Providencia
The quiet island of the archipelago: vast reefs, guesthouses run by Raizal families and a history of Puritans and privateers.
Under the water
Diving
Providencia’s barrier reef is often cited as the third largest in the world. Below the surface you’ll find walls, a wreck and a submerged statue of Christ.
All 9 dive sites, by depth
Each bar runs from the shallowest to the deepest part of the site. Tap one to open its page.
- Tete’s Place About 9 m
- Bajo de San Felipe 11 to 12 m maximum
- Manta’s City About 12 m
- El Planchón From under 15 m to 24 m, depending on the source
- Felipe’s Place About 10 to 24 m
- Confusion Buoy at about 18 m; ledge at 24 to 27 m
- The Spiral About 24 to 35 m
- Chromis Shallow plateau; the wall keeps dropping
- Turtle Rock From about 23 m; bottom beyond 40 m
History, languages and island life
Culture
Puritans, privateers and freedom
Providencia was the heart of the English Puritan colony, a base for privateers and the place where emancipation began in the archipelago. Today it is a small Raizal island, circled by a single road.
History
- 1629
English settlers arrive
Settlers from Bermuda found the colony, and in 1631 the ship Seaflower brings more English Puritans. Enslaved Africans arrive with them too.
- 1670
Henry Morgan, on the way to Panama
The privateer seizes Providencia and Santa Catalina, the first step of the expedition that sacked Panama in 1671.
- 1834
Freedom begins
Philip Beekman Livingston, born on the island, frees the people his family had enslaved and shares the land with them. It marks the start of emancipation in the archipelago.
- 2020
Iota, category 5
On 16 November the hurricane hits the island head on. A preliminary government report estimated that 98% of its infrastructure was affected.
- 2026
A plan to finish the rebuilding
In July, Colombia’s National Disaster Risk Management Council approves a plan, agreed with the communities, to fix the shortcomings of the rebuilding. Its first phase runs from 2026 to 2027.
Languages
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Providencia Kriol
Providencia’s own variety of Kriol, with small differences from that of San Andrés.
«nyam» to eat
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English
Many islanders feel closer to English than to Kriol.
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Spanish
Colombia’s official language, which lives alongside English and Kriol on the island.
Providencia cooking
Flavours
The island of the black crab
The black land crab lives in the island’s dry forest and comes down to the sea to spawn. In 2019 it became the first animal species in Colombia with a designation of origin, and it is the heart of the island table.
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Black crab soup
The meat is picked by hand, a job of hours, and turns dark brown as it cooks in coconut milk.
black crab · coconut milk · plantain · dumplings
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Crab claws in garlic
Black crab claws sautéed with garlic, one of Providencia’s most typical dishes.
black crab claws · garlic · oil
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Crab patty
A pastry filled with crab meat and seasoned with basket pepper, the islands’ chilli.
crab meat · pastry · basket pepper chilli
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Snapper, lobster and coconut rice
What the cabin restaurants of Southwest Bay serve by the sea.
snapper · lobster · rice · coconut
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Soda cake
The island cake, made with cane syrup and ginger, which San Andrés calls syrup cake.
cane syrup · ginger · wheat flour · coconut milk
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Bush rum
An artisanal sugar cane spirit that islanders call bushy and drink neat or in fruit cocktails.
sugar cane · pineapple · mango · hibiscus flower
Providencia in pictures
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