San Andres tourist information
San Andrés and Providencia San Andrés is splendid Colombian beaches in a culture completely different from that of the rest of the country. This region has its own special beauty and enchantment to share with visitors. The cultural diversity characteristic of San Andrés and Providencia appeared in 1629 when English and Jamaican woodcutters arrived on the islands Among the early arrivals were pirates dedicated to smuggling. The most well-known of these was Henry Morgan who took over San Andrés in order to hide the treasures he had stolen in Panamá. English Puritans along with their slaves from Africa cultivated cotton and tobacco. In 1641 they were driven off the islands and the islands were in control of the Spanish until 1802 when Luis Aury, a French follower of Simón Bolívar, freed them. Finally, on July 23, 1821 San Andrés and Providencia were declared part of Colombia. The official language is Spanish, even though the schools teach in English also. Among themselves they communicate in "Caribbean English" which is a Creole English. A good example of island culture is found in the neighborhood called the Hill where is also found the Emmanuelle Baptist Church which dates from 1874 and is an excellent example of the wooden constructions. The marvelous underwater world of the archipelago of San Andrés and Providencia is ideal for scuba diving and snorkeling. Just submerge and you will find fish of a thousand colors, an extensive coral platform, exotic fauna and flora and a large number of sunken ships that thanks to the algae and coral have been turned into admirable treasures. Excellent places for diving are Barlovento, off the west coast of the island, Johnny Cay, Rosse Cay, Rocky Cay, Cotton Cay, Haynes Cay and the natural aquarium. There is a white sandbank surrounded by shallow crystal clear water which is perfect for snorkeling located just 20 minutes by boat from San Andres.
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