Cartagena Reports

[Nypher]

Airbnb: The agreement I signed is with the administrator of the building not the owner of the unit. The building I am in is populated 90% by Colombians and over the weekend it was very crowded and easy to slip in an illegal guest during the day but not so easy at night. During the week is to be seen. In future, however, I will use a hotel as comfort is now very important for me and the apartment I'm in leaves lots of room for improvement. There is no hot water in the apartment but I suppose because the city is so hot the normal water is quite warm and suitable for a shower. At $60 per night the price is not bad but I will willingly pay more than twice that for better accommodation. I do plan on some tours including the party buses at night which look like lots of fun.

There are a few El Laguito buildings I have warned many travelers no to stay in LOL.

El Conquistador. Never stay here. Its overcrowded and run down. Hot water? Good luck. When I rains. Good luck walking across the moat.

Las Tres Carabelas. If dragging luggage up all them steps isn't a turn off, then it will be their guest policy of no guests after a certain time and no overnights guests allowed, followed by the guards ripping people off.

Palmetto Sunset. If the apartment allows visitors, they are only allowed on the property 10 am to 9:30 pm and 12 am to 5 am. Yes, security will knock on your door and tell you they have to leave and if they don't they will ban the visitor from the building. And that older woman working the front desk will talk your business with every visitor telling them the monger had other girls there.

I forgot to mention that I made inquiries about casas, my favorite way of meeting providers, and it seems that they are all in the barrios and I have no intention of foraging there. Probably explains why there are no reports of casa hopping in the Cartagena reports.

Yes, the casas are outside the walls and I would not recommended them unless you are comfortable with being in unsafe areas or have a local with you. Also Spanish is a must.

A few weeks ago my chica took me out to Castellana Mall to go shopping (Mall Plaza was too packed and Plaza Caribe didn't have the items). We get there and I told her go grab what she wants while I look around the mall and when she's ready to check out call me and ill come pay for whatever. Hindsight. My dumb ass is walking around taking pictures of the Fountian that not even working, the little go kart rides that's not even on, the little art they have outside and the painted murals, just enjoying myself not being annoyed by others. Then I noticed certain random guys looking at me who were obviously not shopping, so I went in the Exito and one followed, left Exito, same guy followed, went back to the mall and saw a guard (not a cop) and walk up to him and just asked random questions like what time the place closes and opens, then I saw the guy walk off to a stand faking like he was buying something. My girl called while I was talking to the guard, I meet her in the store, told her what happened she jumped on In Driver and got a taxi for us to go back to Centro and just left.

[Turgid]

I forgot to mention that I made inquiries about casas, my favorite way of meeting providers, and it seems that they are all in the barrios and I have no intention of foraging there. Probably explains why there are no reports of casa hopping in the Cartagena reports.

[Turgid]

Airbnb: The agreement I signed is with the administrator of the building not the owner of the unit. The building I am in is populated 90% by Colombians and over the weekend it was very crowded and easy to slip in an illegal guest during the day but not so easy at night. During the week is to be seen. In future, however, I will use a hotel as comfort is now very important for me and the apartment I'm in leaves lots of room for improvement. There is no hot water in the apartment but I suppose because the city is so hot the normal water is quite warm and suitable for a shower. At $60 per night the price is not bad but I will willingly pay more than twice that for better accommodation. I do plan on some tours including the party buses at night which look like lots of fun.

[Questner]

At Turgid: you can also try to hop on evening chiva bus tours where you can meet girls from other countries too. Some of them may speak English.

[Turgid]

I am actually in El Laguito. Any monger who wants to read about torrid sex in Cartagena will have to skip this post as after three days I am still a Cartagena virgin. I spent the entire weekend perched on Hollywood beach. My favorite hangout is at Andina bar sitting at a table on the sand sipping my lager and watching the world go by. I am quite enjoying this. I suppose being very close to 70 I have finally lost that zest for being in a crowded nightclub with loud music rubbing shoulders with inebriated fellow mongers and choosing girls to go arriba.

I am not enamoured with the mongering on Hollywood beach if it happens at all. Yes there are gringos with hookers on the beach but it strikes me that they have picked them up the night before in the old city and invited them to the beach the following day, there is that sort of familiarity; there's also the possibility of hook ups via tinder or such. That being said there are hooker types hanging out by themselves but I have not seen any such that interests me. I did chat up a quite nice looking chica who was by herself but she spoke not a lick of English. She was an obvious non-pro. I am quite Spanish challenged in spite of my many visits to Spanish speaking countries and the conversation via google translate was tedious. She was quite friendly but in the end she refused me her whatsapp, go figure.

