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Bocagrande · El Laguito · Castillogrande · Cartagena, Colombia

Bocagrande: sleep by the beach towers, or inside the walls?

Bocagrande is the peninsula of beach towers south of the walled city of Cartagena, Colombia. Sleep here for the sea across the road and a pool in the afternoon: most places are apartments, and far fewer bars are mapped than in the old town. Sleep inside the walls to walk to everything. From Bocagrande the Clock Tower is 37 minutes on foot, too long at midday in every month, so you ride the T103 bus or a taxi. Staying in the old town? Bocagrande is worth a late afternoon and the sunset over the open sea, not a whole day.

Edited by Rainer LangUpdated

I stayed in Bocagrande for part of my 12 days in Cartagena in October 2023. Rainer Lang, editor

Some links on this page are affiliate links: the guide earns a commission when you book through them. The partner sets the price; the guide adds no fee.

The small lighthouse at Castillogrande on the bay, with the towers of Bocagrande behind it
The Castillogrande lighthouse and the Bocagrande towers from the bay, March 2025.Photo: Dr. Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1Side by side

Bocagrande or inside the walls, line by line

The map shows the whole peninsula, from the walls to El Laguito and Castillogrande, with the open sea on one side and the bay on the other. Under it, six things measured the same way for both places. Set your month and the last column follows.

Strip map of the Bocagrande peninsula, Cartagena, ColombiaNorth is to the right. The peninsula runs from the walled city on the right to El Laguito and Castillogrande on the left. The open Caribbean, with the beaches and their rock groynes, is along the top; the Bay of Cartagena, with the naval base and the piers, along the bottom. A dashed line follows the walking route from Bocagrande to the Clock Tower; a thin line is the T103 bus. Dotted lines leave El Laguito and Castillogrande beaches for Tierra Bomba, whose north shore shows at the lower left. Numbered places are listed beside the map.Caribbean Seathe beach sideBay of Cartagenathe bay sideBOCAGRANDEEL LAGUITOCASTILLOGRANDEto Tierra BombaWalled cityT103 bus1234567891001 kmN© OpenStreetMap contributorsStrip map of the Bocagrande peninsula, Cartagena, ColombiaNorth is up. The walled city is at the top, Bocagrande runs down the middle, El Laguito is at the lower left tip and Castillogrande at the lower right. The open Caribbean, with the beaches and their rock groynes, is on the left; the Bay of Cartagena, with the naval base and the piers, on the right. A dashed line follows the walking route to the Clock Tower; a thin line is the T103 bus. Dotted lines leave for Tierra Bomba at the bottom. Numbered places are listed below the map.Caribbean Seathe beach sideBaythe bay sideBOCAGRANDEEL LAGUITOCASTILLOGRANDEto Tierra BombaWalled cityT103 bus1234567891001 kmN© OpenStreetMap contributors
  1. Clock Tower The main gate of the walled city.
  2. Muelle de la Bodeguita The island dock by the walls.
  3. Centro Comercial Plaza Bocagrande Mall at the north end.
  4. Centro Comercial Bocagrande With La Mansión and the Centro Ejecutivo.
  5. Centro Comercial Pierino Gallo Mall in El Laguito.
  6. El Laguito beach Speedboats to Punta Arena.
  7. Castillogrande beach Behind the hospital: club boats, kayaks.
  8. Muelle Las Gaviotas A club boat to Tierra Bomba.
  9. Fuerte de Santa Cruz Fort and lighthouse.
  10. Base Naval ARC Bolívar The naval base on the bay.
  11. The walk to the Clock Tower, 2.4 km.
  12. Bus T103 by way of La Bodeguita.
  13. Boats to Tierra Bomba: Punta Arena 3.8 km from El Laguito, 3.3 km from Castillogrande, in a straight line.

The right-hand column reads each line for November.

