🇨🇴 Cartagena Travel Guide: A Taste of the Caribbean

A blissfully laid-back Caribbean gem 🌴—even in rainy season, I caught one of the most stunning sunsets over the Caribbean Sea! Day 1⃣️: Arrival Flew from Medellín (just 1 hour ✈️) to Cartagena's tiny airport. Landed at 9 PM and checked into a beachfront Airbnb just outside the Old Town—steps from the sand! 🏖️ Day 2⃣️: Old Town Wanderlust Cartagena’s colonial charm is next-level! Think pastel houses, cobbled streets, and Spanish-era churches ⛪. Shopped at adorable boutiques (so many decor/clothing gems—wish I had extra luggage space! 🧳). Highlights: Gabriel García Márquez’s fave café ☕ (where he wrote Love in the Time of Cholera). Pro tip: Double-check your coffee order—my "hot mocha" came iced (and twice the price 😅). ALQUÍMICO Bar 🍸 (9 globally, 1 in South America!). Got invited by locals but missed it (next time!). La Serrezuela Mall 🏟️ (a converted bullring—great photo op!). Nearby: Éxito supermarket for snacks. Bonus: Joined locals cheering for Colombia’s football match ⚽—pure serendipity! Day 3⃣️: Island Hopping Adventure 🚤 5-island tour (7:30 AM pickup, 1.5 hrs to pier): Open bar 🍻 (water, beer, liquor, soda) + bathroom onboard. Island 1: Snorkeling/swimming 🤿 Island 2: Passed a historic castle 🏰 (no stop). Island 3: Lunch spot 🍽️ + resort access. Island 4: Party zone! 🎉 (pricey water sports; free octopus ceviche). Island 5: Swim/shop/massage 💆♀️ (overpriced—we just dipped in the sea). Day 4⃣️: Beach + Local Vibes Watched Disney in Spanish 🎬 (surprise language immersion!). Sunset swim at the public beach 🌅—Caribbean skies delivered! Got asked for photos like a minor celeb 😂. Day 5⃣️: Adiós, Cartagena! Early flight to Bogotá ✈️ (first time in the capital!), then onward to Panama City. Colombia, you were incredible! #Cartagena #Colombia #CaribbeanVibes #TravelDiaries #HiddenGems