Santa Cruz del Islote: A Brand New Way Of Living
2.4 acre island of Santa Cruz del Islote is located in the heart of the San Bernardo archipelago, near the coast of Colombia. This extremely small coral island has 1,200 inhabitants; considering its size, the density of the population here is four times bigger than that of Manhattan! The living conditions here are far from modern. There are only 5 hours of electricity per day, no running water and the only source of fresh water comes from the Colombian navy; once a month.
It’s been 150 years since people have started living there and despite the challenging conditions, they have no intention of leaving the island. According to the legend, it was a small group of fishermen, who discovered this island, while they were searching for new places to fish. As it was already getting dark outside, they decided to spend the night there and it felt so good, they never left.
Today, fishing remains the main occupation for the Santa Cruz del Islote residents. However, the area also includes a restaurant, a disco, a couple grocery stores and a school, along with other tourist attractions. An increasing number of locals are now working on the nearby islands, such as Mucura, at luxury resorts or restaurants.
The island is the size of one and a half soccer fields, which means that there is no place to hide. There is no crime rate at all, so everybody keeps their door unlocked. Most of the locals here describe the life on the island as peaceful and calm and they wouldn’t trade it for anything.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Santa Cruz del Islote, San Bernardo Archipelago, Bolívar, Colombia (island-area reference)
- Coordinates
- 9.7859, -75.85906
- Access
- Colombia Travel says the boat trip from Tolú takes about 45 minutes and that daily boats from Puerto Viejo/ Tolú serve Santa Cruz del Islote and nearby islands. Confirm the current operator, departure point, sea conditions and schedule locally. This is a densely populated residential community; be considerate and follow local guidance. The map marks the island, not a dock.
- Admission
- The official Colombia Travel page describes the island and boat access but does not list a separate island-entry fee. Boat or organized-tour prices are operator-specific; confirm the full current price before departure.
- Time needed
- Colombia Travel reports about 45 minutes by boat from Tolú. That is the outbound crossing, not a total visit time; the source does not set a standard stay on the residential island.
- Best season
- No official preferred visiting season is published for the island. Boat schedules and safe crossings depend on the operator and sea conditions; verify locally before travelling.
- Opening hours
- No daily public opening hours are published for this inhabited community. Access is by boat; confirm the current operator schedule and obtain local permission/guidance before visiting.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-27
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-17
Map marks the area, not a visitor entrance.
Location
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