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WHAT TRAVELERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RENTINGA MOTORCYCLE IN CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA; INCLUDING, WHERE TO RENT A MOTORCYCLE, THE EXPECTED COST AND SOME RULES AND REGULATIONS.
There is nothing quite like the freedom you get when you have your own form of transportation while traveling abroad. The ability to go where you want, when you want is so incredibly freeing that we have come to realize that it is a complete necessity for us while abroad going forward.
The only problem? Somehow finding a way to get your own set of wheels.
While in some places, like Chiang Mai, Thailand for example, it can be pretty easy to find a spot that will rent you a motorcycle or motorbike (one of our favorite forms of transportation), in many countries it can be quite a challenge.
We found this to be especially true in Colombia. And more specifically Cartagena, Colombia - the colorful city along the Caribbean coast.
EXPLORE MORE | THE ULTIMATE CITY GUIDE TO CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA
But luckily, after doing a bit of research and reaching out to a couple of rental spots (mostly through WhatsApp) we finally found a spot that does motorcycle rentals in Cartagena. Enter Bike and Dive Hostel.
Below you will find everything you need to know about renting a motorcycle in Cartagena, Colombia.
WHERE TO RENT A MOTORCYCLE IN
CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA
Like we said, for some reason, the only spot we could find in Cartagena that rented motorcycles was Bike and Dive Hostel, a fun little spot located in the Manga neighborhood.
\\ Directions to Bike and Dive Hostel
Luckily, even though there is only one spot to rent a motorcycle in Cartagena, it is pretty easy to get to, even on foot. Below are easy to follow directions from a couple of the more popular locations in the city.
From the Clock Tower Monument (Monumento Torre del Reloj) in the Old City
It is just over a 1.5 kilometer (0.9 mile) walk from the famous yellow clock tower on the edge of the Old City to Bike and Dive Hostel. To start, head down Avenida Calle 24 towards the Getsemani neighborhood. From there, keep going until you reach Calle 25 (the main road through Getsemani). Once on Calle 25, keep walking through the wall and over the bridge and into the Manga neighborhood. Then turn right onto Carrera 18 and you will see the hostel on the right side.
💬 INSIDER TIP: there will be a white metal gate and a sign at the hostel. If no one is around simply hit the bell and someone will open up the gate.
From the Bocagrande Neighborhood
If you are staying outside of the Old City, specifically in the more modern Bocagrande neighborhood, then you can simply follow much of the same directions as above. The only difference is you will start by first going down Carrera 1 until you reach Parque de la Marina. From that small corner park, you should be able to see the yellow clock tower (Monumento Torre del Reloj).
From the clock tower do the same as above and head right out on Avenida Calle 24 towards the Getsemani neighborhood. From the middle of Bocagrande (around Plaza Bocagrande Centro Comercial) is about a 2.7 kilometer (1.7 mile) walk to Bike and Dive Hostel.
☎️ If you need to get in contact with the hostel beforehand (which we recommend doing) you can reach out to them via their Facebook page (here) or even better, contact them through WhatsApp. This was the easiest form of communication for us. The hostels WhatsApp number is +57 3023718924.
\\ How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Motorcycle in Cartagena
Bike and Dive Hostel had three types of motorcycles to rent: an AKT 125CC, an AKT 200CC and an AKT 250CC.
We ended up renting the AKT 200CC motorcycle for the weekend. And while it had its quirks, it did get us (the two of us and a pretty heavy backpack) everywhere we needed to go pretty easily. Similarly, it was able to handle both rough dirt roads and paved highways equally well.
Price
The price of renting a motorcycle in Cartagena totally depends on which type of bike you get - or more specifically, how many CCs it has. Below is a rough estimate of what it will cost to rent a bike for a day (a 24 hour period) from Bike and Dive Hostel.
AKT 125CC = 110,000 COP (roughly $29 USD // €25.65 Euros)
AKT 200CC = 130,000 COP (roughly $34 USD // €30 Euros)
*though when we rented the motorcycle they only charged us $30 USD
AKT 250CC = 150,000 COP (roughly $39 USD // €34.50 Euros)
❔ GOOD TO KNOW: Bike and Dive Hostel does accept both cash and credit card.
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