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The Old Providence Mc Bean Lagoon National Natural Park occupies an area of ​​995 hectares of which 905 are marine. It is located on the northeast side of Providencia Island.



CLIMATE: Its climate is warm with average annual temperatures of 25 C and rainfall close to 1,500 mm / year. The months with less precipitation are concentrated between January and June.



GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY: The terrestrial area of ​​the Park has an isolated hill of volcanic origin called Iron Wood Hill that rises from sea level to 150 meters above sea level. and an area of ​​flat relief with swampy areas that includes the Mc Bean mangrove area.

The marine area is made up of a shallow lagoon that includes the Cayos Cangrejo and Los Tres Hermanos, protected by an extensive barrier reef.



The Park is surrounded by a complex of mangroves in the McBean sector, the best preserved on the island, predominantly the Red Mangrove (Rizophora mangle), the yellow mangrove (Avicennia germinans) and the white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa).



Mangroves are trees of different species that have adapted to living in coastal areas with marine influence and play an important role as breeding and breeding grounds for numerous species of fish, crustaceans and mollusks.

The vegetation in Iron Wood Hill is made up of a dry forest with small trees where the Cock-spur (Acacia collinsii) predominates, a species with conical spines where the Pseudomyrmex Ferruginea ant resides, known for its aggressiveness and painful sting. There is also the pacta palm (Coccothrinax jamaicensis), an endemic subspecies of the Island, the slippery palm (bursera simaruba) and some cacti.



The Keys of the Park have a special vegetation; in Cayo Cangrejo, for example, the icaco bushes (Chrysobalanus icaco) and some coconut palms (Coco nucifera) predominate, while in the Tres Hermanos keys the Ficus predominates, which serves as the nesting place of the Mano-War or Frigate ( Fregata magnificens).



In the lagoon there are extensive seagrass meadows made up mainly of Thalasia testudinum grass, although in some places there is a good growth of Siringodium filiforme grass; also on the coastal rocky strip, in the coral patches or in the sand there is a good growth of marine algae, some of them calcareous that contribute to the formation of the sand.



This vegetation provides abundant oxygen, food, support and shelter to many species, especially in their larval and juvenile stages.





Access:

Maritime Routes: From San Andrés, by boat (8 hours).

Air Routes: Bogotá-San Andrés (2 hours).

San Andrés-Providencia (20 min.).

The Cayo Cangrejo and Los Tres Hermanos sector must be accessed by boat. The mangrove area is accessed by the road that borders Maracaibo Hill.

From Providencia by land to the northeast.



For those who like Ecotourism:

Due to the great beauty and diversity of land and marine environments, the kindness of its people and the variety of activities that can be carried out in this small protected area, Old Providence and McBean Lagoon Park is a privileged place for ecotourism.

Ecotourism Activities:

Trekking:

Walk along the ´´Seven Colors´´ Environmental Interpretation path, located in the McBean mangrove sector. Here you can enjoy in all its splendor the mangrove ecosystem with its amphibian trees and from the viewpoint you can see a great variety of birds.

Hike the Iron Wood Hill trail, located in the dry forest. On this tour you can see the typical vegetation of the dry forest, as well as a great diversity of terrestrial fauna (birds and reptiles).

Snorkeling and diving:

Observation of the underwater landscape in coral ecosystems in the Cayo Cangrejo and Hippie's Place sectors. The underwater landscape is infinitely striking: the different species of the coral reef, such as fish, crustaceans and mollusks of a great diversity of shapes and colors, make it seem like a submerged garden.

Kayak:

Kayak trip through the reef lagoon to snorkel in coral patches, going to Cayo Cangrejo and edges of the mangrove swamp. A kayak tour of the reef lagoon provides a different perspective of the mangrove and the unique opportunity to observe the underwater life that thrives under the calm waters and on the submerged roots of the mangroves. This lagoon is also home to a lush seagrass meadow dotted with small patches of coral.

Sea and sun bath:

In the Cayo Cangrejo sector you can enjoy sea bathing in an area of ​​calm and transparent waters; the pier that exists there is used by visitors to sunbathe.

Special attractions:

In the reef lagoon of the park there are innumerable coral patches and fringe reefs, with great attraction due to the diversity of marine fauna and flora that is concentrated there. To enjoy them, a site has been set up within the Park called Hippie's Place where you can carry out the snorkeling.

Stripe coral reefs are found around Maracaibo Hill and Iron Wood Hill, made up mainly of various hard and soft corals, as well as algae and sponges, among many other organisms of varied shapes and colors.

Landscapes:

Iron Wood Hill is a small mountain, isolated from the mountain complex of Providencia by an alluvial valley, where large ironwood trees were concentrated. This Sector is located in the southern part of the Park and is part of its land portion. The hill has an approximate height of 50 meters above sea level and has an area of ​​fifty-two hectares, steep soils, slopes and rocky surfaces. From there you can see almost the entire extension of the Park and you can find wooded patches where several of the native species of the islands are kept. The appropriate adjustments have not been made to offer this attraction to tourists, although there is a first characterization work and preliminary layout of the trail, which allows progress in its adequate planning.

McBean Mangrove: This mangrove, measuring approximately 37 hectares, is the most important and best-preserved mangrove forest on the islands of Providencia and Santa Catalina. Within this forest there are three muddy planes and two internal lagoons, only one of them permanent and with access to the sea through a small channel.

Cayo Cangrejo: the main key of the Park, it is a mountainous pronunciation of high relief, characterized by presenting large rocks that contribute to its natural beauty; It has an approximate area of ​​two hectares, is of volcanic origin, with high slopes and a maximum height of approximately 30 meters above sea level.

Rates:

Foreigners: 3,600

Nationals: 3,600

Children: 1,800

Diver / day: 5,900

Sport fishing / day: 3,300

Forbidden activities

recommendations

Filming and photography

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