Places Rated: Cartagena
ByJonathan King
December 08, 2010
2 min readThe November/December issue of Traveler features our annual “Places Rated” survey of destination stewardship, and this year 340 expert panelists rated 99 coastal destinations around the world. Here on the blog, we’re going to highlight some of these coastal destinations and are interested in adding your feedback to the mix. What do you think?
Colombia: Cartagena
Rating: 65 — “Doing Well” Category
Cartagena enchants visitors with one of the best-preserved old towns in the Western Hemisphere. Panelists cited the boom in high-rise hotel construction along the city’s beach as a cause for concern.
Why did the place earn this score? Read representative panelist comments after the jump.
“Cartagena old city is fantastic. The hotel district looks like Miami, however. It needs more local flair and aesthetic. It is important to watch out for petty crime at night.”
“Cartagena and its environs are, without any doubt, the top coastal draw in Colombia. As far as romantic cities go, the old part of Cartagena is unrivaled. That said, uncontrolled coastal developments are slowly ruining the romance of the region. The government needs to act fast!”
“A beautiful city. Efforts to preserve the old city of Cartagena are remarkable. However, the hotel industry has severely compromised the beaches and coastline. Pollution is a major issue.”
Survey scoring system:
74-84 Top Rated
65-73 Doing Well
55-64 In the Balance
48-54 Facing Trouble
34-47 In Trouble
22-34 Near Catastrophic
See all 99 ratings and representative panelist comments online and share your thoughts below.
Photo: O. Louis Mazzatenta
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