San Lucas Island lies about 8 kilometers from Puntarenas, Costa Rica, located in the Gulf of Nicoya. It covers a place of 472 hectares, and its elevation tiers range from 0 to 220 meters. The island is renowned for its historic prison that operated from 1873 to 1991. After its closure, the island was installed as a natural world sanctuary and later became a national park.
The island received a reputation through the radical "Island of Lonely Men" with the esteemed Costa Rican writer José León Sánchez, who was unjustly imprisoned there for 19 years. When journeying the ruins of this former prison, you can witness firsthand the messages left on the partitions via those once restrained, such as drawings, writings, artwork, songs, and poems.
Map of San Lucas Island
| Name | San Lucas Island (Spanish: Isla San Lucas) |
| Country | Costa Rica |
| District | Puntarenas |
| Coordinates | 9.939°N 84.906°W |
| Area | 4.49 km2 (1.73 sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 |
| Population | forest ranger |
| Airport | N/A |
History of San Lucas Island
San Lucas Island, at the start known as Chara via the Indigenous human beings, became believed to be inhabited by the Corobicí and an unidentified group. The lifestyle of these populations became evidently primarily based on fishing, as decorations on ceramics depicted otters, turtles, and shrimp.
Investigations and surveys performed on the island have registered eight archaeological websites of pre-Spanish beginning in the database of the Archaeological Monuments of the National Museum of Costa Rica. These monuments offer evidence of human habitation on the island from around three hundred AD until the appearance of the Spanish.
The first Europeans to attain the gulf vicinity were led by Gaspar de Espinosa, who named it "Bay of San Lucar" in 1519. However, it was not till 1522 that Gil González de Dávila formally named it "Golfo de San Lucar."
Between 1873 and 1901, one of the darkest prisons was established on the island, in which human rights in Costa Rica had been systematically violated.
The records of San Lucas Island are not simply confined to its structure and are seen as cultural remnants from the prison era. It has a complex background that includes pre-Spanish factors, which nonetheless hold vast studies ability. Notably, the underwater cultural historical past remains unexplored mainly in the country.
No area in Costa Rica boasts such a unique, various, and complete cultural landscape as San Lucas Island. Its research, conservation, and enhancement ought to be countrywide priorities. Along with its fame as a country-wide park and the architectural and historical past statement of the antique jail centers, these efforts could increase it to a world history site, notably boosting the tourism sector.
San Lucas Island National Park
San Lucas Island functions as a nature reserve where you may look at howler monkeys, spider monkeys, squirrels, armadillos, wild chickens, deer, bats, raccoons, and numerous chicken species in their herbal habitats. Walking along the wooded area-coated trails, you can listen to the sound of waves surrounding the island.
As Costa Rica's thirtieth national park, San Lucas Island has emerged as a haven of biodiversity and a popular tourist vacation spot. The island often resonates with the howls of monkeys, and traffic may be fortunate enough to stumble upon white-tailed deer, squirrels, iguanas, porcupines, or even tepezcuintles. Additionally, it is domestic to forty fowl species and 17 reptile species.
Tickets for entry to the national park may be purchased through travel agencies or via the online services of the National System of Conservation Areas (Sinac). The park is open to the public from Monday to Sunday, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
Before traveling to the island, remember to bring sunscreen, water, comfy clothing, and footwear suitable for trekking. You may also deliver your very own meals for a picnic within the targeted regions.
