Island Rating: San Andrés
Population: 72,000
Date of visit: December 2018
Beaches & scenery: 4/5
Attractions & sights: 2/5
Nightlife: ?/5
Safety: 3/5
Low budget factor: 3/5
Total: 👍👍👍👍/5
The island in a nutshell:
San Andrés is a tiny Colombian island in the Caribbean just 150km away from the Nicaraguan coast, and 740km away from mainland Colombia. As a tax free zone, San Andrés is rather a destination for domestic tourists but also a cool island for travelers, who want to visit a place that is not on every Colombia itinerary.
Where to stay:
The city center in the north is the best choice in my opinion, as almost all shops and restaurants are located there. Plus it’s within walking distance from the airport. The other option would be somewhere in the eastern part of the island, where you can find two or three resorts. It’s much quieter there though.
The Good:
Let’s come straight to the point: there isn’t much to do in San Andrés apart from diving, relaxing on the beach and enjoying some cocktails. But the island has a cool vibe and is a great destination for two or three days. People, who want to see more, can do day trips to other nearby islands.
The main attraction of San Andrés is the ocean of course. The beaches are not overwhelming, but the water definitely is. The turquoise-blue color of the ocean is typical for the Caribbean Sea, and the warm water temperature makes it a great place to swim in the ocean.
San Andrés is not big but you either need a scooter, a golf cart or a buggy to get around. Buses are the cheaper but more unreliable option. As the better beaches are a bit away from the main beach, it’s highly recommended to rent a vehicle to get around though. And it’s simply fun to drive around in one of these buggies.
The Bad & The Ugly:
The island is a bit more expensive than mainland Colombia but still affordable if you’re a tourist from the first world. You also have to purchase a tourist tax card (~30 USD) at the airport of departure before you’re allowed to enter the plane to the island.
While I always felt safe in San Andrés, they say that the island has some dangerous areas, especially the one adjacent the airport. I walked the five minutes between the airport and my hotel at midnight, but some websites claim that you should take a taxi no matter how close your hotel is. My friends even got warned by a local during daytime that they should walk through a street near the airport, or they would get robbed otherwise.
Find other Island Ratings here.
