Recommendations for traveling to San Andrés: Tips, purchases, requirements, and more tips

Anyone who wants to enter the island must pay for the tourist card at the airport before getting on the plane, it costs 109,000 Colombian pesos, which would be about $36. The price is the same for both Colombian and foreign visitors, the only ones who do not pay are those under 7 years of age and those who will only be on the island for 24 hours. The first recommendation is to keep the card until the end of the trip because you will be asked for it when you leave the island.

The official currency in San Andrés is still the Colombian peso, however, there are businesses and commercial premises where you can pay with dollars, but the dollar is priced lower than the market because they are not exchange houses, hence the recommendation It is to change the dollars before traveling to the island or in exchange houses there before they go out to buy because if they pay in dollars the change is also given in Colombian pesos.

In Colombia there are no climatic seasons, there are only two types of climate, the rainy season (very similar to winter) and the dry season (very similar to summer), so the best recommended months to travel to San Andrés are June, July, August and September since during these months you can enjoy the dry season, also in August and September it is low season. The months in which more visitors will be found are January, March, June, and October.

For those coming from countries such as Panama, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, or Peru, it is mandatory to be vaccinated against yellow fever to cross the Colombian border. The recommendation is that they apply the vaccine at least 10 days before the trip. This is valid for 10 years, so if they are vaccinated it is not necessary to apply it again.

In San Andrés there is a lot of hotels to offer, you will find hotels with access to the beach, hotels in the center, hostels around the island, and many apartments for rent, so the recommendation is that you look for your accommodation in advance because being a highly desired destination (especially in high season) the best options tend to run out very quickly and end up paying high prices for not so good accommodations.

San Andrés has 7 white sand beaches in the downtown area, around the island, and in small keys that are close to the island, the recommendation is that you allocate at least two days to visit all of them, among them Sardina Bay Beach, Rocky Cay, San Luis Beach, Cocoplum Bay, the Aquarium, the Little Pool and Johnny Cay Island.

San Andrés is a small island that can be covered in less than 2 hours but you can make several stops at different places and beaches outside the urban area, so if you are going to go around the island the recommendation is They should do it independently because if they pay for a tour they will feel pressured. After all, they have limited time in each place and if they want to spend more time in one place they will not be able to do it. Rent a golf cart, or a motorcycle, or go by bus but on your own to better manage your time.

Providencia is an island that is 90 kilometers from San Andrés, its keys, beaches, and landscapes of small mountains make it an ideal island to visit, you can allocate 2 nights since it also has a hotel offer, to go to the island can be done by plane or catamaran. The recommendation if you are going to travel to Providencia is to buy the ticket at least 2 months in advance, it has a value of 700,000 Colombian pesos, which would be about 230 dollars. If you go on a catamaran, buy seasickness pills, since it's a 3-hour trip on the open sea, it's very easy to get dizzy. The round-trip ticket on the catamaran costs 360,000 Colombian pesos, about 100 dollars.

San Andrés is a tax-free zone, so it is common to find stores with different brands of clothing, shops selling only chocolates and sweets, or imported items such as perfumes, jewelry, or liquor at a very good price, so the recommendation is that they allocate at least one day to go shopping and visit all the commercial areas with time, remember to "haggle" the prices.

If you want to enjoy a typical Caribbean party aboard a Catamaran at night, the recommendation is to take the white night tour, it costs 100,000 Colombian pesos, about 30 dollars, includes a party, dinner, and liquor, and lasts 3 hours. Then they can continue the party in the different clubs on the island or in the bars of some hotels.

Finally, the recommendation is that you keep in mind these average rates in terms of transportation and vehicle rental. The bus ticket to the island cost 2,400 Colombian pesos, less than a dollar and it runs every 20 minutes. If they are going to take a taxi, they must negotiate the rate before taking it and if they are going to rent a golf cart, it has an average price of $120,000, which would be about 40 dollars.

These were the 11 recommendations that you should keep in mind when you visit San Andrés, one of the most beautiful islands in Colombia. Thank you for reading this blog, if you found it useful, remember to share it with your closest friends