Bocagrande and inside the walls, line by lineWalks on OpenStreetMap streets at 4 km/h from each area's center; beaches in a straight line. Booking.com: a search for 19 to 21 March 2027, read on 11 November 2026. Taxi: the airport's 2026 table.
BocagrandeInside the wallsWhat it means for you
BeachAcross the road. Nearest mapped beach 0.5 km from the center; sand between rock groynes.None inside. Nearest 0.7 km from San Diego, 1.4 km from Centro.In November, open sand, which has no shade, is comfortable until about 7:45, then not again until about 17:45, after the sunset at 17:37; in between, a tent or the water.
Pool174 of 249 places list one.62 of 109 in Centro, often small, on a roof or in a patio.In November the hot hours in the streets run from about 8:00 to about 17:45: the pool hours.
Walk to the Clock Tower37 minutes, 2.4 km on foot; from El Laguito 60 minutes.8 minutes from Centro, 12 minutes from San Diego.In November the walk into town at 13:00 is too long for the heat: take the bus or a taxi. Walk before about 8:00 or after about 17:45; at 19:00 it works.
Taxi from the airport34,400 COP, about USD 10: the highest city zone.20,200 COP, about USD 6; hotel zone 24,300 COP.Fixed by zone, with a night surcharge from 19:00.
The evening3 bars and clubs mapped in the barrio; hotel bars are often not mapped.29 mapped in Centro, 6 in San Diego.In November the streets are cool enough to walk from about 17:45. At 19:00 the walk into town works.
What the listings offer249 places: 185 homes and apartments, 53 hotels.109 places in Centro: 59 hotels, 52 homes and apartments.More apartments means more kitchens; more hotels, more front desks. Counts move with dates.

What the lines add up to. Bocagrande comes out ahead on the beach and the pool; the walled city on the walk, the evening and the airport fare. Bocagrande lists more places, but most are apartments; inside the walls about half are hotels.

2The verdict

Who is better off sleeping in Bocagrande

  • Anyone who wants a swim every day. The sand is across the road, and a pool fills the hot hours in the streets; the table in section 3 gives them for every month.
  • A week or more, with a kitchen. Most places to stay in Bocagrande are homes and apartments, about three in four on Booking.com.
  • Early tours by road. Day tours to Playa Blanca and Palenque collect guests at hotels on the peninsula; from the walled city you meet at the Clock Tower (day trips).

Sleep inside the walls on a first visit of three or four nights, or if you want to walk to dinner. Getsemaní, outside the gate, has as many bars mapped as Centro. All eleven areas on one chart: where to stay in Cartagena. Or split the stay: the old town first, then two nights by the sea, or a night on an island.

Airport taxi to Bocagrande34,400 COPThe 2026 fixed fare to Bocagrande, El Laguito and Castillogrande, about USD 10; to the walled city 20,200 COP. From 19:00 to 5:00 add 1,100 COP. Taxi stands: Two stations, at the domestic and the international exits; the airport recommends always using them (airport).

3From the old town

Staying in the old town: is Bocagrande worth an afternoon?

For the end of the day, yes; for a beach day, no. Rent a tent for the last hour of light and watch the sun set over the open sea; the table shows when open sand is comfortable in your month, and from May to November that is only after dark, in September not before midnight. Pale sand needs a boat: Cartagena beaches.

Getting there. Transcaribe route T103 runs from the Portal to Bocagrande by way of the La Bodeguita stop beside the walls, 5:00 to 21:00 on weekdays, 5:30 to 20:30 on Saturdays, 6:00 to 20:00 on Sundays and holidays, in the route book of July 2024, for 3,900 COP (route book). On foot it is 2.4 km, 37 minutes at 4 km/h. A street hour counts as walkable here when the shade feels like 35 °C or less in still air; open sand gets the breeze, 33 °C, but not the high sun.

