Cartagena Reports

[QUOTE=YippieKayay;1989056]Well we have posted information on the new location of LDV.
You could try asking around about casas (brothels). But if you're looking for dirt cheap prices like that your best bet is one of the casas in Medellin where you can get an hour for 60 k. Or Bogota if you go digging around that thread.
Thanks for the report.[/QUOTE]oh YES. See the List for lots of addresses (why nobody takes the time to read the List? Dozens of volunteers contributed info there). BUT:
1) good places are expensive (Casa del Rocio charges 250 k or more, if I remember well?
2) cheap places are not for first timers. I advise to stay away from troubles.

The easiest way to let readers know where the new spots are is just to put their GPS coordinates. Take a look at Google Earth and post it.

Testing to see if GIFS can be posted here.

I received this interesting question by PM from a regular member and contributor. I replied via PM, but now I think that my reply could be interesting for others too. I repost here, protecting the identity of who PMed me.

[QUOTE=XXXXX]Is there actual action in the bars in Cartagena for P4P? I'm not referring to LDV. I noticed you said at 2 am girls swarm out of the bars then onto the square. Are they coming from clubs like Space and Elektra?[/QUOTE]

Elektra was the best place many years ago. Now it's history. Gone. R.I.P.
It was the place open only after midnight and animated from 3 am till 6 am. All girls who did not find company till 3 am where there. Search my posts for details about my experience there. You can find something about my experience in Elektra searching back from 2017 to maybe 2008.
Recently, we have read about an "Elektra" opening in the SAME PLACE in 2017. I cannot wait to go and check. Who knows they try to revive it?

Space it's a disco bar, where 95% of people is men looking for girls and working girls looking for clients. At the side of Opera/LDV. Search my various posts for details about what do I think about it. I say "search", because I mentioned it many times and I don't remember if there is a post where I posted a summary in Wikipedia style.
Space follows the same time plan of the old Elektra: empty till 3 am, animated till 6 am.

So, from what bars do working girls swarm out at 2 am?

All bars. There is not a rigid separation between bars for working girls and mongerers and bars for regular couples. People mixes.
For example, you can find some (a minority actually) working girls at Cafe del Mar, at Mr. Babilla, at Fragma, at Babar. Best places near Reloy are Tu Candela, Eivissa, V. I. P.

One should not go there thinking to go to Pleyclub. One should pay a visit with a relaxed mind. Enjoy a drink, offer drinks if an interesting girl is spotted. I met some very interesting girls at Babar and Fragma, but not in recent months. I know many girls oscillate from Reloy to VIP and Eivissa then back. After 2 am, quiet girls go to bed, wilder ones (or those more in need) go to Space. It' always full after 3 am.

Was looking to explore Sao Paolo but given the crazy airfares from Toronto, I might have to settle for either Cartagena or Bogota. Based on what I have read on both forums, the two cities have their own points of interest.

I have been frequenting Havana and Panama City until now so kind of used to the bar pick up scene.

That said, what would you recommend?

[QUOTE=Xkalibur80;1990563]Was looking to explore Sao Paolo but given the crazy airfares from Toronto, I might have to settle for either Cartagena or Bogota. Based on what I have read on both forums, the two cities have their own points of interest.

I have been frequenting Havana and Panama City until now so kind of used to the bar pick up scene.

That said, what would you recommend?[/QUOTE]Climate wise, CTG is going to be what you're used to, hot and humid days. It's probably more of a match with the bar scene as well. The forum has all the best locations.

Bogota is much cooler, nights down to 10°see, days seldom over 23°see. There the action is mostly strip clubs, casas and massage parlors, with plenty of day and night streetwalkers, although those areas are best avoided at night.

CTG is a beach city, casual dress is pretty standard. Minimum dress standards for BOG are good jeans and a nice shirt, preferably with some reasonable shoes. You won't see many natives wearing short sleeve shirts or t-shirts.

Both are good choices, depending on what you're looking for.

Thanks. Read the first 14 pages of the forums and looks like CTG will be a go unless there is a last minute change. If all is a go, we will be there from Feb. 15-19 with a layover in Panama City to warm up.

Based on forum, we should be getting an apartment in Bocagrande which is about 4 km away from the clock tower. Most vets have recommended to game there at night and possibly the mall and beach during the daytime. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Is there anybody else in town those days? Would love to meet up and engage in ultimate debauchery!

