cartagena

A Pirate Inspired Birthday in the Rosario islands – Nomadic Boys

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Rosario islands boat trip - Nomadic Boys

Our greedy Frenchman turned 35 last May. An important milestone in one’s life. Now’s the time to stop pretending you’re still 25 and accept the natural ageing process of life: you’re a thirtysomething!

Stefan wanted to organise a fun and unique celebration in Cartagena for his French beau, which would make this milestone truly memorable.

Cartagena is Colombia’s most visited city, famous for its UNESCO listed old town. Back in the 1500s, it was a major trading port and the main gateway into South America for the Spanish, who used it as the base to ship their gold back home. As such, it became a tempting target for pirates in the Caribbean. Sir Francis Drake was one particular British pirate who led a huge siege in 1586 against the Spaniards. The Spanish responded by building the fort to guard the town which you can still see today.

A few miles from the coast are a group of beautiful islands – the Rosario islands – where just a few centuries ago, you could imagine Captain Jack Sparrow-type pirates fighting those dashing handsome Spaniards right on these shores. There’s even an island called Pirate Island.

Today, the Rosario islands are popular for beach partying and for relaxing in one of the many secluded white sandy beaches. The islands are located within 1-2 hours from Cartagena and can be visited on a day trip by boat. As we absolutely love cruising the seas and relaxing on secluded white sandy beaches as much as we love fantasising about Pirates of the Caribbean, this made for the perfect present for our birthday boy.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Colombia Gay Travel Resources

5 Romantic Things To Do in Gay Cartagena – Nomadic Boys

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Gay Cartagena

Cartagena will always be a special place for us. It’s the place where we got engaged: the moment when Stefan (finally!) asked Sebastien to marry him.

If you’re looking for romantic experiences, there’s no better place for it than this fairy-tale-like Colombian coastal city. It has the sunsets, beaches, beautiful UNESCO ancient old town and more. Here’s our favourite 5 romantic things to do in Gay Cartagena.

#1 Horse & carriage ride in the old town

The historical centre of Cartagena is full of Instagrammable images everywhere you look. The main draw is the inner walled town, which is lined with cobblestone streets, plazas, palaces and some pretty cool street art.

We loved walking around these quaint little streets, but when we saw the horse & carriages making their way around the Old Town, we knew we had to do try it as well. The old town dates back to the 1500s, so exploring it on horse & carriage adds to its ancient colonial atmosphere.

We booked our horse & carriage tour with GoBe, which concluded with a romantic meal at La Vitrola restaurant in the Old Town. We highly recommend this experience to all couples looking for something special to do together in gay Cartagena.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Colombia Gay Travel Resources

Gay Cartagena – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Cartagena - Nomadic Boys

Lonely Planet calls Cartagena the undisputed queen of the Caribbean coast…well that was before these two greedy queens sashayed their way into Colombia’s most touristic city.

Cartagena’s old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a maze of pretty cobblestone alleys and colourful colonial style buildings. There’s also a small gay scene worth checking out and even a large gay event called Rumours every July. We put all our discoveries into this gay guide to Cartagena, featuring the best gay hangouts, places to stay and things to do.

#1 Gay bars and clubs in Cartagena

The gay scene of Cartagena changes quite frequently, but these are the two main gay bars and clubs in Cartagena, both based in the Old Town:

  • Le Petit: fun small gay bar in Cartagena with very sexy waiters. It’s a restaurant during the day and then transforms into a gay venue in the evening, blasting out classics by Shakira, Maluma and more. If you’re brave enough, you have to try their gigantic pitchers of beer mixed with rum. Le Petit is open everyday from 11pm and is located at Calle del Candilejo 32-34 in the Centro neighbourhood of Old Town.
  • Club D8: D8 is the main gay club in Cartagena. It’s split over 2 floors and attracts a mix of locals and foreigners. We love the Latino pop music they play here and it’s always a guaranteed fun night out. Club D8 is open Thursday to Sunday from 9pm till late, but it doesn’t get busy until after midnight. It is located in the Getsemani neighbourhood of the Old Town at Calle 24/Calle del Arsenal #8b-155.
  • Rumours Festival: if you’re visiting in July, make sure you coincide your visit with Cartagena’s gay pride festival called Rumours. This is a week long event with pool parties, boat parties, white parties and more. There’s usually a Facebook event created for each year’s event where you can find out more information.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Colombia Gay Travel Resources