The hours, month by monthThe guide's own lines, from airport readings 2016 to 2025. Sunset on the 15th. Your month is marked.
MonthWalk the streetsOn open sandSunset19:00 walk
Januarybefore 9:45, after 16:45until 9:30, from 15:3017:58Works
Februarybefore 9:45, after 16:45until 9:30, from 15:3018:10Works
Marchbefore 9:15, after 16:45until 9:15, from 15:3018:13Works
Aprilbefore 8:15, after 17:45until 8:00, from 15:3018:13Works
Maybefore 7:15, after 21:15until 6:45, from 22:00, after dark18:16Too warm
Junebefore 7:15, after 21:15until 7:00, from 22:45, after dark18:24Too warm
Julybefore 7:45, after 19:30until 7:15, from 18:45, after dark18:28Too warm
Augustbefore 7:30, after 21:15until 7:15, from 19:45, after dark18:21Too warm
Septemberbefore 7:15, after 21:15until 6:45, not before midnight18:03Too warm
Octoberbefore 8:00, after 19:00until 7:15, from 23:00, after dark17:45Works
Novemberbefore 8:00, after 17:45until 7:45, from 17:45, after dark17:37Works
Decemberbefore 9:00, after 17:15until 8:30, from 16:0017:43Works

SunsetWhere to watch it: Cartagena sunset. Heat by the hour: Cartagena weather.

4The district

One peninsula, three neighborhoods

The city's neighborhood names, as OpenStreetMap maps their boundaries, split the peninsula in three. Bocagrande is the long middle, with the beach road, Carrera 1, on the sea side and Avenida San Martín down the center. El Laguito is the south-western tip around a small lagoon, with the Hotel Caribe and other beach hotels. Castillogrande is the residential end on the bay, with a park, the Fuerte de Santa Cruz and a small lighthouse.

On Booking.com nearly every place in El Laguito is a home or an apartment, with only a few hotels; Castillogrande has few places to stay at all, almost none of them hotels.

How it was built. The first to build on the peninsula was the oil company Andian National Corporation, with houses for its employees. The Hotel Caribe in El Laguito went up in the 1940s, one of the first large buildings, and the district grew into hotels and towers around it (El Universal; El Universal).

Bocagrande from above: apartment towers among older low buildings, the bay and the hills beyond
Towers among the low houses of the older grid, January 2016.Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On the mapBoundaries: Bocagrande, El Laguito, Castillogrande. The whole city: Cartagena map.

5Two shores

The open sea on one side, the bay on the other

The beach side faces the open Caribbean, so the sun sets over the water. Rock groynes cut it into short bays; tents and chairs are rented by the row. What to watch for in the water: the city beaches.

The Bocagrande shore seen from above at the north end: rock groynes, small bays of sand, swimmers and a row of towers along the beach road
The open-sea side, January 2016: groynes split the shore into short bays of sand.Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rental tents on the beach at the western end of Bocagrande, with the hotel towers behind
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The bay side looks onto the Bay of Cartagena. At the north end the naval base holds the shore; farther south stand small piers. Morning and sunset kayak tours listed on the booking sites start from Castillogrande beach, which faces Tierra Bomba (Cartagena tours).

The bay side of Bocagrande from the water: grey naval ships at their berths in front of apartment towers
The bay side at the north end, 2007: naval ships, then the towers.Photo: Jorever, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Beach hoursOpen sand has no shade, so the guide never counts it comfortable between 10:00 and 15:30. The month table in section 3 gives the hours before and after.

6Errands

Malls, a hospital and a consulate, on the map

OpenStreetMap places five shopping centers on the peninsula: Plaza Bocagrande at the north end; Centro Comercial Bocagrande, La Mansión and the Centro Ejecutivo in the middle; Pierino Gallo in El Laguito. The Nuevo Hospital de Bocagrande is at the Castillogrande end. Canada's consulate is in Centro Comercial Bocagrande: Cra. 2 No. 8-146, Of. 313, Centro Comercial Bocagrande, tel. (57-605) 652-5783 (Government of Canada). Emergency numbers: is Cartagena safe.

PricesA meal, a beer, a beach chair: prices in Cartagena.

7Places to stay

Six places to stay on the peninsula

How they were picked: in each part of the peninsula, among the places with the most guest reviews on Booking.com. The guide prints no review counts or scores; each line says what the listing says.

  1. Holiday Inn Express - Cartagena Bocagrande by IHG Bocagrande · hotel

    On Avenida San Martín, a block from the beach road; an outdoor pool and a fitness center.

