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  The island, which is located in the Pacific off the coast of the city of Puntarenas, covers 500 hectares and housed a prison for more than 100 years between 1873 and 1991. - Institute of Tourism photo - |
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Published Thursday, December 17, 2020 More than 2,000 tourists visited
San
Lucas Island since its reopening By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Since the August reopening of San Lucas Island National Park, approximately 2,660 tourists have explored the isle, increasing tourism in downtown Puntarenas. "The reopening of San Lucas Island has represented an important boost for the tourist sector of Puntarenas, there has been an increase in the tourist who come to take the trip to the island and who use lodging and food services in the port,” said Claudia Dobles, first lady and coordinator of the plan to reopen the park. The island, which is located in the Pacific off the coast of the city of Puntarenas, covers 500 hectares. It housed a prison for more than 100 years between 1873 and 1991. The place was declared a Wildlife Refuge in 2001 and has a spectacular fauna such as howler monkeys, spiders, squirrels, pheasants, deer, bats, raccoons, anteaters, snakes, crocodiles, and many other species of reptiles and birds, not to mention the following sea creatures: hammerhead sharks, dolphins, stingrays and turtles. On the walking tour through the island, there are 16 points of Quick Response codes (QR codes) making it the first tourist destination with this technology in the country. By scanning the code, users will be able to find information on the history, flora and fauna found on the trails. According to the data provided by the Puntarenas Chamber of Tourism, 50% of the tourists stay in downtown Puntarenas, with an approximate expense of $80 lodging per person. The other 50% generate an approximate expense of $50 in food and tourist services. However, several improvements in the park are still to be achieved, such as the restoration of the old headquarters, the structural reinforcement of the cells and the construction of a new berth. These works are expected to be completed next year. In April 2019, Dobles announced the project to transform the island into a tourist destination. In the presentation of this project, she said that the island is expected to become a benchmark such as Tortuga Island of the Gulf of Nicoya. The improvements on the island have cost approximately $554,480 financed by the Institute of Pacific Ports. Approximately $2.4 million was saved from the budget of various institutions such as the Institute of Tourism and the Institute of Pacific Ports to be applied to the island project, said the government. Among these improvements are: furniture installation, security improvements in the docking area and Cocos Beach, construction of trails, sanitary services, downtown garbage collection, and water pumping system, building repairs, and the hiring of the park ranger and a 24/7 island police service. According to the government plan to activate tourism to San Lucas Island, the vision is to make a destination similar to the notorious prison Alcatraz in the San Francisco Bay in California. The tour departs from the port of the Tourism Institute to the island. Tickets can be purchased via the website of the National System of Conservation Areas, SINAC. A tutorial on how to buy tickets can be found in the SINAC YouTube Channel. -------------------------- Have you been to San Lucas Island? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com
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