Cartagena Reports

[Nomars777]

Cartagena is on my list of next places to visit, having been to Cali, Medellin 2 x and Bogota 2 x in the past 12 months.

Is it good for a short trip; I. E. Long weekend? Or better for 5-6 days?

Your synopsis below was helpful, but curious as to your final verdict now that you've had time to reflect.

Nomars.

Here on my last of 2. 5 days here. First time. Nabbed a cheap flight and used the rare free time I have. I do like some luxury when budgeted but this rushed trip I chose to keep it simple as I'm here for mongering.

Lodging: Airbnbs are tough to find that are girl friendly. I found 1-2 out of 100 searches in the Centro area. Maybe booking out further helps. I stayed at Ethnic Thematic. Budget hotel with in 1-3 blocks of rhe clubs and clocktower. Buzz in with your card. Never had to check a guest in, but there are cameras and a person at the desk (though my room was before that desk and they're not there all night). The room was a single, like a festive concrete dorm room but for $50 ish a night it worked fine. SoyLocal is another I heard is friendly but unsure if they charge fees.

Clock tower: girls pepper in around 9 pm through 4 AM stragglers. Some club girls too before the clubs open. Plenty of low and mids, maybe a couple 8's that were pure street. I didn't approach any.

Playa Hollywood: Hoofed it to Kiosk 4, I believe that's the main cluster. Again several mids, but a few 8's or rare 9's but were snatched up. I was there 4 pm and it was active when I left at 530. I believe the girls come around 2 pm.

Clubs.

Imperio: Was dead on my only visit at midnight. Girls were younger, slimmer, all natural. Mix of colors mid tier talent mostly.

Delirium: I went early like 10 pm so I was 3 guys there and the girls were all staring from booths. The dynamic thru me off, especially since my Spanish is week. Linked up with a hot 8-8. 5 Vennie, light brown, nice fake tits. She accepted 300 K on the spot, wish I just said 250 K. Saw her again next night for 250 K.

Space: I barely spent time there, but I like that it's cozy. I missed out on this white spinner who looked Nordic. Seems younger crowd.

Dolce Vita: My favorite. Smaller than I thought. Best talent to me by far. I'd say 75% of the roster was at least an 8 in some way. Ended up taking another Vennie with IG model looks, like Lacey Chaber, all natural too. 400 K, got her down from 150 usd. I'm sure I could've gotten better rates if my Spanish was better, but from other club guys I met they were doing $150 thinking it was normal so I'm happy enough I got 70-100 under the circumstances.

My final day, trying to link up a Tinder girl but she's 2 hrs late and hasn't updated me. I'll likely try for 1 of the vennies during the day and hope to luck out with tonight in the clubs.

[YounGun3393]

So I know of the beach, clock tower girls, and the clubs like delirium etc which seem to be nightclub vibes. I also know there is tinder SA mileroticos as well. Are there brothels or 'casas' like La isla in MDE. Also wondering if anyone has alternatives to mileroticos. Anything helps.

Tia.

[JayWonEm]

Crazy how these dudes still think they're in Sosua.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0I2qgHXG4...V6-x1Flh_nnU5y

Man, I have read all these threads about the make it rain bros, etc. , but this actually surprised me. I mean, how stupid, disrespectful, and obnoxious can you be? This behavior would risk your safety anywhere in the world.

My only point is that this kind of thing has nothing to do with anything I might experience in Cartagena or anywhere else. I don't worry about them ruining things for me or running up prices because the girls watch Youtube, too, and it will take them about five seconds to see the difference between me and them (even ignoring the large age difference). I may pay a gringo tax, but I won't have to pay an asshole tax. If anything I feel like it makes me more attractive as a customer, especially because I speak some Spanish.

Anyway, arriving Wed. And looking forward to a few days of pure pleasure. I posted a list of guest-friendly hotels below and booked at one of the nicer ones in Bocagrande on the beach. Will probably Whatsapp a few girls Tues. Off Mileroticos. Would love a temporary GF deal for a couple of days, but I kind of want a night in Centro. Will definitely report.