Today I saw a possibly late 30's gringo chatting up what I would refer to as the hottest chica I have seen on the beach thus far. She looked about 19/20 and was fine as could be. She looked like lots of work to take to bed but certainly worth it. As I get older that is the type of girl I am really interested in banging. I have been there, done that with the others oh so many times. Nevertheless I do plan on seeing what La Dolce Vita has to offer; I've been reading about that place on ISG for many years now.

[Tomasb]

I agree with your assessment about AiR BnB properties in CTG. If they say no guests, they usually mean it and have some mechanism to prevent unwanted guests. If you slip by with your new found friend and she causes trouble in the room, you could find yourself on the street forthwith.

As far as cop shakedowns in Laguito I don't know as I never venture outside the old city in the evening but the cops overall are not to be trusted wherever you are. There is an incredible level of corruption within this group. If you get in any difficult with a chica, you can be certain that the cops will take their side and expect some remuneration to make your issue disappear.

[Nypher]

I have finally touched down for my first visit to Cartagena in a country I've visited so many times before. If you look down from the plane heading to the airport you will see a small sector of high rise buildings amidst a vast area of slum like dwellings. This should prepare every visitor for the experiences they will have in the city. The high rises represent an island of opulence among a sea of poverty. These poor people gravitate to the rich area to hustle whatever benefits they could derive.

Upon settling into my airbnb I changed and headed out to get a lay of the land. Many visitors have reported on how hot Cartagena is. I thought nothing of this as I am accustomed to visiting the Caribbean. However, Cartagena is a different kind of hot; within minutes my clothes were fully drenched in sweat. As I discovered the a / see in the bedroom of my accomodation does not adequately deal with this heat. I had some regret that I did not pay the extra for a top hotel such as the Hilton which definitely would have better temperature control. BTW this being a tourist town it is quite expensive, especially hotels.

More to what you guys are interested in, one is hustled constantly at the beach, neverthelsess I found the hookers not so much in your face as the other hustlers but they are there. I have not partaken yet but haven gotten older and wiser I will be careful not to proposition civilians in pursuit of my hobby, that would be quite uncool. The agreement I signed for the airbnb although in Spanish I was able to detect the essentials no loud parties, no drugs and no prostitutes. With respect to the latter I have no intention of adhering. My rental can accommodate six people and no one is to tell me I cannot have friends over. A party of six could have booked it so there you go. The building is populated by mostly Colombians including women of all types so although a prospective partner would not be wearing a band there would not be any walk of shame.

More to come later.

Sometimes, all it takes is firsthand experience LOL.

About the heat. Yes, I've mentioned that before. Freshly showered, and step outside to go to the store I feel like I never toweled off and just put on my clothes. When I'm there I take so much showers that I go through a bar of soap a week, and F the hot water because the cold water is room temp and just fine to cool off. You will get a tan in the shade LOL.

About the AC, normally its a combination of AC and ceiling fans and depending on where you are pray they cleaned the AC coils because if they didn't its just blowing moldy air.

About your AirBB and visitors. Be careful, Cartegena is a bit different. If you are in a building and your AirBB said no visitors, there is security and you have to wear the band I wish you the best of luck getting someone in.

As I first timer I would love for you to head to the clocktower after 10 pm, walk through it and keep going until you walk by Dolce, Space, Delirium or Alqumico Bar and report back as a first timer.

I hope you are not in El Laguito. If you are, take this as a warning. Every late night around 1 in the morning the police will set up a checkpoint by Hotel Caribe. If you are stopped and you have a girl with you, they will extort you or threaten you will jail. It happened to me in February, and on my most recent trip, I was having a conversation with 2 chill brothers who I saw in El Laguito and when I joked about getting extorted by the cops, before I could even tell them where it happened, they said the same shit happened to them twice right when they made the turn by the police station going from Boca Grande to El Laguito. Same exact spot where they got me. LOL.

I can't wait to hear your experience of you first Cartegena visit.

Have fun and stay safe!

[Turgid]

I have finally touched down for my first visit to Cartagena in a country I've visited so many times before. If you look down from the plane heading to the airport you will see a small sector of high rise buildings amidst a vast area of slum like dwellings. This should prepare every visitor for the experiences they will have in the city. The high rises represent an island of opulence among a sea of poverty. These poor people gravitate to the rich area to hustle whatever benefits they could derive.

Upon settling into my airbnb I changed and headed out to get a lay of the land. Many visitors have reported on how hot Cartagena is. I thought nothing of this as I am accustomed to visiting the Caribbean. However, Cartagena is a different kind of hot; within minutes my clothes were fully drenched in sweat. As I discovered the a / see in the bedroom of my accomodation does not adequately deal with this heat. I had some regret that I did not pay the extra for a top hotel such as the Hilton which definitely would have better temperature control. BTW this being a tourist town it is quite expensive, especially hotels.

