Cartagena · Month comparison

February vs March

February ranks #1 overall vs March at #2. The driest month with Carnaval — perfect Caribbean weather and Colombia's biggest street party.

Cartagena February — a row of brilliantly painted colonial houses with flower-covered balconies in the old walled city

February

#1 of 12 months

Best match

The driest month with Carnaval — perfect Caribbean weather and Colombia's biggest street party.

  • ↑Carnaval de Barranquilla (80km north, early February): Colombia's most famous carnival is accessible by bus or driver, and Cartagena runs its own parallel festivities
  • ↑8mm of rain: February is statistically the driest month on the Caribbean coast — Angélica María weather, as Colombians say
Cartagena March — the ancient city walls of the old town with the modern skyline of Bocagrande visible across the bay

March

#2 of 12 months

Best match

Excellent dry-season weather with the post-Carnaval lull — good value and reliable sunshine.

  • ↑Prices returning to moderate after the February peak: many walled-city hotels at 15–20% below their January rates
  • ↑Near-zero rain and 9+ hours of sunshine: the Rosario Islands and Barú beach trips operating flawlessly through the month
FactorFebruaryMarch
Weather score
9
9
Value score
5
6
Crowd score
4
6
Events score
7
4
Atmosphere
9
8
Avg high temp31°C32°C
Monthly rain8mm15mm
Daily sunshine8.5hrs9hrs

February trade-offs

  • ↓Carnaval week brings additional visitors to the region: accommodation fills rapidly and prices rise accordingly
  • ↓Heat can feel more intense in February without the sea breeze of January: midday in the walled city requires shade
  • ↓Carnaval de Barranquilla itself is 1.5 hours from Cartagena — access requires planning and transport, not a walk out the hotel door

March trade-offs

  • ↓Temperatures reaching 32°C make midday outdoor exploration increasingly demanding — the city is best at 07:00–10:00 and after 17:00
  • ↓Some accommodation properties already implementing Easter pricing if Holy Week falls in March
  • ↓The Caribbean heat is consistent regardless of month — shade, sunscreen, and hydration remain non-optional
See all 12 months for Cartagena →February in detail →March in detail →
Scores compare months within Cartagena. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →