Morgan’s Cave – San Andres

An old occurance in nature opens the view to the south of the island and a must-see San Andres Site, Morgan’s Cave. Morgan’s Cave is a never-ending source of stories of Pirates of the Caribbean. Located on KM 8 of the Avenida Circunvalar, on the way to the precious La Loma, you can discover pirate’s treasure and immerse yourself in the legends of the past.

The cave is 35 meters wide and 200 meters long. Its underwater zone connects, underground, to the Caribbean Sea. The sure and slow passage of time, in conjunction with the effective and patient forces of nature have molded this formation of limestone to give it the particular appearance of the open jaws of a mythological sea creature. Surrounded by ferns, flowers and bushes to add to the mystery, added to the work of the water that, over time, has orchestrated a marvelous architecture of stalactites and stalagmites.

In Morgan’s Cave, a pirate treasure and recognition of the different parts of San Andres culture are kept for enthusiastic tourists who are looking for an adventure off the sandy beaches and beautiful San Andres waters. There are five thematic stations that comprise the Morgan’s Cave complex: The Pirate Museum, Pirate Boat, Museum of Coconut, Museum of Island Art, and, of course, Morgan’s Cave.

The Pirate’s Museum houses a large collection of objects found from different shipwrecks that the sea and carried to the San Andres shores over the years. In the museum, the visitor can see, with her own eyes, objects that come from another time, like muskets and swords. The Pirate Ship offers a unique opportunity for travelers to pose in front of this fabulous replica of a XVI Century Galleon.

In contrast, the Coconut Museum is a simple art exhibition where the raw material of creativity is none other than the fruit that abounds on the island: the coconut. And the Museum of Island Art displays art from local talent that we can appreciate. The color and forms of the art reveal how much of the surrounding beauty of the island serves as an inspiration to create these pieces. Finally, the cave is an undeniable symbol of the natural beauty, the mystery, and the magnetism of San Andres.

We cannot ignore the diverse legends that cloak the mystery and interest in Morgan’s Cave. One of them tells the tale of a famous pirate from the XVII Century, Henry Morgan, who hid in the impossible angles of the cave, his chests filled with priceless treasures – the fruits of his raids on Spanish Galeons. These treasures, of course, have never been found.

The veil of mystery continues to cloak the cave. The Legend of King Crab, the Elemental, is not any less fantastic and lives in the imagination of the natives who continue to live their deepest traditions. King Crab is the guardian of the cave. Some locals say that this gigantic crab can be seen leaving some nights.