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Saint Andrew
San Andrés is located approximately 637 km northwest of Colombia continental and 190 km from the coast of Nicaragua. with 26 km² Of surface. It is the largest island in the archipelago of those that are part of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. Providencia , the second largest island in the department, is located 80 km from San Andrés. It stands out for its sea of seven colors from intense blue to aquamarine green and was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO to protect coral formations, mangroves and tropical dry forest areas.
How to get to San Andres
Plane: the island's airport is the Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport. layover at other airports. From the airport, depending on where your accommodation is, you can take a taxi or walk. To get to Providencia, the ideal is also a flight, in this case there are only direct flights with San Andrés.
Boat: from various port cities in the world that sail to the Caribbean islands, the arrival point is the tourist pier in the Cove area, southeast of the Island.
How to get around in San Andres
Bus tourist: it makes the tour of the island with stops at the most important attractions, where it stays for about 20 minutes, to continue the tour; to travel you must buy the tourist card, which is purchased in cash at the airport.
Local bus: there is a network that connects the inhabited centers and the most important places on the island and is often used by locals.
Taxis: they are cheap and take you anywhere comfortably.
What to see in San Andres
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It is the closest islet to San Andrés, located 1 km and a half; It is surrounded by a good number of coconut palms and a characteristic vegetation of the region that beautifies the place, provides it with a very pleasant air and makes bathing in the white sand beaches with a lot of red color and transparent waters attractive. In some areas, exotic corals stand out, creating beautiful water holes
In a space of eight hectares in the center of the island, where fresh and pure air reigns, is the Botanical Garden where you can see the flora that has survived since the age of the dinosaurs, even the most evolved plants who have a seat in this piece of the Antilles. This garden, which belongs to the National University of Colombia, has the additional attraction of a 12-meter-high viewpoint, with a 360-degree view, from where you can see a large part of the forest on the island and the eastern margin of the river. Caribbean Sea.
Located in the west of the island in front of the La Piscinita area, a good place to dive. There is the Cueva de la Sirena and the famous cabins made with aromatic coconut wood. In the place, you can swim and tour an ecological park where fruits such as mango, tamarind, pineapple and plum are grown, as well as the breadfruit tree. With these fruits, sweets and desserts are prepared that you can buy there.
It is an underground cave, full of mystery, that takes you to a museum with typical elements of pirate ships and works of art. These caverns are full of stalactites at the top and stalagmites at the bottom. The upper part of these caverns is so thin that it sinks and a puddle of water remains visible among the rubble, water that comes from the sea and maintains its level.
Cordoba Islet or Haynes Cay
Surrounded by a coral reef and full of beautiful colorful fish. It is an ideal place for lovers of snorkeling and marine life. One of the characteristic animals of this area is the cat shark, which feeds on the plants of the reef, it is not carnivorous, therefore there is no danger of it attacking you. A thin layer of water separates the aquarium from the islet called Córdoba, barely 60 m. away that can be walked on foot. This islet has typical vegetation and coco palm trees.
Located in the commercial sector of San Andrés. It is bordered by a coastal full of restaurants, hotels, bars and shops. Its more than 2 kilometers of extension offer various activities from simply sunbathing to enjoying water sports such as kitesurfing and jet skiing.
It is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, despite not having much structure, it is ideal for resting and enjoying the view. It is a beach surrounded by reefs and many rocks, so be prepared to protect your feet with a diving shoe. The waves hardly reach the shore, which makes it easy for children to play a lot. The beach is located in the San Luis neighborhood, in front of the Decameron hotel.
It is protected by a coral reef whose calm sea and crystal clear waters make it an ideal place to spend a quiet day with the little ones in the family. In addition, the shallow depth of its waters allows you to walk to Rocky Cay, a rocky key surrounded by underwater life about 200 meters from the shore.
Another great experience is to get to know these islands affectionately described as 'The hidden treasure of the Western Caribbean' for its natural beauty and marine wealth. To get to Providencia, you can take a flight from San Andrés that takes about 20 minutes or get on board a catamaran that completes the same route in about three hours. Once there, you can easily reach Santa Catalina, crossing the Lovers' Bridge , a 150-meter floating structure that, according to legend, ensures the eternal love of couples who cross it together. In Providencia and Santa Catalina, you can enjoy incredible landscapes, beautiful beaches and fun diving days.
Gastronomy in San Andres
The predominant gastronomic offer on the island is based on sea products such as lobsters, shrimp, crabs and trout. The dishes are usually accompanied by coconut rice, fried green plantains, yucca and yams.
Rondón: fish fillet, snail, yucca, pork tail, cooked plantain and domplines (flour tortillas), bathed and cooked in coconut milk with pepper.
Fish Ball: meatballs parrot fish, snapper, crappie and even black crab. The secret is to remove the bones and season it well with tomato, onion, garlic, salt and the spices you prefer, and then fry them.
Breadfruit: tropical fruit obtained from breadfruit (its pulp looks similar to that of pan ) is cooked fried or baked, as an accompaniment to various meals. It is consumed when it is still green and has not matured, to better enjoy its flavor.
Typical sweets such as cocadas and coconut balls. Also fruit juices and cakes corn and banana which are very popular.
