Winter
Dec → Feb31 to 33°
nights 24 to 25°
- 5 rainy days · 17 mm
- 11.1 h of sun
- sea 29°
When is the best time to visit Cartagena?
- Jan32°recommended
- Feb33°recommended
- Mar33°recommended
- Apr32°fair
- May31°not recommended
- Jun30°fair
- Jul31°recommended
- Aug30°fair
- Sep30°not recommended
- Oct30°not recommended
- Nov29°not recommended
- Dec31°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Cartagena, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 24° | 11.1 h | 12 mm | 4 d | 29° | ✓ |
| February | 33° | 24° | 11.3 h | 9 mm | 2 d | 28° | ✓ |
| March | 33° | 24° | 11.4 h | 19 mm | 6 d | 28° | ✓ |
| April | 32° | 25° | 11 h | 70 mm | 16 d | 29° | |
| May | 31° | 26° | 9.7 h | 141 mm | 22 d | 30° | |
| June | 30° | 25° | 9.5 h | 184 mm | 26 d | 30° | |
| July | 31° | 25° | 9.8 h | 157 mm | 21 d | 30° | ✓ |
| August | 30° | 25° | 9.4 h | 175 mm | 24 d | 30° | |
| September | 30° | 25° | 9.3 h | 154 mm | 24 d | 31° | |
| October | 30° | 25° | 9.1 h | 214 mm | 26 d | 30° | |
| November | 29° | 25° | 9.3 h | 215 mm | 24 d | 30° | |
| December | 31° | 25° | 10.9 h | 29 mm | 9 d | 30° |
The four seasons in Cartagena, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Torre del Reloj) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May31 to 33°
nights 24 to 26°
- 15 rainy days · 77 mm
- 10.7 h of sun
- sea 29°
Summer
Jun → Aug30 to 31°
nights 25°
- 24 rainy days · 172 mm
- 9.6 h of sun
- sea 30°
Autumn
Sep → Nov29 to 30°
nights 25°
- 25 rainy days · 194 mm
- 9.2 h of sun
- sea 30°
Book early for January to March and July
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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What to do in Cartagena, month by month
What to see and do
EventsHay FestivalJanuaryInternational Film FestivalMarchFiestas de la IndependenciaNovemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Beach & swimming: good conditions all twelve months.
Diving & snorkelling: good conditions all twelve months.
- Sightseeing & walks: December
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Cartagena, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- JanuaryHay Festival
Latin American and European writers debate in late January in the theatres and colonial courtyards of the old town.
- MarchInternational Film Festival
Latin America's oldest film festival holds its screenings in March in cinemas and on the squares of the walled city.
- NovemberFiestas de la Independencia big crowds
In mid-November, Cartagena celebrates its independence with comparsa parades, champeta bands and flour bombs.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Recommended32°24° at night
- 12 mm · 4 d
- 11.1 h
- sea 29°
High season, book early
February
Recommended33°24° at night
- 9 mm · 2 d
- 11.3 h
- sea 28°
High season, book early
March
Recommended33°24° at night
- 19 mm · 6 d
- 11.4 h
- sea 28°
Busy, without the crush
April
Fair32°25° at night
- 70 mm · 16 d
- 11 h
- sea 29°
Low season, lower prices
May
Not recommended31°26° at night
- 141 mm · 22 d
- 9.7 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
June
Fair30°25° at night
- 184 mm · 26 d
- 9.5 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
July
Recommended31°25° at night
- 157 mm · 21 d
- 9.8 h
- sea 30°
High season, book early
August
Fair30°25° at night
- 175 mm · 24 d
- 9.4 h
- sea 30°
Busy, without the crush
September
Not recommended30°25° at night
- 154 mm · 24 d
- 9.3 h
- sea 31°
Low season, lower prices
October
Not recommended30°25° at night
- 214 mm · 26 d
- 9.1 h
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended29°25° at night
- 215 mm · 24 d
- 9.3 h
- sea 30°
Busy, without the crush
December
Fair31°25° at night
- 29 mm · 9 d
- 10.9 h
- sea 30°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 24 °C at night. Rain stays light: 12 mm over 4 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.1 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
February. Real heat: 33 °C at the warmest of the day, 24 °C at night. Hardly any rain (9 mm over 2 days). Plenty of sunshine: 11.3 h a day on average. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
March. Real heat: 33 °C at the warmest of the day, 24 °C at night. Rain stays light: 19 mm over 6 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.4 h a day on average. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
April. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 25 °C at night. Frequent but light showers: 70 mm over 16 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11 h a day on average. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. 31 °C in the afternoon and 26 °C at night. A very wet month, 141 mm of rain over 22 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.7 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. 30 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Frequent rain: 184 mm over 26 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.5 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. 31 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Frequent rain: 157 mm over 21 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
August. 30 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Frequent rain: 175 mm over 24 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.4 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
September. 30 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 154 mm of rain over 24 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. The sea is at 31 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
October. 30 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 214 mm of rain over 26 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.1 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. 29 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 215 mm of rain over 24 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
December. 31 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (29 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.9 h a day on average. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Cartagena?
January to March and July: over these months, recorded highs range from 31 to 33 °C, with 8 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Torre del Reloj).
Which month should you avoid in Cartagena?
November: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 215 mm over 24 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Torre del Reloj).
What is the hottest month in Cartagena?
February, with 33 °C on average in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Torre del Reloj).
What is the coldest month in Cartagena?
November, with 29 °C at best during the day and 25 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Torre del Reloj).
What is the driest month in Cartagena?
February: 9 mm over 2 days of rain, against 215 mm in November, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Cartagena?
March, with 11.4 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Cartagena?
The water never drops below 22 °C: from 28 to 31 °C depending on the month (warmest in September), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Torre del Reloj).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Cartagena guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Colombia: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Ben Bowes / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Lloyd Douglas / Pexels · Draceane / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · descubriendoelmundo / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Kamilokardona / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)