By air
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla (ADZ), ~2 km
South America · Colombia
San Andrés, Colombia
The sea of seven colours
Getting there
Best time to visit
January to April — dry season
Don't miss
Johnny Cay
Haynes Cay
The Acuario
Spratt Bight beach
Things to do
Snorkelling
Johnny Cay
The Acuario islet
Cycling round the island
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Mr.Jhosimar · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Swimwear, snorkel gear
A quieter corner
The Hoyo Soplador blowhole
Questions travellers ask
When is the dry season on San Andrés?
January to April. Bring swimwear and snorkel gear.
Which airport serves San Andrés?
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla (ADZ), about 2 km away.
What can I do on San Andrés?
Snorkel, visit Johnny Cay, Haynes Cay and the Acuario islet, relax on Spratt Bight beach and cycle round the island.
What should I eat on San Andrés?
Rondón, a coconut seafood stew. Then go and find the Hoyo Soplador blowhole.
About San Andrés
- Island
Where it is
San Andrés is a small coral island in the western Caribbean, part of Colombia's department of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, lying about 750 km north-west of the Colombian mainland, off the coast of Central America.
History
English Puritan settlers arrived in the late 1620s, and from 1633 enslaved Africans were brought from Jamaica; after passing between English and Spanish hands, the islands joined Gran Colombia in 1822. San Andrés became a free port in 1953, which drew traders and tourists from the mainland.
People
The native Raizal people, of African and British descent, speak San Andrés Creole and English as well as Spanish, and since the free port so many Colombians from the mainland have settled that they now make up about two-thirds of the population. Reggae, calypso and dishes of crab, conch and fish cooked in coconut reflect the island's Caribbean culture.
Known for
- The sea of seven colours
- Johnny Cay and the Acuario islet
- Snorkelling and diving on the reefs
- Cycling or driving round the island
- Rondón, a coconut seafood stew
Did you know?
The archipelago's waters form the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, declared by UNESCO in 2000 and one of the largest marine protected areas in the Caribbean, rich in coral reefs.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.