[QUOTE=JjBee62;1990881]Climate wise, CTG is going to be what you're used to, hot and humid days. It's probably more of a match with the bar scene as well. The forum has all the best locations.

Bogota is much cooler, nights down to 10see, days seldom over 23see. There the action is mostly strip clubs, casas and massage parlors, with plenty of day and night streetwalkers, although those areas are best avoided at night.

CTG is a beach city, casual dress is pretty standard. Minimum dress standards for BOG are good jeans and a nice shirt, preferably with some reasonable shoes. You won't see many natives wearing short sleeve shirts or t-shirts.

Both are good choices, depending on what you're looking for.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Xkalibur80;1991639]Thanks. Read the first 14 pages of the forums [/QUOTE]Not enough <grin>.
Try to scroll back more, not all in one day of course, but especially explore the RoD section. Many good informative posts are linked there. Not necessary, but certainly useful.
Have fun! Best wishes.

RoD seem quite old for CTG. Not able to find anything from 2015 or later.

I will continue to go through all pages but wonder if info from 2 years or earlier would bring any value considering how things evolve. Will give it a shot anyway.

[QUOTE=BlackPage;1991969]Not enough <grin>.
Try to scroll back more, not all in one day of course, but especially explore the RoD section. Many good informative posts are linked there. Not necessary, but certainly useful.
Have fun! Best wishes.[/QUOTE]

I have translated an article from the Cartagena newspaper El Universal. Might want to keep this in the back of your mind for future actions by the city. Not all of this article pertains to many on here but it does show the city's view of activities goin on in their city.

"When speaking of the Historic Center of Cartagena, surely, many imagine a quiet place that inspires peace, squares and parks where people can walk and walk freely and without restrictions. Enjoy family and recreational activities, sports or cultural. However, the panorama of the city is not so. The reality of these emblematic squares is completely different.

"Street vendors harass tourists, drug sales and dirt, which emanate a horrible smell, make this part of the city, so pretty, lose its charm. The architecture, the streets, the houses are spectacular, but I think they should take better care of their city. ".

With these words, a tourist expressed herself before the platform Tripadvisor. Destined for the reservation of passages and places of interest for trips. Of its visit by the Heroic one.

Probably not the only tourist and Cartagena who sees the city as a 'beautiful shame', which highlights the lack of authority and in which everyone does with it what suits them best.

Faced with this problem, which overwhelms both coterrneos and visitors, in December last year, the Mayor of Cartagena launched decree 1751, which prohibits the consumption and sale of liquor in four recognized places in the walled city until the March 31 this year. In addition, the rumba of the establishments located in the squares and its surroundings is only allowed until 2 in the morning.

"All this in order to guarantee the security of Cartagena and that public spaces, such as squares and parks of the city, are used for family enjoyment in tranquility, and without any kind of affectation by the consumption of intoxicating drinks or by Situations that incite intolerance, such as quarrels or vandalism, "said Fernando Nio, interior secretary.

The measure shelters the Squares of Cars, La Paz, bordering the emblematic Clock Tower, and neuralgic points in terms of coexistence, sale of psychoactive substances and prostitution. On the other hand, the restriction houses the Camelland of the Martyrs, between the walled cord and the district of Getseman.

However, although restrictive decrees, lightning operations, police intelligence, security cameras, night-time operations against noise have been issued by the Environmental Public Establishment (EPA), among other measures, complaints of violation of the right to tranquility, Scandals and invasion of public space, continue to affect the inhabitants of La Heroica, which means that these places "have gone out of the hands of local authorities. ".

As you will recall, in January 2016 residents of the neighborhood complained to the District about the excesses of tourists and all kinds of visitors to the neighborhood, drug and alcohol consumption, and constant fights that were happening in La Trinidad. For this reason, the administration decided to restrict the control of these excesses for a year, and decree 0734, which prohibits the sale and consumption of liquors in this space, began on May 12.

In spite of the measures taken by the District in Getseman, there is again discontent among its inhabitants by the situation of the Plaza de la Trinidad and several of its streets.

In this tourist season, this historic sector of Cartagena returned the annoyance for some visitors from outside, who do not know how to behave, drink intoxicating drinks in the atrium of the Church, which bears the same name, and even sleep there, which shows That the ban is not entirely efficient.

