Dier - Moon Cartagena & Colombias Caribbean Coast

Catedral Baslica Menor, Cartagena

With its narrow, bougainvillea-draped streets, bustling plazas, and Spanish architecture, Cartagena is the colonial jewel of the Caribbean. This walled city offers luxurious hotels, raucous nightlife, and delicious seafood.

Take to the water across the Baha de Cartagena and past old Spanish forts to chill out on a secluded Caribbean island at the Islas del Rosario. Or slow down the pace in a sultry colonial river town by heading inland to Mompox.

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta stands apartliterally. Separate from the Andes Mountains, this isolated range rises from the pleasant colonial city of Santa Marta upward to the Ciudad Perdida, the ruins of an ancient civilization set amid jungle and mountains. Surrounding towns offer myriad activities, from a bacchanalian celebration of Carnaval in Barranquilla to secluded beaches in Taganga.

In the deserts of La Guajira in the far northeast of Colombia, the Wayu indigenous people have lived for centuries. The remote beaches of Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas boast stunning landscapes where windswept dunes fall dramatically into the Caribbean waters.

The Caribbean coast west of Cartagena beckons adventurous spirits. Off the coast of quiet beach town Tol are the Islas de San Bernardo, the perfect setting for an island getaway.

One of the least-visited areas of Colombia can be found amid the untamed jungles and rocky coasts of the Darin Gap, home to remote Capurgan and Sapzurro, where transportation is by foot or boat.

The paradise islands of San Andrs and Providencia offer everything youd expect from a Caribbean vacation. Fantastic diving will keep you occupied for days off sunny San Andrs. The daily routine of lounging on remote beaches, eating fresh seafood, lazing in hammocks, and stargazing on the beach in sleepy Providencia will have you hooked.

Because Colombia straddles the equator, the warm temperatures and short days are constant throughout the year. There are, however, distinct dry and rainy seasons. Throughout most of the country, December through February and July through August are considered verano (dry season). Invierno (rainy season) is usually between April and May and again between September and November. In San Andrs and Providencia, June through November is rainy and from February through April its drier. From late December to early February the waters can be rough along the Caribbean coast, especially around Capurgan.

High tourist seasons run from mid-December through mid-January, during Semana Santa (Holy Week) and, to a lesser extent, school vacations from June to August.