Marbella, Colombia
Also within 20 km of Cartagena
- Castillogrande Surf spot · 3.6 km from Cartagena
- Cartagena Jetty Surf spot · 3.8 km from Cartagena
- Hilton Surf spot · 3.9 km from Cartagena
Watch this spot We email you when Marbella is worth the trip.
About Marbella
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces NW (306°), so it takes swell from the NW. The wind blows offshore from the SE (126°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 5–20 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves very steeply: 10 m deep about 50 m out (1 in 6). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 27°C in March, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in June, its warmest (no wetsuit). The town to stay in is Cartagena, 1.1 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.
Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 12 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to CTG, changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
See flights MDW → CTG · Skyscanner from about £260 returnAdGetting there. 25 min from the airport to Marbella.
Accommodation.
Stay in CartagenaAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Cartagena (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Cartagena 2 min by car · rooms from £60 a night · 450 places to stay · where Marbella stays
Places to stay in Cartagena · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Cartagena · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Cartagena · GetYourGuideAd
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Where it is
Marbella on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Marbella does not suit intermediates. This is the forecast for experts, so you can see what it does.
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Expert | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 9, too small | 2 ft5 shollow | 23kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 2 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 8, too small | 2 ft5 shollow | 20kJ | wind from the west, 3 knots | 30°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 7, too small | 2 ft5 shollow | 23kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 6 knots | 29°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 6, too small | 2 ft5 shollow | 9kJ | wind from the west, 4 knots | 28°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft5 shollow | 5kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 4 knots, offshore | 29°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 2, too small | 1 ft4 shollow | 1kJ | offshorewind from the east-south-east, 2 knots, offshore | 30°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 1, too small | under 1 ft4 s | 1kJ | wind from the south, 5 knots | 29°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 2, too small | 1 ft5 shollow | 2kJ | offshorewind from the south-south-east, 3 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 2, too small | 1 ft4 shollow | 1kJ | wind from the west, 3 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 6, too small | 1 ft4 shollow | 4kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 3 knots | 28°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to CTG, changing at ATL, then 25 min by road. About 12h 25 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: under 1 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to CTG, changing at ATL, then 25 min by road. About 12h 25 door to door
The plan picks the best of 4 spots near Cartagena each day: Cartagena Jetty, Castillogrande, Hilton, Marbella.
Rough cost
About £695–£1,305 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to CTG, estimated from distance and season, changing at ATL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £260–£540 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Taxi | airport and back, shared | £15–£25 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £165–£280 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £155–£290 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £65–£105 |
| Total | £695–£1,305 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Cartagena
- La parrilla plaza bocagrandeBar and grill · 0.2 km from the centre
- La Vieja Guardia Fish and BeerCaribbean · 0.2 km from the centre
- Quero ArepaColombian · 0.2 km from the centre
- D Alba Brunch | Café • Food & CocktailsBreakfast and brunch · 0.3 km from the centre
- EldomiciliorestauranteMexican · 0.3 km from the centre
- Novo Kebab GrillDoner kebab · 0.3 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
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