San Andres Island

SAN ANDRES ISLAND

San Andres is a beautiful Caribbean Island some 90 minutes flight from the mainland of Colombia. The culture is a mix between English Caribbean and Spanish Colombian. There are beautiful palm fringed beaches and turquoise seas - the sea of San Andres is fondly known as "the sea of seven shades of Turquoise" by Colombians. The island is a very popular destination for mainly Colombian tourists, and has a resorty feel to it.

To really get away from other tourists, you can find a small piece of unspoilt Caribbean paradise at the nearby island of Providencia, which is a short onward flight or catamaran ride from San Andres. we suggest to spend most time on Providencia Island, which is a very special place to visit.

San Andres has some very beautiful beaches, and the sea is an amazing shade of turquoise. The North of the island has some lovely beaches, but all are heavily developed and backed by buildings. The North of the island is the busy section where most hotels are found, as well as various restaurants and other forms of nightlife. Most beaches are on the East coast - many have been semi-taken over by beachfront resorts which are scattered along this coastline. Without doubt, the best beach on the island is found at Sound Bay - beautiful sea, beautiful sand and one of the least crowded beaches (the Restaurant "Donde Francesca" is found here - great food, great location - I choose to spend most of my time in San Andres there!).

The West coast of the island has no beaches at all - it's all rocky here, though very scenic.

The history of this area and that of Cartagena de Indias are closely linked.  According to historians the islands were originally inhabited by a tribe of indigenous people, the Karib, whose territory originally spanned much of South America’s Caribbean coast, and who were subsequently wiped out during the Spanish Conquest. By the 19th century the islands’ many coves had become home to communities of runaway slaves, known as cimarrones.

BEING RESPONSIBLE

Many of our customers express the desire to somehow make a contribution and give something back to the communities they visit. Our itinerary fully supports all expressions of social solidarity in favor of the communities we work with and can include philanthropic activities that vary in length from one hour to several days in any one of the tours we organize. Philanthropy presents an excellent opportunity for cultural exchange and it can be expressed in many ways. We work closely with individuals and organizations to create direct, personalized philanthropic experiences.

Here are some examples: * A center for undernourished mothers, adolescents and children, * A center which shelters, rehabilitates and educates street kids, * A home for the aged and infirm, * Providing assistance to disadvantaged young entrepreneurs, * Helping ethnic minority communities become self-sufficient and improve their quality of life

A visit of the islands is perfect after a nice stay Cartagena de Indias