Time seems to have stopped in Mompós a long ago.

Founded in the late 1500s, the town saw early prosperity as an active port along the Río Magdalena. But in the late 19th century shipping traffic was diverted and Mompós lost its reason to exist.

Still the town managed to carry on and stands today as a relic of the forgotten past.

Today, most locals pass the time rocking in their rocking chairs and lounging at the night market.

Bats fluttering between the town and the swamp add to the already haunting atmosphere.

Literary buffs might have an interest in Mompós as it was the inspiration for Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez.

Just getting to Mompós is something of an adventure. From Cartagena, you'll need to use a combination of buses and boats as the town is set amid vast swamp not connected by bridges.