Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [162]
Satena Airways ( 512 3139; Aeropuerto Internacional Sesquicentenario) operates two flights per day between San Andrés and Providencia in low season (return from COP$376,043) and up to six in high season. Decameron’s affiliated airline Searca ( 512 4045) also flies the route.
BOAT
Cargo boats travel to Providencia from San Andrés and often take passengers, but prepare to stomach a rough, five-hour sea journey. The cost runs from COP$35,000 to COP$40,000.
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Getting Around
Local buses circle a large part of the island; they also ply the inland road to El Cove. They are the cheapest way to get around (per ride COP$1100) unless you want to walk. They can drop you off close to all the major attractions.
A bus marked ‘San Luis’ travels along the east-coast road to the southern tip of the island; take this bus to San Luis and the Hoyo Soplador. The bus marked ‘El Cove’ runs along the inner road to El Cove, passing through La Loma. It’ll drop you in front of the Baptist church, within easy walking distance of Cueva de Morgan and La Piscinita. You can catch both buses near the Hotel Hernando Henry.
You can travel more comfortably by taxi, which can take you for a trip around the island (COP$50,000). Otherwise, hire a bicycle (COP$10,000/COP$20,000 per half-day/full day). Cycling around San Andrés is a great way to get a feel for the island. Roads are paved and there is little traffic to contend with. You can also hire scooters (COP$40,000 per day) and golf carts (COP$80,000 per day) in addition to the usual suspects – many of the rental businesses are on Av Newball. Shop around as prices and conditions vary.
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PROVIDENCIA
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8 / pop 5000
Around 90km north of San Andrés, the much smaller and quainter island of Providencia feels not only like a world away, but like a different country entirely. Tourism has not been bred into the population here, so the quiet, laid-back hamlets that nestle here against white-sand beaches feel much more authentic than San Andrés’. And without a direct connection to the Colombian mainland, the island hasn’t seen nearly the same levels of cultural invasion, leaving the original traditions and customs more-or-less intact. All this combined with gorgeous topography standing sentinel over swaths of turquoise-blue sea gives Providencia no small claim to paradise.
Traditionally known as Old Providence, the island covers an area of 17 sq km. It is the second-largest island of the archipelago. A mountainous island of volcanic origin, it is much older than San Andrés and is home to the second-largest barrier reef in the Americas.
Santa Isabel, a village at the island’s northern tip, is the local administrative headquarters. Santa Catalina, a small island facing Santa Isabel, is separated from Providencia by the shallow Canal Aury, spanned by a pedestrian bridge.
Strict zoning laws have held large-scale development at bay, and, unlike in San Andrés, English is still widely spoken. There’s much English-Caribbean–style architecture, with each homeowner trying to outdo their neighbor by the stroke of a paintbrush.
What tourist industry does exist can be found in the tiny hamlets of Aguadulce and Bahía Suroeste on the west coast, a 15-minute ride by colectivo (shared minibus or taxi) from the airport. Here you’ll find small cottages, hotels and cabañas strung along the road, and a handful of restaurants. While you can see virtually the whole island in a day, travelers end up staying longer than they expected, scuba diving, hiking or just lying in a hammock with a Club Colombia in hand.
Friendly locals, warm seas and impressive mountainous topography all help make Providencia Colombia’s Eden.
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Information
Banco de Bogotá (Santa Isabel; 8-11:30am & 2-4pm Mon-Thu, 8am-11:30am & 2-4:30pm Fri) ATM.
Communication Center ( 514 8871; Santa Isabel; per hour COP$2500; 9am-12:30pm & 4-9pm Mon-Sat & 2:30-9pm