What to do for New Year’s Eve in Cartagena

If you’re planning to be in Cartagena for New Year’s Eve, you’re always in for a treat! Colombia is known for its extensive festive New Year’s traditions, and Cartagena in particular offers some of the best opportunities for visitors to participate in the celebrations. Let’s be honest, Cartagena is not afraid of a party!

Each year, we announce the hottest tickets for NYE here!

We work with many party promoters, bars, clubs and restaurants in Cartagena. As soon as they start to release tickets for the hottest events in October or November of each year, we open access to you.
If you want to be first on the VIP list to access tickets, sign up today!

And while you wait for New Year’s event announcements, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Cartagena, Colombia for the turn of the year.  Get in touch and we will help you celebrate in style!

How to Spend New Year’s Eve in Cartagena

These traditions are a lot of fun, but you may still be wondering about what exactly to do on New Year’s Eve in Cartagena. If so, check out this list of the top 5 ways to celebrate the New Year during your Cartagena vacation!

1. New Year’s Eve Restaurant Reservations

If you’d like to ring in the New Year in style, we’d recommend reserving a spot at a Cartagena New Year’s Eve Feast. Several of the top restaurants, hotels, clubs, and bars will have special events, feasts, or parties planned. Many of the more popular events sell out well in advance, so be sure to book your reservations ahead of time!

For a dinner you won’t forget, we highly recommend these restaurants. We know they will all do something really special for New Year – Lobo de Mar, Carmen Restauran Cartagena, Celele, La Cocina de Pepina and La Única. If you’d like to find out more about the restaurants in Cartagena, check our our Cartagena restaurant recommendations.

2. NYE Fireworks at Parque de la Marina

One of the most popular Cartagena NYE activities is the fireworks at Parque de la Marina. Most locals will arrive well before dark with a picnic dinner and chairs or blankets to sit on. If you don’t feel like bringing all that, you can also pick up some delicious Colombian street food on your way and then rent chairs and tables at the park.

NYE Fireworks at Parque de la Marina

The firework show doesn’t start until midnight, but you’ll need to arrive early in order to find a place to camp out in the park. If you don’t make it in time to save a spot in this crowded square, you can also usually find a place to watch the fireworks at Muelle de los Pegasos or Cafe Del Mar, and then dance in the streets until dawn!

3. Tickets to the Best Cartagena New Year’s Eve Events and Parties

Tulum party boujee bar

If your idea of a great New Year’s Eve celebration is exciting nightlife, Cartagena is the place for you! There are dozens of popular clubs and bars that stay open late on New Year’s Eve. Some, especially those in El Centro, host amazing festive New Year parties with live music. It’s best to head out for some dancing after dinner or other celebrations, as most locals won’t be venturing out to the bars until after midnight on New Year’s Eve.

If you’re looking to get a little bit more exclusive, we have the parties for you.

Special New Year’s Eve events are announced in October and November,
and we can offer you first VIP access to the best with the best prices too.

Wild Brunch

Wild Brunch is one of the most famous parties in Cartagena, and also sells out FAST! You’ll discover that Cartagena is ready to party like there’s no tomorrow at Wild Brunch. This really is our top recommendation! It takes place Dec 29, so you get a day to recover, before New Year’s Eve!

El Barón

El Barón is famous for its cocktails and five star menu. Celebrate New Year’s Eve in this beautiful spot in San Pedro Claver square and don’t forget to dress to impress! Cartagena’s famous cocktail lounge will be sure to lay on live music, amazing food, and champagne! Get in touch and we’ll help you get tickets when they’re released!

Alquimico

Another favorite place for New Year is also one of the world’s best bars. Alquimico will no doubt have an exclusive party planned, with international DJs. Tickets for a sought-after table on the rooftop will sell out within days of release.

Casa Cruxada

This club was developed by the highly talented team that made Bogotá nightlife a mainstay.  Its dark ambience and far-from-flawless decor only accentuate the perfection of the night this team will be throwing. Enjoy NYE dancing to international DJs with Tropical Vibes and Dark Disco.

La Jugada

Immerse yourself with the best Cartagena has to offer. This event always brings down the house. With top DJs, fireworks, dancers and many surprises, this NYE is one people never forget.

We also recommend Townhouse and Santa Clara for fantastic New Year’s Eve Celebrations.

4. Cartagena New Year’s Eve Street Party

Perhaps the most looked-forward to Cartagena New Year’s event is the traditional street party in San Diego Square. Located in one of Cartagena’s trendiest plazas, the BYOB event includes live music, dancing, and drinks. This is one of the most popular events in the city and seating is limited. So, you’ll definitely want to book your tickets well in advance to make sure you can welcome in 2023 at this Cartagena New Year’s party!

Note: Tickets to this event cost upwards of $75 per person. Information about the music line-up and other details of the party will be released closer to the date.

