Things to do in San Andres
An increasingly popular escape from mainland Colombia, San Andres is one of those must-visit islands of South America located in the Caribbean Sea.
With an incredible ocean filled with blue and green hues that stretch as far as the eye can see, San Andres is home to the best snorkeling and diving around.
Due to its small size it’s very easy to get around, and by hiring a golf cart you can tour the island easily within just a few hours.
If you love spicy nightlife then you’ll love it here, with lots of salsa bars and clubs lining the long promenade along Playa Grande and Playa Spratt Bight.
Things to do in San Andres
In this guide we’ll explore San Andres, what to see and do, the best places to stay as well as our own top tips for a backpacking trip here.
Is San Andres Worth Visiting?
As we’ve already mentioned, this island is perfect for those looking to get out of the smoggy Colombian cities and into a much more chill paradise.
It’s located in the Caribbean, close to Nicaragua, so naturally the sea temperatures will be warmer and also have better visibility conditions (it’s one of the best place to learn to dive as well as to see marine wildlife).
Those looking to dive can join this unforgettable excursion, where you’ll explore one of the best reefs in Latin America!
San Andrés is great to visit as you’ll find a combination of relaxing vibes near the beach or on nearby islands such as Johnny Cay, but also with its fill of nightlife which is why many hop on a flight here for the weekend.
Another reason this island is so popular to visit is for the low costs. Despite what you’d think, getting here and spending a long weekend is actually pretty cheap, making it popular for both Colombians and foreigners alike.
How to Get to San Andres?
Due to its location in the Caribbean Sea, you can only get here by plane. Despite the long distance (of over 715km), it’s actually insanely cheap and quick to get to.
A one-way flight from major cities such as Bogotá or Medellin cost just $20! In terms of flight time, it takes just 2 hours to arrive from Bogotá.
Another important point to mention is that there is a entrance fee to the island which you’ll have to pay before leaving the mainland. At this time of writing, it costs foreigners around 112,500 COP (which is around $28.00).
For those backpacking Central America, there used to be boats that came across from Nicaragua, but these were mostly illegal and have stopped since due to the harsh sea conditions which make the journey dangerous.
Best Things to do in San Andres
Here we’ll cover the best destinations you can visit in San Andres, including some of the top sights just outside of the island too.
Explore the island on a Golf Cart
This is definitely the most fun way to explore San Andres, and also a great way to spend the day.
It costs around 100,000-120,000 COP to hire a golf cart for one day (fits two people) and then you can go off pretty much wherever you want. The road that runs along the outside of the island is roughly 30km long. Those who are travelling in a larger group can pre-book your Golf Cart here.
Some of the best things to see along the route include Morgan’s Cave, which is a cave where the pirate Henry Morgan is thought to have stashed much of his found treasures (although you probably won’t find anything here now).
Big Pond is another where you can pet domesticated caiman that come on to the banks if that’s your thing, or continue on to Hoya Soplador, a blowhole where you can watch waves shoot up meters into the air.
Lounge on its Beaches
Of course one of the main reasons to extend your Colombian itinerary and travel to San Andres is for some quality beach time.
On the north of the island you can find the two most popular beaches of Playa Grande and Playa Spratt Bight, with the latter being a little more crowded (although with more food and drink options close-by).
Here you’ll be able to swim in calmer waters, where you can see contrasting rows of green and bright-blue water that keep layering out into the distance.
If you want a more quiet area, then head further west on Playa Grande (near the airport) as less people gather around the sands here.
Visit Johnny Cay Island
This picture-perfect island can be seen from the north coast of San Andres, and takes just 10 minutes to arrive by boat.
Here you can sip on coconuts and explore the tiny island with its forested paths, or share a beach with its local inhabitants (iguanas we mean).
A little further from here you can visit a portion of shallow waters which is the best around for snorkeling. Here you’ll see lots of tropical fish and also small nurse sharks.
The best way to explore these is by tour, and there’s many agencies near Spratt Bight beach that can take you there and back, and also visit other sites along the way (such as the area for snorkeling).
