The best party beaches in Cartagena

Here is the thing to understand before you pack your speaker. Cartagena's great party is the walled city itself, the plazas of the old town and the bars of Getsemani, and the beach party is a separate day trip out onto the water. The city beach at Bocagrande, all high rise and grey sand, is not where the scene is. The scene is on the islands, a short boat ride across the bay, and once you know that the whole thing makes sense.

Visually it is a striking split. On one side the honey coloured colonial skyline and the ramparts, on the other a scatter of low islands with white sand, turquoise shallows and beach clubs strung along them. The best party days trade the city for the islands and back again, a fast boat out in the morning, a DJ and a pool through the afternoon, and the lit up old town waiting when you return at dusk. It is one of the more photogenic ways to spend a day in the Caribbean.

We have ranked these on where the party actually is, how good the beach club or the scene is when you get there, and how honest the sand and water are once the music stops. We name the stylish island clubs worth booking, the big budget day trip beach that delivers noise and crowds in equal measure, and the city beach that looks the part on a map but disappoints in person.

Set your expectations right and Cartagena delivers a brilliant beach party, just not where the map suggests. The city beach at Bocagrande is a convenience, not an event. The energy is out on the islands, so the smart plan is a boat in the morning, a beach club through the afternoon and the old town at night. Tierra Bomba is the quick, close option, the Rosarios are the further, prettier one, and Playa Blanca is the loud, cheap crowd pleaser.

A word on the famous floating party too. Cholon, a shallow bay off Baru, is the anchorage where boats raft up for music and drinks, and it is a genuine scene, but it is a boat party rather than a beach, with no real sand to speak of. If that is what you want, book it as a boat day. If you want your feet in the sand, aim for the island beach clubs instead.

The practical notes matter here. Almost everything worth doing needs a boat, and most beach clubs bundle the transfer into a day pass or minimum spend, which is the smoothest way to go, so confirm the boat when you book. At Playa Blanca agree prices with vendors before you accept anything, keep an eye on your belongings, and drink at a sensible pace in the heat. Conditions, boats and opening days are typical and never guaranteed, so we check the current details with the venue when you enquire.

The party here runs on the beach clubs, and the good ones book up, especially for the Saturday sessions on Tierra Bomba. Our Cartagena beach clubs directory keeps the verified list of who runs what, from the polished pool days at Blue Apple to the festival feel at Fenix and the day clubs out on the Rosarios, with day passes and boat transfers where we can confirm them. Tell us your date, your party and the vibe you want and we will check availability and the current price for you.