Your Complete Guide to San Andres Island in Colombia
Most visitors who consider going to Colombia don’t even know about San Andres Island. In fact, I hadn’t even heard of it and only stumbled upon it while looking for a more off-the-beaten-path destination in Colombia.
I’m so glad that I found out about this tiny island as I would have missed out on A LOT by not going, it would even be a great place for a budget honeymoon!
Despite being a Colombian territory, the locals don’t look like Colombians, but rather like people from the Caribbean. The culture of the island is also more Caribbean than Colombian and there is plenty to do to make this little slice of paradise worthwhile.
Things to Know Before Traveling to San Andres Island in Colombia
- The tiny island is a diverse mix of African descendants who actually prefer to speak English, due to the island’s early history. It’s also inhabited by Colombian immigrants who have come here to work in the tourism industry and a very small group of indigenous people.
- The island is small and only takes around 1 hour to circle by buggy if you don’t make any stops.
- Apart from shopping, San Andres isn’t the cheapest place. For one thing, you need to pay an entry fee as the island is considered a national park.
- Accommodation on the island is way more expensive than anywhere on the mainland. But trust me – it’s worth the price!
Where is San Andres Island?
San Andres is a tiny island that belongs to Colombia, although geographically it’s closer to Nicaragua and Jamaica.
It’s located about 750 km (470 mi) northwest of Colombia in the Caribbean Sea and is just 26 km2.
Due to the fact that it’s a Colombian territory in Costa Rican and Nicaraguan waters, San Andres is a duty-free zone. What makes it great for shopping! Goods there are cheaper than at any airport I’ve ever been to.
San Andres vs Providencia
Many people want to decide between visiting San Andres or Providencia Island. Truth to be told, it really depends on your travel style and budget.
While San Andres may seem off the path to foreign tourists, Colombians tend to treat San Andres as their well-known holiday spot with many youngsters partying.
On the other hand, Providencia is more exclusive and remote, even for locals which makes it more expensive and relaxed but has fewer things to do.
Is San Andres Safe?
I never felt unsafe on the island, but as anywhere you need to take precautions. Don’t wander off alone at night into a dark street, and I wouldn’t stay on the beach after hours.
Unfortunately, beach robberies in Latin America after dark happen sometimes, but during the day you’re absolutely fine!
The most unsafe thing in San Andres would be drinking tap water. Unfortunately, it’s not recommended to drink the water, so be prepared to either buy bottled water or refill your own reusable water. Alternatively, there’s always Lifestraw for those who want to drink water anywhere, anytime.
How to Get to San Andres, Colombia?
The only way to get to San Andres Island is to fly. Direct domestic flights depart from Bogota, Cartagena, Medellin, and Cali and take less than 2.5 hours. That being said, flights from Panama City are often the cheapest route and it only takes 1hr 15 mins!
NOTE: All foreigners are required to buy a tourist card before boarding the plane. It’s basically a fee for entering the national park of San Andres & Providencia. It costs 124,000 COP (~$30 USD) and can be only purchased at the airport and in cash.
Things to Do in San Andres Island
Below is a list of all the most popular things to do in San Andres Island, most of which I did during my time here and can highly recommend. But if you’re looking for personalized travel advice, you can always connect with one of ViaHero’s trip planners. They’re Colombian locals who can give you local insight on how to explore their country.
Alternatively, for more organized tours check Viator here.
1. Enjoy the Beach
San Andres is a great place to chill for a few days and experience a different side of the Caribbean. The best part of the island is obviously its beaches.
The sands are almost pure white and the water is so clear you can easily spot fish swimming around. None of the beaches are overcrowded, despite the whole island being no larger than 26 km2.
Some of the best beaches in San Andres include Spratt Bight, Johnny Cay, and Rocky Cay Beach, but if you’re feeling really adventurous, you could even try wakeboarding!
2. Take a Boat Cruise to Johnny Cay
If you’re looking for something a bit different, San Andres offers a lot of boat cruises and one of the best is a trip to Johnny Cay.
Johnny Cay is a small island off the coast of San Andres and is one of the most popular spots for tourists! Not only does this tiny island have one of the best beaches, but it’s just a 10-minute boat ride from town.
In addition to some incredibly blue waters and relaxing beaches, you’ll also find iguanas and lizards if you take a walk around the island and plenty of incredible aquatic animals.
NOTE: You need to make sure you know which cruise you’re booking because I thought I was booked to go on a pirate ship, but somehow I ended up on a small boat. If you haven’t pre-booked online, the easiest way is to walk to the port and jump on a cruise straight away, rather than booking with your hotel.
Recommended Tours:
Full-Day San Andrés Bay Snorkeling Cruise
Guided Cays and Mangroves Tour
3. Spend a Day in El Acuario (The Aquarium)
Another must-visit Island around San Andres is Cayo Acuario, also known as the Aquarium of San Andres. Here you can hang out with exotic fish in some super blue water or relax on the tiny white sand beach.
Note that when I say tiny, I mean it. This island is more of a sandbar and can be crowded at times, but luckily you’ll be spending most of your time in the water here. I loved interacting with the manta rays and snorkeling in the nearby coral reefs.
Recommended Tours:
From San Andres: Cayo Acuario Tour
Boat Tour to Cayo Acuario and Rocky Cay
4. Stuff Your Face with Arepas
If you get a bit tired of the beach, you can easily rent a quad or bike to discover the island on your own. It’s a nice way to interact with the locals and eat homemade arepas, which I personally adored. I could eat them with chipotle sauce every day!
However, I must say that people who dislike seafood and cheese may experience some difficulties in San Andres.
If you fancy a luxury dining experience book a table at La Regatta. You’ll need to dress up and spend more than elsewhere, but the food and views are worth it.
5. Climb a Local Church
One attraction that’s not in the guidebook is the local church. Before you scroll down and skip this part because you don’t think a church is interesting enough, let me tell you something. It’s one of two churches I know of (another in Ecuador) that you can actually climb on.
My friends and I went to the church by accident only to discover that by using tiny ladders. We were able to climb to the top of it! While I was sitting on the roof I had the chance to see a beautiful panoramic view of the whole island. It was totally worth the visit!
6. Rent a Buggy
Public transportation in San Andres is similar to US public transportation, which is very bad, unreliable, and barely existent. Hence why the best way to get around the island is to rent a buggy or scooter. This is how we got to the church, off-the-path beaches, and beautiful viewpoints.
7. Go Scuba Diving
I’ve already talked about all the amazing reefs teeming with aquatic life around San Andres Island so it should be no surprise that it is also a great place to learn how to scuba dive!
There are plenty of tour operators that offer both group and private intro to scuba courses so you don’t even need to have any prior experience. But if scuba diving sounds a little too intense for you, you can also try helmet diving where you can walk under the water.
Recommended Tours:
SCUBA Diving Experience with Hotel Pickup
Personalized Mini Scuba Diving Course
Where to Stay in San Andres, Colombia
I’m really glad I went to San Andres as it’s a destination off the beaten path and it’s gorgeous! If you’re wondering where to stay on the island here are my recommendations:
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[su_box title=”Luxury:” style=”default” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=””]Hotel Bahia Sardina
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[su_box title=”Beach-Front:” style=”default” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=””]Hotel Cocoplum
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[su_box title=”Apartment:” style=”default” box_color=”#333333″ title_color=”#FFFFFF” radius=”3″ class=””]Aptos Sol y Mar Islas II
the people there do no “look Colombian”..? pray tell, what does a “Colombian” look like?
there are the white ones that predominate around Bogota, the black & mixed people from Valle Cauca & Cali, and many other “types” ..indigenous people.I don’t think tah you look “Polish” especially with the hair dye job..
for that matter,please advise as to what an “American” from the USA looks like, or a “Canadian”, or a British person..Colombia has as much diversity as any of those places
Colombian biodiversity doesn’t apply to nature only. Our race mix
is amazing. We have brown people, white and blonde light eyes color people, light black, or a very dark color people, some of then with honey color eyes or even green or blue eyes color like in San Andres Islands. Some of them with very indigenous features like in the South, Southwest, or some of them very tall white or light black like in Cali. It depends of each region, you will find diversity in climate, food, geography and people everywhere!.
Niesamowite te zwierzątka morskie. Niesamowite mieć coś takiego w dłoniach, wygląda to wspaniale! Kadr z łódkami sprawia, że jeszcze bardziej chce mi się jechać nad morze!
Zapraszam do Kolumbii w takim razie 😉
The tourist card can now be purchased with credit card. I did it yesterday.
That’s good to hear!
