Providencia, Manzanillo Bay

More than two years after the devastating hurricane Iota, which battered the small Colombian Caribbean island in November 2020, damaging or destroying almost all of its buildings, the beleaguered inhabitants are once again looking forward to welcoming visitors.
Although not all the damage has been repaired nor all the houses rebuilt, one can already say that Providencia has succeeded in preserving its distinct character.
Unlike San Andrés, which is about 90 km away and which, at least in the capital, has turned into a noisy vacation paradise and shopping center for Colombian and international package tourists, Providencia emphasizes the preservation of its cultural identity. This is based on the culture of the Raizal, an Afro-Caribbean ethnic group that considers itself Protestant in religious terms and speaks an English-based creole called criollo sanandresano.

The island is again part of our Colombia trip if desired, but the relatively lengthy journey is only worthwhile with a minimum stay of 3 nights on site as well as an additional overnight stay on San Andrés (depending on the flight connection on arrival or departure).