For more than three centuries, the people of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina had sustained a deep relationship with the sea. The raizales natives have been sailors, fishermen and much of their culture was born as a result of this intimate relationship with the sea; for the Islanders, not Raizales, and for residents, that relationship also has a high degree of depth.

It is logical that this happens in a territory of only 57 kms2, emerging surrounded by 250,000 kms2 sea; nothing in the lives of those who inhabit that is not influenced by such a large body of water green and blue, from the everyday to the extraordinary, from the public to the most intimate.

The traditional diet of the archipelago is based on fruits; marine recreation for children and adults located in excellent locations beaches and coasts, and the tourism industry, one of the main engines of the local economy is based primarily on the sandy beaches and corals and on transparency and color of the waters of a sea that has formed tame bays where residents and visitors enjoy with little risk of the lush natural beauty of the islands.

Those 250,000 kms2 territorial sea makes this the largest department in Colombia and is equivalent to approximately 10% of the total area of the Caribbean. In these waters born, grow, move, mate and reproduce still unknown quantities of marine species. The archipelago has had something to do with the history of much of the world's biodiversity, either because of the food that many species has been carried by currents from these waters, or because many other species in the Mediterranean passed its first stages of life, or because they came up here to find her partner.

The cultural traditions of the native raizal population of the islands is the result of mixing traditions of African slaves and European settlers, primarily English, who lived during the XVII to the nineteenth centuries. Their language (Creole English), their music (schotist, mazurka, polka, waltz, corridor, quadrille and calypso), their religious affiliation (Baptists, Adventists or the Christian Mission) and its social mores makes them unique in a cultural group nationwide.

All this, coupled with the natural particularities of the Archipelago contributed to the Secretariat Program of The Man and the Biosphere, to be declared a Biosphere Reserve Seaflower in November 2000 by UNESCO.

The government and environmental authorities, along with the organized community and the population at large, work to recover and conserve the environment of the islands, their ecosystems and traditional culture, as well as to promote sustainable development.

In the declaration of the Biosphere Reserve joined the Marine Protected Area of Seaflower, through which protects an area of 62 thousand km2 of territorial sea. This MPA consists of three areas, and each has a zoning internal uses and their own rules: use zone generally not extraction zone, an area of artisanal fisheries, and so on. This is the most extensive American MPA and a pioneering experience in the country.

The support of the visitors is very important to achieve the objectives of the authorities and people of the islands. Some printed materials include some basic recommendations to guide the visitor in this regard.

Parks

On the islands there are three national parks: Old Providence McBean Lagoon (in Providence), which was the first park of mangroves declared in the country, and regional parks and Johnny Cay Old Point in San Andres.

Old Providence McBean Lagoon, with 995 square hectares, includes largest and best preserved mangrove of Providence, in addition to the lagoon inside the barrier reef and the keys Three Brothers (Three Brothers Cays) and crab (Crab Cay).

Johnny Cay Regional Park includes the cay with the same name and a portion of the marine area that surrounds it. It is located off the northern coast of the island, is one of the most visited tourist sites. There is a zoning internal paths demarcated and slatted information to guide and inform visitors about the importance and characteristics of the park. In order to finance the sustainability of the park, a fee is charged to enter the cay ($_____ or U.S. $_____).

In the northwestern side is Old Mangrove Point Regional Park, which includes the area of the largest and best preserved mangrove of the island and a placid internal bay. They appreciate the four varieties of mangrove is in the Archipelago (red, black, and white button) and the terrestrial and marine fauna associated with these ecosystems.

Ecotourism

The ecotourism offer is growing and includes horseback riding areas of tropical forest, hiking marine and mangrove areas, and guided walks for protected areas or conservation.

The ancient native population, are proud of their traditions and determined to preserve, offering individual plans for families interested in learning about their customs. This etnoturistic offer is supported by a string of more than 40 inns native, where visitors can share everyday with the Islanders since sunrise until sunset.