San Andres & Providencia Archipelago (In EDIT mode)


Officially named the ​Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina, the Insular Region of Colombia is located some 780kms  northwest of Colombia, in the Caribbean Sea opposite Nicaragua.  With a fascinating history that includes Spain's  original claim to the islands in 1510 following Columbus's first voyage to the Americas, it was held for a time by the Dutch, then English, before finally being recognized as a part of Colombia from 1928.  Even so, disputes over Nicaraguan claims continued until 2012, when the International Court pf Justice found in favour of Colombia!     
 Consisting of two main island groups; San Andres is the main island, with its capital,  also called San Andres, being positioned on the northern tip of the island, next to the airport.  The island itself is some 12km in length and 3kms wide, but offers a host of quiet bays and golden sandy beaches for visitors to enjoy.  The other island grouping is that of Providencia and the smaller Santa Catalina island,  located some 60kms to the north east of San Andres.  In addition, 8 atolls and various reef banks make up the province.  Combined, some 61,000 souls live on the islands, thriving on fishing and tourism.   The original islanders are known as Raizals, being of Afro-Caribbean origin, today amounting to some 30% of the population.  The vast bulk of the population are descendants of mainland Colombia, or those of British or French  settlers.  Both Spanish and English are widely spoken.
There's LOTS to see and enjoy  in a visit to these islands, chosen as the world's  best Sun and Beach destination in 2019 World Travel Awards.  Some million visitors come to the islands each year, but it remains peaceful and unspoilt.  Natural beauty  can be seen everywhere, alongside paradise beaches and sparling clear waters.  Also popular are famous promenades like Spratt Bright in the capital, that are full of restaurants, hotels, bars and shops, plus being the centre for water-sports fans looking for kitesurfing or jet skiing.
Further afield, Sound Bay is  a delightful spot, tucked quietly away, largely uninhabited by visitors.  Other gems include Cocoplum Beach where a barrier reef shelters the warm, crystal clear waters that lap the golden sands.  Another favourite is Rose Cay, where manta rays come to be fed by visitors.  And away from the beaches, a visit to San Andres' Botanic Gardens is well worthwhile, as is a tour to Pirate Morgan's Cave, where his loot from raids on Spanish ships is said to remain hidden.    
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