Cartagena · Month comparison

January vs February

February ranks #1 overall vs January at #4. The driest month with Carnaval — perfect Caribbean weather and Colombia's biggest street party.

Cartagena January — the Torre del Reloj yellow clock tower, the iconic gateway into the walled city under a clear Caribbean sky

January

#4 of 12 months

Best match

Peak dry season — the walled city in Caribbean sunshine with near-zero rain.

  • ↑Only 10mm of rain in the entire month: the most reliable sunshine of the year makes every day in the old city a postcard
  • ↑Sea conditions ideal for boat trips to the Rosario Islands and Barú beach — flat water and full-capacity day trips every day
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
FactorJanuaryFebruary
Weather score
9
9
Value score
5
5
Crowd score
5
4
Events score
4
7
Atmosphere
8
9
Avg high temp31°C31°C
Monthly rain10mm8mm
Daily sunshine8hrs8.5hrs

January trade-offs

  • ↓High season accommodation across the walled city and Bocagrande at elevated rates — advance booking essential for better properties
  • ↓Cruise ships dock throughout the week, flooding the old city's narrow colonial streets with organised groups from 10:00 to 16:00 daily
  • ↓The most popular beach transfers and water taxis to Barú book out; Playa Blanca crowded at weekends

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
See all 12 months for Cartagena →January in detail →February in detail →
Scores compare months within Cartagena. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →