Cartagena is the most-visited city in Colombia and the one visitors understand least, because the walled city is a stage set and the real town starts outside it. Forum questions are always the same four. Here is where each gets a good answer.
The forums, compared#
| Forum | Who answers | Best for | Weak at |
|---|---|---|---|
| TripAdvisor Cartagena forum | Visitors, some hotel and tour people | Hotels, Rosario Islands and Barú logistics, airport transfers, walled city vs Getsemaní | Prices locals pay; safety nuance |
| The Cartagena subreddit | Visitors, some residents, expats | Safety, hustlers, what things cost, the honest view of the beaches | Small; slow replies |
| Facebook groups | Expats and long-stayers | Apartments, long stays, the weekly expat meetups | Short-trip questions |
| Roavi Community, Cartagena board | Travellers, Colombians from other cities; almost no Cartagena locals yet | A plan checked by a person; a date to meet other travellers | Small; few Cartagena residents so far |
What to ask where#
Walled city or Getsemaní, which hotel, how to get from the airport: TripAdvisor. Where to stay in Cartagena and the airport transfer guide cover the standard answers.
Is Getsemaní safe at midnight, what do the street sellers do, what should a taxi cost: the subreddit, then is Cartagena safe?
Which island trip, is the beach worth it, how much: TripAdvisor for the operators, day trips from Cartagena for the decision.
Are my dates in September a mistake, is this a fair price for a private boat, would a costeño do this: Roavi Community. The honest state of it is below.
An honest note on Roavi's Cartagena board#
Roavi lists almost no Local Friends in Cartagena yet, and the Cartagena board has a handful of threads. The Colombians who answer there live mostly in Medellín, Cali and Bogotá, and the rest are travellers who have just been. That is less than TripAdvisor's twenty years of answers, and the page would be lying to say otherwise. What it is good for now: posting your dates to find other travellers in town the same week, and checking a plan with Colombians who know the coast. Posts are also what brings the first Cartagena locals in; every city on Roavi started that way. How to meet locals in Cartagena has the ways that work today.
Before you post anywhere#
Search first. Give dates, where you are staying, budget, solo or not. The basics are here: things to do in Cartagena, Cartagena in 3 days, where locals eat, Cartagena in September, in December.
Post your Cartagena question on Roavi Community.
The most-asked question, answered: is Cartagena worth visiting?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Cartagena travel forum?
Yes. TripAdvisor's Cartagena forum is the largest, strong on hotels, islands and transfers. The Cartagena subreddit is smaller and more honest about safety and prices. Expat Facebook groups cover long stays. Roavi Community has a Cartagena board, which is small and new.Which Cartagena forum has locals answering?
Few of them. TripAdvisor is visitors and some hotel and tour people. The subreddit has some residents. Roavi Community is designed for Local Friends who live in the city to answer, but in Cartagena it has almost none listed yet; the Colombians answering there are mostly in Medellín, Cali and Bogotá.What should I ask on a Cartagena forum?
Walled city or Getsemaní for your budget and style; which island trip and what it should cost; whether a beach is worth it or you should take a boat; what the hustlers on the street will try and what to say; and whether your dates in the rainy months are a problem.Is Cartagena worth it in the rainy season?
September and October are the wettest, cheapest and emptiest; mornings are often fine and the afternoons rain hard. Good for flexible travellers on a budget, wrong for a short trip with a fixed list. Cartagena in September and Cartagena in October have the detail.