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Magangué is typically used as a transfer point for travelers going between Cartagena and Mompox. It’s the second largest city in the Bolívar department and sits on the Magdalena River.
Introduction to Magangué
Magangué was founded on April 10, 1610, although there was a colonial settlement at the site dating back to 1541. Its main industries are agriculture, fishing, and commerce.
We passed through Magangué, like countless others, on our way to Mompox. There’s nothing touristic about it. We found it to be a large, ugly city with not much to stop for.
Docks at Magangué
The only place we stopped was at the riverside docks, where we saw men loading boats with supplies and other cargo to take to settlements along the river.
We also saw passengers filling up chalupas, which are long, narrow motorized boats. They take people to different settlements along the Magdalena as well. The chalupas we saw were packed with people and luggage was loaded on top.
Our Lady of La Candelaria
Across the street from the docks is the Cathedral of Our Lady of La Candelaria (Catedral Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria). It’s the seat of the Diocese of Magangué, which was eastbalisehd on April 25, 1969 by Pope Paul VI. This colonial church was completed in 1792. It’s the most beautiful building in town but it was unfortunately closed during our visit.
Map of Magangué
Car Ferry Across the Magdalena River
For hundreds of years, the only way to get from Cartagena to Mompox was to cross the Magdalena River on a ferry. It would be no different when we passed through. We would be following in the footsteps of countless people before us, but it’s a tradition that’s now part of a bygone era.
In March 2020, less than a year after our experience, two bridges over the Magdalena River opened to traffic, drastically cutting travel time and causing the need for ferries to fade into oblivion. Why take a 45-minute ride on a barge when you can pay a toll and cross the river in a few minutes?
To take the car ferry, we headed north to the small town of Yatí. Obviously, we would have preferred to drive over the bridges, but we were excited for the opportunity to cross the river the traditional way.
Loading the Ferry
We pulled up to the dock at just after 1pm, when the last ferry of the day was supposed to be leaving. An attendant told us to sit back, relax, and have a snack because it would be about another half hour before we’d have to load the car onto the ferry. We took a seat at a small restaurant and waited.
Soon after, a couple of trucks began backing up onto the ferry, taking their place at the rear. Marisol asked if there had ever been any accidents because of too much weight, and the attendant shrugged his shoulders as if to say “don’t worry”.
The attendant asked me to start up my car. He would allow us to be the first private vehicle to drive onto the ferry, for a tip of course. I backed up onto the ferry, following his directions, and positioned the car almost touching the railing along the side.
Cruising the Magdalena River
We waited a few minutes, watching the other vehicles drive onto the ferry while admiring the views back towards Magangué. After the last vehicles and a few motorcycles piled on with us, the ferry started to back up from the dock and turn downriver.
It made its way down the Magdalena, with another ferry passing in the other direction. We then got a glimpse of the bridges that would soon after put an end to the ferries, although the attendant had a more positive outlook. He believed the ferries would stick around for the sake of tradition, albeit on a much less frequent schedule.
Unloading at La Bodega
The ferry turned and left the Magdalena behind, entering the much narrower Chicagua River. As the 45-minute ride came to an end, we approached the dock at La Bodega. The men laid down some planks and shoveled some dirt to make it easier for vehicles to exit. We were the second vehicle off the ferry, and continued for another hour or so down the road to Mompox.
