San Andres is a Colombian archipelago in the Caribbean area and is located about 250 km from the coast of Nicaragua. The archipelago is made up of three main islands: San Andrés, Santa Catalina and Providencia. San Andrés, Santa Catalina, and Providencia are the three main islands that comprise the archipelago. Historically, Colombia and Nicaragua fought over this land until, in 2012, after several court battles, San Andres was declared Colombian territory, despite the fact that the island is closer to Nicaragua than to Colombia.
In this small island of only 26 square km, the culture is unique, since the Colombian, Nicaraguan and Jamaican culture is breathed.. Their culture is so rich that the householders, in addition to speaking in Spanish or English, also speak a “Creole” language (Patois), where they mix languages such as English, and Spanish with some African dialect.
Being the island of San Andres very far from any coast, the only way to get to this terrestrial paradise is through air transport. There are direct flights from Panama and Colombia, although the latter is usually the cheapest flights (to fly from Nicaragua you have to make a stopover in Panama) Nicaragua . Once you arrive at the Island of San Andres, at the airport you have to pay a fee (not cheap), through which the authorities preserve the island and its surroundings. So spectacular is the setting, that in 2000 the archipelago was named the “Sunflower” World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
The sea on the island of San Andrés is famous for its incredible beauty and is known as “the sea of seven colours.” Depending on the location and time of observation, the sea’s colours and tones can range from sandy to turquoise to deep blue. During sunrise and sunset, the sea has shades of orange, pink and purple that mix with blue and turquoise and are highlighted by the light of the midday sun.
San Andres, world famous for diving
Having such a beautiful sea, the Caribbean island of San Andres, in addition to being a destination of unique beauty, offers plenty of things to do. Surely the most important activity is diving, since San Andres is known as one of the most important diving destinations in the world. Diving in San Andres is known worldwide, above all for the crystal clear waters offered by this archipelago, for the coral that is very well preserved and for its marine biodiversity. There are many places to practice diving, as well as many schools where they teach diving courses. In addition to diving in San Andrés you can do different activities such as snorkeling, jet skiing, kayaking, surfing, kitesurfing and windsurfing among others.
As San Andrés is made up of several islets, there are many places to visit in the archipelago. A place worth visiting is Rocky Cay, a key 5-10 minutes by boat from San Andres. As its name suggests, the beaches here are rockier and less sandy. It is a very suitable place to relax as well
as to dive.
San Andres and its Cays
West View is an ecological park with entrance fee, where you can enjoy various tourist attractions. There are beaches that are like natural pools, among which “La piscinita” stands out. Having no waves this “natural pool” is good for diving and also for snorkeling. Another tourist attraction of this ecological park is the Cueva de la Sirena. Inside the cave is the sculpture of a mermaid. There is also an interesting activity to do called an underwater walk, which allows you, through a special technology that the helmet wears, to be able to breathe under the sea as if you were on the surface and thus be able to enjoy the beauty of the seabed and its species.
Jhonny Cay is the largest and most popular key in San Andres. Jhonny Kay is a small island located about 10 minutes by boat from Marina Toninos, which is where the boat leaves for the key. In addition to enjoying the beauty of its white sand beach, you can do activities such as snorkelling and enjoy the enormous marine biodiversity.
Bolivar Cay is another of the spectacular places in San Andrés. The ocean divides Bolivar Cay into two small keys called East Cay and West Cay. Bolivar Cay offers a lot of tranquillity, beautiful and virgin beaches with crystal clear waters and is a perfect place to relax.
Another place of interest is the Rose Cay, also called the Aquarium, due to the shallow depth of the sea (about one meter) and the amount of fish and marine species in these crystal-clear waters. From Rose Cay you can go to Haynes Cay on foot, since its waters are not deep at all. And where you can enjoy its white sand beaches, its crystal clear waters and the large number
of fish.
Condclusion
In the south of San Andrés Island, the Blowing Hole is also famous. It is a jet of air and water that end up in the hole shore of the sea. This natural phenomenon occurs when the waves hit the rocks with great force, and the sea water under the underground “tunnels” of the beach looks for
a quick exit until it finds it and comes out through the Blowing Hole. Depending on the strength of the waves, the Hoyo Soplador can be very high. This natural phenomenon occurs only at high tide, in case the tide is low it will not be visible. For all this, if you plan your vacation to San Andrés, without a doubt you will feel at all times in an authentic paradise, surrounded by a lot of natural beauty and the friendliness of its people.It is a jet of air and water that ends up on the seashore.
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Author: Andrea and Oscar Garcia (Travesias Emocionales)