According to Nio, since the decree was implemented there had been no problems with visitors to the plaza, but now in high season these events were again committed because the neighborhood merchants themselves are those who sell intoxicants to tourists.

In an interview with El Universal, the secretary made a call to the people of Cantabria: "We need greater commitment from the community to control public order in the square. Likewise, I thank the inhabitants of the neighborhood who voluntarily placed ads in several languages ​8203;to make known the restriction of the sale of liquor.

In addition, said that to control the situation the historic square has four policemen, who care and watch over the tranquility of visitors and residents of the neighborhood.

If in La Trinidad it does not rain, in LOS Coches it does not climb.

Street vendors and stationary. Music: reggaeton, salsa and vallenato that exceeds the established decibels. Neon lights everywhere. Prostitution at certain times in specific places and micro-traffic late at night. That is the perfect description of the Plaza de LOS Coches, which is behind the Public Clock.

Fun or worry?

In the day, the emblematic square is the perfect place in which people from all strata relate to each other and at night, this 'quiet' place becomes chaotic and shattering.

From 7 pm the nightclubs and bars on the terraces of the old buildings light the atmosphere with sound equipment, exceeding the decibels allowed: 55 in the evening and 60 in the daytime, disturbing the tranquility of the inhabitants and hotel guests Nearby.

All this without mentioning that the plaza is considered, by the authorities, as a nerve center where microtraffic bands operate, and to top it off, it is the epicenter of child sex tourism, and prostitution is freely exercised.

Something similar happens in the Plaza de La Paz and the Camelland, because in these two places of recreation also presents the same conjuncture. Sales of fruits, food, juices, toys, handicrafts and others remain in this area adjacent to the Clock Tower and the Getseman neighborhood, despite the multiple operations of recovery of the public space, calls for attention and retention of the merchandise they make Daily authorities.

In the evening hours, groups of young people gather to consume psychoactive substances, and it is normal to see girls and teenagers sell their body until dawn.

Not so efficient solutions?

After complaints from Cartagena, the District, through the Environmental Public Establishment (EPA) and the Ministry of the Interior, have made multiple operations to avoid high decibels, but many night sites are ignored and continue to function until 4 or 6 in the morning.

It also increased the number of police presence on the site, improvement to the lighting of the space and the installation of a surveillance camera. These were the first measures announced by the District to control public order in the Plaza de LOS Coches, in the Historic Center.

"We must denounce anyone who comes to get child sex tourism to Cartagena, people have to help us, we can not allow the city to be seen as a drug and sex tourism site," said the mayor of Cartagena, Manuel Vicente Duque.

According to Javier Enrique Jaramillo Martnez, Mayor of the Historical Town and the North Caribbean, control operations are being carried out both to commercial establishments and to public space with the support of different entities, in order to supervise their activities and to comply with the Schedules allowed until 2 in the morning.

"We know that the Historic Center of Cartagena is the main attraction of the city and we have to take care of it, keep it like a silver cup. Prostitution is very difficult to control in these places because we do not have enough tools, but we already made contacts with cities like Medelland and Bogot where the issue is discussed to see how to eradicate the phenomenon in the city, "Jaramillo said.

Finally, within the next projects of the Mayoralty of the Historical Town and the North Caribbean, is to create several groups of dance and culture that will be supported economically by the establishments of the squares and Corpoturismo, to give life to the other parks from the city.

"This year the hiring was a record, because the budget was opened from the first week of January and priority was given to the public space brigade which is the main problem of these places," he said.

The traditional Plaza de San Diego, which is one of the most beloved by students, tourists and ordinary Cartagena, also suffers from the lease of public space.

This place where on Friday evenings, several people gather to chat and share some drinks until late, is no longer the same as before, because the numerous tables of restaurants, which are glued to the side of the square, Occupy almost all the land and it is impossible to walk freely through the site.

Also, the Students Square, whose recent occupation was not to the liking of the Cartagena or students, who insist that this space already fulfills a specific function, and that is a meeting place among students even though they are on vacation.

Carolina Lenes, the manager of Public Space and Mobility of Cartagena, went to the defense of all these leases, and assured that the Alma restaurant, which is in the square, has been licensed for 18 months but has not been occupied.

The license specifies that the term "is for the term of 24 months, extendable once, for a term of 12 months provided that it is requested within the previous 15 days, at the expiration of the same, and Subject to the provisions of Decree 1077 of 2015, "he explained to this media.