[DJHeywood]

Here on my last of 2. 5 days here. First time. Nabbed a cheap flight and used the rare free time I have. I do like some luxury when budgeted but this rushed trip I chose to keep it simple as I'm here for mongering.

Lodging: Airbnbs are tough to find that are girl friendly. I found 1-2 out of 100 searches in the Centro area. Maybe booking out further helps. I stayed at Ethnic Thematic. Budget hotel with in 1-3 blocks of rhe clubs and clocktower. Buzz in with your card. Never had to check a guest in, but there are cameras and a person at the desk (though my room was before that desk and they're not there all night). The room was a single, like a festive concrete dorm room but for $50 ish a night it worked fine. SoyLocal is another I heard is friendly but unsure if they charge fees.

Clock tower: girls pepper in around 9 pm through 4 AM stragglers. Some club girls too before the clubs open. Plenty of low and mids, maybe a couple 8's that were pure street. I didn't approach any.

Playa Hollywood: Hoofed it to Kiosk 4, I believe that's the main cluster. Again several mids, but a few 8's or rare 9's but were snatched up. I was there 4 pm and it was active when I left at 530. I believe the girls come around 2 pm.

Clubs.

Imperio: Was dead on my only visit at midnight. Girls were younger, slimmer, all natural. Mix of colors mid tier talent mostly.

Delirium: I went early like 10 pm so I was 3 guys there and the girls were all staring from booths. The dynamic thru me off, especially since my Spanish is week. Linked up with a hot 8-8. 5 Vennie, light brown, nice fake tits. She accepted 300 K on the spot, wish I just said 250 K. Saw her again next night for 250 K.

Space: I barely spent time there, but I like that it's cozy. I missed out on this white spinner who looked Nordic. Seems younger crowd.

Dolce Vita: My favorite. Smaller than I thought. Best talent to me by far. I'd say 75% of the roster was at least an 8 in some way. Ended up taking another Vennie with IG model looks, like Lacey Chaber, all natural too. 400 K, got her down from 150 usd. I'm sure I could've gotten better rates if my Spanish was better, but from other club guys I met they were doing $150 thinking it was normal so I'm happy enough I got 70-100 under the circumstances.

My final day, trying to link up a Tinder girl but she's 2 hrs late and hasn't updated me. I'll likely try for 1 of the vennies during the day and hope to luck out with tonight in the clubs.

[JayWonEm]

Heading down Wed. And the Airbnb I wanted was booked. Last time I ended up in a hotel with a strict guest policy and I don't want to make the same mistake twice. Found this and hope it helps those who are looking:

https://gextremetravel.com/guest-fri...els-cartagena/

[JayWonEm]

I could not get my gal to accompany me there. She complained about the smells, the crime, the heat, and she had not been. I had friends who came and said that Bazurto had some of the best food they had in Cartagena while on a guided tour but I did not have time to go with them. I joked with my gal that the market was actually a fantasy and did not exist.

Finally, a friend of my gal said she and her husband would show us around. We piled into their car and went in. Okay, yeah, it smelled like fish guts, and the entire market was surrounded by birds looking for a free handout, but I had been to worse open markets. One of the stalls had an area that had air conditioned seating. We got a large crab, coconut rice with shrimp, some tasty dish made with fish, and bananas with a red syrup for desert. There were five of us, and this plate of food along with a choice of beer and sodas, all of which we did not finish, was $4 or less than $20 total for everyone. In contrast, I went to the snobby restaurant Cande for appetizers and cocktails a few days before this and paid like $60 for three of us, and this food IMO was better and more plentiful.

I saw Anthony Bourdain go to this market and always wanted to. I did not mean to get the turtle as he did, but someone in our group got some and I tried it, tough but edible.

One of the gripes I heard about the market was that it sold a bunch of cheap shit, and it did. If you are a local getting by on next to nothing, this is where you would shop. If you want upscale, you go to the malls.

