Top things to do in San Andrés, Colombia
Looking for things to do in San Andres, Colombia?. We have visited the island several times in the last few years, so we already have our favorite beaches and places to visit in San Andres that we repeat every time we go!.
In this article, we are going to tell you about the places and things to do in San Andrés, that you should not miss, as well as the tours and excursions we recommend, so you can organize your days on the island in advance.
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12 Best Things to Do in San Andrés, Colombia
What we recommend here are activities that we did ourselves, so if we don’t mention a place specifically, it is because we don’t know it, or maybe we went and didn’t like it. These are 100% personal and real opinions about what to visit in San Andres.
1. Enjoy the best beaches in San Andrés
Are you looking for white sandy beaches and the sea of the 7 colors?. That’s why enjoying the beaches is the number 1 thing to do in San Andres.
The best beaches in San Andres are the beach called Spratt Bight and a little further away, the Cocoplum.
The beaches of San Andres are not very long, and it is important to keep this in mind, because if you go looking for long beaches like in Punta Cana, you will be disappointed. Anyway, I anticipate that the color of the water in San Andres Island is extraordinary.
If you choose your accommodation in the city center of San Andres, Spratt Bight beach will be very close and I assure you that it is one of the best on the island, although it could be overcrowded.
A quieter alternative is Cocoplum Beach.
💯 I recommend you this hotel where I stayed twice, close to the city center and with incredible views of the sea.
2. Visit Johnny Cay Island
The tour to Johnny Cay is an excursion that we recommend you to do, because it is an island with a picture-perfect postcard beach: white sand, coconut trees, turquoise sea. The problem is that depending on the day and the time of the year you go, it can be very crowded. It would be great if they limit the number of people who access each day, because it is really beautiful.
The entrance fee is about 2 dollars at the exchange rate.
When going to Johnny Cay it would be a good idea to wear water shoes.
🚩 Book your Johnny Cay trip now!
3. Walking along San Andrés Boardwalk at sunset
The waterfront or boardwalk Spratt Way is one of the most beautiful places to see in San Andres to enjoy the atmosphere of the island.
It is a pedestrian walkway of almost 2 kilometers, which goes from the airport to the hotel zone in San Andres.
At certain times of the day it can be a bit strong because of the sun, but before sunset or in the early morning, it is a beautiful walk. There are also restaurants, bars, hotels and views of Johnny Cay.
👉A different alternative to have amazing views of the island is to take this catamaran excursion in the bay.
4. Swim with manta rays at Acuario Cay
We did not know whether to recommend this excursion or not. Here’s why. Some tours take you to see the manta rays in San Andres in an irresponsible way, touching the animals and even taking them out of the water.
“The Aquarium” itself is a beautiful sanbank and natural place, that’s why we still recommend it. But please, if you go, make sure that the agency booked for the tour does not have these bad practices and respects the environment of the animals.
You can rent snorkeling equipmeant there but it is better if you bring your own.
🚩 Book your Acuario Cay trip now!
5. A Trip Around the Island, one of the best things to do in San Andrés
This is an activity in San Andres that we repeat on every trip, because we love it.
The idea is to rent a buggy or motorcycle and go around the island on your own. It is great because you can see how the sea and the landscape changes in each area, even though it is a small island.
Although there are several stops along the way, such as the “Cueva de Morgan” or the “Hoyo Soplador”, the one that is most worthwhile for me is “La Piscinita”.
There are other sites, such as the Baptist church of 1847, the Big Pond lagoon or the viewpoint of “La Loma”, which we did on the first trip, but in recent years we were told that security in that area is not the best, so we avoid repeating them, and for this reason we cannot recommend them. In fact, our advice is to visit the island always bordering it.
The complete tour with stops included can be done in about 3 hours, but the best thing to do is to rent your own transport for half a day or a full day in case you like a place to stay longer (you can rent your motorbike or buggy for 10 hours here).
💯If you do not dare to rent your own transport, this tour goes around the island stopping at the most important sites.
6. Go shopping taking advantage of the Duty Free
Did you know that San Andres is a duty free island?. So a good alternative to do is to go duty free shopping.
We are not very passionate about shopping, but we have to admit that some things tempt us, such as Colombian coffee and perfumes at a good price.
7. Enjoy the underwater world by Snorkeling or Scuba Diving
San Andres is one of the best places in the Caribbean to appreciate the underwater world.
The archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina was catalogued by the United Nations as a Seaflower Biosphere Reserve due to its coral reefs and the marine fauna that inhabits it, which makes it a very popular destination for divers from all over the world.
Added to this are the shipwrecks, which are at shallow depths. The largest is the Blue Diamond, a freighter sunk barely 10 meters from the surface, widely accessible to all its rooms, resting on a sandy bottom.
The good thing is that you don’t need to dive to enjoy the marine life, since snorkeling you will also be able to see a great variety of fish. The best places for snorkeling in San Andres are La Piscinita, Acuario Cay and the Decameron Aquarium area.
