The short answer
Fly into Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG), which has direct service from Florida hubs such as Miami and Fort Lauderdale and sits about 10 to 15 minutes from the old city. Plan three to five days for crowns or a few fillings, about a week for veneers, and two trips three to six months apart for implants or All-on-4. Stay in Bocagrande or Manga for convenience, or in the walled city if you want atmosphere. Typical prices run $600 to $1,100 USD for an implant and $250 to $450 for a crown.
Getting there
From Miami the flight takes roughly two and a half hours, and Fort Lauderdale is similar. From other US cities and from Canada you will usually connect once, either through a Florida hub, through Bogotá or through Panama City. Schedules change by season, so check current options when you plan. Colombia is on UTC-5 all year, so jet lag is not an issue from North America.
At the airport, take an official taxi from the rank outside arrivals or use a ride app. The fare to the old city or Bocagrande is modest; confirm it before you get in.
How many days and trips?
| Treatment | Typical stay | Trips | Cartagena price (USD) | US price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | 1 day | 1 | $30 – $60 | $150 – $300 |
| Zirconia crown | 3–5 days | 1 | $250 – $450 | $1,200 – $1,800 |
| Porcelain veneers | About 7 days | 1 | $250 – $500 per tooth | $1,500 – $2,500 per tooth |
| Single implant | 5–7 days, then about a week | 2 | $600 – $1,100 | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| All-on-4, per arch | 7–10 days, then about a week | 2 | $6,000 – $10,000 | $20,000 – $30,000 |
Prices are city-level estimates. Days and trips depend on your case; your written plan should state both before you book flights.
The order of things
- Send recent X-rays or a panoramic image and photos to two or three shortlisted clinics.
- Compare the written plans: procedures, materials, days, total price.
- Choose the clinic, confirm the dates and only then buy your flight.
- Book a hotel close to the clinic, with a spare night at the end.
- Check the current entry requirements for your passport and your government's travel advisory for Colombia.
Where to stay
- Bocagrande and El Laguito: the hotel strip on the peninsula south of the old city, with high-rise hotels and apartments, supermarkets and many clinics within a few blocks. Practical rather than charming, and good for recovery.
- Manga: a residential island with older mansions, newer towers and a marina, close to several medical buildings and quieter than the tourist zones.
- The walled city (Centro and San Diego): boutique hotels in restored colonial houses, the most beautiful part of Cartagena and the most expensive. Lovely before or after treatment, less ideal if you need to rest in silence.
- Getsemaní: just outside the walls, with street art, small hotels and lively nightlife. Great fun, noisy at night.
Heat, humidity and recovery
Cartagena is hot all year, with daytime temperatures usually around 30°C (the high 80s Fahrenheit) and high humidity. December to April is the drier, breezier stretch; October and November are usually the wettest months. For dental patients the practical point is recovery: after surgery you want a cool hotel room, plenty of water and shade, not an afternoon on the sand. Plan sightseeing for early morning or after sunset, when the old city is at its best anyway.
Fitting sightseeing around treatment
The rule is simple: the more surgical the treatment, the more of your sightseeing should come before it. For crowns and veneers, the lab days are free time. For implants and All-on-4, do the walking, the boat trips and the beach in the days before surgery, and keep the days after for rest.
Good options for those days include walking the city walls at sunset, the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas fortress, the Palace of the Inquisition museum, the convent on La Popa hill with its view over the bay, the street art of Getsemaní and a day trip by boat to the Rosario Islands, about an hour away. If you swim or snorkel, do it before treatment or once your dentist clears you.
Safety in Cartagena
Cartagena is Colombia's most visited tourist city, and the walled centre, Getsemaní, Bocagrande and Manga are busy, well-patrolled areas. It is still a big city with real inequality, so read your government's current travel advisory for Colombia before you book. The sensible habits are the ordinary ones: use taxis from your hotel or a ride app, keep your phone out of sight on the street, do not carry more cash than you need, and be firm but polite with beach vendors.
Money and phones
Colombia uses the peso (COP). Cards work in hotels, restaurants and most clinics; carry some pesos for taxis and small purchases, and withdraw from ATMs inside banks or shopping centres. Confirm the currency on your dental quote. A local eSIM or your carrier's roaming plan keeps WhatsApp working, which is how most clinics communicate.
Before you arrive
Most Cartagena clinics coordinate with foreign patients by WhatsApp and email. Use that channel before you travel to settle the details that cause trouble later: the exact address of the clinic, who will meet you, whether the clinic arranges airport pickup, what time your first appointment is, and whether you should arrive fasting for any procedure. Send your medication list and medical history in writing. Ask for the total price and the payment schedule again in the same thread, so it is all in one place.
Travelling with a companion
For implant surgery and especially for All-on-4 under sedation, bring someone with you if you can. You will not be able to make your own way back to the hotel after sedation, and it helps to have someone who can collect prescriptions, buy soft food and keep track of instructions in the first day or two. For crowns and veneers you can travel alone without difficulty, and many patients do.
Flying home after treatment
Ask your dentist when it is safe to fly. After routine crowns or veneers there is usually no restriction. After surgery, most clinics want to see you at least once before you leave, and some advise waiting a few days before a flight. Book a direct flight home if you can, carry your medication and the clinic's contact details in your hand luggage, and keep the written treatment record with you.
What to pack
Light, breathable clothes, sunscreen, a hat and a refillable water bottle; your dental records and medication list; and soft snacks if you are having surgery. If you take regular medication, bring enough for the whole trip in its original packaging.
Compare clinics in the independent ranking of Cartagena dental clinics and read the Cartagena dentist guide for flights, neighbourhoods and planning.
How Molar City can help
Molar City is an independent dental tourism platform, not a clinic. Since 2007 we have helped patients compare clinics, understand treatment plans and organise trips, first in Los Algodones, Mexico, and now in destinations across the Americas and beyond. In Cartagena we rank every clinic we can find, 160 of them at the last scan, on public signals such as reviews, website quality and listing completeness. No clinic can pay for a better position. If you send us your X-rays and the plans you have received, we can help you read them side by side and spot what is missing before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Miami to Cartagena?
Roughly two and a half hours.
What is the best time of year to go?
December to April is drier and breezier. October and November are usually the wettest months, but treatment is possible year-round.
Where should I stay for dental treatment?
Bocagrande or Manga for convenience and rest, close to many clinics; the walled city for atmosphere.
Can I combine treatment with a beach holiday?
Yes, but put the beach before surgery or after your dentist clears you. Crowns and veneers leave more free time than implants.
160 clinics scored on reviews, rating and digital presence. No clinic pays for its position.
- #1 Sonrisa Perfecta Dental - Tarsys Loayza Roys
- #2 Dra. Tarsys Loayza, Odontólogo
- #3 Dental Tourism Colombia (Cartagena)