I did not feel unsafe at all. The only weird part is when I was full, I mentioned lobster, langosta, to my gal. It was then I had these hard edged black women, the women I know who are the best cooks in real life in the world, grab me and say, "Yo tengo langosta. " I have lobster. I thought it was more out of pride in wanting to share with me their cooking than anything else. It was the only time I came close to feeling anything unsafe.

I remember going to a restaurant in Key Largo Florida that had all the stone crabs you could eat. I always felt before that night that I never had enough crab. I always wanted more. That night after twenty or so crabs, I was finally satiated. I think the same of lobster. It would be nice to just go there and eat like ten or so lobsters just to get that desire of having more out of your system. I saw a couple from Japan in Mancora Peru buy a freshly caught Tuna and eat the whole damned thing on the dock. It sounds like they wanted that never getting enough tuna out of their system too.

I am getting to the point where I am getting a list of places that I have to eat every time I come here. I have Pizza at Verona restaurant. I have to go to Serrezuela food court and get the lomo at the Bistro in the food court (way better than Andres IMO). If you go to the Serrezuela court, and you are crazy is you do not, on your left from Bistro, there is a place called Tobu which IMO has the best Sushi in town. Then to your right, there is a place called Coralito the best ceviche I have ever had. Right next to Coralito is a bar which makes Cartagena mojitos which are the best drink I have had here. Away from Serrezeula, I have also had good burgers at Distrito Burger bar and Vagabundo, more expensive but much better than El Corral my previous best here.

Bourdain went to the Cevichera in the walled city when he was here. He also went to the island of Tierra Bomba for the fresh fish and lobster, and he went to Bazurto to see what the locals had. After going he said that he did not understand why Colombia was not more popular, the food is good, and the people are friendly. I shook my head at the "the food is good" comment.

Thing is I do think the upscale restaurants outside of the food court in Serrezeula have been disappointing. I do want to try the rabbit at Cande but outside of that and having cocktails at ALQUMICO and trying more dishes at Barzuto, I think I am done venturing out to "the best places" to eat and drink in Cartagena. I am happy with my circle of places now.

And yes, I cannot believe I am saying this, but I do now actually like and look forward to the food in Cartagena. If anyone tells my gal this, I will deny it. LOL. But some of the food here is really, really good.

Thanks! Will be there for a quick visit from SFL this week. Definitely will go to Serrezuela, and would like to see the market. My first and only visit was in June, and it was so hot I didn't have much appetite. I thought the street food was excellent and I could probably be very happy eating sausages and empanadas for a few days. I had a very good meal at Restaurante Chef Julian in Bocagrande, and an expensive but mediocre lobster with a chica somewhere in centro. I would go back to Chef Julian, but prices are lower than but close to US level.

Thanks for the helpful tips.

[PerkinWarbeck]

It all depends how you monger. So people like the simple pick up your phone and find a girl, through Tinder or prepagos. And then there are those who like the thrill of the hunt. Those who like to see what they are getting before they purchase. Those who like to change their mind last minute cause they saw something better.

Cartagena is great for mongering. You need to experience for yourself and make that determination. It all depends on how you move.

I live in Cartagena. I don't monger much at all anymore because it's easier to date. Going to Barranquilla or Medellin is much easier and cheaper.

[HumpyDumpty11]

Crazy how these dudes still think they're in Sosua.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0I2qgHXG4...V6-x1Flh_nnU5y

When I saw that video I laughed my ass off! I know that exact room they were in. The security guard told me it was a dumb situation on both sides. Dudes tried to undercut the girl cause he said her sex was wack and the girl tried to raise the price on him. The cops were called and he paid up.

[HumpyDumpty11]

On a random night in Centro, there are usually fewer than 100 girls working the clubs + the square. That's not a lot, especially since you'the disqualify a good chunk of them based on attractiveness.

Mon, Tues, and Wed are the slowest nights. Things pic up on Thur, on full swing for Fri and Sat. Sun is like a Thurs. The clubs normally start to fill up around 11-12 cause some of the clubs are starting to get strict on the number of girls allowed inside. Unless of course the chica is giving it up to security, then she can come and go as she pleases.

