What to Pack For a Week in Colombia (Carry-On Only)

When it came to packing for a week in Colombia in a carry-on, I wanted to bring only what I needed. My trip to Colombia included Medellín and Cartagena, which were two very different destinations in terms of clothing.

In Cartagena, it is more tropical — imagine a tropical destination set in a historic setting. Medellín on the other hand is much more formal and cooler temperatures due to its location. So with a carry-on only, I packed a few pieces that would fit well for each.

I found that in Medellín it was much more formal in terms of dress. Men were almost always in collared shirts and rarely did you see open-toe shoes like sandals. I dressed here as I would in NYC or SF, as most restaurants were casual to formal dress. It’s not the place to pull out your Hawaiian shirt.

In Cartagena, it is laidback where sandals and sun dresses work well here. With the coast being nearby, you would have a breeze that often picked up at night to cool down the city.

Here’s a look at what I packed for my weeklong trip.

What to Pack For a Week in Colombia (Carry-On Only)

Luggage

Away Suitcase – The Bigger Carry-On
Packing Cubes — these are a lifesaver for getting all of the below into the suitcase.
MZ Wallace Backpack — I used this on the place for my electronics.
Longchamp Le Pliage Backpack — I always pack this on my trips as it’s very thin and makes for the best day bag that can also carry a camera.

Tops

Bright blue floral top
Smocked Tank Top
Linen Tank Top
Long-Sleeve White Collared Shirt
Two black t-shirts (I wore one on the plane each way)

Bottoms

Denim shorts — love these by AG and these by Levi’s
White linen pants
Black jeans (didn’t pack these and wish I had. I wore lighter pants on the plane instead of my normal black jeans.)