San Andrés2 tours

Johnny Cay

Johnny Cay is the palm-fringed, white-sand islet you can see from San Andrés' main beach, about 15 minutes away by boat. Since 2001 it has been a Regional Natural Park managed by Coralina, the archipelago's environmental authority, and there is a park entry fee on top of the boat ride.

What Johnny Cay is

Johnny Cay is a small cay off San Andrés Island in the Colombian Caribbean. Coralina's board declared it a Regional Natural Park in 2001 (Agreement 027), and it has had a management plan since 2002.

The park protects marine and coastal ecosystems —sandy seabeds, coral patches, reefs and beaches— as well as the land area of the cay. It is one of the most visited spots in the archipelago.

Source: Coralina — Regional Natural Parks

How much is the entry fee

Besides the boat ride, every visitor pays a park entry fee set by Coralina:

Item	Amount
Johnny Cay Regional Park entry fee	COP 15,000 per person
Set by	Coralina Resolution 667 of 2021

Boat tours do not include this fee: you pay it on arrival. Bring it in cash.

Amount published by Coralina. Double-check it when you book, since the environmental authority may update it.

Source: Coralina — Regional Natural Parks

Opening hours and temporary closures

According to Coralina, the park is open year-round from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and gets about 1,000 visitors a day on average.

Coralina schedules three-day temporary closures, roughly every three months, for cleaning, restroom maintenance and waste removal. You can't land on the cay on those dates, so it's worth checking before your trip.

Source: Coralina — Temporary closure of Johnny Cay Regional Park

Getting there from San Andrés

Johnny Cay lies 1.5 km off San Andrés and can only be reached by sea. The boat ride takes 7 to 15 minutes, depending on where you leave from and sea conditions.

On our tour the boat leaves at 9:30 a.m. and you pick your return time: 1:30 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. Round-trip boat transfer and life jacket are included.

If you want to see more in one day, the VIP Tour combines Johnny Cay with the Aquarium cays (Rose Cay and Haynes Cay), a scenic ride through the mangroves and a bay tour. It departs from 9:00 a.m., reaches Johnny Cay around 12:30 p.m. and returns by 4:00 p.m.

Source: Coralina — Johnny Cay Regional Park: ecosystem and heritage attraction

Park rules

Entry is controlled with a Coralina wristband; visitors without one are not allowed in. Inside the park you may not:

Bring in food or drinks from outside
Bring pets or other animals
Feed the wildlife
Touch, handle or display marine species
Leave trash outside the designated bins
Use psychoactive substances

On Turist Angel tours, smoking on board the boats is also not allowed.

Source: Coralina — Johnny Cay Regional Park: ecosystem and heritage attraction

What to bring

Swimsuit, towel and sunscreen
Cash for the entry fee and for eating on the cay: food and drinks are not included in the tour
A small bag to carry your own trash until you find a bin

No need to pack food: outside food and drinks aren't allowed, and there are local food stands on the cay.

Frequently asked questions

Does the tour include the Johnny Cay entry fee?

No. The park entry fee (COP 15,000 per person, according to Coralina) is paid on arrival. Food and drinks aren't included either.

How long do you spend on the cay?

On the Johnny Cay tour the boat leaves at 9:30 a.m. and you choose to come back at 1:30 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. The park closes at 4:00 p.m.

Can I bring kids?

Yes. Children must be accompanied by an adult and pay the same rate as adults on our tours.

Is it suitable during pregnancy?

No. Because of the boat ride, our Johnny Cay tours are not suitable for pregnant women.

Can I bring my own food?

No. Coralina doesn't allow outside food or drinks in the park; local food is sold on the cay.

Is Johnny Cay open every day?

It's open year-round from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except during the three-day maintenance closures Coralina schedules. Check the dates before you travel.

Go with us

These are the tours we run to Johnny Cay. Prices come live from our catalog, in Colombian pesos (COP) per adult. Tour pages are in Spanish; write to us on WhatsApp for anything you need.

5 hfrom $ 65.000