light on the positives of Cartagena as well! 😊 I know a friend of a friend that lives there, so hopefully as a local we can have a great time with him!

[carmenrivera-slui]

cute video ty for sharing talk about having fun under the rain lol you made the best of it

[inea-fijourney]

I love these kind of videos too. helps not make the same mistakes.

[photoholic]

I appreciate the video and i think everyone needs to know the info you mentioned in the video. Unfortunately, i didnt see anything that made me say, wow....i really need to go there asap. I like feeling safe walking around at night and i prefer not being hassled by vendors every few steps. Plus, it just doesnt look like there is a lot to see or do. I think the question is: would you go back?

[OlutosinOduwole-gzoi]

the other beaches may be better but they aren't just further out from the city, you have to take boats to get there and then you are stuck there until its time to leave. Its not a quick process. And if you cant stomach waves then dont go because the ride back is definitely a rough scary ride as the waves toss the boast around quite a bit. I have footage lol. Bocagrande and La guito beaches are great and you can easily come and go as you want. The activity on the beach is great for people watching and meeting people. I always meet someone new on the beach in boca and la guito. Its definitely not a terrible beach, I actually recommend it before you go the islands.

[havehatwilltravel]

Thanks for the tips. We will be there in December. Travel well!