Isla de San Andrés Transportation Tips by mircaskirca Top 5 Page for this destination

Flight from San Andrés to Cartagena

Flights between San Andrés and Cartagena are operated by two airlines, Avianca and AeroRepublica. Most of the flights with Avianca have connection in Bogotá (or even Medellin) and there is one direct flight with Copa.

I booked my flight at the same time as the one from Cali to San Andrés (three months in advance). I took a direct flight with Copa (operated by AeroRepublica), with the departure from San Andrés at 11:12am and arrival to Cartagena at 12:37pm. It was US$ 145,40 one way.

On arrival to Cartagena I took a taxi to the old town where hotel Porvenir was located. For safety reasons it's better to take an authorized taxi. You have to join a line of people. When it's your turn you tell the destination and they give you a paper with the destination and price. It was COP 8.100 (January 2009). You show it to the taxi driver and he delivers you to the desired destination.

Mode: TO

Type: Airplane

Website: http://www.aerorepublica.com

Getting Around on the Island

Getting around on the island is easy. There are lots of buses, taxis and motorbikes to take you were you need to go. Taxis are quite expensive (as anything on the island) but you get use to it. When the taxi takes other people on the same trip it's called colectivo and it's much cheaper. Taxis from the airport have fixed prices to anywhere on the island which are higher than regular trips.

Bus is the main form of transportation. It's cheap (1.100 COP - January 2009) and frequent. Most buses connect the town of San Andrés with other parts of the island. Every bus has a sign of the final destination on the front window. You can hop on the bus anywhere, just rise your hand to attract the attention of the driver. To get off the bus you have to call out parada and the driver will stop anywhere you want. There is one route along the eastern coast between San Andrés and San Luis which then goes inland and return by another route. Another route connects San Andrés with the inland La Loma and El Cove on the western side of the island.

Also there are many places to rent everything from cars, to motorcycles, bicycles and golf carts. Renting a motorcycle is a great way to see the island. There are some gas stations, filling up costs about 10.000 COP.

Mode: AROUND

Type: Other

Flight from Cali to San Andrés

Two airlines have flights from Cali to San Andrés, Copa and Avianca. Most of the flights have a connection in Bogotá, and there is usually one direct flight daily with Copa (operated by AeroRepublica). I booked the direct flight. It was a night flight, with the departure from Cali at 10:30pm and arrival to San Andrés at 12:25am. It was US$ 205 one way. Since it was the high season, only a few days before the New Year, I booked three months in advance.

The owner of the homestay in the village of San Luis where I was going to stay, she was supposed to wait for me at the airport with her taxi driver friend. But she did not come. Later she explained that she did not understand correctly, she confused the dates. It was a little tricky as the date of my departure was one and the date of my arrival another.

While I was waiting for my transportation to San Luis a local tourist agent offered me to join another passenger in a shuttle van which was COP 20.000 (December 2008). She knew the place and they delivered me right to the door (we had to wake up the owner). I was really happy not to be alone in the middle of the night.

Mode: TO

Type: Airplane

Website: http://www.aerorepublica.com

Return Flight from San Andrés to Providencia

As the local buses are not very frequent early in the morning the owner of the homestay in San Luis arranged with her taxi driver friend to pick me up and bring to the airport. He wanted 20.000 COP which I found too much for the ride during the day. I negotiated then for 15.000 COP (January 2009).

There are two air companies that operate the route between San Andrés and Providencia, Satena and Searca. I chose Searca. Internet booking can only be done through Aviatur (www.aviatur.com). Since I traveled during the high season (the New Year) I booked my flight more than a month in advance.

I took a morning flight with the departure from San Andrés at 8:00am. On the return I took the afternoon flight from Providencia at 5:00pm. The journey takes 20 minutes and the return flight was 339.000 COP. The route is operated several times daily using small regional aircraft with 21 seats. You can only fly to Providencia from San Andrés.

On arrival to Providencia I took a moto taxi to Aguadulce where I was going to stay. It was 10.000 COP.

A couple of days later, when I returned to the airport of San Andrés, I just walked a few blocks to the centre and then took a local bus to San Luis.

Mode: TO

Type: Airplane

Website: http://www.searca.com.co