Cartagena September — a narrow street in the walled city lined with vivid yellow, red and orange colonial facades, quiet in the wet season

Cartagena · Colombia

September

Peak of wet season — heaviest rain and highest hurricane risk; avoid unless budget is everything.

Strong option

#10 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

135mm

Sun

6hrs/day

30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5

How September scores in Cartagena

Weather
Average
Value
Outstanding
Crowds
Outstanding
Events
Below average
Atmosphere
Average

What you gain in September

  • Lowest accommodation prices of the year: the best boutique hotels in the walled city at 50–60% below January rates
  • The old city virtually empty of foreign visitors: Cartagena at its most authentic and local
  • Castillo San Felipe, the city walls, and Getsemaní street art accessible without a single tour group

What you sacrifice

  • 135mm of rain — the wettest month on the Caribbean coast: extended multi-day rain events are common and outdoor plans are frequently cancelled entirely
  • Atlantic hurricane season at its most active peak: September has the highest statistical risk of tropical storm impact on Cartagena and the surrounding coast
  • Boat services to the Rosario Islands and Barú beach suspended or severely disrupted; the Caribbean sea experience largely unavailable

How September compares to February (best month)

FactorSeptemberFebruary
Weather
4
9
Value
9
5
Crowds
9
4

September in other destinations

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