San Andrés is a small island in the Caribbean that after some political struggles also is part of Colombia and a very popular vacation destination. The island is easy to reach via Medellin on a 2h direct flight. Already from the airplane you will see the white sand beaches and the bluish ocean like you would expect it from a typical Caribbean island. San Andrés here doesn’t disappoint.
The island itself is rather small and has its touristical center in the village in the nord. Here most of the hotels are located and you will probably stay in that area. The way from the airport is not very far, so also walkable with not too much luggage. Other than the beaches there is not much to see except for some small churches and the life real figures of typical Caribbean inhabitants.
San Andrés town
The 2 beach fronts direct next to the village are Playa Principal and Playa Spratt Bight. Playa Principal is the on in the south and has a little more current. Spratt bight is direct next to the city center and basically the prolongation of Principal. The water there is a little shallow and also less current which I used for snorkeling. I did see quite some fishes in Spratt Bight but nothing at Principal.
Around the island
San Luis
On the eastern coast to the south there is the small village San Luis with its also so called beach front. It is rather long, but from my experience has medium current and 1m+ high waves.
First baptist church
When taking the road before San Luis to the right, following the sign Orange Hill you will get onto a small hill and find on the left side further down the road the small white church.
Playa Charquitos
Down the road on the coast to the south is this beach with coral front that creates a natural pool with crystal clear water.
Hoyo Soplador
At the very south end of the island is this hole in the rocks, through wich the waves push air and water up. It is quite nice to experience but also a little crowded. Around there are a couple of restaurants with very offensive sales employees, so be warned. I parked my motorbike a little bit away and walked to the spot at the end. Also watch the waves at this area – I haven’t seen anywhere else on the island bigger ones than here.
La Piscinita
Already on the west coast of the island is this small bay with very low current and clear water. I used to get in there for snorkeling and saw a lot wildlife here. It was not crowded at all and I was really for myself there. Beware of getting in and out of the water as the corals there are quite sharp.
Morgan‘s cave
Claimed to be the most famous pirate in the Caribbean you can visit a cave where he supposed to stored some of his treasures. Besides the cave there are a few exhibition rooms that illustrate the life of a pirate back then a little bit.
What else to see…
Myself didn’t go on boat trip, as I was diving a lot during my visit, but this is also something you should do. Especially the island Cayo Rosa, the so called Aquarium, is worth seeing. There are also some other islands and spaces to see, so there is plenty of things to do. To book the trips search for the yellow house on the main beach, which is a booking place with reasonable prices.