  2. Oz Hotel Cartagena Grand Bocagrande · hotel

    On Carrera 3, with a terrace and a restaurant; no pool among its listed facilities.

  3. Hotel Almirante Cartagena Colombia Bocagrande · hotel

    Beachfront on Avenida San Martín at Calle 6, with an outdoor pool and two restaurants.

  4. Hotel Caribe by Faranda Grand El Laguito · hotel

    The 1940s hotel on the beach, in tropical gardens, with a semi-Olympic pool.

  5. Hotel Caribbean Cartagena El Laguito · hotel

    A few steps from El Laguito beach, with two pools, one for children.

  6. Travelers Orange Cartagena Castillogrande · condo hotel

    Apartments with a kitchen and a balcony on Carrera 10, and a rooftop pool.

The Hyatt, Estelar, Hilton and Dann are compared with other areas on where to stay; small hotels in old houses on boutique hotels.

ApartmentsRead the facility list before you book: it says what comes with the apartment.

8Boats

Boats from the peninsula: Tierra Bomba and the islands

Tierra Bomba is across the water. Speedboats to the public beach at Punta Arena leave from El Laguito beach; the crossings to Tierra Bomba take 7 to 20 minutes depending on the landing; several club boats leave from Castillogrande beach behind the hospital, and one from the Las Gaviotas pier. Every club's departure: Tierra Bomba.

The Rosario Islands and Barú. Most boats leave from Muelle de la Bodeguita by the walls, which the maritime authority, DIMAR, names as the authorized point for passenger boats to Rosario and San Bernardo; a few beach-club listings meet at the Todomar CHL marina in Bocagrande. The dock fee at La Bodeguita is 18,000 COP, or 31,500 COP with the Rosario park fee.

A small sandy cove on Tierra Bomba with a stone groyne, looking across the water to the towers of Bocagrande
From the north shore of Tierra Bomba, the towers of Bocagrande across the water (2023).Photo: Richardaemix, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

AboardDIMAR's advice: Book tours and sea transport only with legally established companies that leave from authorised docks; wear the life jacket aboard; do not jump in or swim around boats under way or at anchor. Which island: Cartagena islands; day passes: beach clubs.

9Questions

Bocagrande questions

Is Bocagrande a good area to stay in Cartagena?

For a beach-and-pool stay, yes: the sea is across the road, many places list a pool and far fewer bars are mapped than in the old town. For a first visit built around the old town, the walled city or Getsemaní is easier: from Bocagrande most trips into town are a bus or taxi ride.

Can you walk from Bocagrande to the old town?

Yes, but not at midday. From the center of Bocagrande to the Clock Tower is 2.4 km, 37 minutes at an easy pace. At 13:00 the streets are too hot in every month; at 19:00 the walk works from October to April. Otherwise take the T103 bus, 3,900 COP, or a taxi.

How much is a taxi from the airport to Bocagrande?

The airport's 2026 table sets a fixed fare of 34,400 COP to Bocagrande, El Laguito and Castillogrande, against 20,200 COP to the walled city. From 19:00 to 5:00 a night surcharge of 1,100 COP is added. Use the authorized stands at the exits.

What is there to do in Bocagrande?

The beach and the sunset over the open sea, the malls along Avenida San Martín, a kayak on the bay at Castillogrande, and boats across to Tierra Bomba from El Laguito and Castillogrande beaches. Road tours to Playa Blanca and Palenque pick guests up at hotels on the peninsula.