Cartagena has the variety that Medellin doesn't have. You have white, black, skinny, thick, fat, BBLs, fake tits, ugly, pretty. Girls come from other cities cause they make better money in Cartagena but they bring that variety that some of us just love. Shoot, I changed my type several times in Cartagena cause I want to see what something outside my norm is like.

[HumpyDumpty11]

Considering globally prices are going up, and the rich vlogger bro advertising CTG saying $100 is expected and reasonable.

I know a chica who told me that $100 is what every girl quotes (at least in the clubs). They have all agreed that is the going rate and most won't go below that. Like they formed a union. But everyone is forgetting the magic key. If you speak (even a little bit) and immerse yourself in the culture, that price drops or you can get $100 for 2,3,4 hours. It does work. Then when you build that report with a few over the months and years, you get them for $50 for the whole day. , if they even want money.

Learn a few Reggaeton hooks, if you like the club scene. If you prefer the street game, learn the basic Spanish greeting and follow-up phrases. If you like the hunt and negotiating is your thing, when one girl says no, her girlfriend or the girl next to her might say yes. They all got to eat and living is hard for most of them.

Oh and the influx of new talent is amazing in Cartagena. You may see a new chica in Jan and by June she's gone and been replaced by your new chica you just picked up.

[HumpyDumpty11]

Cartagena isn't a mongering destination. It's a vacation destination with mongering options.

It all depends how you monger. So people like the simple pick up your phone and find a girl, through Tinder or prepagos. And then there are those who like the thrill of the hunt. Those who like to see what they are getting before they purchase. Those who like to change their mind last minute cause they saw something better.

Cartagena is great for mongering. You need to experience for yourself and make that determination. It all depends on how you move.

[Black Page]

I could not get my gal to accompany me there. She complained about the smells, the crime, the heat, and she had not been. I had friends who came and said that Bazurto had some of the best food they had in Cartagena while on a guided tour but I did not have time to go with them. I joked with my gal that the market was actually a fantasy and did not exist.

I went to Bazurto a few times, but more than 5 years ago, walking all the way from Centro (I like the immersive experience). Dangerous if one flashes money and expensive items, which is something one should never do.

About high-class restaurants, I still stick to Cuzco and Quebracho. Very rewarding dinners after a tiring day.

[DJHeywood]

A few weeks ago I was in Cartagena, and looked up La Sucursal Night Club, which I had read on various websites is a strip club which doubles as a brothel (and for prices much cheaper than the street / club chicas in Centro Historico.

However, when I did some research, I found a news article about how the city had shutdown this location in May 2023 as part of a crackdown on forced sex labor. I then found their Facebook and Instagram pages and they seemed to still be in business, although the style and wording of their advertising had changed after May.

A couple of phone numbers for the place seemed to be no longer in service, but I finally found one that worked and was able to chat with them through WhatsApp. Unfortunately, they didn't provide me with much information other than their hours of operation and "yes, we have private rooms", and seemed very reluctant to answer most of my questions, even though I was trying to keep my questions as un-incriminating as possible.

In conclusion, I can't tell if they are still in full business mode as a brothel, or if they are back as strictly a strip club now. These doubts made me decide to not make the trip to that part of town to check the club out. Anyone have updated info on this place?

Unless you're in a group, with fluency, and street smarts I don't think it's a safe, high yield option unless you're there a long time, don't have a girl friendly place.

[Chico Bonito]

A few weeks ago I was in Cartagena, and looked up La Sucursal Night Club, which I had read on various websites is a strip club which doubles as a brothel (and for prices much cheaper than the street / club chicas in Centro Historico.

However, when I did some research, I found a news article about how the city had shutdown this location in May 2023 as part of a crackdown on forced sex labor. I then found their Facebook and Instagram pages and they seemed to still be in business, although the style and wording of their advertising had changed after May.