More to what you guys are interested in, one is hustled constantly at the beach, neverthelsess I found the hookers not so much in your face as the other hustlers but they are there. I have not partaken yet but haven gotten older and wiser I will be careful not to proposition civilians in pursuit of my hobby, that would be quite uncool. The agreement I signed for the airbnb although in Spanish I was able to detect the essentials – no loud parties, no drugs and no prostitutes. With respect to the latter I have no intention of adhering. My rental can accommodate six people and no one is to tell me I cannot have friends over. A party of six could have booked it so there you go. The building is populated by mostly Colombians including women of all types so although a prospective partner would not be wearing a band there would not be any walk of shame.

More to come later.

[Nypher]

Sorry for the typos it was but I think you get the idea.

You can get anything you want and may pay twice what you should for it. You can watch a midget in the DJ booth, while the girls do their March through sand late in the day. They will be over with the clock tower in the evening if they haven't gotten any action before that. If you're looking for quiet go someplace else.

The midget spinning the tunes, yes they get around jajaja.

You're not going to warn him about the Trans mixed into the available selection around Kiosk #4? LOL.

That quick stop in February and having them walk around in booty shorts and thongs trying to get my attention along with the little kids coming up to the rope as I'm laying under the cabana screaming to get my attention was the final straw to not go to Playa Hollywood on future trips.

As a suggestion for a more relaxed and chilled experience. Check out Beach Club in El Laguito, close to the Pametto Sunset. There's no actual beach but it's way more relaxed.

[Kafka]

Sorry for the typos it was but I think you get the idea.

You can get anything you want and may pay twice what you should for it. You can watch a midget in the DJ booth, while the girls do their March through sand late in the day. They will be over with the clock tower in the evening if they haven't gotten any action before that. If you're looking for quiet go someplace else.

If you're looking for entertainment and a lot of good visuals you'll love Playa Hollywood it's a circus. Definitely not relaxing but it's not bad having 30 women swarming all over the beach and watching the gringo gringo posses getting mobbed but then just try to sell them crap or drive them off the beach whichever comes first. It's kind of like with a pelicans do when the fisherman in a net, the gringos are sworn by every massage girl, trinket seller hookers they can call over to sit on their laps. Then you can watch the argument when Tony brings them a bill for three times with actually had it's quite comical and predictable. Just be prepared for some really loud awful music, drunk people from Bogota. And you'll be all set.

[Kafka]

If you're looking for entertainment and a lot of good visuals you'll love Playa Hollywood it's a circus. Definitely not relaxing but it's not bad having 30 women swarming all over the beach and watching the gringo gringo posses getting mobbed but then just try to sell them crap or drive them off the beach whichever comes first. It's kind of like with a pelicans do when the fisherman in a net, the gringos are sworn by every massage girl, trinket seller hookers they can call over to sit on their laps. Then you can watch the argument when Tony brings them a bill for three times with actually had it's quite comical and predictable. Just be prepared for some really loud awful music, drunk people from Bogota. And you'll be all set.

Being by the sea is in itself more enjoyable for me than being inland and I do look forward to swimming occasionally. I've heard about Cartagena vendors, probably the worst in the world, but, believe me, that would be the least of my problems, travelling around the world for decades has made me quite capable of dealing with them. Nevertheless, your advice is good and appreciated. I'm mainly a casa man and do look forward to hitting some casas also.

[Turgid]

I'm sorry my friend, but the beaches in Cartagena proper will be a massive disappointment. They are dirty, crowded with tourists, and filled to the brim with vendors. You won't have a good time there just enjoying the beach. If you want that, you will need to go south of Cartagena by boat or car to Baru and spend the nights there, where the beaches are sparsely populated and have no sellers.

The sex trade may disappoint you as well due to the influx of the Venezuelans who tend to be very business like.

I love it in Cartagena, but it's a place for long stays. For short trips, I'the advise you to spend a few days sampling the girls in the clubs or the square downtown. Find one you click with, who isn't trying to suck all your money, and take her for a few nights to a resort in Baru.

Happy hunting.

Being by the sea is in itself more enjoyable for me than being inland and I do look forward to swimming occasionally. I've heard about Cartagena vendors, probably the worst in the world, but, believe me, that would be the least of my problems, travelling around the world for decades has made me quite capable of dealing with them. Nevertheless, your advice is good and appreciated. I'm mainly a casa man and do look forward to hitting some casas also.

[MongerHunger]

It is like are we fucking or supposed to be having a wrestling match.

LOL. On a mat.

[Mr Enternational]

The mattresses in those love motels suck.

It is like are we fucking or supposed to be having a wrestling match.

[PerkinWarbeck]

The mattresses in those love motels suck.

Apologies! I got it mixed up. There are some short time hotels like Hotel Mar y Sol, which you can rent by the hour. Those tend to be clean, but they aren't places to sleep. The incalls I was referring to are actual hotels where the girls are staying. The amenities there are actually decent for the price.