Isla del Coco National Park

Located on the Pacific Ocean at a little more than 500km from Cabo Blanco, at a southwesterly direction from the national territory. It was created by executive decree on June 22, 1978. With an extension of 2,400 terrestrial hectares and more than 97,000 marinas, its surface is broken and has many waterfalls that fall in a spectacular fashion to the sea. The coast is wavy and has slopes up to 183 meters in altitude and an infinity of submarine caves. It possess an evergreen forest, bushy and dense, that covers the uneven territory and is frequently assaulted by copious and torrential rains. According to legend, pirates hid valuable treasures there just like Lima, consisting of tons of gold and silver that covered the cupolas of churches; the treasure of William Davies which was hidden in 1684 and the one of Benito “Bloody Sword” Bonito in 1819.
These riches have attracted more than 500 expeditions, including one from the government of Costa Rica, that took possession of the island on September 15, 1869. All over the island’s surface, one can find some 362 species of insects (64 of them endemic) and 2 species of endemic reptiles: the lizard and the salamander; 3 species of spiders, 85 species of birds including aquatic (4 of them endemic), 57 species of crustaceans, 118 species of marine mollusks, more than 200 species of fish and 18 species of coral.

There is an abundance of white-finned sharks in its waters, giant hammer head sharks, tuna, parrot fish, mantas and mackerel. There have also been identified, 235 species of plants (70 endemic or properly from the place). Among the most distinctive species of trees are the balsam, mesquite and palm. The Isla de Coco National Park counts with various programs for its optimal conservations and administration with the authorities that oversee the compliance of the national resources conservation laws maintaining an adequate equilibrium of the island’s ecosystems within the marine and terrestrial limits. In 1997, it was declared a worldwide landmark by Unesco, which contributed greatly to the fact that international institutions would now take notice of it, which in turn destined additional resources for its conservation protection. Recently, National Geographic sent an excellent team of investigators and experts, who, during six months were marveled with the never imagined biodiversity of the place, its natural richness and surprising marine species. With loads of high definition video, they showed the whole world, through TV and their website Natgeo, a world never dreamed of by human beings. A world where even Jacques Cousteau studied and filmed on three occasions.

Believe me, if you ever have the opportunity to see the Isla de Coco National Park on the Costa Rican Pacific: don’t think about it and do it. You will never forget it.
Pura Vida!

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