Cartagena travel guide

The full name of Cartagena is Cartagena de Indias, a name that is quite frequently used and a reminder that the early Spanish navigators believed they had reached the Far East. It was founded by Pedro de Heredia on 13 January 1533. The core of the city was built by the Spaniards on an island separated from the mainland by marshes and lagoons close to a prominent hill, a perfect place for a harbour and, more important at the time, easy to defend against attack. Furthermore, it was close to the mouth of the Río Magdalena, the route to the interior of the continent. In 1650, the Spaniards built a connection to the river, 145 km long, known as the Canal del Dique, to allow free access for ships from the up-river ports. This waterway has been used off and on ever since, was updated in the early 19th century and it is still used, mainly by barges, today.

The great Bay of Cartagena, 15 km long and 5 km wide is protected by several low, sandy islands. There were then two approaches to it, Bocagrande, at the northern end of Tierrabomba island – this was the direct entry from the Caribbean – and Bocachica, a narrow channel to the south of the island. Bocagrande was blocked by an underwater wall after Admiral Vernon’s attack in 1741, thus leaving only one, easily protected, entrance to the approach to the harbour. The old walled city lies at the north end of the Bahía de Cartagena.

Cartagena declared its independence from Spain in 1811. A year later Bolívar used the city as a jumping-off point for his Magdalena campaign. After heroic resistance, Cartagena was retaken by the royalists under General Pablo Morillo in 1815. It was finally freed by the patriots in 1821.

The climate varies little during the year. Temperatures rise marginally when there is more frequent rain (August-November), and there can be flooding. Freak weather (as in 1999 on the fringes of the Venezuelan disaster) is very unusual. Fiestas are taken seriously in Cartagena, and if you want a quiet time you might want to avoid certain times of the year. If you want to join in, be sure to plan in advance or be prepared to struggle for accommodation and expect higher prices.

Banks

There are many ATMs, the most convenient are in the Plaza de la Aduana, where there are BBVA, Bancolombia, Davivienda and Santander offices. In Bocagrande a number of banks can be found around Av San Martín with C 8. If you are changing TCs make sure you have your passport with you or you will probably be charged the 3% tax applicable to residents. Never change money on the street in any circumstances. There are cambios in the arcade at Torre Reloj and adjoining streets which change Amex TCs; Cambiamos, Cra 2, No 1-100, Edif Seguros Bolívar, Bocagrande, T6651600; Comisiones Las Bovedas, C del Colegio, No 34-53, T6641692; Comisiones Royal, Cra 2, No 5-52, Centro Comercial Michel Center, Bocagrande, T655 1556; Western Union, Av Venezuela, No 8A-87, Edif City Bank.

Embassies and consulates

Austria, Cra 9, No 32A-50, Edif Concasa, La Matuna, T664 8490; Belgium, C 8, No 4-41, Bocagrande, T665 2741; Canada, Cra 3, No 33-08, Apto 201, C Santo Domingo, El Centro, T6647393; France, Cra 7, No 37-34, Plaza Fernández de Madrid, San Diego, T6646714; Germany, C Real, No 42-02, Ap 102, Cabrero, T6600309; Norway, C 32, No 8A-65, Edif Banco Central Hipotecario, La Matuna, T6645557; Panama, C 69, No 4-97, Crespo, T6662079; Spain, C de la Universidad, No 36-44, Centro, T6642658; Sweden, Cra 4, No 5A-19, Bocagrande, T6655832; USA, Cra 3, No 36-37, C de la Factoría, Centro, T6600415; Venezuela, Cra 3, No 8-129, Edif Centro Ejecutivo, Of 802, T6650382, Bocagrande, open to 1500, possible to get a visa the same day (US$30), you will need an onward ticket and 2 photos, but ensure you get a full visa not a 72 hrs’ transit unless that is all you need.

Immigration

DAS, just beyond Castillo San Felipe, Cra 20B, No 29-18, Plaza de la Ermita (Pie de la Popa), T6563007, helpful. DAS passport office is in C Gastelbondo, near the ramparts. Get free visa extensions here.

