Users of major travel website Trip Advisor have voted the beaches of San Andres Island and Santa Marta two of the top ten beach destinations in South America.
In the Travelers’ Choice Awards 2012 in the South America Beach Destinations category, the two Colombian sun-and-sand spots came in at number 5 and number 7 respectively.
Rio de Janeiro took the top spot and other Brazilian destinations swept the board ranking 2, 3, 4 and 9. Only one other country, Uruaguay, got a look-in, matching Colombia with two destinations in positions number 8 and ten.
San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina is an archipelago of three islands located near Nicaragua with their “sea of seven colors.”
Santa Marta, the capital of the coastal Caribbean department of Magdalena, is close to the fishing village and backpacker magnet of Taganga and Tayrona National Park where the sound monkeys and parrots provides the backdrop to an array of beautiful tropical beaches.
Trip Advisor is a global travel website on which users post reviews and advice about places they have visited.