👉Would you like to dive but you have never done it? On the island you can do this diving baptism if you know how to swim or try this fantastic seawalk.
8. Sleeping on the sea, without going to Polynesia
Hands up those of us who have ever dreamed of sleeping in those floating houses over the sea, typical of Polynesia or the resorts in the Maldives.
In San Andres you won’t find that style of construction, but you will find this hotel that built its buildings over the water and offers incredible views of the sea. At dawn it seems as if you woke up on a boat.
We stayed twice at the Decameron Aquarium and the experience is worth it.
9. Breakfast coffee at Juan Valdez, a stone’s throw from the ocean
Nothing I enjoy more than a Colombian coffee (or maybe an Italian ice cream?).
In Colombia, one of the best coffees to try is Juan Valdez, and the interesting thing is that in San Andres you will be able to drink it where the pedestrian walkway begins, 10 meters from the sea.
10. Walking to an islet in Rocky Cay
I always liked the beaches where you can walk hundreds of meters offshore and the crystal clear water always reaches between your ankles and waist. I had the chance to enjoy it on some beaches in Cuba, on the island of Gulhi in Maldives, and on Rocky Cay in San Andres.
Rocky Cay is near Cocoplum Beach. It’s a small rocky islet that can be reached by walking from the coast, with caution. Besides being a good area for snorkeling, there are views of the Nicodemus, a huge stranded ship.
Decameron hotels in San Andres have a beach club here, where you can have a drink and a snack.
11. Taste delicious seafood at La Regatta
If you like seafood, you should not miss La Regatta, perhaps the best restaurant in San Andres to eat seafood.
12. Extend your stay and visit Providencia or Cartagena
I can hardly imagine a trip to San Andres without including Cartagena de Indias in the itinerary. If you were hesitating whether to visit it or not, it’s a resounding yes!
Another option is the island of Providencia, which is our pending destination to see in the Colombian Caribbean. It is recommended to visit it when you have several days in San Andres and Providencia, although there are excursions that take you only for the day.
👉Read: Best things to do in Cartagena, Colombia
What to do in San Andres at night?
At night, you can walk around downtown, the pedestrian street and the waterfront, which are very busy. You have to take into account that the stores close early.
The nightlife in San Andres is quite varied. We are quiet, and honestly, we always arrived tired at night after a day of sun and beach, so we didn’t feel like going out too much. But we know that the disco club Coco Loco or Extasis are very famous on the island.
There are also several reggae bars that are a good option to have a quiet drink and listen to music.
Another option is to book this party boat that includes buffet dinner and unlimited drinks, ideal for a fun night out overlooking the island.
Things to do in San Andrés for free
Finding things to do in San Andrés for free is not so easy, because most of the places to visit have entrance fees, so you always have to pay something!
The only thing you will be able to do 100% free is to enjoy the beaches and the sea, and walk around the city center and the pedestrian walkway of the boardwalk. That’s why I always say that this is the best area to stay in San Andres, because everything is close and within walking distance.
And if you take your snorkeling equipment with you, you can also snorkel in several places without paying anything.
Best things to do in San Andrés in 3-5-7 days
3 Days in San Andrés, Colombia
Would you like to visit San Andres in 3 days? We did it on our first trip and this is how we spent our days:
Day 1: Arrival to San Andres in the morning, check in at the hotel, and the rest of the day to explore the downtown area and Spratt Bight beach.
Day 2: Tour to Johnny Cay in the morning, returning in the afternoon. In the evening, boat ride with dinner.
Day 3: Trip around the island by buggy or motorbike, visiting La Piscinita, West Point, etc., and enjoying Cocoplum beach and Rocky Cay area.
💯Would you like to book a complete 2 day tour at the best price? The first day you visit Johnny Cay, Acuario Cay and the Mangroves and the 2nd day, a trip around the island and the catamaran ride. Book it here!
5 Days or a Week in San Andrés
With at least 5 days in San Andres Island you can distribute the activities and excursions much better, leaving time to relax.
Let’s see how you could distribute the days:
Day 1: Recognize “the neighborhood”, walk around downtown and the boardwalk.
Day 2: Excursion to Johnny Cay.
Day 3: Buggy or motorcycle rental.
Day 4: Tour to Acuario and Haynes Cay.
Day 5: Beach day at Cocoplum area and Rocky Cay, and sunset catamaran ride.
A good option is to book this special tour that includes the main activities during two days and at a good price.
Having a week in total, you could dedicate the remaining two days to repeat what you liked the most or consider adding Providencia to the itinerary, or the unmissable Cartagena de Indias.
And up to here those that for us are the top things to do in San Andrés Colombia. If you already know San Andres island, do you agree with us? Would you add any other? And if you are about to travel, tell us about your trip in the comments! Supposing that the information helped you, you can help us a lot by sharing it on your social networks. Thank you!
