Sailing to Cartagena Colombia from Panama is probably the most fun way to get to Colombia. Most travellers book a full sail trip that starts in Panama City and moves along the coast of Panama and the crosses a small part of the Caribbean Sea. Along the way you visit the San Blas islands and learn sailing on open water. Open water sailing can be quite difficult in these waters as they are pretty rough, but it is a fun experience.
The city of Cartagena
Cartagena is the number one coastal city of Colombia we know why. The city has many things to offer for domestic and international tourists. Cartagena has is a large city whit almost one million inhabitants. The city consists of an old city and a new part that is decorated by a huge skyline with luxurious apartments that have sea view. The old city offers various sightseeing hotspots like the old city wall and fortress that are on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fortress is huge and worth a visit to learn more about the long and turbulent history of Cartagena. In the old city you can find lots of colonial buildings from Spanish occupation, which bring you back centuries in time. For modern tourism the city also offers many haute cuisine restaurants, clubs, fancy bars and lots of activities to do. You can also visit the beaches around Cartagena, as they are one of the best of Colombia.
Travelling from Panama to Cartagena
Since Cartagena is the biggest and most popular destination in the northern part of Colombia it offers various ways to travel deeper in Colombia. You can sail from Cartagena to Panama or fly by plane from the airport. Many other destinations in Colombia can be reached by bus, for example a 10-hour bus ride will take you to Medellin. If you visit Cartagena be sure to visit Santa Marta, Taganga and the national park Tayrona. This national park is one of the best and most beautiful national parks in the world and definitely worth a visit. From Panama to Cartagena by sailboat will take you around 30 hours on the water. You can also take the Cartagena Panama Ferry which will take you up to two days of traveling.
How to get to Panama from Colombia? Travelling from Colombia to Panama is possible via two options. You can fly from the Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena or Cali to Panama City or you can charter a sailboat from Cartagena to San Blas
Another tropical paradise
Relatively unknown to most western travellers is the Colombian paradise San Andres. This archipelago lies not far from Caribbean coastline of Nicaragua. San Andres is famoused for its tranquillity and top diving conditions. The warm and clear waters of the Caribbean Sea combined with clear white sand beaches make it a true perfect getaway. You can find more information about San Andres and the other islands that make the archipelago on the official website SanAndres-Colombia.com. From Cartagena it is only a one hour flight to this magnificent Caribbean Island. If you’re a Dutch traveller we suggest you take a look at the official Cartagena page on Colombia.nl.