And where’s a picture with your hair done? ;>
Hehe, it didn’t look as cool as I thought it would 😉
Płaszczka i rozgwiazda – rewelacja 🙂
🙂
So excited I found this article. Planning to visit in August. Any suggestions for hotels?
Yes – here are my suggestions: https://annaeverywhere.com/my-hotel-base/
Enjoy San Andres!
I’ve never heard of that Island and it surely looks and sounds amazing! you’ve found a gem!! 😀
I love these semi-undiscovered places 🙂
Undiscovered? I have been going for years 🙂
Comparing to Cartagena 😉
Me too!
2 tyg. temu miałem okazję posłuchać trochę o Ameryce Południowej i podobno Kolumbia to najlepszy kraj na tym kontynencie 🙂
Ja bym glosowala jednak na Ekwador, ale Kolumbia tez zla nie jest!
Anna, a perfect place for trip for someone like me. I am a marine biologist :).
Right after Galapagos Islands I think 🙂
Świetnie. Pozdrawiam 🙂
I one heard my neighbor talk about the island of San Andreas. His description of the city leaves you with nothing other than a burning urge to visit the place. Last year, I decided to travel to the place and I found it very amazing. The lovely sandy beaches, beautiful sea creatures and the Columbian culture are killers.
Where is the church located? Is it just the one church?
There’s just one. Head uphill from downtown and you’ll see it. The easiest way would be renting a golf kart, but you can also take a cab.
Does the island still belong to Columbia or Nicaragua?
San Andres belongs to Colombia
Hi,
do you think is important to book in advance an accomodation? I usually don’t book and in this places many people wait you at the airport offering cheap rooms to stay.
What is your experience?
thank you
During high season for sure!
Great guide. I just landed so will be checking out all of this!
Also which beach/beaches would you recommend visiting?
Hey, great post thanks! Are there hostels on the island? We’re doing a combination of hotels and hostels to keep it cheap enough but see everything we want it 🙂
When I visited there was only the one I mentioned: El Viajero. Wasn’t cheap for a hostel, but was clean and awesome.
Dear Anna,
I recently (1/18) returned from San Andres Island and as a traveler who has sailed (personally) and flown to numerous (18+) Caribbean islands, my feelings bordered on disappointment. Overcrowded, dirty, littered, crumbling, potholed streets and in need of a good coat of paint are a few personal observations which were takeaways. We were careful not to stay out much past sunset, so luckily, we did not become crime victims. No island water is potable, we were expected to take cold showers from a cistern at our four-star AirB&B. The island has a population density equal to Washington D.C. with a third-world infrastructure which fails it’s populace miserably. Yes, the water is clear, but the island dumps its raw sewage into the ocean, which by mere luck of its physical geography is able to be absorbed by the wide expanse of the ocean. On the north side of the island in a north (onshore) wind, the effluent stench reminds me of Rio.
I will agree that there is a problem with the island being dirty and having litter…mostly on the south part. There are a lot of people. It’s a tourist island, but people also live there. They aren’t potholes, they are speed bumps. If you pay more attention to getting a tan while taking a selfie holding a drink with an umbrella in it you’d understand why they are there. Lastly, I was quite insulted by your remark about becoming a crime victim before sunset. What would make you think that anyone would try to bother you in San Andrés Island? Being from the USA, I have been here many times. And if the residents know me because of my family or just think I’m a regular tourist they have always treated me very well-some as if I grew up there and others like family. When on the beaches, in town or a bus people can be very polite.
So, I request that you go back to your other Carribean islands.
I found that description insulting too. I’ve been there several times and love it and have never felt unsafe. The USVI are the biggest rip off in the entire caribbean and certainly among the scariest!
Dear Anna,
There are all kinds of people on this planet and all at different stages of their evolution. Some have motives for saying what they say that are hidden from us and we will never know the real reason behind them. It is very easy to criticize even the most spectacular places on the planet, depending on your present state and overall persona.
Rest assured that San Andres is known as a world-class beach resort and I assure you that you have fallen of a real gem. Thaks for your charming report. 🙂
Hi Anna,
What would be the best way to take a trip to San Andres from the USA?
Fly to Panama City or Cali, then connect to San Andres.
You can climb on the top of a huge cathedral/church in Leon, Nicaragua 🙂
Are there any good Spas? We would like facials and massages when we go but I am having a hard time figuring out how to book any. Most of them are in the hotels and don’t have the option to book online. Any advice?
