eSIM for Cartagena

Cartagena: what to know before you go

Walled City and Getsemaní

The Walled City and Getsemaní are a short walk apart, and both are a tangle of similar streets. A saved map pin of your hotel saves a lot of wandering in the heat.

Taxis and ride apps

Taxis in Cartagena have worked on fixed zone fares instead of a meter, so ask the fare before you get in, or ask your hotel. Visitors use ride apps too, but their status in Colombia is contested and pick-up points vary, so check what works when you arrive.

Rosario Islands

Day trips to the Rosario Islands leave from the piers in the port area and take most of the day. Meeting points vary by operator and you should not count on signal on the boat or the islands, so save the booking and the meeting point.

The entry form

Colombia has an official online migration form for arriving and departing travellers, called Check-Mig, and airlines may ask for it. Use only the government's own site, since look-alike sites charge extra, and check whether it is currently required.

Cruise days

Cruise ships call at Cartagena's port and time ashore is short. Save your excursion meeting point and an offline map before you leave the ship.

How much data you need

A week of maps, fare checks and photos takes about 3 to 4 GB. Island days use less, because you are mostly offline.

Written 24 October 2026. Opening rules, fees, prices at attractions and event dates change, so check the official site before you rely on them.

Cartagena: when people go

6 to 16 November 2026: the independence festivities

The main week in the historic centre runs from 6 to 12 November 2026, with the parade on 12 November, a nautical festival on 13 and 14 November and a public holiday on Monday 16 November. Streets close and crowds fill the Walled City, so the network can slow and rooms should be booked early.

December 2026 to March 2027: dry season and holidays

Rains taper off in December and Christmas fills the city, and January to March is the busiest stretch, with foreign visitors and many Colombian travellers. Book rooms and island trips ahead and keep the confirmations offline.

September to November 2027: heavy rain

Heavy rain returns from September to November, with October the rainiest month. Check island boat trips the day before and keep a plan for the afternoons.

Colombia eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage

9 plans, from $3.49 (1 GB, 7 days) to $51.49 (20 GB, 30 days). Networks: movistar 5G and Claro 4G.

Network

movistar 5G, Claro 4G

Top-up

Yes, from the app, on the same eSIM

Validity starts

At the first connection at your destination

Install by

Shown on your order. An eSIM that is never installed expires

Your number

Stays active, plans are data only

Hotspot

Uses the same plan data, no separate charge

After the daily allowance

Day passes slow down to 512 Kbps

Updated October 29, 2026

Questions about Cartagena

Do I need to fill in a form before flying to Colombia?

Colombia has an official online migration form, Check-Mig, completed in the days before the flight. Whether it is required can change, and airlines may ask for it at check-in, so check the official government site and avoid sites that charge a fee.

Are taxis metered in Cartagena?

Taxis have worked on fixed fares by zone and not by meter, so ask the fare first. The rules have been under review, so check what your hotel says.

How much does an eSIM for Cartagena cost?

Cartagena uses the Colombia plans, because an eSIM belongs to a country and not to a city. Plans start at $3.49 for 1 GB, valid for 7 days. There are 9 plans, from 1 GB to 20 GB, plus unlimited day passes.

Do I need a local SIM card in Cartagena?

No. The eSIM is a SIM card in digital form: you install it from a QR code before you leave, and there is nothing to buy at the airport or swap in your phone.

How is it different from roaming in Cartagena?

With roaming, your own carrier bills the data you use abroad, usually by the day or by the megabyte, at the prices of your plan. The eSIM is prepaid: you know the cost before you leave and nothing is added later. Keep data roaming off on your usual line, so it cannot charge you.

Which networks does the Cartagena eSIM use?

Wigoo connects to movistar and Claro, with 5G where it is available. Each plan lists the operators it uses.

Can I add more data?

Yes. You top up the same eSIM from the app, without installing a new one.

Do I keep my phone number?

Yes. Plans are data only, so your usual line stays active for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps working as always.

When do the validity days start?

Not when you buy and not when you install: the days start counting when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination for the first time. A 30 day plan gives you 30 days from that first connection.

How long do I have to install the eSIM?

An eSIM that is never installed expires. The "Install by" date is shown on your order, on the site and in the app, so you can buy ahead of your trip. Install it before that date, on Wi-Fi.

Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot?

Data used through a personal hotspot comes out of the same plan, and Wigoo does not charge it separately. A laptop uses far more data than a phone, so for work a day pass or a bigger plan is safer.

What happens when the data runs out?

Plans are prepaid, so there are no extra charges: when the data is used up, the connection stops until you add more from the app. Day passes give a daily allowance at full speed, then continue at reduced speed (512 Kbps) until the next day.

When should I install the eSIM?

Before you leave, on Wi-Fi. When you land, set the Wigoo line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it.