Cartagena August — a palenquera woman in traditional red and yellow dress balancing tropical fruit on her head, the iconic street life of the walled city

Cartagena · Colombia

August

Wet season resumes after the veranillo — heavy rain back, still uncrowded and cheap.

Strong option

#12 of 12 months

There are better months for Cartagena — see the full ranking below.

See when to go instead →

Climate

High

31°C

Low

25°C

Rain

110mm

Sun

6.5hrs/day

30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5

How August scores in Cartagena

Weather
Above average
Value
Excellent
Crowds
Very good
Events
Below average
Atmosphere
Above average

What you gain in August

  • Accommodation continues at budget rates: the walled city's boutique hotels available at 40% below dry-season prices
  • The most genuinely local version of the old city: Getsemaní's corner tiendas, street food, and neighbourhood squares without foreign visitors
  • Morning exploration windows of 2–3 hours before rain arrives can be remarkably productive — and completely uncrowded

What you sacrifice

  • Rain reliably returns in August after the July veranillo: afternoon downpours resume at higher volume than July
  • Atlantic hurricane season active from August: while Cartagena is rarely directly hit, tropical storms regularly bring extended rain periods
  • High humidity of 84% persisting through all hours: the walled city in August is not physically comfortable for prolonged outdoor time

How August compares to February (best month)

FactorAugustFebruary
Weather
5
9
Value
8
5
Crowds
7
4

August in other destinations

Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Cartagena, not across destinations. Methodology →