Cartagena Nightlife Tours: Pub Crawl, Party Chiva or Sunset Boat?
6 min read
For most people: the Getsemaní pub crawl with dance lessons and free shots. €20.35 per person, 4.2 stars from 254 reviews, and it is the crawl here with a dance class in the programme. For a shorter, slicker night: the VIP pub crawl and nightclub, €17.87 for 4 hours at 4.4 stars. For a short rolling party: the chiva rides, €11.31 for 1.5 hours or €11.08 for 2.5 hours.
Every one of these tours stays close to the walled city and Getsemaní, and the chiva rides add Bocagrande and the modern districts. What changes is whether you are moving by foot, bus or boat, and how many hours you are signing up for.
The formats compared
| Tour | Length | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pub crawl with dance lessons and free shots | 6 hours | €20.35 | 4.2 (254) | Groups who want to dance |
| VIP pub crawl and nightclub | 4 hours | €17.87 | 4.4 (172) | Rooftop bars, skip-the-line entry at Alquímico |
| Party through the old city on a chiva | 1.5 hours | €11.31 | 4.3 (171) | A short, loud first evening; guide in Spanish only |
| Party on a typical bus crossing the city | 2.5 hours | €11.08 | 4.0 (102) | A longer ride with photo stops |
The two pub crawls
The listing for the pub crawl with dance lessons promises a walk through Getsemaní, karaoke, free shots and a visit to local clubs, and that is a lot to fit into six hours. The description gives separate programmes for Mondays (start at Masaya Hostel), Wednesdays (El Viajero Hostel Centro) and Fridays (both). The page marks it not suitable for children under 18, people over 60, pregnant women or people with high blood pressure, and sandals, shorts and sportswear are not allowed. It has 254 reviews against 172 for the VIP crawl, and its programme includes a dance lesson; if dancing matters to you, check the VIP crawl’s booking page for what it includes.
See dates and prices for the Getsemaní pub crawl
The VIP pub crawl is four hours, targets rooftop bars in the historic centre and ends at a nightclub called Alquímico, with queue-skipping promised. It is rated 4.4 out of 5 from 172 reviews, against 4.2 for the dance-lesson crawl. Pick it if six hours sounds like too much. Food and drinks at the bars are not included, and the four hours apply to the 8 pm start: guests who book 9:30 pm or 10:30 pm join at the second or third stop for a shorter, cheaper tour. The page marks it not suitable for children under 18 or wheelchair users, mentions stairs, asks for a passport or ID (copies accepted) and says men should not wear shorts.
Check availability for the VIP pub crawl and nightclub
The chivas
A chiva is the open-sided painted bus that tourists ride around the old town with music. The shorter ride is 1.5 hours, rated 4.3, and takes in the monuments; the visit to San Felipe Castle is panoramic only. Its guide speaks Spanish only. It starts at the Clock Tower at 7 pm, with pickups in Bocagrande from 7:45 pm and in Laguito at 8:15 pm. The page is unclear on the nightclub at the end: it is listed as included in one place and as an optional extra in the itinerary, so ask the operator. The longer one is 2.5 hours, rated 4.0, with a guide in English and Spanish. Pickup is only at fixed points in Bocagrande, Laguito and Castillogrande; everyone else meets at the Clock Tower between 6:45 and 7:15 pm. Drinks are not included, but you may bring your own. Both are cheap, and both are about the ride, not the bars.
The sunset party boat
If your idea of a night out is a boat with a bar, that is a sunset trip, not a nightlife tour. Our sunset boat guide compares the formats, including the sunset party boat.
Who should skip these
- Anyone who does not drink. Shots and drinking games are part of the pitch of the crawls.
- Families with children, on the pub crawls: both pages mark them not suitable for children under 18. The chivas differ: one page says there is no age limit yet lists it as not suitable for children under 5, and the other describes itself as a family outing; check its booking page for any age limit or ask the operator.
- Travellers over 60 on the dance-lesson crawl: its page marks it not suitable for people over 60 or with high blood pressure.
- Anyone with an early boat the next morning. A six-hour crawl and an early island departure are a poor pair, and the island trip will punish you for it.
Our recommendation
Book the pub crawl with dance lessons if you want the full evening, and the VIP pub crawl if you want it shorter. Our nightlife category lists more.