If you want to ring in 2023 the right way, you can bet that this is one city you won’t be disappointed to visit during this time.

5. Join a family celebration

As in all of Colombia, Cartagena New Year’s Eve celebrations tend to be much more family-oriented than they are in many other countries. You’ll find that most locals spend the day and evening at home with their families. Some of the younger members head out to clubs and bars, but usually only after midnight when the family celebrations are over. So if you’d really like to celebrate the New Year like a local, try to make some friends and get invited to a family celebration. Then you’ll be able to naturally participate in all the unique Colombian New Year’s traditions along with your host family!

While you’re here, why not take a deeper look at Cartagena? There are plenty of villas, private islands, experiences and yachts to make the most of! We still have some villas available over Christmas and New Year. Get in touch today!

Tulum’s Nightlife and Party Hotspots

Women dancing

Tulum isn’t just about beautiful beaches, yoga and matcha lattes. It’s also home to some of the hottest music events in the world and people travel from far and wide to enjoy Tulum’s nightlife.

Tulum is renowned worldwide for its nightlife and party scene. It’s slightly more upmarket than its neighboring towns of Playa del Carmen and Cancun. Art installations and trancey electronic beats echo the Burning Man Festival: a hipster’s dream.

As the sun sets, hips sway to the beat, chiselled jaws and toned midriffs at every glance, as the Tulumaniti come out to play. Leave your heels behind sister, grab your fedora and slide your best flats on, Tulum always delivers.

Read on to find out why Tulum’s nightlife is the place to party this year!

Who are the Tuluminati?

Tulum ati

Well, at first glance the Tuluminati seem to be an elite group of aesthetically pleasing people who come from an exclusive gene pool, almost like a private members club! They live, travel, blog and pose for Instagram. They float around barefooted, and scantily clad, riding their bicycles sipping a spirulina juice. However, you have to admire them, as they have chosen one of the most beautiful places in the world to live.

Tulum’s nightlife and party scene

The nightlife in Tulum is lively! Whether you’re on the hunt for a relaxed jungle vibe, or are looking to dance the night away, the nightlife in Tulum can take you from a laid-back bar with a mariachi band to a dance party on the beach under a full moon and shooting stars.

Chill out Bars

Begin the evening at one of these chill rooftops where you can enjoy dinner along with a drink or two (some spots have great happy hour specials). Most bars have live music or DJ sets starting from 10 pm till late.

Naná Rooftop Bar in Tulum town is a great bar to start your evening. Choose one of many mezcals from different regions of Mexico, or select a cocktail prepared with fresh juice, fruits, and herbs. The atmosphere is sophisticated, yet casual. Expect underground electronic and house music.

Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar is located in the heart of Tulum town. Be sure to spot the converted VW beetle which is used to press sugarcane to add to mojitos. Expect unusual flavours like a dragon fruit martini or a lemon and rosemary gin.

Pasito Tun Tun. For a relaxed pace, join friends in the garden patio and listen to live bands.

Santino Bar Tulum. If you are a fan of reggae, head here and join the locals.

Tulum night life party cocktail

Boujee Bars

Tulum party boujee bar

La Zebra Hotel is located in the hotel zone on the beach. It’s a classy restaurant with a sexy mezcal bar in the back, and hosts live DJ nights with a cool, bohemian vibe. Expect bespoke cocktails and authentic cuisine. There’s live music on Friday afternoons, and salsa dancing on Sundays.

Casa Jaguar is a fashionable Caribbean restaurant with an open-air jungle setting. One of the original restaurants to hit the Tulum nightlife scene with amazing food and an even better ambience on days with live music. Their signature Thursdays are still the hot spot to be! Local and international DJs set the tone with electro and house tracks.

Gitano is the place to be on Friday nights for all-night drinking and dancing under a jungle canopy.

IT restaurant – mentioned in our Best Restaurants in Tulum, ‘IT’ is also famous for its wild parties. Taking inspiration from their sister restaurants in Ibiza and London, enjoy dinner and dancing while some of the biggest DJs in the world take to the decks.

For queue jumps, Tulum nightlife reservations and VIP tables to the latest party hot spots, Two Travel can assist you with all your party needs! Get in touch to Build your journey.

Drinks Tasting Experiences

 Drinks Tasting Experiences

First, pick your poison! Rum, gin, mezcal or Colombian craft spirits. Enjoy a welcome cocktail as you’re taken on a journey through the history of your chosen liquor, before learning about the aromas and flavors with a flavor board, and tasting five delicious varieties of your chosen liquor. We can also pair up these experiences with chocolate or tobacco tastings.

If you can’t wait to live this experience, our concierge team will make it happen for you, whether you choose to have it at one of the best bars in town (we have partnerships with El Barón, Members Only, El Arsenal Rum Box and more), or we bring the drinks and top class bartender to you with a private tasting in your villa.