Internet

Camilina, C de Coliseo, No 5-52, T6646866; Conexion San Diego, C de las Bóvedas, No 39-120, T6642382; Game Over, C San Andrés, No 30-47. Language The Nueva Lengua School, www.nuevalengua. com/cartagena offers courses ranging from half-day schedules to a scheme that arranges volunteer jobs. There’s even a Spanish and dancing course.

Laundry

Chalet Suizo, Media Luna, No 10- 36, also email, information and tours arranged.

Medical services

There is a recompression chamber at the naval hospital, Bocagrande; Hospital Bocagrande, C 5/Cra 6, Bocagrande, T6655270.

Post office

In Centro, for airmail is at the Avianca office near the cathedral, Mon- Fri 0800-1830, Sat 0800-1500, and Av Lemaitre, La Matuna; Adpostal, C 32, La Matuna; Deprisa, La Matuna, C 33, No 8-20; Envia Colvanes, Av Principal del Bosque Diag 21, No 49-70.

Security

For loss of documents, etc, ask for a denuncia from the Policía-Inspección Urbana, Centro Comercial La Plazoleta, Matuna. The office is in the Pasaje leading to Av Carlos López. In Bocagrande there is a police station on Parque Flanaga.

Telephone
Next to Adpostal; long-distance phones behind this building.

Although Cartagena is Colombia’s fifth largest city, the short term visitor will not be aware of the size of the place. Beyond and behind the old walled city, Bocagrande and Manga is a large sprawling conurbation that stretches 10 km to the southeast. People have been moving in to add to the pressure on the poorer neighbourhoods as everywhere else in this part of the world, but Cartagena is a long way from the more heavily populated parts of highland Colombia, to the city’s advantage.

Local buses are crowded, slow, ramshackle but colourful, cheap and a good way to find out about the locals. As usual in Latin America, do watch your belongings. Taxis are also quite cheap and more convenient. There are no meters, journeys are calculated by zones, each zone costing about US$1.25, though the minimum fare is $2.50. Thus Bocagrande to Centro, two zones, is US$2.50. It is quite common to ask other people waiting if they would like to share, but, in any case, always agree the fare with the driver before getting in. By arrangement, taxis will wait for you if visiting more remote places. Fares go up at night.

Rafael Núñez airport is 1.5 km from the city in the Crespo district and it can be reached by local buses from Blas de Lezo, in the southwest corner of the inner wall. There is a casa de cambio, T656 4943, open Monday to Friday 0830-2030, Saturday 0830-1700 and Sunday 0830-2100. It cashes Amex TCs but not Bank of America and better rates are available in town. For tourist information, ask at the travel agent’s offices on the upper level. There is also a good self-service restaurant. A bus from the airport to Plaza San Francisco costs between US$0.60 and US$0.80, depending on whether the bus is air conditioned. A taxi to the centre is US$4 (official price). Buses and taxis for the return trip can be found on Avenida Blas de Lezo close to Puerta del Reloj. Buses can be very crowded and if you have a lot of luggage, a taxi is recommended.

The bus terminal is 30 minutes from town on the road to Barranquilla, a taxi costs US$5, or you can take the city buses to the ‘Terminal de Transportes’, from between US$0.60 and $0.80. Agree your taxi fare before you get in.

Undoubtedly, the best way to arrive is by sea and a description of the approach is given below under Background. Regular lines are at present non-existent, but what is possible is detailed on page . Cartagena is, however, popular for cruise ships and those who have their own sea transport: around 200,000 passengers pass through the docks each year. Equally, many tourists take trips to the offshore islands.

Air

Direct flights daily to major Colombian cities and to smaller places in the north of the country. International flights direct daily to Miami and Panama. From Dec to Mar flights can be overbooked and even reconfirming and turning up 2 hrs early doesn’t guarantee a seat; best not to book a seat on the last plane of the day if you can avoid it. Daily flights to all main cities and international destinations.

Airline offices

AeroRepública, Cra 6, No 8-116 (Bocagrade), T6650428; Avianca, C del Arzobispado, No 34-52, T6641729, also in Bocagrande, C 7, No 7-17, L 7, T6655727 and at the airport; CC Invercredito, Local 18, T664 9077, Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0900-1300; Copa, C Gastelbondo, No 2-95, T0180 00112672.

