San Andrés

As it's only 13 km (8 mi) long, cigar-shape San Andrés is easy to explore by bicycle or motor scooter. Rent one from any of the shops along Avenida Colombia in El Centro. Along the coastal road is Cueva Morgan, a small beachfront settlement where the pirate Henry Morgan reputedly stashed his loot after pillaging coastal Cuba and Panama in the 1670s. Beach bums should head for Johnny Cay, a tiny islet just off the coast. Boats leave all day from San Andrés's beaches.

The island's duty-free status is responsible for the bland boutiques in the concrete jungle of El Centro, San Andrés's commercial center.