BootsnAll Travel Community

Hey Paul,

Thanks for the tips. I am in Providencia now and have been diving with Felipe divers. They are amazing as is the reef surrounding the island. I am in love with the island. I don´t think that what you have said could be any truer. If you feel like a beer in the coming week you can find me at El Recreo, or send me a message and we can make a time to meet up. Either way, thanks for the recommendation, this truely is a paradise.

Andy

Andy!

Great to have you in Providence Island. I happen to be flying to Barranquilla today from Bogota, so I guess I won´t see you around there. Anyway, I´m sure you will be able to enjoy the Islands. Don´t forget visiting Ms. Mary´s Restaurant in Southwest Bay and look out for the horse race on Saturday morning in that beach. Don´t miss the Party at Rolando´s bar in Manchineel Bay and Tell Pichi (felipe´s Brother) that I recommended you and that you are my friend. Tell him I said hello. I will be back in Providence Island after May 6th. If you happen to be there, then we´ll have that beer.

enjoy the Islands!!

Paul

Hey Everybody!

Its mid May here in the Islands and we are having a fairly good Crab season. At night, plenty of crabs are coming down in the areas of Lazy Hill and Freshwater bay. It looks like things are looking better for the conservation of the black crab here in the islands. Its a great spectacle. Come visit!!!

Paul

Dear Rastapaul,

First of all thank you so much for all the information you've posted it's amazing!. My name is Alejandra and I am new to this community, I found it when googling for Providencia.

I am a Caleña living in Vienna and I want to take my Austrian husband for the first time to Colombia, we'll visit the most important cities, but I also want him to have a feel of paradise.I used to go to el cabo de la vela and stay with the wayuu, but I don't think he'll feel safe from Riohacha through the dessert.

So I thought about Providencia, because I've not visited either, but I am having a little bit of a hard time looking for information regarding travel plans (tickets from Cali or bogotá to Sn.Andres to O.P.+ a good hotel/Cabañas)through the internet.

1. So,I wonder if you could give me a name of a serious travel agency (s) I can contact through telephone or e-mail, that could arrange the trip.

2. Is it true that there is a fast boat that goes from Sn. Andres to O.P. in three hours?

or

3. Do you reccomend me buying the tickets separately as well as booking the hotels separately.

Again thank you soo much!

Alejandra

Hey Alejandra!!!

You´re a bit far from Colombia. Welcome to BNA.
A serious travel agency would be Aviatur. They have the best attention in the Country. I also have another travel agency in Bogota called Enterprise Tours (1 - 616 - 5086 ask for Paola and tell her Paul Jimenez recommended you). Right now you have two major Hotel houses here: Decameron and Sol Caribe.
Sol Caribe has one hotel in the island. It is very comfortable. Decameron has several hotels. The one I recommend the most is Cabañas de Aguadulce and the phne number is 8 - 514- 8160. It is great although it is not right in front of the sea. The next one would be Cabañas Miss Mary. The person that will attend you there is the mother of my wife´s best friend. Her name is Ms. Imelda May and her phone number is 8 - 514 - 8206.

About the boat. Yes its true. A fast boat will get you to Providence from San Andres in three hours. But it is a bumpy ride, and it is not a commercial ride. normally Islanders take their boats from one island to the next when necessary. There was a boat that would take tourists in about five hours but it´s not working anymore.

The best right now would be for you to take a plan with one of the hotels. Please let me know how things go. let me know if you have any more doubts. I will be asking the people here today how to get a solid email contact to be able to book everything easily. Normally things are done right through decameron but if I can somehow personalize your process a bit, I will. Stay in touch and let me know whatever you may need. Just PM me.

Paul

Dear Paul,
Thank you so much!, This is all the information I needed, once we have decided the dates I will contact them, and get a plan to go.

Thank you so much!, I'll probably write again

Alejandra

Hi Paul
Just wanted to say hi and tell you have a great thing going here informing people about Old Providence. I first visited the island in 2000 and fell in love with its people culture and diving. I ended up marring an islander and visit SAI and OP frequently. Do you know my wife, Susana Licona? We do have a son now and that has limited our travels but as he gets older, he turns 2 in July, and easier to travel with we will be visiting OP more often. So we will have to have lunch or a beer on one of my next trips to OP, probable September.
I am also trying to get dive friends of mine to come and visit the hardest thing I have to convince them of is…..OP is a Caribbean Island…..NOT Colombia. I am going to direct them to your post here and let them read some of your great advise and knowledge on OP.
Again thanks
Ciao
Tad

Hey Tad!

