San Andrés walking tour & city guide

The island

Spratt Bight beach and the pedestrian promenade are the center of town. A road loops around the island, past blowholes, natural pools and coconut palms.

Cays

Boats go to Johnny Cay, a tiny island with palm trees, and to the Acuario, a shallow lagoon with stingrays. The reefs are excellent for snorkeling and diving.

A day in San Andrés

Rent a golf cart and drive around the island, stopping at beaches and the Hoyo Soplador blowhole. Snorkel in the Sea of Seven Colors.

Take a boat to Johnny Cay and the aquarium.

Good to know

San Andrés is closer to Nicaragua than to Colombia. A tourist card is required.

The island has a Creole culture.

Why it is special

San Andrés is famous for the Sea of Seven Colors, where shallow sand, coral and deep water create shades of turquoise, blue and green. The island's original inhabitants are the Raizal people, an English-speaking Afro-Caribbean community with their own Creole language, Baptist churches and wooden houses painted in bright colors. The village of San Luis, on the east coast, is quieter and more traditional than the busy town center.

The diving is excellent, with reefs, wrecks and walls, and snorkeling at West View lets you jump into clear water full of fish. Sister island Providencia, reached by small plane or catamaran, is even more peaceful.