TRIPGUROO

Guide to San Andres & Providencia

To visit San Andres & Providencia, check entry requirements, connectivity and this guide’s local references.

San Andrés and Providencia are best understood through Raizal culture, food and the sea connecting the islands. Combine beaches with conversations, music and guided walks that explain the landscape.

Places in San Andres & Providencia · 1 catalog places →

Visa for your trip

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Conditions and other situations

Short tourist stays with an ordinary passport. Residence, other visas, stay length and transit can change the requirement. Check with the authority before booking or travelling.

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Currency and payments

Colombian Peso (COP) · Colombian Peso (COP)

Embassy

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Highlights

San Andrés

An urban center on the island of San Andrés, facing the Caribbean Sea.

Complete guide · chapter reading

Introduction

Colombia has several island territories in the and in the Pacific.

Destinations

Caribbean

One of Colombia's most popular national parks, with beautiful island beaches of the San Bernardo archipelago, and coral reefs that make for great snorkeling.

An island 200 km east of specializes in all-inclusive budget vacations that cater to Colombian tourists.

A very scenic island, with lovely empty beaches that is politically a part of Colombia, but geographically closer to Nicaragua. It is attached by footbridge to a smaller island, Santa Catalina.

Pacific

Formerly one of the world's most beautiful prisons, the island is now a national park.

A remote island nature preserve and a , uninhabited save for a small military outpost.

Understand

Northeast of and are several uninhabited shoals, banks, and atolls (some of which are wholly submerged either all the time or during high tide), which are administered by Colombia. They are nearly all mired in territorial disputes with various n states as well as the , and are not tourist destinations.

Talk

The main language spoken is Spanish, but many speak English as well. The actual natives from the island speak "patua", which is a mix of English, Spanish, and French.

Get in

By plane

Daily flights serve various Colombian cities (, and Bogotá) to San Andres's Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport (ADZ). All flights to Providencia (PVA) are originated in San Andrés.

Direct flights also depart from , and , to San Andres.

By boat

The closest mainland area to San Andrés and Providencia is , particularly . There are sometimes cruises or ferries, but they are rarely advertised online and just going to the port and hoping you get lucky will likely not work.

Get around

Bus is the main form of transportation on the island. It is cheap and convenient. Most buses connect the main city of San Andres with other parts of the island. Also there are many places to rent everything from cars, to motorcycles, to bikes.

Do

Scuba diving is amazing here, as is snorkeling. There are many places that offer jet skis, kayaks, wind surfing, kite surfing, horseback riding, submarine tours and many other options. There are also many people that come here mainly for the great duty free shopping and cheaper electronics.

Stay safe

San Andres is a perfectly safe Caribbean island to visit, that is many many miles away from some of the problems found on the mainland.

Text by Wikivoyage contributors. Article edition: 2024-09-24T08:14:42Z · Source and revision · Authors and history · CC BY-SA 4.0

Local food

Crab patty

Crab-filled pastry associated with island cooking.

Fruta de pan

A Raizal ingredient served in several preparations.

Pescado con coco

Fish paired with a defining flavor of local cooking.

Pastel de plátano

A sweet preparation found in island cooking.

Local drinks

Agua de coco

A shared Caribbean drink, not exclusive to the archipelago.

Alcohol-free

Plan your itinerary

Getting around

Plan the transfer to Providencia as its own stage and confirm baggage and connections.

Plan ahead

Book marine outings with operators who explain reef rules.

Travel respectfully

Recognize Raizal identity and ask before photographing people or domestic spaces.

Local reading and routes

Three islands, a distinct identity

San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina form the Caribbean archipelago covered here. Raizal culture, music and life beside the sea help explain it beyond its beaches. Colombia’s other islands belong to different journeys.

Begin with a walk around San Andrés and time to speak with local hosts. If adding Providencia, arrange transport and overnight stays separately; give the second island more attention than another name on an excursion list.

Staying in a native inn

ProColombia presents native inns as accommodation connected with Raizal homes and hosts. Choosing one can make a stay an opportunity to learn about family histories, food and daily life in the archipelago.

Ask who welcomes guests, which spaces are shared and what meals are offered. Discuss your interests when booking: a closer relationship with hosts works best with clear expectations and respect for the household’s schedule.

Providencia and Santa Catalina

Providencia offers its own chapter of coast and marine nature. Lovers’ Bridge connects the experience with Santa Catalina and is among the destination’s landmarks in Colombia’s official travel information.

Leave room for walking and observation as well as water outings. For diving or snorkelling, agree on the location, required experience and equipment with the operator; an appealing reef does not guarantee suitable conditions every day.

Sources

Colombia Travel, San Andrés · Colombia Travel, Cayo Cangrejo · Gobernación, cocina raizal · ProColombia · San Andrés y el archipiélago · ProColombia · posadas nativas · ProColombia · Providencia

Wikivoyage contributors; selection, abridgement, translation and regional planning by TRIPGUROO · CC BY-SA 4.0

CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikivoyage · Colombian Islands