Sources
  1. Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia: authorised taxi stations: Two stations, at the domestic and the international exits; the airport recommends always using them. OINAC: Transporte.
  2. Official taxi fare from Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia to Centro - San Diego - La Matuna - Getsemaní (2026 table): 20,200 COP. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  3. Official taxi fare from Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia to Centro - Zona hotelera Centro Histórico (2026 table): 24,300 COP. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  4. Official taxi fare from Rafael Núñez airport (CTG), Cartagena, Colombia to Bocagrande, Castillogrande, Laguito, Cuatro Vientos, Alma Viva (hasta la Bomba del Amparo), Cuartelillo de Olaya (2026 table): 34,400 COP. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  5. Airport taxi night surcharge in Cartagena, Colombia (2026): 1100 COP. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  6. Airport taxi night surcharge hours in Cartagena, Colombia (2026): 19:00 to 5:00. OINAC: Tarifas taxis desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Núñez (footed 'Decreto 0051 Alcaldía Mayor de Cartagena').
  7. Shopping centres mapped in OpenStreetMap on the Bocagrande peninsula, Cartagena, Colombia (shop=mall): Centro Comercial Plaza Bocagrande, Centro Comercial Bocagrande, Centro Comercial La Mansión, Centro Ejecutivo Bocagrande, Centro Comercial Pierino Gallo. OpenStreetMap, OSM API 0.6 map call for the peninsula (bbox -75.568,10.389,-75.545,10.417), read 2026-11-12.
  8. Other mapped places on the Bocagrande peninsula, Cartagena, Colombia (OpenStreetMap): Nuevo Hospital de Bocagrande (way/962305208) in Castillogrande; Fuerte de Santa Cruz (way/1358699266) at the bay end of Castillogrande; Base Naval ARC Bolívar (way/95171410) on the bay side at the north end; Muelle Las Gaviotas (way/166311260) on the bay shore of Castillogrande. OpenStreetMap, OSM API 0.6 map call, read 2026-11-12.
  9. Map data for the streets, buildings, walls, coast, lagoons, islands, neighbourhood outlines and Transcaribe trunk lines on the full map of Cartagena, Colombia: licence: Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0, © OpenStreetMap contributors. OpenStreetMap Foundation: Copyright and License, 2026-11-12.
  10. Bars, pubs and nightclubs mapped in OpenStreetMap inside the barrio Centro (walled city), Cartagena, Colombia: 29. OpenStreetMap via Overpass, amenity=bar|pub|nightclub (OSM base 2026-11-11), counted inside the barrio boundary, 2026-11-11.
  11. Bars, pubs and nightclubs mapped in OpenStreetMap inside the barrio San Diego (walled city), Cartagena, Colombia: 6. OpenStreetMap via Overpass, amenity=bar|pub|nightclub (OSM base 2026-11-11), counted inside the barrio boundary, 2026-11-11.
  12. Bars, pubs and nightclubs mapped in OpenStreetMap inside the barrio Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia: 3. OpenStreetMap via Overpass, amenity=bar|pub|nightclub (OSM base 2026-11-11), counted inside the barrio boundary, 2026-11-11.
  13. Walk from Centro to the Clock Tower, Cartagena, OSM route: 0.5 km. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  14. Nearest beach mapped in OSM from Centro, straight line: 1.4 km. OpenStreetMap via Overpass, 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  15. Walk from San Diego to the Clock Tower, Cartagena, OSM route: 0.8 km. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  16. Nearest beach mapped in OSM from San Diego, straight line: 0.7 km. OpenStreetMap via Overpass, 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  17. Walk from Bocagrande to the Clock Tower, Cartagena, OSM route: 2.4 km. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  18. Nearest beach mapped in OSM from Bocagrande, straight line: 0.5 km. OpenStreetMap via Overpass, 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  19. Walk from El Laguito to the Clock Tower, Cartagena, OSM route: 4.0 km. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  20. Walk from Castillogrande to the Clock Tower, Cartagena, OSM route: 3.8 km. Valhalla routing on OpenStreetMap, 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  21. Straight-line distance from Castillogrande beach (behind the Bocagrande hospital), Cartagena, Colombia to Punta Arena on Tierra Bomba: 3.3 km. Great-circle distance between 'playa-de-castillogrande' (OSM way 25446639) and the OSM node of Punta Arena (node 703210903), 2026-11-12.