Finally, faced with the particular case of the Students' Square, he maintained that the squares can not be restricted to a population group only because it indicates its name. What will happen?

The truth is that in the Historical Center there are several places that are licensed for temporary occupancy of public space, to install tables and chairs in places where anyone has the right to be and move freely, issued by the Secretariat of District Planning, and contract Of economic use with the Management of Public Space and Urban Mobility. On paper, the subject of the squares is regulated, but the truth is that there is nothing landed.

The city urgently demands priority attention to these problems of excess noise, microtraffic, prostitution and consumption of alcoholic beverages for the tranquility of all.

It is expected that the new Police Code will comply with the laws, because it is inconceivable that all of the above should happen and that everything goes unnoticed.

All we have to do is ask: Will the people of Cartagena be able to use the parks and squares of their city without a single criticism? The current administration has responsibility at this time. ".

Hi all,

I visited Colombia in November it was my first time and I'm hooked. I have stated in Bogota and Medellin. I'm looking for some beach fun so I'm coming to Cartagena in 2 months. I heard the girls are more expensive? Does anyone know a good beach side hotel? I was looking at the Hilton but thought I'd ask on here first. I will RTFF to find out good spots to hangout.

Thanks all.

[QUOTE=Xkalibur80;1992034]RoD seem quite old for CTG. Not able to find anything from 2015 or later.
I will continue to go through all pages but wonder if info from 2 years or earlier would bring any value considering how things evolve. Will give it a shot anyway.[/QUOTE]Surprising enough, things did not change that much in CTG in the last few years, if not on marginal aspects which can be learned in the first day, at least from my own perspective. I think reading the RoD is still helpful. You will be not misled. Prices requested by girls are still the same. Places are still the same, with few exceptions:

- LDV moved to where Opera was, at the side of Space, and went further down on my ranking (mostly hardcore pros, used to deal with US tourists who do not mind pay more than usual).

- Space is the same as 2 years ago. Elektra is history (will it reopen?

- the scene at Reloy at night is the same as usual, with the difference that now it is lively till much later than 2 am (thanks to the Mayor who smartly forced bars to close at 2 am. CTG seems to have its own Trump);.

- there are more girls from Venezuela now;.

- the list of hotels on the List and their description in the RoD is still valid (check the motels if you want something different).

- same for the list of clubs out of the walls (but this is definitely not for a first-time visitor: there is enough to do and explore within the Centro and Bocagrande for many days before getting bored and feeling the mood to probe further).

- Europa changed owner a couple of times, closed down in November, not reopened. It's the only place open 24/24, but I would avoid it even in emergency. It's a trap.

[QUOTE=Otiers;1992086]I have translated an article from the Cartagena newspaper El Universal. Might want to keep this in the back of your mind for future actions by the city. Not all of this article pertains to many on here but it does show the city's view of activities goin on in their city.[/QUOTE]This article is a sound example of how the press at times helps the governments to increase the feeling of unsafety in population, in order to increase support to the "strong man", to tighter laws, etc. etc.
We see similar examples in several countries, last but not least Mr. Trump who is receiving kudos from the farmers and workers in the deep inner US for his ineffective and troublemaker new measures against immigrants and simple visitors. "Populism" consists basically of offering easy solutions to complex problems, pretending that others before were so ignorant to not understand that problems could be solved with a couple of quick measures.

On the one hand, it is certainly true that old Cartagena citizens are fed up with a type of tourism which floods the streets of el Centro and Getsemani. Drunk people and backpackers roaming the streets and making noise certainly are a problem. I also understand that for Colombian families and couples, coming to CTG to enjoy their honeymoon, seeing the Plaza de LOS Coches transformed, more and more year after year, in an outdoor open market for prostitution is certainly not a good sight.

The solution to close bars at 2 am and forbid alcohol consumption in selected areas makes sense to contrast noisy drunk youngsters, but it's certainly counter-effective if they wanted to move the "puteria" away. The obvious result is that at 2am all girls who were inside bars now move out and stand in the Square on their high heels, hoping to meet their gentleman. The fact is that I have never seen the Plaza de los Coches so much crowded after 3am as this November and December. Congratulations Mr. Mayor.

