Playa Hollywood

Beach · Cartagena Bocagrande

Cartagena has no official gay beach, but Playa Hollywood in front of Hotel Caribe comes closest. Here queer locals and travellers lie on the city beach in the middle of the high-rise district of Bocagrande.

• ★ 4.3 on Google (1,463)
• City beach
• Beach kiosks
• Skyline view

Location

in front of Hotel Caribe, towards El Laguito
Bocagrande, Cartagena

Opening hours

officially daily 8 am–6 pm

Entry

free

Crowd

mixed, queer guests clearly visible, locals and travellers

Best time

weekday mornings, very busy at weekends

What makes Playa Hollywood stand out

Playa Hollywood is the widest stretch of Bocagrande beach and lies by Hotel Caribe. There are beach kiosks with food and drinks, sunbeds and umbrellas are rented out by vendors, and public toilets are available. Further along in El Laguito it’s quieter, and in the evening you can watch the sun set over the bay there.

The sand is dark and the water isn’t turquoise. If you’re after Caribbean postcard colours, travel about an hour to Playa Blanca on Barú. The beaches in Bocagrande are officially only open from 8 am to 6 pm, and the police enforce it.

Atmosphere and crowd

The crowd is mixed, but queer guests are clearly visible. At weekends it gets very busy. The atmosphere, the skyline view and the food and drinks at the kiosks get praise.

Editorially researched, as of October 2026. Sources: GayOut, Cartagena Explorer, Nomadic Boys, Google reviews (4.3 stars, 1,463 reviews). Access and use may change, please check before visiting.