We visited Cartagena, Colombia, in March 2020. This was one of the best cultural experiences I’ve had on a vacation. We flew Spirit Airlines for the first time and it was a great experience. We purchased our tickets at the airport for deep savings. Upon arrival to Cartagena, there was a long line for immigration but because I had our son in his stroller, we were allowed to come to the front of the line. Once we finished with immigration, we were allowed to retrieve our luggage. There are people there to assist with your luggage. They work for tips so please be prepared to pay for services. We took full advantage of the porter services. I tipped the porter $20 USD for his services. The porter guided us out to the main area where our driver was there waiting for us holding the hotel sign. I had arranged transportation from the airport to the hotel. Having this prearranged made it a smooth transition. The ride from the airport to the hotel was approximately 20 minutes.

We had hotel accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Cartagena (https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/colombia/hyatt-regency-cartagena/ctgrc). I prefer to stay in suites when I travel and stayed in the Regency Suites. I will say that the Hyatt knows how to treat a suite guest. Upon arrival, the bellman assisted with our luggage. Suite guests have a separate check-in area, so we were escorted to that area for check-in. The check-in area is located in the lounge for suite guests so we were able to get a snack and a beverage while checking in. Once we were checked in, we were able to access our suite. The room was well appointed. Plenty of space for our toddler to run around. The views were spectacular. Our room was on the corner so we really got to see some great scenery.

I decided to use the nanny service for this trip for the first time. I used Cartagenanny Nanny Service https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.cartagenanny.com/&prev=search. The cost was inexpensive and worth every penny. This option was much cheaper than bringing a family member or friend along. I had bad experiences with that and highly recommend checking into nanny service when you are traveling with kids. I requested service every day that we were there and every day the nanny was there on time and prepared to work. Our son was so engaged and had a great time with her.

I highly recommend checking with your hotel for tour prices. It was much cheaper to book directly through the hotel. One of the main reasons we visited Cartagena was to visit the Pink Sea. It’s about an hour away from Cartagena and is usually only pink in February and March. The view was amazing! We had never seen anything like this before in our lives. The water was nice and warm just like the weather. The water is not for swimming, you can only walk in it and take pictures. There are plenty of people there that will take your picture for a small fee. Usually between $5-20 USD, depending on how long you use them. After you are done, you get your feet rinsed off because there is a high level of salt in the pink sea. There were limited things to buy at this location but the view of the pink sea was all that I needed.

This same day we visited the Volcano Mud Bath, which is not that far from the pink sea. To get up to the top of the mud bath, there are steep steps to walk up. You are required to take your shoes off prior to entering the mud. A staff member will also ask for your phone to take pictures. The view from top of the volcano is beautiful. They help you down into the mud and pull you back to enjoy a mud massage. I was holding my son and still was able to enjoy the massage. It was so relaxing and warm. Afterwards, they stand you up, which is hard because you are in a bottomless pit, and remove the excess mud of before you get out. Our son did not enjoy this experience as much due to him not having control in the mud. Once out, photos are taken with the leftover mud on your body, and then you are escorted back down the steps. The guide allowed us to use an easier ramp going back down due to us having a small child with us. We were led to a body of water, where there is staff there to rinse the mud off of your body. This was truly an experience because you are basically allowing someone to give you a beach bath. Throughout the entire mud tour, pictures will be taken by a staff member. Once your tour is over, you have the option of buying a few things or head back. We opted to head back but before we headed back, we tipped everyone that assisted us. It is preferred to tip in Colombian pesos at this location.

We visited Walled City and stopped at the Cartagena sign near the beach. There are Palenqueras (the ladies with the fruit bowls on their heads) at the Cartagena sign to take pictures with you for a small fee. The ladies were very friendly. Walled City is a historic area in Cartagena full of narrow streets with shops, murals, and restaurants all over. It’s a must-see in Cartagena. We took plenty of pictures and tried some of the fruit that was being sold outdoors. Also during our visit, we went to Palenque, which is an hour away from Cartagena. This town is very different from Cartagena yet full of culture. When you arrive, a tour guide escorts you to different areas throughout the town. There are lots of murals in this area for photo opportunities. You have an option of staying there for lunch which consists of fried fish and coconut rice. Also, there is entertainment there that includes dancing and singing. It was truly an experience. Before leaving, you can buy plenty of souvenirs to take back home.

Overall, our trip to Colombia was awesome. I recommend exchanging currency for Colombian pesos, but make sure that you know the value of the currency exchange. I have a currency exchange app on my phone and it helps a lot. It’s usually very warm in Cartagena, so make sure you protect your skin. The beach in Cartagena is rough and I would not recommend taking children there. There are other nicer beaches further away, over an hour; however, the pool was fine for us. Spanish is the main language spoken so if you are not fluent in Spanish, I recommend downloading google translator to assist with language barriers. I would recommend visiting this location to get a great experience. Hyatt Cartagena received the Around the World Kid seal of approval for hotels!