The municipality of San Andrés y Sauces is characterized by agriculture thanks to its abundance of water and fertile soil. The area is divided into two parts; "Los Sauces" is more urban, the inhabitants are concentrated around the market square and the church "Montserrat" (16th century). The older San Andrés, which is connected to the sea, lies between banana plantations.
In addition to vegetable growing, the cultivation of ñame, a type of yams, whose cooked tuber is eaten with fish and mojo, or with sugar cane honey, is important here. Sugar cane (rum) used to be the main product of the community. Rum is still produced and sold in a distillery near Puerto Espíndola.
Natural swimming pools and cloud forest
In the north of San Andrés, not far from Puerto Espíndola, you can even swim with children in the natural swimming pool "Charco Azul". Six kilometers from Los Sauces lie the sea swimming pools of La Fajana, made of lava stone, which are not harmless in rough seas.
Near San Andrés y Sauces is the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (since 1983) "El Canal y Los Tilos". Between deep gorges, one of the largest laurel forests of the world grows here on an area of 511 hectares. But also trees like Viñatigos (Pesea Indica), Tiles (Ocotea Foetens), Palos Blancos (Picconia Excelsa), as well as Acebiños (ilex Aquifolium Maderensis), ferns and the Fayal Brezal vegetation thrive here.
