Join a week of chaotic festivities as Cartagena celebrates beauty and its independence.

The Cartagena Independence Festival - one of Colombia's oldest and craziest celebrations - kicks off in the month before it celebrates its independence from Spanish rule on 11 November.

Another month, another great reason to have an epic party in Cartagena. And perhaps it’s one of the most important reasons to hit the streets and celebrate, as 11 November is the day that this beautiful Caribbean port city led the way and threw off the country's Spanish rulers.

The streets erupt in a vibrant collage of colourful costumes, fireworks, music and dancing, with vendors keeping your hunger at bay with some great food throughout the festival. Park yourself on the ancient walls of Old Town to watch the carnival procession move past, or get closer to the action and dance the day away.

Highlights include: the Bando, a parade that snakes through the citym, the Cabildo in Getsemani, a Cartagena street party that surpasses all the others and the Balleneras, a day of raucous boat fun that would be illegal any other place on earth.