Situation in San Andrés - Colombia

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emoreira

Contributor
Messages
2,147
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Location
ARGENTINA
# of dives
200 - 499
Hi, I have bought a dive vacation in San Andrés and Providencia for May 2020. Owing to the pandemia, I had to reshedule that trip.
Last December, when vacination was just round the corner and, considering that I had time to reshedule the fly tickets up to february 2021, I resheduled the trip for next June 2021.
Besides, Providencia was completelly destroyed by the hurricane Iota in November 2020, so I had to forget about going to Providencia.
Now vacination is late and the second wave is here.
Anyone has any idea of how things are in San Andrés COVID related ?
 
I would suggest calling the resort/dive shop and ask? I was going to suggest asking my friend who owns the dive shop on Providencia, but you've x'ed that off your list. Personally, having been to both, I'd go to a ruined Providencia before I went to San Andreas.
 
There is no where to rent a room in Providencia, and up to what I could ask, the reconstruction is way too slow. Destruction was assessed up to 98 %.
The turist agency that is making my reservations could not get any room reservation in Providencia.
I've contacted via Whatsapp to Banda Dive Shop, though no answer yet.
 
There is no where to rent a room in Providencia, and up to what I could ask, the reconstruction is way too slow. Destruction was assessed up to 98 %.
The turist agency that is making my reservations could not get any room reservation in Providencia.
I've contacted via Whatsapp to Banda Dive Shop, though no answer yet.
I sent a note to Filipe on Providencia. We'll see what he says, it's a pretty small island, he will know.
 
Just as an update. COPA Airlines (the tickets I bought) has cancelled all flights from Argentina, so, again, this trip is cancelled and I need to reshedule. No specific reason was given for the cancellation. I guess that it's because of the catastrophic situation COVID-19 related in Argentina, were vacination is too delayed.
 
Just as an update. COPA Airlines (the tickets I bought) has cancelled all flights from Argentina, so, again, this trip is cancelled and I need to reshedule. No specific reason was given for the cancellation. I guess that it's because of the catastrophic situation COVID-19 related in Argentina, were vacination is too delayed.
Did you ever end up going? We had some flights from AA on hold but as we started reading reviews on resorts on San Andres we were getting discouraged. Initially was thinking of the Decamarons (Aquarium or Isleno)
 
Did you ever end up going? We had some flights from AA on hold but as we started reading reviews on resorts on San Andres we were getting discouraged. Initially was thinking of the Decamarons (Aquarium or Isleno)
Yes, we went there last March 2022. We stayed (my wife and I) in Decameron Isleño. Though it's an All Inclusive hotel, the service is not top notch. However it seems to be one of the best hotels in the island and the best of all the Decameron hotels. Owing to the pandenic, we were not allowed to visit the rest of the Decameron hotels in the island.
We could not visit Providencia, as the island was still closed for general visitors and still not open to divers.
I knew that Providencia opened to divers a few months afterwards.
Diving was very nice. I dove with OCEAN HOUSE which is located inside the Decameron Isleño. Good service. I did 6 dives :
Villa Rosa
Blue Diamont wreck
Reagge Nest
Punta Padi
Palacio Cheuna
Trampa Tortuga

It was a very nice vacation though the island , beyond the turist path in front of the beach, is a large poor town.
 
It was a very nice vacation though the island , beyond the turist path in front of the beach, is a large poor town.
Thank you for sharing., and yes, the poverty is unfortunate and sad in many places. We were recently in Zanzibar where we had the same experience. Kids without shoes. homes without doors, water being carried in wheelbarrows. So sad. It was our last stop, and we left shoes, clothes, and toiletries and everything we could spare from our luggage behind. We also saw reviews on both Decamarons and both were quite negative (and recent) on google and trip advisor etc. We're still thinking about it ... you have confirmed wonderful diving which is of course the highlight. :)
 
So you guys stayed in San Andres? None of that sounds familiar from my recent trip to Providencia. We only spent a few hours on SA between flights but it did seem very touristy and built-up. Kind of like a sad little version of South Beach, Miami.
 
I have been to San Andres several times and it has a great island vibe. I always stay at small posada's or airbnb's. My favorite dive operator is "Blue Life" dive center. Very inexpensive diving ($50/2 tanks). The weather is usually great too. Next time I need to hop over to Providencia to try their dive sites.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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