Snorkeling at La Piscinita (West Point)

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West Point (La Piscinita) – Snorkeling point

West Point, better known as La Piscinita, is among the most popular attractions on San Andrés Island. At first glance, the place doesn’t look like a typical beach. There’s no fine sand or wide coastline, but steep rocks and crystal-clear blue water that immediately draws you into its world. The reason La Piscinita is popular lies beneath the sea surface. Lots of colorful fish and various underwater attractions will keep you entertained, and you won’t even miss a typical beach.

Entrance and First Steps

At the entrance, you’ll find a small ticket office where you’ll pay about 5,000 COP (about 1€) per person. The price includes a life jacket, which we really recommend using if you’re not a good swimmer, as the water is deep from the start. You don’t enter the sea from a beach, as there is no sandy beach here.

The water entry is via ladders, which can be slippery in places, so be careful when descending. Especially watch out for small waves that try to knock you off. Since we’re all good swimmers and the kids wanted to dive, we went without vests.

Besides the ladders, you can also make your water entry more fun with a slide that leads directly into the sea. It’s located on one of the rocks and is especially popular among younger visitors, but honestly, it’s tempting for adults too. The slide into the crystal-clear Caribbean water is quick and refreshing. However, keep in mind that you’ll land straight into the deep, so the slide is more suitable for swimmers.

If you like jumping, you’ll find a third option to get into the sea – a small diving platform on top of the cliff. From there, you can jump directly into deep water, but be careful of the dozens of people in vests who hang around in this area.

Snorkeling and Underwater World

La Piscinita is an ideal place for snorkeling because the water is incredibly clear. After swimming away from the ladders, you’ll reach an area where lots of colorful fish start to appear. We saw fish of various sizes and colors. Some stayed closer to the rocks, others swam in larger schools.

The problem is often weaker swimmers who frequently block the entrance and exit to the sea and scare away the fish. If you want space to explore the underwater world, you need to go further out. By Colombian standards, there are quite a few fish here, but honestly, nothing exceptional. In other destinations like Bonaire, Curaçao, Panama, or Martinique, the underwater world is much more diverse and lively.

Helmet Diving

The biggest attraction at West Point is helmet diving. This activity costs about 70,000 COP per person and works on a simple principle. They put a large glass helmet connected to an air supply on your head, so you can breathe freely even while walking on the sea floor. No diving experience is necessary, so this activity is suitable for everyone.

During the dive, you’re accompanied by instructors who show the way and also feed the fish to bring them closer to you. This is when you get an unforgettable view of schools of fish floating all around you.

However, we found the price quite high considering the depth was only about 5-10 meters. We also didn’t like the fish feeding, which disrupts their natural behavior.

Underwater Statue of Poseidon

One of the highlights of helmet diving is the statue of Poseidon, which stands several meters below the surface. It’s about three meters tall and looks majestic. Over time, it has been covered with algae, giving it an authentic look as if it really became part of the underwater world.

However, you can also get to the statue on your own – just swim there. Look for the white buoy and carefully look around behind it until you spot the statue. It’s visible from a distance. There are no strong currents, so swimming isn’t dangerous if you’re a good swimmer.

The statue represents the Greek god of the sea, and the trident in his hand gives it a sacred majesty. Surrounded by water, algae, and fish, it looks like a mysterious guardian of the underwater world.

The kids even competed among themselves to see who could dive closer to the statue – it was quite a challenge. It’s at a depth of about 10 meters, and without fins, it took them quite a while to reach it.

After about an hour and a half of snorkeling, it was time to continue on our island tour.

Where to stay? Ideally near Playa Spratt Bight

San Andres island is smaller, but there are relatively large distances between individual places, and no taxi apps work here. We didn’t see any buses either. Maybe some run, but they are definitely not a common mode of transport. The typical form of transport is renting a scooter or an ATV.

It is best to stay right in the center or near the main beach, Playa Spratt Bight. Odtiaľ si môžete ľahko zobrať taxík a dohodnúť sa na vyzdvihnutí, prípadne si prenajať skúter. Mimo mesta San Andrés nenájdete ani jeden bankomat, preto je dobré mať pri sebe dostatok hotovosti.

Where to stay if you’re looking for budget-friendly options:

• Hotel Tropical dreams is located on the outskirts of the city towards the airport, within a kilometer of the main beach.
• If you are looking for something right in the center and by the beach, take a look at Apartahotel Caribe Diez. It is a bit more expensive than the previous option, yet it still offers a very friendly price.
• If you’re a solo traveler and just looking for a bed, Viajero San Andres Hostel has great reviews and is located right in the center by the beach.
• 💰 Check out other affordable accommodations here: Budget‑friendly

If you’re looking for quality at a reasonable price, consider:

• The best choice is Caribbean Island Hotel Piso 2, which is located directly on the beach, and from the rooms, you can wake up to the beautiful color of the Caribbean Sea.
• If you prefer apart-hotels, a great option is Apartahotel Bahia Tropical III or Apartahotel Plaza. Both offer double and quadruple rooms and a great location.
• 🏡 Here you’ll find a selection of mid-range hotels: Mid-range accommodation

If you’re looking for something exceptional, don’t want to be in the city, and would like to relax for a few days on a private beach, consider Hotel Hotel Reina del Mar By Dorado.

Another luxury accommodation option is Miraflores Boutique Hotel, which is adults only. The hotel looks like something straight out of a catalog, and if we hadn’t come with the kids, we would definitely have stayed there for at least one night.