  22. Straight-line distance from Castillogrande beach, Cartagena, Colombia to the landing beach of Tierra Bomba village (OSM 'Desembarcadero Tierra Bomba'): 2.3 km. Great-circle distance between 'playa-de-castillogrande' and OSM node 7390828759 'Desembarcadero Tierra Bomba', 2026-11-12.
  23. Straight-line distance from El Laguito beach, Cartagena, Colombia to Punta Arena on Tierra Bomba: 3.8 km. Great-circle distance between 'playa-el-laguito' and the OSM node of Punta Arena (node 703210903), 2026-11-12.
  24. Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia: who first built on the peninsula: the oil company Andian National Corporation, with houses for its employees. El Universal (Cartagena), 'Bocagrande, su transformación y los problemas que hoy afronta', Ernesto Taborda Herrera, 24 Feb 2020; El Universal, 'Bocagrande, una historia desconocida', Gustavo Tatis Guerra, 19 Sep 2020, 2020-02-24.
  25. Hotel Caribe, El Laguito, Cartagena, Colombia: decade it was built, among the first large buildings on the Bocagrande peninsula: the 1940s. El Universal (Cartagena), 24 Feb 2020 (Taborda Herrera, citing Adela Colorado for the Fototeca Histórica de Cartagena) and 19 Sep 2020 (Tatis Guerra), 2020-02-24.
  26. Muelle La Bodeguita, Cartagena, Colombia: park fee bundle (13,500 park + 18,000 dock) for the Islas del Rosario: 31,500 COP. Corpoturismo Cartagena de Indias: ticket store (catalogue in page source).
  27. Muelle La Bodeguita, Cartagena, Colombia: dock fee 'Uso de Muelle 2026' per person: 18,000 COP. Corpoturismo Cartagena de Indias: ticket store (catalogue in page source).
  28. Muelle La Bodeguita, Cartagena, Colombia: DIMAR authorisation: Authorised point for commercial passenger transport to Rosario and San Bernardo (Capitanía circular 20210029, 8 May 2021). DIMAR: Capitanía de Puerto de Cartagena, circular 20210029, 2021-05-08.
  29. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Beach Day on Tierra Bomba Island, Punta Arena' (AV COL), Cartagena, Colombia: boat ride from Cartagena to the island: 7 min. GetYourGuide product page t567775 (provider AV COL).
  30. GetYourGuide listing 'Makani Beach Club w/ Boat Transfer, Drink & Sunbed', Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: boat time from Cartagena: 15 to 20 min. GetYourGuide product page t1297562 (provider Cartagena Day Tours).
  31. GetYourGuide listing 'Barú Island, Playa Blanca Tour with Lunch' (AV COL), Cartagena, Colombia: road route to Playa Blanca: By bus through the Mamonal industrial zone and over the bridge to Barú, past Ararca, Santa Ana and the village of Barú. GetYourGuide product page t605513 (provider AV COL).
  32. GetYourGuide listing 'Playa Blanca Barú with Lunch, Tour Guide and Transportation' (Tours Aventura), Cartagena, Colombia: day plan by road: pickups 7:00 to 8:15, return to Cartagena at 15:00. GetYourGuide product page t1421808 (provider Tours Aventura).
  33. Booking.com page 'Oz Hotel Cartagena Grand' (Bocagrande), Cartagena, Colombia: type and street: hotel on Carrera 3. Booking.com property page, read 2026-11-12.
  34. Booking.com page 'Hotel Almirante Cartagena Colombia' (Bocagrande), Cartagena, Colombia: type and facilities: hotel on Avenida San Martín at Calle 6; outdoor pool; beachfront. Booking.com property page, read 2026-11-12.
  35. Booking.com page 'Hotel Caribbean Cartagena' (El Laguito), Cartagena, Colombia: type and facilities: hotel at Playa El Laguito; 2 swimming pools, one for children. Booking.com property page, read 2026-11-12.
  36. GetYourGuide listing 'COCOA BEACH: Beach Club Day Pass in Islas del Rosario', Cocoa Beach, Isla Grande, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia: meeting point and start, as listed: meeting: Muelle Todomar (Todomar Marina, Todomar CHL Bocagrande), arrive by 7:30 AM; return about 3:00 PM; start: Boat leaves after 7:30 check-in. GetYourGuide product page t1508558 (Cocoa Beach).
  37. GetYourGuide listing 'Rosario Islands: Beach Club W/ Lunch, Bikes, Snorkeling & DJ', Mangata Beach Club, Rosario Islands, Cartagena, Colombia: meeting point and start, as listed: meeting: Todomar CHL Marina Bocagrande, 2nda, Cartagena de Indias; start: Check availability (not shown). GetYourGuide product page t1349040 (Cartagena Day Tours).
