How to Get to Haynes Cay & El Acuario on San Andres Island

Looking for an awesome island-hopping adventure to the outer cays of San Andres? I’ve got you covered.

In this quick guide, I’ll fill you in on how to get to Haynes Cay and El Acuario (also called Rose Cay). These are two small islands that you can actually walk between! I’ll give you the best options for getting here, give you some tips to enjoy an awesome day out, and include some of my photography to get you inspired.

Where is Acuario & Haynes Cay?

Acuario and Haynes Cay are located just 1 mile (1.6 km) from the eastern shores of San Andres Island (Colombia). It's situated in the crystal clear waters of the mar de 7 colores (sea of seven colors) outside Puerto de San Andrés.

However, most boat trips heading to the cay depart from Playa Spratt Bight near El Centro. Expect a roughly 10-minute boat transfer to the cay from here.

Since Acuario doesn't have any vegetation, it's difficult to spot from the mainland. However, you can easily spot the palm tree-lined shores of Haynes Cay from the coast, especially from Rocky Cay and the popular Cocoplum Beach.

Option 2: Boat Transfer Option From Spratt Bight

If you just want to visit El Acuario and Haynes Cay, then you can also just pay for a direct boat transfer. The best business is run by "Coonative Brothers" and they have an office in the big yellow building on the shores of Spratt Bight Beach. They use quite small boats but 90%+ of the other agencies do

The trip costs 30,000 Colombian pesos for two hours, 40,000 pesos for 4 hours, or 50,000 pesos for 6 hours.

Departure times are 9:30 am, 11:30 am, and 1:30 pm.

My Experience Visiting El Acuario

As soon as we arrived at El Acuario, we could understand why this is such a popular vacation spot. The water here is a fluorescent shade of light blue with visibility for days! This makes it great for swimming and snorkeling.

The island itself is very small, less than 80 meters by 20 meters. On its shores are some reggae-themed restaurants and bars serving snacks, seafood, beers, cocktails, and coconuts.

There are also some shade umbrellas and beach chairs that visitors can hire for a fee.

The best place for swimming at Acuario San Andres is on the northern sand strip, which reaches out a couple of hundred meters into the Caribbean Sea. Here, there are some small coral patches and you will generally find fewer people.

Furthermore, just to the north is a popular spot where locals feed the "manta rays". In truth, these are not mantas, but a large species of saltwater stingrays. This usually happens daily at around 1 PM.

To the south of this beautiful sandy island is a long roped buoy line leading over to Haynes Cay. You'll often see people crossing between the islands all day since the water depth is only around 1 to 1.2 meters. We crossed a few times during our visits and felt comfortable carrying our bags above our heads without getting anything wet.

My Experience at Haynes Cay

If you visit El Acuario, then of course you have to cross over to Haynes Cay as well. Honestly, I'm a little surprised that this rocky island is not more famous than its bare, sandy neighbor.

Unlike Acuario, Haynes Cay has a lot of rich, green vegetation. There are plenty of restaurants and bars here also, with a large, grassy area shaded by tropical coconut palms.

In the island's interior, we could walk through a forested track where you will find loads of blue lizards and large iguanas. If you're looking for a place to swim at Haynes Cay, the northern beach is much better, since the other side of the island is rocky.

Facilities

Below is a list of facilities that you can expect to find on El Acuario.

• Restaurants
• Bars
• Umbrella shades
• Beach chairs
• Snorkel rental equipment

And, on Haynes Cay.

• Restaurants
• Bars
• Tour shop (for snorkeling tours)
• Snorkel gear for rent or to buy
• Toilet

Travel Tips For a Great Boat Trip

Before you head out on your boat trip to El Ecuario and Haynes Cay, here are some final travel tips.

• El Acuario is very busy, but Haynes Cay usually has fewer people
• Acuario is a better cay for swimming since its shores are sandy
• Try to avoid visiting Acuario on weekends and public holidays if possible.
• The high season on San Andres Island is July and April (especially holy week), which is opposite to other Caribbean island peak seasons like Antigua or Jamaica.
• Try to time a trip with good weather conditions - although you can expect calm waters most of the time, these two islands provide very little shelter from strong winds and seas
• The rainy seasons on San Andres run from September to December and then again from May to June. However, you can expect rain for just an hour or two a day.
• Bring sunscreen (the best is Blue Lizard), water (to avoid plastic bottles), a hat, and reef shoes (it is a little rocky to cross over to Haynes Cay).

I hope you've enjoyed this boat trip guide to visiting Haynes Cay and El Acuario from San Andres Island.

Looking for more inspiration for things to do on the islands? Check out some of my other guides below!

• Medellín Travel Guide: Discover fun activities and top highlights in Medellín
• San Andrés Island: Guide to Colombia's best Caribbean Island
• Minca Travel Guide: Discover incredible hikes, beautiful fincas, epic jungle waterfalls, and all-around relaxing vibes.
• Things to do in Guatapé: Travel to Colombia's most scenic Antioquian town, known for its vibrant streets, traditional street art, and the famous Piedra del Peñol.