Cartagena, Colombia in $260s-$350s RT

Central Colombia is coffee central, but the nation’s Caribbean coast doesn’t need caffeine to stay wired. And once you’ve had a little taste of Cartagena, neither will you.

First things first: if you need a pick-me-up, just make a beeline for the bohemian neighborhood of Getsemaní. It’s pretty much impossible to feel low energy when you’re surrounded by that much color, and the street food there is beyond delicious.

Make sure you pack good shoes, because evenings in Cartagena are for dancing. There’s plenty of salsa to be found, but for a truly authentic night out, it’s champeta or nothing. Inspired by Afro-Caribbean rhythms, these infectious Cartagena-born grooves were originally known locally as terapia dancing—Spanish for “therapy.”

The best part? You don’t even need a referral :-)

P.S. A few of you guys are getting dates during Carnival! The biggest party in Colombia takes place just two hours away in Barranquilla, and we highly recommend you hop on that bus ASAP.