We recommend heading here with this day tour, which includes all transport along with the entrance fee to the island already sorted.
Morgan’s Cave
As one the most sought-after tourist attractions on San Andres, it would be rude to miss this gem. The landmark features an underground cave and a replica pirate ship that you can explore as well as take pictures from.
Many visitors argue that it is not worth the (20,000COP) entry fee however you have to know why you are entering. Taking part in the mini-tour you will go down into some secret caves which house a selection of worldly pirate materials including: clothing, maps, utensils and even weapons.
You are not going to meet any pirates or become one after your time here. However, you will be able to say you where in the hideout of one of the world’s most infamous pirates: Henry Morgan.
Where to Stay in San Andres
The island of San Andres is pretty small. Whilst the south of the island is more quiet and remote, there’s not too many reasonable accommodation options (most are pretty expensive).
The best area to stay in is in the north of the island; near the airport and also in the popular north-eastern pocket of the island.
Here you’ll find many hostels and cheaper hotels, as well as a variety of restaurants, nightlife options and tour providers.
We recommend staying at El Viajero Hostel, which is set in a bustling area of the island with lots of restaurant and nightlife options close. There’s also a great breakfast included when staying in a private room.
Best Time to visit San Andres
We’ve spoken a lot about the best time to visit South America on this blog (George is absolutely obsessed with checking the weather when we travel).
No matter when you visit San Andres you’ll find Temperatures are pretty consistent year-round, with averages ranging from 80-83°F each month.
Highs can reach up to 76°F (August and September are the hottest months) with lows dropping to around 78°F (January is the coolest month of the year).
Regardless of when you visit it’ll be nice and hot so don’t worry – you’ll still get a good roasting on the beach. However what can vary is the rainfall, with San Andres having both a distinct dry and wet season.
The dry season runs from late-December until April, with between 0-1 inches falling in each month. March is officially the driest month to visit, sometimes having no rain at all in past years.
The wet season, which runs from May until December, sees a large increase in rainfall, with anywhere from 3-7 inches of downpour each month. With 7.2 inches, October is the wettest month to visit the tropical island.
Despite being located in the Caribbean Sea, risk of hurricanes is much lower than islands further north (although there have been some in the last few years; they are most likely to occur from July-September).
Regardless of when you’ll be visiting, there’s a good chance you’ll be getting wet given most things are in or around the beach! For this reason we highly recommend investing in a quality Dry Bag, which will help to keep your valuables and clothes dry when exploring
San Andrés Backpacking Tips
Now we’ll share some of our best tips for when you visit San Andres based on our time spent here.
- The best thing you can do is to rent a golf cart. Whilst the northern portion is the best for a stay, there’s lots of cool things to see around and hiring your own gives you flexibility and independence that a tour can’t give you.
- We suggest spending a minimum of 3/4 days in San Andres. The island is pretty small and you can see all of the top sights pretty quickly. We felt this amount of time was just right; any more and you might become a bit bored.
- If you want to try your hand at scuba diving whilst in this region, this is one of the best places in the Americas you could ever choose.
- The best month to visit San Andres is March. Temperatures will hover around a sultry 81F, with highs reaching up to 84°F. It’s also the driest month with sometimes no rainfall occurring at all, making it the perfect time for lounging on the beach and exploring other cayes and nearby islands.
Got travel insurance for San Andres?
Things to do in San Andres
And that’s all for our backpacking guide to San Andres!
This beautiful island is located in the heart of the Caribbean, and is the perfect place to come for its warm waters and more relaxed vibes.
As well as being inexpensive and easy to reach, San Andres has many cheap hotel options and tours making it a great place for backpackers to visit.
In this guide we’ve covered everything you’ll need to know about San Andres.
This includes the best things to see and do, the best time to visit, where to stay and much, much more.
We hope you enjoyed reading this guide! If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Be sure to read our full South America backpacking guide for more tips!
👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.
“Dear traveler! Some links in this post contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, book a hostel or sign up for a tour, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support means a lot and helps us to carry on traveling and maintaining the quality of this site for you.”
