Bocagrande is the modern beach resort district of Cartagena, a narrow peninsula south of the walled city lined with high-rise hotels, restaurants, and a busy public beach. It functions as a different city from the colonial centre — here the architecture is 1970s concrete, the mood is more beach-resort than historic, and the clientele is a mix of Colombian holidaymakers and package tourists.
The beach at Bocagrande runs along the peninsula's western side. It's not the finest Caribbean beach — the water can be murky and vendors are relentless — but it's convenient and popular. The eastern side of the peninsula faces a calm bay where sailing boats and motor launches moor. Bocagrande has many of the city's mid-range and budget restaurants, which tend to offer better value than the restaurants in the old city.