Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Natural Park is a protected natural area on Providencia Island, part of an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea that is part of Colombia. The park is known for its coral reefs, which are a popular recreational area for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Understand
[edit]The park covers an area of just under 1,000 hectares. Most of this area is sea surface with a small area of land on Providencia Island.
History
[edit]The park was established in 1995 as part of the Colombian national parks system. The park was created in response to uncontrolled development on the island where timeshare construction threatened to destroy the fragile marine ecosystem.
Landscape
[edit]Ecosystems in the park include mangrove swamps, shallow coves where marine grasses grow, sandy beach, and an area of tropical dry forest, in addition to the undersea coral reefs. Four small coral islands (called cayos, or cayes) are within the park boundaries. These are Cayo Cangrejo (Crab Caye) and Los Tres Hermanos (The Three Brothers). The waters are known for their brilliant shades of turqoise and blue colors, giving it the nickname "Sea of the Seven Colors" (Mar de Los Siete Colores).
Flora and fauna
[edit]The mangrove swamp is mostly red mangrove with some black mangrove and white mangrove. Wildlife consists mostly of aquatic bird species, including frigatebirds, herons, brown boobies, and others. A large number of tropical fish species live in the coral reefs.
Climate
[edit]Get in
[edit]The nearest airport with commercial flights is on San Andres Island (ADZ IATA), which has scheduled service from Bogota, Cartagena, and Barranquilla. From San Andres you can take a short flight on a small plane to the airstrip on Providencia Island, or you can take a boat.
Fees and permits
[edit]Entrance fees are charged at the park entrance. Foreign visitors pay 13,500 COP (2025). Colombian citizens pay lower prices, with additional discounts for children and senior citizens.
Get around
[edit]Golf carts can be rented on Providencia Island. You can hire a boat to visit Cayo Cangrejo, but the Three Brothers Cayes are off-limits to visitors.
See
[edit]Do
[edit]- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Birdwatching
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]Lodging
[edit]Camping
[edit]Backcountry
[edit]Stay safe
[edit]Use only reef-safe sunscreen products. Most commercial sunblock contains chemicals that can kill coral.
Take precautions against mosquitos, which can carry malaria, dengue and other tropical diseases. A yellow fever immunization is required to visit the Colombian Caribbean. Immunizations should be administered at least 10 days prior to travel.
Go next
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