The Hoyo Soplador is a must see on San Andres. A small hole in the rocks overhanging a coastal cave, waves force water to shoot upwards like a geyser. Read on to learn all you need to know to see it yourself in this practical guide to the Hoyo Soplador in San Andres.
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I am a member of Amazon Associates, LLC and other affiliate programs and earn from qualifying purchases made after clicking those links. There is never any additional cost to you. To learn more please consult our Disclosure Policy.
Hoyo Soplador Practical Guide – Contents
- Where is the Hoyo Soplador on San Andres?
- How to get to the Hoyo Soplador
- What to Expect at the Hoyo Soplador
- Practical Tips to Enjoy the Hoyo Soplador
Where is the Hoyo Soplador?
The Hoyo Soplador is located on the southern end of San Andres, just a hair to the west of the very southernmost point. It’s located just along the road that circles the island, and you’ll easily spot it by the parked cars and golf carts.
How to Get to the Hoyo Soplador
The best way to do the Hoyo Soplador is to include it as a stop on a golf cart circuit of the island. You can read my recommended route and stops in this guide to touring San Andres in a golf cart (coming soon), or check out the rental options for a 2 seater, 5 seater, or 6 seater at GetYourGuide (for reference we paid 120,000 for a 2 seater, so you can likely beat those prices on the island, but if you want peace of mind reserving ahead online or want to pay with a card, they are an option).
I’m sure it’s also possible to get a taxi to take you to Hoyo Soplador, but given how much taxis charge generally in San Andres, to pay a taxi to take you, wait, then take you back I would imagine would almost cost as much as renting the golf cart.
You can also take the bus. Look for buses that have Hoyo Soplador listed on the little placard in the window. There aren’t as many buses that go all the way down to the southern end of the island, so they won’t pass by as frequently as others, but it is doable. Finally, Hoyo Soplador may be included in some tours around the island like this one. The best way to do it though is undoubtedly including it as a stop on the golf cart circuit, a must do in an of itself. Plus, it will let you stay and enjoy for as long as you like.
What to Expect at the Hoyo Soplador
If you do in fact come on the golf cart, when you pull up, one of the “guides” will come up and latch on to you. Normally, I don’t appreciate this, but here it is fine. You are going to want someone to take your picture when the blow hole spews, so just go with it.
The Hoyo Soplador itself doesn’t look like much, just a small, maybe 2 foot wide, hole in the ground. Below, there is a little inlet almost like a cave in the rocks of the coast where the waves wash in. When a strong enough wave comes in it forces water up through the little hole like a geyser.
Not every wave will produce a sopla, probably every 3 or 4 waves will cause a spray. Usually when there is a larger one, followed by another quickly before all if has washed back out is when you get a really big splash. Below you can see a video that shows the waves coming in and a few splashes.
Stash your bags and anything you don’t want to get wet on a table in the restaurant, and hand over your camera to your guide to get some photos when the Hoyo Soplador blows (or sopla-s). Wait your turn, and then position yourself just behind the hole and get ready.
Even when the water doesn’t spew, you can feel the force of the air blowing up. It’s surprisingly stronger than you would expect. You may get a few small sprays of just foam and air, but when you get the big one, expect to get soaked! The water tends to come up after the massive wave of air.
It’s quite the hoot, and honestly it cracked us up.
After your turn, you can hang out a bit and enjoy watching some other other people get sprayed, which is almost as much fun. There is the expectation that you buy something or give a tip to the guy who took your picture since there is no entrance fee. We got a couple coco locos for 20,000 a piece.
The souvenir shops here have your standard souvenirs. We actually got a few magnets here, and the prices are a tad better than in town, and you know you are supporting local islanders. You can also order food at the restaurant. There used to be a great restaurant just a bit further down the road known as Punta del Sur that unfortunately was destroyed by Hurricane Iota, but maybe one day down the road, it will be rebuilt.
Of course, you can always have another round getting sprayed before you go as well!
Practical Tips for Enjoying the Hoyo Soplador
- You will definitely get wet! So make sure you are wearing clothes you don’t mind getting wet and stash anything you don’t want to get wet off to the side. If you’d rather not leave your things, you could opt for taking along a dry bag.
- Be sure to give your phone or camera to the guide to get the photo of you getting sprayed in the face! You could also take along a GoPro (or the cheaper Eken H9R, we picked on the island).
- The rocks here are a bit rough, and you will almost for sure not want to go barefoot, so a good pair of water shoes or some tougher sandals like Chacos or Keens might be handy (my flip flops came apart on the rocks here).
- Make sure you have cash as they won’t take cards here to pay.
Ready to visit Hoyo Soplador yourself?
There you have it, a complete guide to the Hoyo Soplador on San Andres. If you do go, I hope this helped you plan, and more importantly, you get a big splash. If you are planning a trip to San Andres, be sure to check out my other San Andres content, like this guide to the best beaches or my complete Practical Guide to San Andres.
Cheers and Happy Exploring!
Did you like this post?
Check out these others you may like:
Practical Guide to the San Andres Aquarium
Practical Guide to Johnny Cay
Practical Guide to Rocky Cay
Practical Guide to the Rosario Islands in Cartagena
Planning a trip to Cartagena too?
Be sure to check out these top resources:
Insider’s Guide to the Best Areas to Stay
Top Things to Do in Cartagena
Complete Cartagena Packing List