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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. There’s nothing touristic about it.
History
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.
Docks
We passed through Magangué, like countless others, on our way to Mompox. We found it to be a large, ugly city with not much to stop for. 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.
Cathedral
Across the street from the docks is the Cathedral of Our Lady of La Candelaria (Catedral Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria). This colonial church is the most beautiful building in town, but it was unfortunately closed during our visit.
Getting Out
After we checked out the docks and cathedral, we drove north along the river to Yatí, where we caught the car ferry on our way to Mompox.
