Media Luna Hostel Bar
Media Luna's hostel bar has become a Getsemaní institution that transcends its backpacker origins. The open-air courtyard fills nightly with a mix of hostel guests, local Colombians, and travelers staying elsewhere who've heard this is the place to start a night in Getsemaní. Cheap rum-and-Cokes flow, beer buckets circulate, and the DJ runs through reggaeton, Latin pop, and a bit of everything else. The atmosphere is what you'd call 'organized chaos.' Group drinking games happen at one table, salsa dancers practice in a corner, and international friendships form at the bar. It's the great equalizer.
What to Expect
A hostel bar that's become a neighborhood gathering point. Young, international, and powered by cheap drinks and good energy. The crowd is predominantly backpackers and young travelers, with local Colombians mixing in. Not sophisticated, but genuinely fun.
Young, international, and full of the energy that only cheap drinks and good company create.
DJ sets playing reggaeton, Latin pop, hip-hop, and party classics
Backpacker chic. Which is to say, anything goes.
Solo travelers looking to meet people. Budget drinkers. Pre-game crowds.
Cash preferred for speed
Price Range
Beers COP 5,000-10,000, rum drinks COP 8,000-15,000, beer buckets COP 25,000
≈ €1-6 / $1-6
Hours
Daily from 5 PM to 2 AM
Insider Tip
Show up early enough to join a conversation at the communal tables. The pre-game here leads naturally to Café Havana or other Getsemaní spots. Don't bring anything you'd miss if it disappeared. Keep it light.
Full Review
The courtyard at Media Luna is open-air, ringed by the hostel's upper floors, and packed with communal tables and a central bar. String lights criss-cross overhead. The sound system pumps reggaeton and Latin pop at a volume that forces you to lean in for conversation but not so loud that you give up trying. Cheap rum buckets and beer deals are chalked up on boards near the bar.
Every night follows roughly the same arc. Early evening draws hostel guests and nearby travelers for pre-drinks. By 9 PM, the communal tables host drinking games and newly formed international friend groups. The DJ builds the energy through the night. By 11 PM, the crowd either commits to staying or filters out toward Cafe Havana and the clubs. Solo travelers will find this the easiest place in Cartagena to meet people.
Among Getsemani's hostel bars, Media Luna has the strongest reputation and the biggest crowd. Selina and other hostels run similar setups, but Media Luna benefits from years of backpacker word-of-mouth and a location that makes it the natural first stop. It's not sophisticated, and it doesn't try to be.
Keep valuables minimal. The open courtyard and packed crowd make it easy to lose track of belongings. The drinks are cheap because they're simple: rum and Coke, beer, basic cocktails. Don't expect craft anything. The value here is social, not liquid.
The Neighborhood
Media Luna sits on Calle de la Media Luna, Getsemani's main backpacker artery. The hostel bar functions as a neighborhood gathering point that draws well beyond its guest list, anchoring the pre-game circuit before people scatter to the area's clubs and salsa venues.
Getting There
Central Getsemani, a five-minute walk from Plaza de la Trinidad. From the walled city, walk through the Clock Tower gate and continue straight. Taxis from the airport cost COP 15,000-20,000 to Getsemani.
Where to stay in Cartagena
Compare hotels near the nightlife districts. Free cancellation on most properties.
Other Venues in Getsemani
Café Havana
Legendary live salsa institution and a Cartagena pilgrimage site. Cuban-style son and salsa bands play nightly. Expect a line on weekends and a cover around 20,000 COP.
Demente
Graffiti-covered bar with cheap cocktails and a backpacker-heavy crowd. Good early-evening spot for drinks around Plaza de la Trinidad before heading elsewhere.
El Arsenal: The Rum Box
Rum-focused bar with an extensive Caribbean and Colombian selection. Colonial building interior with knowledgeable bartenders and a pace slower than the nearby clubs.
Beiyu
Asian-fusion cocktail bar bringing a different flavor to Getsemaní's scene. Moody lighting, creative drinks, and a crowd that skews toward late-20s and 30-somethings.
La Jugada Getsemani
Lively corner bar near Plaza de la Trinidad with reggaeton and champeta on the speakers. Cheap beers and a young crowd that spills onto the sidewalk on weekends.
Alquimico Terraza
The open-air rooftop level of Alquimico with its own cocktail menu and views across the Getsemani rooftops. Separate entrance queue on busy nights.