Posted in its own thread so we can point people over to it easily. Feel free to PM me with updates or suggestions.
Cartagena Mongering FAQ.
[B](1)Where should I stay in Cartagena?[/B]
The tourist zone begins in the old city, sometimes referred to as "Centro" or "Centro Historico. " It extends south into Bocagrande, then Laguito and Castillo Grande. Bocagrande is very quiet at night and a great place to get an apartment facing the beach. There is also an area caled Getsmani which is south east of the old city. It has been gentrified as well. Bocagrande is the most expensive area from what I've gathered -- despite that it is still quite cheap where you will find nice apartments for less than 90 USD a night.
[B](2)Is it a safe destination?[/B]
The tourist zone is very safe. There is a visible police presence at all times. You should exercise normal caution. Don't leave your drink unattended and be mindful of walking around drunk at night. Otherwise if you're in the old city don't leave the walls at night unless you know what you're doing.
[B](3)When should I go?[/B]
[B]High season:[/B] December to April (up until the end of Easter week called Semana Santa). Many Colombians vacation in December and January. Then come back for Easter. Expect to pay more for accomidations at this point. February and March are better high season months if you want cheaper rates.
[B]Low Season:[/B] April (right after Semana Santa) until August. The number of chicas drops drastically. Where you would encounter fifty hookers in a night you will only encounter a dozen during low season.
[B]Mid Season:[/B] Starting in August until end of November the number of hookers begins to grow. Many hookers will come during this time to save money for their holiday season. This is actually a bit of a sweet spot if you're looking to save on flights and accomidations since the rates are lower.
[B](4) Where do I find the hookers?[/B]
Unaccompanied women in the old city after 11 pm are almost always hookers. If there's a man in the group or if they're not dressed up then don't approach at all. The best times to encounter them is Thursday to Saturday night. Mondays are absolutely the worst days to go hunting for hookers. The old city is almost empty after 11 pm on a Monday.
[B]Daytime: [/B]Playa Hollywood is known for always having a few hookers who come out to sun bath. Any tout / waiter can hook you up.
[B]Tinder:[/B] many hookers advertise on tinder. Your mileage may vary as you're using the Internet.
[B]Nighttime:[/B] The southern entrance to the old city is called the Torre De Reloj (Clock tower plaza). After 10:30 pm it is ground zero for hookers. Most will do short time for 200 k.
[B]Isis:[/B] a strip club found in the old city. Usually opens around 9 pm and is staffed by 10 pm. Most expensive option. 300 k to take a girl to a local love hotel, or 700 k for all night.
[B]La Dulce Vida:[/B] A hooker bar on the same street as Isis. Chicas start showing up around 11:30 pm. Many of these chicas were probably already at the Clock Tower Plaza.
[B]Elektra:[/B] After hours club. Doesn't really get going until 3 am. Lots of hookers will go to pick up more customers.
[B]Other venues:[/B] Clubs in the old city will either tolerate hookers, or charge them a fee, or outright ban them.
[B]There is one golden rule about night time action:[/B] they will always start or end their night at the Clock Tower Plaza.
[B](5) What do hookers charge?[/B]
200 k pesos will get almost any of them for an hour or two. Some may quote 300 k. Anything more is a ripoff unless you're getting them all night. Then it's customary to pay for 2 hours (or 400 k).
[B](6) Are there brothels in Cartagena?[/B]
Brothels are found outside of the tourist area and are not recommended unless you know what you're doing. This includes strip clubs like La Isla and Pley Club. If you're reading this FAQ you are probably new to the Cartagena so do yourself a favor and don't leave the tourist zone.
[B](7) How do I exchange my money? Where do I get the best rate?[/B]
The best rate is usually from your bank. Use an ATM card (an actual bank card) without fees on international withdrawals and ALWAYS select the amount in Colombian pesos. This will give you the best rate. Your other option is to go to a currency exchange but they usually don't have the best rates. There is a currency exchange at the airport, however don't expect a good rate.
[B](8) Where can I find nice beaches or things to do during the day?[/B]
Bocagrande, Laguito and Castillo Grande all have beaches but the waters are connected to a river so it does not have that beautiful azure color you come to expect in the Caribbean.
For destinations outside the city by car, bus, or boat:
[B]Rosario Islands. [/B]Plural here. There are multiple resorts.
[B]Isla Baru:[/B] typically the destination is Playa Blanca which is a nice sandy beach with a lot of tourists and touts.
[B]Cholon:[/B] this is also in the Rosario Islands. There's no resort here. You either show up yourself in your own boat or you get a ticket on a boat that's shared by people. I've gone only with my own transportation. Cholon is party central especially later in the week (Thursday to Saturday). The only people who show up are people who want to party and have a good time. It's much more expensive.
[B]Gruta Azul:[/B] I believe this is also in Rosario and near Cholon. I don't believe anyone shows up here unless you have your own boat. VERY chill.
There are casinos, bus tours, and much more to be had. Many touts will be able to help you for a tip to arrange these things.
[B](9) Where do I find chica friendly apartments or hotels?[/B]
Most hotels will not be chica friendly. You can use love motels which charge by the hour. There are plenty of these in the old city and the chica will take you to one if you ask her. Otherwise whether its on airbnb or booking through a rental agency you need to ASK ASK ASK and make sure the rules of the building allow visitors and what the hours are for visitors. Many buildings will issue wristbands to residents so they can be easily distinguished when entering. No one here can tell you with certainty where to rent as all it takes is one person to cause a problem at a building for the rules to suddenly change.