Thanks for your words. I really hope that more people get to come to OP. There´s a lot of things that are being planned for the island. Recently, a friend of mine opened a windsurfing/kitesurfing school in the island. Its a great place for those sports too. So soon I´ll be posting something more concrete for people to get in touch.

I hope we can get together sometime soon and have that beer.

Paul

Paul

Yes, I would agree I would like to see more people come to OP but only to a limit. The fact there are so few touris there is part of the islands charm.
Wind/kitesurfing WOW I am excited. I will be keep an eye out for your posting on this.
So what esle is being planned for the island?
The last time I was there they were fixing/replacing the roads, Is that complete?
Ciao
Tad

Roads are complete. Focus now is Ecotourism!

Paul

Dear Paul,

Time has come, and very soon we'll be in providencia. I wanted to post this so that other people interested know how they can do it.

We had originally planned on buying everything in a Travel Agency in germany but it probed to be very difficult. So I asked my family in Cali to do it for us, and they bought the "paquete" in a decameron office. It was around 600Euro per person with the current exchange rate (in germany it was 800). It includes all meals, air tickets from Cali to San Andres and then Providencia (and return), and transport from the airport to the hotel. We chose 2 hotels because they have to confirm the availability overnight, and in high season some of them are full.

So we are staying in Cabañas Miss Mary, I guess I should call there directly and ask for a room in from of the beach. What do you think Paul?

Please let us know about the windsurfing school, where is it in the island?

Have a great day!!

Alejandra

Hey Alejandra!!! that´s great news. When are you planning to come? Miss Mary is a great place. Right at the end of Southwest Bay. One of the owners, Miss Imelda, is the mother of my wife´s best friend, Grace. They are great people and she cooks for the kings!!!! It would be wise to call and ask for a cabin facing the ocean. when you call, ask to talk to Miss Imelda and tell her you are coming and you are friends with Paul (Becky´s wife). And tell her I said hi!

Paul

Hi,

I am really interested in visiting Isla Providencia around xmas. Air Transat flies out of Montreal to San Andres. We would then catch the puddle jumper to Providencia. I've managed to find a couple of websites for info, but theres not much out there. It will be myself, husband and 2 children ages 11 & 9. We like quiet, small places, it doesn't need to be fancy....
Any fave spots, tips, advice?
Thanx!

hi Faith!

There´s a great place just for you guys. It´s called Cabañas de Aguadulce (freshwaterbay Cabins). Contact them for more information at cabanasaguadulce@hotmail.com or contacto@cabanasaguadulce.com. Their phone number is (57) 8.514.8160 or (57) 8.514.8405. this would be a great option for you.

Please let me know if you have questions. I´ll gladly answer them.

Paul

Thank You Paul, I had been looking at this very place as it seemed quaint & along our style, I'll definately check it out now. Basically we want to snorkel, enjoy simple fresh food, explore the island & relax...

Old Providence looks like the perfect place to do so.

Last winter we tried Isla Grande in Panama which we loved , but its always nice to explore something new.

Faith.

PS Hi again Paul.
Is the above mentioned hotel walking distance to the beach?
Thanx

This hotel is within walking distance of the beach.(say, about two to three blocks). Right there, at Freshwater bay Beach, there´s a great diving place called Felipe's Diving. They will rent equipment for snorkeling, and If you go there, ask for Pichi. Tell him Paul sent you and ask him to take you snorkeling to Santa Catalina.

Paul

Thanx again Paul.
We don`t mind walking....
Is it possible for us to walk to Southwest Beach as well?
Again, we like to walk & hike so 15-20 minutes is no problem.
I keep reading that the beach in front of Cabanas Miss Mary is the prettiest and best for swimming? I guess this hotel is a good option as well.

Miss Mary Cabins are great too. Its located right at the end of Southwest Bay Beach. Yes, this beach is amazing because its waters are really calm and there´s a good space for walking. Miss Imelda's restaurant (in Miss Mary's cabins) is fantastic, and you can enjoy a wonderful dish of Crab Pasta or fried fish for around 16,000 thousand pesos (around 9 or 10 USD). This beach is located about one kilometer away from aguadulce cabins, so its like a 15 to 20 minute walk.

If you want to PM me with your email, I´ll gladly send some pictures for you.

Paul

Great!
Thank You Paul, I will.

Depending on when the flight from Montreal arrives & departs we might have to spend the 1st and last night on San Andres.

I am looking at Cocoplum Beach Hotel, Sol Caribe Campo, and Marazul. We normally prefer small, quaint places. We have never stayed at big resorts. Any tips for this?

I read that the Cocoplum is in a nice area....

Thank You again, Faith