A couple of phone numbers for the place seemed to be no longer in service, but I finally found one that worked and was able to chat with them through WhatsApp. Unfortunately, they didn't provide me with much information other than their hours of operation and "yes, we have private rooms", and seemed very reluctant to answer most of my questions, even though I was trying to keep my questions as un-incriminating as possible.

In conclusion, I can't tell if they are still in full business mode as a brothel, or if they are back as strictly a strip club now. These doubts made me decide to not make the trip to that part of town to check the club out. Anyone have updated info on this place?

[Elvis 2008]

I could not get my gal to accompany me there. She complained about the smells, the crime, the heat, and she had not been. I had friends who came and said that Bazurto had some of the best food they had in Cartagena while on a guided tour but I did not have time to go with them. I joked with my gal that the market was actually a fantasy and did not exist.

Finally, a friend of my gal said she and her husband would show us around. We piled into their car and went in. Okay, yeah, it smelled like fish guts, and the entire market was surrounded by birds looking for a free handout, but I had been to worse open markets. One of the stalls had an area that had air conditioned seating. We got a large crab, coconut rice with shrimp, some tasty dish made with fish, and bananas with a red syrup for desert. There were five of us, and this plate of food along with a choice of beer and sodas, all of which we did not finish, was $4 or less than $20 total for everyone. In contrast, I went to the snobby restaurant Cande for appetizers and cocktails a few days before this and paid like $60 for three of us, and this food IMO was better and more plentiful.

I saw Anthony Bourdain go to this market and always wanted to. I did not mean to get the turtle as he did, but someone in our group got some and I tried it, tough but edible.

One of the gripes I heard about the market was that it sold a bunch of cheap shit, and it did. If you are a local getting by on next to nothing, this is where you would shop. If you want upscale, you go to the malls.

I did not feel unsafe at all. The only weird part is when I was full, I mentioned lobster, langosta, to my gal. It was then I had these hard edged black women, the women I know who are the best cooks in real life in the world, grab me and say, "Yo tengo langosta. " I have lobster. I thought it was more out of pride in wanting to share with me their cooking than anything else. It was the only time I came close to feeling anything unsafe.

I remember going to a restaurant in Key Largo Florida that had all the stone crabs you could eat. I always felt before that night that I never had enough crab. I always wanted more. That night after twenty or so crabs, I was finally satiated. I think the same of lobster. It would be nice to just go there and eat like ten or so lobsters just to get that desire of having more out of your system. I saw a couple from Japan in Mancora Peru buy a freshly caught Tuna and eat the whole damned thing on the dock. It sounds like they wanted that never getting enough tuna out of their system too.

I am getting to the point where I am getting a list of places that I have to eat every time I come here. I have Pizza at Verona restaurant. I have to go to Serrezuela food court and get the lomo at the Bistro in the food court (way better than Andres IMO). If you go to the Serrezuela court, and you are crazy is you do not, on your left from Bistro, there is a place called Tobu which IMO has the best Sushi in town. Then to your right, there is a place called Coralito the best ceviche I have ever had. Right next to Coralito is a bar which makes Cartagena mojitos which are the best drink I have had here. Away from Serrezeula, I have also had good burgers at Distrito Burger bar and Vagabundo, more expensive but much better than El Corral my previous best here.

Bourdain went to the Cevichera in the walled city when he was here. He also went to the island of Tierra Bomba for the fresh fish and lobster, and he went to Bazurto to see what the locals had. After going he said that he did not understand why Colombia was not more popular, the food is good, and the people are friendly. I shook my head at the "the food is good" comment.

Thing is I do think the upscale restaurants outside of the food court in Serrezeula have been disappointing. I do want to try the rabbit at Cande but outside of that and having cocktails at ALQUMICO and trying more dishes at Barzuto, I think I am done venturing out to "the best places" to eat and drink in Cartagena. I am happy with my circle of places now.

And yes, I cannot believe I am saying this, but I do now actually like and look forward to the food in Cartagena. If anyone tells my gal this, I will deny it. LOL. But some of the food here is really, really good.