I haven’t seen any. It’s more of a local island vibe than a very touristy spot, so I’d assume spas are mostly at hotels.
wow, this is absolutely amazing, it really makes me put San Andres as my top destination for next year! I have a friend who recently went diving there, she absolutely loved La Piramide, said the whole area both above and under water was the experience of a lifetime (https://dive.site/explore/site/la-piramide-palacio-de-las-rayas-bajo-camilo-wm3X). I so want to get there myself and explore everything!!!!
Hi Anna,
Thank you for your time and this article 🙂
I am heading St Andres next week. I’m wondering, did you get the chance to spend any time on Providencia? If you did, what might be some of your thoughts/suggestions?
Rence
Unfortunately not.
Thank you for your reply…..I’ll suffer through it 😉
Im from scotland been to san andres and definetly would not go back, i agree everything what kent said about the island, dirty, over crowded the roads pavments in terrible condition, expensive for the basic of hotels, the taxis ripp u off charge what they like 20,000 cop for under a 3 minuite ride to hotel just stay away honestly plenty nice beeches else where than san andres, i flew there from medellin daily flight to san andres from there with latam,
How long were you on the island? I love it! As with several LATAM coastlines or Caribbean islands, the majority of the people I have seen are African descent. The people I saw in San Andres looked similar to the Colombians in Cartagena. Colombia, just like most of LATAM is diverse, so a typical Colombian does not exist.
Anna… I visited and enjoyed the island perhaps 11 yr ago. I stayed at the Decameron Aquarium….Is it and the other Decameron properties still open….I want to book for a family of perhaps 10…5 rooms…. looking for some advice on what currently is a good place
( read not party city) where the beach and snorkelling are good
This Decameron is still open: https://www.booking.com/hotel/co/el-islea-o-by-decameron.en-gb.html?aid=393814
Because this article arouses my interest we plan on going there in summer of 2020 for our honeymoon, we live in Jamaica, I pray that we find it as interesting and relaxing (the oxymoron) as you found it to be.
Wish us luck ???
Hi, Anna. What’s the name of the church? Or where is it? Thank you!
It’s called Primera Iglesia Bautista
Hey Anna, I am heading to San Andres next month and I am really looking forward to climb the church. I was looking at the San Andres’ map and let me tell you I had never seem so many churches from different religions in one island. Thank you for providing the name, I would have been very disappointed if I did not find it.
Hi
I am planning to go there with an6 month old. Hiw is the healthcare system in case of emergency? Any hospitals close to Decameron hotels ??
I haven’t had the first-hand experience in San Andres, so I wouldn’t know. However, there are 3 hospitals and health centers, so don’t worry.
Hi Anna,
Thank you for the information.
Is Malaria a problem here? Are there any specific immunizations that are different from what the CDC recommends for Colombia in general? (www.cdc.gov/destinations).
Thanks.
Anoma
Not in San Andres 🙂 I’ve also traveled around Colombian mainland and neither myself, nor my friends ever taken any malaria mes.
Hi Anna! I loved the article and I’ve been thinking about San Andres for a while now! I would like to visit it next August. We would spend 3 weeks between San Andres, maybe Providencia and the mainland. Do you recommend any area to stay in San Andres which is far from the crowd and near the nicer beaches? Thanks!
The island is pretty small, so everything is relatively close to the beach 🙂
Hi! That church!!! Where is it/ the name of it? I’m in a plane right know to San Andres and love to see that❤️
It’s called Primera Iglesia Bautista
I am hoping to return to visit San Andres when the pandemic is over. Can you provide any information about the damage it sustained in the hurricane and of things have been rebuilt?
Thank you so much for your nice comments about San Andreas. I am going to share your information. Many people ask me for nice place to go in Colombia and this post helps alot. ❤️😊
This blog was a lot more beneficial for me than I could have thought. It is informative and enlightening, for it gives exact and explanatory guidance and direction.
Hi,
My wife and I are going there in April. We are very interested in the church you can scale. Where is that located?
Thanks in advance!
Michael
It’s Primera Iglesia Bautista – https://goo.gl/maps/XMM44ppt6spkixxP8
Hi dear I’m make up artist aesthetician my question is the existent hotels in the island they running a spa luxury spots. It’s a good place to find a job. I can’t wait to go to move somewhere like the beautiful island. What do you think? Any advice?