Where To Go For The Best Nightlife in Colombia

The nightlife in Colombia is some of the best in South America, and depending on who you ask, the world. It’s vibrant, fun, eclectic, and most of all, it’ll get you moving. If you’re travelling to Colombia and wondering where to go for the best nightlife, we’ve got you covered. With such fun-loving, welcoming people, you’re sure to have a fantastic night out wherever you go, but we’ve narrowed it down to these cities. Here’s some of the best nightlife in Colombia.

Cartagena

The colourful, vibrant city of Cartagena is super popular among both domestic and international visitors. Because of this, the nightlife is a vibrant blend of cultures, from techno bars to salsa spots. Generally, people tend to stick to the Walled City. There, you’ll get to experience Miami-like nightlife, with swanky rooftop bars and booming superclubs and it comes with a Miami-like price tag too. But if you’re willing to splash come cash, be sure to visit Alquimica, Cafe del Mar, La Jugada Club House, Eivissa for an excellent night out, although you’ll find plenty of options in the Walled City.

For something a bit more traditionally Colombian, head to Getsemani. It’s a fun, vibrant, local scene, where the bars will be playing Latin music. And no, not reggaeton, it’ll be the likes of salsa, cumbia, vallenato, champeta, and bachata. Get ready to get your move on – you’ll be dancing all night.

Medellín

For a lot of people, Medellín’s past reputation has preceded it. As the birthplace of Pablo Escobar and the centre of Colombia’s drug trade, it’s thought of as a dangerous place. But the government and the locals have worked to counteract that reputation, and it’s now one of the trendiest places in not just Colombia, but the whole of South America. The vibe, day or night, is incredible – fun-loving and wild. There are various nightlife districts, specifically Parque Lleras and Provenza in El Poblado, that are just lined with open air lounges, rooftop bars, clubs, and plenty of places where you can salsa ’till dawn. Bar Rumba, Son Havana, and El Eslabon Prendido are fabulous spots for getting your boogie on. There’s something on every night of the week – you certainly won’t get bored in Medellín.

Bogota

As the capital city of Colombia, it comes as no surprise that Bogota has some of the best nightlife in Colombia. It’s vibrant, chaotic, and loud, quite different from other Colombian cities. But it’s a huge international hub, with plenty of universities and expats drawing in a younger crowd. So, you can be sure to find an eclectic mix of nightlife options. Whether it’s quiet drinks, grooving to salsa, or bopping to house music, you’ll find it in Bogota. It’s an absolutely huge city, but Zona Rosa is the most popular place to go. One of the busiest spots in Zona Rosa is Gringo Tuesdays, hosted at Vintrash. If you want to rumba to champeta, traditional Colombian folk music, then make your way to El Campanario. And for a superclub experience in Zona Rosa, hotfoot to Kaputt.

Barranquilla

Barranquilla is a city that parties nonstop, with more of a local vibe than nearby Cartagena. The birthplace of Shakira is full of places to fiesta, and it’s much more affordable than other cities on the coast. Generally, the party hotspots are Alto Prado and El Centro, where you’ll find plenty of local clubs and bars. But you’ll find clubs all over the city, like La Troja, La Puerta de Abajo, Trucupey, and more. But really, Barranquilla is predominantly known for being the home of the second biggest carnival in the world. You’ll definitely see a lot of tourists during carnival, but the joy that spreads down the Caribbean coast is like no other.

Cali

Like Medellín, Cali’s reputation was tarnished by the drug trade. But those days are long gone, and like Medellín, the government and the community have helped Cali emerge as a colourful, peaceful city where locals and visitors can live, work, study, and have fun. The nightlife is absolutely booming, with parties often spilling out onto the streets with a beautiful, local spirit alive and well. And we can’t talk about Cali without its pride and joy – salsa. The people of Cali live, breathe, and worship salsa. It’s the salsa capital of the world, and a trip there is not complete without a salsa lesson.

You will find bars and clubs playing house tunes, but most of the nightlife does revolve around salsa. There are so many salsa bars in the areas of Menga and Juanchito, and sometimes the smallest are the best, like El Rincon de Heberth – a small, seemingly unassuming bar, that could well give you the best night of your life.