The repeated claim that CTG is a destination for "child tourism" is another lame attempt to impress or scare those readers who do not move their ass from the living room, where they watch TV and read newspapers. As anyone who is familiar with CTG knows well, now the problem of "child prostitution" is virtually non-existent in CTG (or not anymore as 10 years ago, when it must have been out of control based on my understanding). Institutions worked effectively to clean off the place.

There are certainly some u-age girls with fake cedula around, from Colombia and Venezuela (I elaborated enough already on what is the meaning of "fake cedula" in this context: usually a valid cedula bought on the black market with an old photo of a girl, which seems plausible as of the bearer upon a quick examination), but "u-age" means maybe one year less than 18, not certainly that there are poor street children or 13-14yo kids offered by their mothers. As a matter of fact, I have never seen obvious children lost in the streets of Cartagena, neither I was ever solicited by pimps for that, while it is somehow possible to see such sad situations in the alleys of big cities.

I guess one can always lure some girl from high-schools, as it happens in all Latin America, but that is out of the reach of the tourists. This year, the story of a couple bringing some 16 yo girls to entertain rich tourists during parties on islands made a lot of noise and people to jail. This is certainly not enough to claim that CTG is the place to go for "child tourism".

[QUOTE=TrueScotsMan;1992225] [red]I will RTFF[/red] to find out good spots to hangout. [/QUOTE]That's certainly a good intention to begin. Now, an improved strategy could be to RTFF [I]before[/I] posting questions, rather than after that.

Be happy: your questions " I heard the girls are more expensive? Does anyone know a good beach side hotel? I was looking at the Hilton but thought I'd ask on here first. " have been answered many times already and by different members, who provided different opinions and perspectives. You will have many options to choose among. The "Search" function (see button at top right of the page) also helps.

I just got back from Cartagena. Was there for a week. I will be rebooking for April / May. I hear it thins out a bit after La Semana Santa. I'm posting a summary here of the venues for the folks looking for recent info.

First off, [B]Elektra[/B] is back but I did not pay it a visit. I saw it on the last night I was there as I was heading back to Bocagrande from La Dolce Vida. The girl who was with me told me it does not have any hookers in it, and I should be visiting Space if I'm looking for girls after 3 am. The girl literally said, if we don't get a customer before 3 am we go to Space.

Secondly, who the fuck is paying 300 k-350 k per hour? That should be TLN price. Please, if you're doing that just stop. If a girl doesn't come with you for 150 k-200 k then just move onto the next one. Lots of these girls are bored most of the night anyway and will relent. All the girls I met started asking at 300 k or 350 k and that nonsense needs to stop. I can only think of three reasons for this:

(1) January has been good and they're all satisfied with their gains and want to relax, so they jack up the price.

(2) Venues like LDV pays them to be there (I don't know if this is true), as a result they show up and just play with their phones.

(3) Punters are just dropping way too much. January to March are busy months so I expect a lot of one off idiots to agree to high prices and ruin it for the rest of us.

(4) I'm too ugly to be fucked for less.

[B]Venues[/B]:

[B]Playas[/B]:

[B]Laguito/Playa Hollywood:[/B] I only went twice and hooked up with Edgar. He seemed to be using chairs with Fao's name on it. Edgar in my book is cool once I let him know I know the prices.

[B]Do[/B]: Let Edgar know you're looking for a girl. The selection both times was two or three girls to choose from. He might even call you a girl. If he calls you a girl expect the girl to ask for cab fare. Don't give more than 20 k if you turn her back.

[B]Don't[/B]: Let the girls order anything they want. Prices on local beers should be about 5 k, and prices on imports around 10 k. Cocktails like Pina Colada start to get expensive around 40 k. Please know these prices are subject to change. Touts will try to fuck you by getting the girls to order expensive drinks. Before you know it you're paying 200 k+ just to have drinks with them. Edgar didn't fuck me that way because I told him I'm not here to get fucked by him. Just ask the price on everything and insist on knowing the price if he dodges the question. Otherwise, Edgar is cool. Also, tipping is fucked with these guys. If you paid for 40 k, and leave him 10 k he just shrugs and nods. He expects a big fat tip at the end or you're not worth his time evidently. The second time I was there I paid 100 k for drinks and gave him 50 k. But it was my last night and he took care of me both times I went there.