Bus

Colectivos for Barranquilla leave from C 70, Barrio Crespo every 2 hrs and cost US$14 and are a good option as they do a centre-to- centre service. There is a regular bus to Barranquilla, every 15 mins, 2-3 hrs, US$8, Berlina; Brasilia; Concorde; La Costeña.To Medellín, 665 km, approximately 1 every hr starting from 0530, 13-16 hrs, US$60, Brasilia; Copetran; Rápido Ochoa (slightly cheaper, recommended), book early (2 days in advance at holiday times). The road is now paved throughout, but in poor condition. To Santa Marta, 1 every hr,4 hrs, US$13.50, Berlina; Brasilia; La Costeña.

To Bogotá via Barranquilla and Bucaramanga, 16 a day, 21-28 hrs (depending on number of check-points), US$75, with Berlina; Brasilia; Concorde; Copetran; Rápido Ochoa. To Magangué on the Magdalena, US$12, 4 hrs with Brasilia. To Mompós, 0700, 12 hrs including ferry crossing from Magangué, US$17, Unitransco. To Riohacha, US$22. Bus to Maicao on Venezuelan frontier, every hour 0500-1200, 2 in the evening, 12 hrs, US$27, with Brasilia.

Car hire

Several of the bigger hotels have car rental company offices in their foyers, such as Hotel Bahía, Bocagrande, C 14, No 3-59, local 1. There are several car rental companies in Edif Torremolinos, Av San Martín: International Car Rentals, T6655399; National, T6653336; Rentacars, T6652852. At the airport, try Platinum on 2nd floor, T666 4112.

Sea

Intermittent boats go from Cartagena to Porvenir in the San Blas Islands (Panama); the journey takes about 2 days and the 1-way fare is US$350 per person, including food and 3 nights touring the San Blas archipelago. The sailboats will normally end in San Blas from which you can continue your journey by air or overland to Panama City. The skippers will help with immigration paperwork.

There are 3 boats that provide a regular service between Cartagena and San Blas. Highly recommended is Stella Luna, T312 6817833 (Colombia) or T507 67686121 (Panama), captained by Hernando Higuera, a key figure in establishing Cartagena’s sailing club, who has strong friendships with many of the indigenous Cuna of San Blas. Also try: Tango, run by French skipper David T314 558 8945 (mob) or German captain Guido T316 2436324 (mob), who also owns a backpackers’ hostel in Panama. Take your time before choosing a boat. Some captains are irresponsible and unreliable. The journey is cramped and you do not want to make it with a captain you do not get on with.

Aventure Colombia, T314 5882378 (mob), http://www.aventurecolombia.com, can provide reliable information on trustworthy boats and skippers. Also organize 8-day tours to San Blas via the Islas del Rosario, Islas de San Bernardo, Isla Fuerte and Sapzurro in the Darién, costing US$500 per person, including food.

Also try noticeboards at backpacker hotels such as Hotel Casa Viena or ask around at the Yacht Club (Club Nautico). In Panama, the only reliable information is in Porvenir.

Taking a vehicle

It is possible to ship a car from Cartagena to Panama. 3 companies that can arrange shipment of vehicles to Panama are: Agencia Internacional Ltda, Cra 2, No 9-145, Edif Nautilus, Bocagrande, T6647539, agents for King Ocean Services, 11000 NW 29 St, Suite 201, Doral, FL, T305- 591 7595, serving Cartagena, Panama and Miami; Hermann Schwyn, Edif Chambacu Business Center, Piso 6, PO Box 1626, T6503610, http://www.schwyn.com; Mundinaves, Edif City Bank, oficinas 13F y 13G, T6644188, http://www.mundinaves.com.

Note
On the street, do not be tempted by offers of jobs or passages aboard ship. Jobs should have full documentation from the Seamen’s Union office and passages should only be bought at a recognized shipping agency.

Carry your passport, or a photocopy, at all times. Failure to present it on police request can result in imprisonment and fines. Generally, the central areas are safe and friendly (although Getsemaní is less secure), but should you require the police, there is a station in Barrio Manga. Beware of drug pushers on the beaches, pickpockets in crowded areas and bag/camera snatchers on quiet Sunday mornings. At the bus station, do not be pressurized into a hotel recommendation different from your own choice.