Yes, it is safe. Providencia has an extremely low crime rate when compared to anywhere else in the world. Because it is such a small place with so few residents it is difficult for would-be criminals to “get away with it”. Traveling to and from the island you will be going through the island of San Andres which, like any large city, has its places to avoid. As with any travel, you can minimize your risk by obeying the laws and not flashing your cash or wearing expensive jewelry.

We focus our trips there during the dry months of February, March, and April. Rain showers are generally infrequent and short-lived. Daytime high temps are in the mid to upper 80’s, and overnight lows are in the mid-70s. Humidity is typically 60-80%. Breezes out of the NE at 10-20 mph are the norm and take the edge off the heat.

Seafood and chicken are the most common proteins available. While you can eat all your meals out at restaurants and food stands, we have found it more efficient and it gave us more time to explore when we did breakfast at our lodging, carried snacks or a packed lunch for the middle day, and ate out in the evenings. There are 3 small grocery stores in town with lots of familiar products. Your lodging will have a small kitchen with the necessities for whipping up your meals.

Tap water should not be consumed without first treating or boiling. At your lodging, you will have bottled drinking water in 5-gallon containers. Small bottles of water are available for sale all over the island. Ice in drinks in restaurants and bars is generally safe to consume.

Providencia was hammered by hurricane Iota in November 2020 and then closed to tourism until July 2022. 95% of the island’s infrastructure was wiped out by a once-in-a-lifetime storm. With help from the Colombian government, determination, and hard work the island has made a nearly 100% recovery. While there are still a few large debris piles they continue to get smaller as it is hauled off the island in containers to landfills on the mainland.

We put together a handy packing list for you, and it’s all ready in PDF format. Just click this link to grab your copy: Download Packing List.