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 BRIEF
HISTORY - Many historians agree that the archipelago was
discovered in 1629 by English Puritans and Jamaican woodcutters and
was then conquered by the Spanish in the second half of the 17th
century. For 200 years control of the islands changed hands several
times. The islands were visited often by pirates, among them the
English pirate Henry Morgan who used them as a base of operations
and, according to legend, as a hideaway for his much acclaimed
treasure.
In 1670 the English corsair (Henry Morgan)
took over the islands until 1689. In 1803, after Spain's Viceroyalty
of New Granada had been reestablished in 1739, the archipielago and
the province of Veraguas – covering the western territory of Panama
and the eastern coast of Nicaragua – were added to its area of
jurisdiction.
After gaining its independence, the Republic
of Gran Colombia occupied the islands in 1822 and transferred
control over them to the department of Magdalena. Subsequently,
the United Provinces of Central America (UPCA) did not recognize the
occupation of the islands and claimed ownership over them, while
Colombia in turn protested the UPCA's occupation of the eastern
coast of modern day Nicaragua.
Colombia later established a local administration ("intendencia") in
the islands during 1912. The signing of the Esguerra-Bárcenas treaty
in 1928 between both governments temporarily resolved the dispute in
favor of Colombia. However, since 1980, when the Sandinista
government assumed power in Nicaragua, a constitutional reform was
enacted and the treaty was renounced.
 In 2001 Nicaragua filed claims with the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the disputed maritime
boundary involving 50,000 km² in the Caribbean, which includes the
islands of San Andrés and Providencia. Colombia has claimed that the
ICJ has no jurisdiction over the matter and has increased its naval
and police presence in the islands.It has also prepared the legal defense of its case that will be
presented before the tribunal.
In addition, Colombia and Honduras signed a maritime boundary treaty
in 1999 which implicitly accepts Colombian sovereignty over the
islands.
GEOGRAPHY
- San Andrés is 190 km east of the Nicaraguan coast of
Central America and 775 km (480 miles) north of the caribbean coast
of Colombia. Consists of sedimentary rocks that have been laid down
upon a former volcano of ancient origins. San Andres is the main
island of the archipelago and of the departamento. It measures 12 km
in length with a width of 3 km and covers an area of 26 km². The
principal town is San
Andres in the north of the island.
Another town is San Luis on the east
coast.
Cayo Johnny (Cayo Sucre) lies
1.5 km ENE of German Point (Punta
Norte), the island's northern tip, and
Haynes Cay about the same distance
east of the island.
 Providencia Island (with Santa Catalina
Island) - This is the main island (often referred to
as Old Providence in English) of the
archipelago and the second largest of the departamento, located 80
km NNE of San
Andrés Island, at 13°21 'N 81°22 'W.
Together with Santa Catalina
Island a small satellite
island close off its northern end, these islands extend 7.2 km in a
north-south direction.
The land area of Providencia Island measures 17 km². Along with its
smaller sister island
of Santa Catalina (2 km²) it is enclosed by an extensive barrier
reef system of some 35 km
in length and covering over 250 km² in area — making it one of the
most significant reefs
occurring outwith the Pacific and Indian oceans. The mountainous
center of Providencia
Island rises to three peak of about the same elevation and up to 363
m high. The island
consists of sedimentary rocks that have been laid down upon a former
volcano of ancient
origins.
CLIMATE
- Excellent climate all year round with an average temperature of 27oC
or 81oF. Dry from
March to August, wet from October to December.
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A GLIMPSE OF WHAT TO DO
The most spectacular characteristics of San Andres and Old
Providence are their coral
reefs. The visibility and temperature of the crystal-clear water
hardly vary throughout the
year, thereby creating a habitat for some of the most wonderful
flora and fauna in the
Caribbean.
If you come to dive, you will come to paradise. The Islands, along
with their respective
cays, have a barrier reef which not only creates its own lagoon,
protected from the surge
of the waves, but also created ideal spots to experience in exciting
underwater adventures.
Access is easy in these calm waters, and places with names such as
Morgan's Sponges,
The Sunken Ship, The Caves, Coral View and Blue Hole, are just some
of the more than
40 underwater Gardens of Eden waiting for you to explore.
- Dive and snorkel in several locations. Calm undercurrents, moderate
temperatures,
and almost limitless visibility make this a prime attraction.
- Shopping area: San Andres is consider a shopping paradise, where the
value added
tax is yet unknown, and therefore, not charged to the consumer. In
addition, the island
has the privilege of being a free port allowing visitors to enjoy
shopping for handcrafts,
jewelry and antiques, perfume, liquor, and decorative objects
including art pieces by
native artists, clothing, and much more.
- Swimming, horseback riding, parasailing, wind surfing or relaxing on
a beach.
- Blue Wall and Blue Hole: vertical walls that goes down 300 ft, where
you'll see
spectacular coral and countless fish
- Johnny Cay, also called Islote Sucre, is the nearest small island to
San Andrés. It
offers hite sandy beaches, transparent waters and tropical
vegetation that represents
the essence of San Andres, complete with local music.
- “El Hoyo Soplador” or Blowing Hole, at the southern end of San
Andrés is a sea
water geyser.
- La Cueva De Morgan or Morgan's Cave, The famous pirate Henry Morgan
was
resident in the archipelago and it was from here that he planned
various assaults on
galleons laden with gold destined for Europe. It has not been
established exactly
where his treasure as hidden, but some islanders affirm that it was
in Morgan´s Cave,
a small deep lake within a cave of coral rock.
- The aquarium: an unspoiled natural spot for fish watching.
- La Loma: tiny hamlet where traditional island life continues.
- First Baptist Church, its location on top of the mountain is a
reference for ships, the
locals gather to mass on Sunday in this church.
- Mangroves: Above the water line, the mangrove swamps and outlying
cays provide
important habitat for birds; 18 species are year-round residents, 76
more species
migrate through the islands yearly, including two endangered endemic
species (found
only in the Archipelago) and many more subspecies.
Here is a sample San Andres Tour Itinerary
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