The experience was surreal to say the least. When I told Edgar I want a girl he walks over with his stupid grin to some random chica on the beach, pokes her in the arm and then looks over at me with his stupid grin, hahaha. Then I'd nod or shake my head. The girls all asked for 300 k and appear to be from La Isla. You can negotiate them down but realize they may not be eager to work (more on that later).

[B]Bocagrande beaches[/B]: Touts here will also call you girls but they never seem to have them onsite. Expect to wait 1-2 hours for the chica to show up. Then expect to pay their cab fare if you turn them away. I had a group of touts bring me a couple of girls every morning and I'd decide whether to spend the day with them and fuck them after dinner, or not.

[B]Centro Venues[/B]:

Action starts around 11 pm in almost all locations. With that said action started at 10 pm Thursday for some reason. Venues like La Dulce Vida were packed that night. Expect Monday to Wednesday to be dead slow. So if you're going to pick a few nights to visit Thursday to Saturday night are the busiest in my book.

All the main action, outside of the Clock Tower square, is on Carrera 6/ Calle 35. This includes La Dulce Vida, Space, and Isis.

You can get there in three ways:

(1) There's always a tout in the Clock Tower square who will walk you there. Several touts actually. You don't need to give them anything. The establishments will pay them evidently.

(2) You can find it on a map like google maps (Carrera 6/ Calle 35).

(3) Juan Valdez is on the next street. So you can go there and take the first left when you reach it.

[B]Clock Tower Plaza:[/B]

Girls will start arriving around 11 pm and stand near the statue. The typical ones have blue jeans and a tank top. The others are dressed to impress. I had one pimp point to a girl next to him and offer her, she looked away embarrassed (I didn't bite). Honestly, the setup is a bit awkward so I did not partake.

[B]La Dulce Vida[/B]: Action starts around 11 pm. This is a hooker bar with stripclub pricing on the drinks. I visited it about four times during my stay. Most nights a couple of rounds for you and the girl will go over 100 k pesos which is the minimum if you decide to pull a girl from there. There's a ton of short-time hotels around Centro and the girls can take you there with a cab. Most of the chicas are lazy as hell and just sit around so you have to signal them. I'm not sure why but one chica even asked for 200 USD for an hour and she was a fat ass. I was chubby chasing. Normally I wouldn't go for 300 pounds of cheeseburger. Of course I turned her fat ass down but I plan on fucking her in April if she's still around. There's something honestly down right dirty about her I want to experience. If she allows anal + TLN I'd probably pay over going price but I'd want to work toward that after a couple of sessions. She's got this "fuck me I'm a filthy fat ass" look.

[B]Do[/B]: Enjoy yourself. Watch your bill. The staff won't fuck you but the girls will order drinks for their friends even when the friend isn't even sitting with you. The staff are friendly, but like most sex tourism venues in Cartagena they want to squeeze you for money.

[B]Don't[/B]: Get played. If a girl invites her friend over it will end with the friend asking for 20 k-40 k for her company if you decide not to take her with you. If paying by credit card pay the tip directly to the waiter in cash. On my final night I ran a tab of 400 k and offered him 'quaranta' for a tip (meaning 40 k) and he punched in 120 k like I had offered US dollars. Like I said, the venues around sex tourism are full of money squeezing touts, and these fuckers won't be happy with %10-%15.

[B]Isis[/B]:

This is a strip club on the same street as La Dulce Vita. It's further down close to Juan Valdez. Lazy ass girls, barely any dancing. I didn't pick anyone up. Search the forum for prices. You can fuck them on the premises for cheap or pay extra for take out. Honestly, I didn't see the point. Drinks are more expensive than La Dulce Vida.

[B]Space[/B]:

I didn't go because 3 am is too late for my old ass. This where the girls go to end their night. It's open until 6 am. Action starts around 3 am.

[B]Love Hotels[/B]:

Too many to list. Any girl will be able to take you to one.

[B]Outside Centro[/B]:

[B]La Isla[/B]: A stripclub like Isis. I didn't go. Just keep in mind this is outside of the tourist areas and you should be very careful going there. The girls who work there told me I shouldn't go alone. They also complained that it's dead.


Cartagena is a tourist place. Unlike Medellin there are extra costs around mongering activities but also more to do. If you're going to spend more than week in Colombia, then Medellin might be better. For vacation length stays Cartagena is perfect.

Will post about my experiences in the next post. Hope this helps!