  38. Viator listing 'Beach day at Palmarito Beach', Palmarito Beach, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: meeting point and start, as listed: meeting: Nuevo Hospital de Bocagrande, Cl. 5 #6-49, Castillogrande (blue Palmarito flag; two receptionists); start: 8:00 am. Viator product page d4498-323648P14 (MY CARTAGENA TOURS).
  39. Viator listing 'Full day at the beach club vista mare in tierra bomba', Vista Mare, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: meeting point and start, as listed: meeting: Edificio Las Gaviotas, Cl. 6 #11-80, Castillogrande (boat waits in front); start: 8:00 am. Viator product page d4498-34334P26 (Backpackers Travels S. A. S).
  40. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Playa Linda Beach Day Trip with Boat Transfers', Playa Linda, Tierra Bomba, Cartagena, Colombia: meeting point and start, as listed: meeting: Hospital De Bocagrande, Cl. 5 #6-49, Castillogrande; start: 9:00 / 10:00 / 11:00; return 15:00 or 16:00. GetYourGuide product page t1410665 (Live Vacations Tours).
  41. Booking.com, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia (19 to 21 March 2027): properties in the 'Centro' neighbourhood filter (inside the walls): 109. Booking.com search results, Neighborhood panel, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  42. Booking.com, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia (19 to 21 March 2027): properties in the 'San Diego' neighbourhood filter (inside the walls): 59. Booking.com search results, Neighborhood panel, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  43. Viator listing 'Tour De Palenque, Road to Emancipation.' (d4498-373679P2, supplied by La Perla Viajes y Turismo), Cartagena, Colombia: pickup times by area: 8:00 at the Clock Tower for the walled city, 8:20 to 8:45 in Bocagrande, Castillogrande and El Laguito, 8:50 to 9:30 in the north. Viator product page d4498-373679P2 (pickup details).
  44. Booking.com, Centro, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): hotels: 59. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  45. Booking.com, Centro, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): entire homes and apartments: 52. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  46. Booking.com, Centro, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): with a pool: 62. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  47. Booking.com, San Diego, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): with a pool: 25. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  48. Booking.com, Bocagrande, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): places listed: 249. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  49. Booking.com, Bocagrande, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): hotels: 53. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  50. Booking.com, Bocagrande, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): entire homes and apartments: 185. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  51. Booking.com, Bocagrande, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): with a pool: 174. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  52. Booking.com, Laguito, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): places listed: 143. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  53. Booking.com, Laguito, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): hotels: 6. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  54. Booking.com, Laguito, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): entire homes and apartments: 137. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  55. Booking.com, Laguito, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): with a pool: 117. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  56. Booking.com, Castillogrande, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): places listed: 17. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  57. Booking.com, Castillogrande, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): hotels: 1. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  58. Booking.com, Castillogrande, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): entire homes and apartments: 12. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  59. Booking.com, Castillogrande, Cartagena (19 to 21 Mar 2027): with a pool: 3. Booking.com search, read 2026-11-11, 2026-11-11.
