When I told other divers I was heading to San Andrés, Colombia, the reactions were surprisingly positive.
“Apparently the diving is really good.”
“The water is beautiful.”
“You should definitely dive there.”
And honestly, after hearing so much hype, I arrived expecting far more than I experienced underwater. To be clear – I didn’t hate diving in San Andrés. I still enjoyed parts of it. Warm Caribbean water, easy diving and good visibility are never really a bad combination. But it also wasn’t somewhere that left me wanting to immediately book more dives. If you’ve dived places like Indonesia, the Philippines, the Maldives or Australia, I think it’s important to arrive with realistic expectations. San Andrés can feel underwhelming in comparison.
This also isn’t a complete dive guide to San Andrés. I only completed two fun dives while visiting the island, so this article is more of an honest reflection from an experienced recreational diver rather than a full breakdown of every dive site around the island. And honestly, I think that perspective is probably more useful for experienced divers researching whether diving in San Andrés is actually worth it.
Why diving in San Andrés appeals to so many people
Before talking about the diving itself, I think it’s important to say this: The water around San Andrés is truly stunning. I completely understand why many travellers enjoy diving here. Crystal blue waters. We had taken a tour around and saw the Sea of Seven Colours (Mar de los 7 Colores). Some of the blues around the island are genuinely incredible, especially from the air or during calmer sunny days.
The island itself have so much working in its favour… The dive profiles are easy, it’s affordable, calm conditions, warm waters and good visibility. The perfect recipe for a beginner friendly destination.
If San Andrés is your first tropical dive destination or your first time diving in the Caribbean… then you’ll probably have a great time. It’s also a good option for newer divers, people completing certifications or travellers simply wanting to add a few easy dives into a Colombia itinerary But I also think experienced divers may view the island a little differently.
Diving in San Andrés feels very beginner focused
One thing that became obvious fairly quickly was how heavily diving in San Andrés caters toward beginner divers and casual tourism.
Whilst walking around downtown, all the tour agencies were selling mini dive courses or discovery dives for those who have never been diving before or are not certified. There are a couple of actual dive agencies around but the overall atmosphere feels more geared towards beginner or casual divers. And honestly, that makes sense.
The overall dive culture reflects that. Most people visiting San Andrés are there for the beaches, snorkelling, island tours and Caribbean atmosphere. Diving feels more like an add on activity rather than the main attraction. Everything felt very easy, shallow and relaxed with minimal current. For newer divers, that’s genuinely great. It creates a comfortable environment to build confidence underwater without feeling overwhelmed.
But for experienced divers used to stronger biodiversity, healthier reefs or more advanced dive environments, San Andrés can feel a little underwhelming.
The pre-dive briefing left me wanting more
I’m fairly particular about dive operations. 15 years ago, I had a BCD malfunction during one of my first dives after completing my Open Water certification. Ever since then, I’ve paid close attention to equipment standards, safety culture and dive briefings. Before choosing a dive centre in San Andrés, I spent a while reading reviews. And honestly, it felt difficult to find a centre without repeated comments mentioning equipment concerns, rushed briefings or inconsistent communication.
During our own dive briefing, we reviewed dive signs while travelling to the site. But I had to specifically ask for parts to be repeated in English to fully confirm everything. I speak and understand conversational Spanish fairly comfortably, but when it comes to diving, I personally prefer complete clarity. Personally, I found myself needing to ask additional questions about the dive plan itself – maximum depth, expected conditions, current strength and the general topography of the dive site. For experienced divers, these are things that would normally form part of a standard briefing anyway.
Nothing about the dive felt dangerous. But it did reinforce the feeling that many operations here are built around easy recreational dives for casual tourists rather than highly detailed dive planning.
A equipment incident that didn’t inspire confidence
The biggest thing that affected my overall impression was actually a relatively minor equipment issue. We assembled our own gear, which I actually prefer because I like personally checking everything before entering the water. While setting up, I noticed damaged o-rings on some of the tanks. Not ideal, an easy change. O-rings fail occasionally in diving.
However, once we reached the dive site, another diver in our group jumped into the water and immediately experienced a blown tank o-ring on the surface. While that was being resolved, the o-ring connection on their pressure gauge also failed shortly afterwards. Again, nothing dangerous ultimately happened. Everything occurred on the surface and was handled safely. But as an experienced diver, it’s the kind of moment that immediately makes you pay closer attention to maintenance standards and equipment quality. And when diving already feels heavily focused toward high volume beginner tourism, small maintenance details start standing out more.
To be fair, this was only my personal experience with one dive operation on the island. I’m sure standards vary between dive centres in San Andrés. But it definitely contributed to my feeling that the island is more of a casual recreational dive destination than somewhere catering strongly toward experienced divers seeking premium dive operations.
The coral was rougher than I expected
I think this might’ve been my biggest disappointment. There are still sections of reef that looked healthier and more visually interesting. The second dive site we visited was genuinely enjoyable with decent visibility and really lovely reefs. But overall, I personally found a lot of the coral looked stressed, damaged or dead. Unfortunately, after diving in the Indian Ocean where I’ve been spoiled, the contrast is pretty noticeable.
Marine life also felt relatively limited compared to other major dive destinations I’ve visited. There were tropical reef fish, smaller schools of fish and the occasional stingray, but many sections of the dives honestly felt fairly lifeless underwater. That doesn’t mean the dives were bad. They just didn’t match the level of hype I’d personally heard beforehand. I think that’s an important distinction.
The diving itself felt very “hands off”
The dives themselves were very easy overall, with calm conditions and shallow profiles that make San Andrés a comfortable place for newer divers. But I do think your previous diving experiences will shape how you feel about the diving here. A very small note that I noticed was the guiding style underwater. In many destinations I’ve dived previously, dive masters actively point out marine life or interesting reef features. Here, it felt more like simply guiding the group from point A to B.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but personally I prefer dive guides who interact more with the environment and help divers spot things they may otherwise miss. The dive guide surfaced before everyone’s computer had fully cleared during the safety stop. Once again, it’s not particularly dangerous at all as I was only 5m deep in calm conditions but I’m more used to guides ascending together with the group after everyone completes their stop. Small details like that probably won’t matter to newer divers but experienced divers will probably notice them more.
Expectations matter a lot in San Andres
Despite what I’ve said above, I actually think many people would enjoy diving in San Andrés. Mainly if:
-
- it’s one of your first tropical dive destinations
- you enjoy relaxed, easy diving
- you’re learning to dive
- you mainly want clear warm water
- you’re travelling Colombia and want to add a few Caribbean dives
And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with that! Everyone has different wants and experiences. Not every dive destination needs to compete with Raja Ampat or Komodo. But I also think experienced divers should arrive with realistic expectations. Don’t go with the expectation to be blown away. Take it as an opportunity to blow some bubbles and spend some time underwater. The island itself may still be worth visiting for the beaches, Caribbean atmosphere and island lifestyle but I personally wouldn’t choose it purely as a dive destination. However, I’ve heard good things about Providencia, but I didn’t manage to make it there on this trip.
Did I actually enjoy diving in San Andrés?
Honestly… yes and no.
Even though the diving itself wasn’t a standout for me, there were still parts I appreciated. Definitely the warm water, I mean 29 degC, what’s not to like? The dives were super easy and relaxing, which is also nice to be able to turn off your brain without thinking too much. Also, I just love a chance to blow bubbles so you can’t really have a bad day if it’s spent diving.
To be honest, our second dive site reminded me a lot of what diving in Perth felt like so it was personally really nice. A quiet dive nonetheless but the reefs looked pretty good and healthy for the most part!
Would I dive in San Andrés again?
Mmm, if I were already visiting the island, yes. Like I said, you can’t have a bad day spent diving! But would I specifically travel to San Andrés for diving? Personally, no. For me, San Andres works as a Caribbean island escape whilst you’re already in Colombia. If you’re someone looking to do your certification or looking for beginner-friendly dive destinations, sure – diving here can be enjoyable!
However, personally, it’s not a serious dive destination for experienced scuba divers. Everyone has their own experiences and opinions. This is just mine. Obviously, not every place underwater has to be world-class to still be enjoyable in the right context.
Let’s wrap up diving in San Andres
I think San Andrés is a dive destination where expectations shape the experience heavily. The water is beautiful, the island atmosphere is enjoyable and the diving is warm, accessible and beginner friendly. For newer divers, I can completely understand why people enjoy diving here.
But if you’ve already spent years diving some of the world’s stronger underwater destinations, the reefs and marine life in San Andrés may feel fairly average in comparison – depending on the site. For me personally, the island was far more memorable above the surface than below it. And honestly, that’s probably the most accurate way I can summarise my experience diving in San Andrés.
Leave a Reply