  60. Booking.com page 'Holiday Inn Express - Cartagena Bocagrande by IHG' (Bocagrande): hotel; outdoor pool; city views. Booking.com property page, read 2026-11-11.
  61. Booking.com page 'Hotel Caribe by Faranda Grand, a member of Radisson Individuals' (El Laguito): hotel on the beach; semi-Olympic pool, 3 pools; gardens. Booking.com property page, read 2026-11-11.
  62. Booking.com page 'Travelers Orange Cartagena' (Castillogrande): condo hotel; apartments with kitchen; outdoor pool. Booking.com property page, read 2026-11-11.
  63. GetYourGuide listing 'Punta Arena: Beach Day on Tierra Bomba with Speedboat and Lunch' (pacartagena, t1371014), Cartagena, Colombia: speedboat from El Laguito Beach to Punta Arena: 10 min. GetYourGuide product page t1371014, full description, 2026-11-12.
  64. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Sunset Kayak Tour with Guide', Cartagena, Colombia: start and return: starts 16:30 at Castillogrande beach, back about 18:00. GetYourGuide product page t1005903.
  65. GetYourGuide listing 'Cartagena: Morning Kayak Tour with Snack and Swim', Cartagena, Colombia: start: 8:00 at Castillogrande beach. GetYourGuide product page t1005911.
  66. Colombian peso exchange rate (TRM) valid 2026-11-11: 3297.07 COP per USD. Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia: TRM, open dataset on datos.gov.co, 2026-11-11.
  67. Consulate of Canada in Cartagena, Colombia: Cra. 2 No. 8-146, Of. 313, Centro Comercial Bocagrande, tel. (57-605) 652-5783. Government of Canada: Travel advice Colombia, 2026-11-02.
  68. DIMAR advice to visitors taking boats in Cartagena, Colombia: Book tours and sea transport only with legally established companies that leave from authorised docks; wear the life jacket aboard; do not jump in or swim around boats under way or at anchor. DIMAR: 'Cartagena refuerza seguridad marítima para la temporada de mitad de año', 2024-06-21.
  69. Transcaribe (BRT) bus fare, Cartagena, Colombia: 3900 COP. Transcaribe S.A.: news 'Alcaldía de Cartagena expide decreto que fija nueva tarifa de Transcaribe', 2026-01-20.
  70. Transcaribe route T103 Portal - Bocagrande (via La Bodeguita, Centro), Cartagena, Colombia: Monday to Friday hours: 5:00 to 21:00. Transcaribe S.A.: Rutas y recorridos Transcaribe SITM (route book PDF, modified 2024-07-03), 2024-07-03.
  71. Transcaribe route T103 Portal - Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia: Saturday hours: 5:30 to 20:30. Transcaribe S.A.: Rutas y recorridos Transcaribe SITM (route book PDF, modified 2024-07-03), 2024-07-03.
  72. Transcaribe route T103 Portal - Bocagrande, Cartagena, Colombia: Sunday and holiday hours: 6:00 to 20:00. Transcaribe S.A.: Rutas y recorridos Transcaribe SITM (route book PDF, modified 2024-07-03), 2024-07-03.
  73. Felt temperature by month and hour. NOAA NCEI Integrated Surface Database, station 800220 (Rafael Nunez airport, Cartagena), hourly observations, 2016 to 2024; medians per month and hour (Steadman apparent temperature, shade).
  74. Sunrise, sunset, sea and rain by month. Sunrise and sunset for the 15th of each month, UTC-5. Rain: IDEAM: Normales Climatológicas de Colombia 1991-2020, station 14015080 Aeropuerto Rafael Núñez, mean days with 1 mm or more and mean millimetres per month. Sea: typical values from the Open-Meteo Marine model, 2016 to 2025 (CC BY 4.0).

Photographs

  1. The small lighthouse at Castillogrande on the bay, with the towers of Bocagrande behind it. Photo: Dr. Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Bocagrande from above: apartment towers among older low buildings, the bay and the hills beyond. Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. The Bocagrande shore seen from above at the north end: rock groynes, small bays of sand, swimmers and a row of towers along the beach road. Photo: Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. The bay side of Bocagrande from the water: grey naval ships at their berths in front of apartment towers. Photo: Jorever, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. Rental tents on the beach at the western end of Bocagrande, with the hotel towers behind. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  6. A small sandy cove on Tierra Bomba with a stone groyne, looking across the water to the towers of Bocagrande. Photo: Richardaemix, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons