The Wonderful Coco’s Island

21 Jul 2020No Comments

Costa Rica is a privileged country. Since 1948 it has no army, is a sovereign nation, we enjoy a democratic electoral system, it is one of the most stable countries in America and it has strong policies for the protection of the environment.

Our main source of income is tourism. We receive visitors mostly from the United States, Canada and from European countries.  They love our country because it has, in such a small space, two oceans, rain forests, mountains and lots of adventure.

Our country is located at the neo-tropical region, this means that we have a delicious tropical climate that is very well defined in only two seasons: dry and rainy.

A Paradise of Biodiversity

6% of world’s biodiversity is in Costa Rica. We host hundreds of species of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish.

Its area is 51 100 k square kilometers of which 23.85 kilometers belong to the wonderful Coco’s Island. The extension of this paradise is 2400 hectares of land and 97235 of sea.

In 1869, the president of the Republic, Jesús Jiménez Zamora, ordered the inclusion of Coco’s Island within the Costa Rican territory. Since then it has received many declarations. Here are just a few of them:

• 1978: Declared National Park.
• 1997: UNESCO declared it a Natural Heritage of Humanity.
• 1998: Declared a Wetland of International Importance under the 1991 Ramsar Convention.
• 2002: Declared Architectural Historical Heritage due to the historical and cultural value that the island has, this due to the arrival and stay of different groups from various regions and with different purposes, since the eighteenth century.  Those who visit this paradise will be able to see historical inscriptions on the stones of Chatham and Wafer Bays.
• 2008: Was nominated within The Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Coco’s Island has on its surface a wide variety of species of plants, fungi, insects, birds, among others. In addition, it is inhabited by deer and pigs brought by pirates and whalers for their subsistence. In fact, these animals have adapted so well to the climate and environment that they are considered endemic species.

Underwater, it has 57 types of crustaceans, 600 mollusks, 250 species of fish, turtles, among others. Within the immense amount of life that you can find you have manta rays, green turtles, hundreds of tropical fish  and  sharks of various species such as tiger, white fin, hammer and, with some luck you will see the incredible whale shark.  It is common to see large formations of corals, sponges, and gorgonians. It has a dazzling degree of biodiversity.

The “Treasure Island”

This island, except for the park rangers, is uninhabited. However, it often has   the visit of marine biologists, scientists, and researchers. It can be classified as an ideal natural laboratory for research on species evolution and long-term environmental monitoring.

It has a strong rainfall and it fits into the category of cloud forest. More than 2000 waterfalls have been counted in intense rainy events.

There are theories about the existence of treasures buried on Coco’s Island, as it was a refuge for pirates who stormed boats in the Pacific. Hundreds of fruitless expeditions have been made trying to find those treasures. In fact, it is said that at some point there was a lake that was drained in search of the famous treasures  and that from there comes the allegory that “this island has as much water inside as a coconut”.

SINAC ensures its well-being in a way that controls tourist activity and illegal fishing under strict measures that cause the least environmental impact.  In addition, it has research and monitoring programs to monitor compliance with laws on conservation of natural resources and environmental protection. Thanks to this state institution.  Coco’s Island is one of the least man-manipulated places in the world. Its unique biological diversity has made it a natural laboratory.

Coral reefs are valuable, for 25% of marine life depends on them at some stage of their lives. A coral may suffer bleaching due to the stress caused by the expulsion or death of its protozoa (these are microscopic organisms that inhabit them). The coral reefs of Coco’s Island have had   periods of bleaching that have caused a large percentage to die. For example, the “El Niño” Phenomenon in 1982 – 1983 caused only 3.5% to stay alive.  Luckily, there is a great coral line recovery after periods of bleaching.

Thanks to the measures that SINAR has taken the corals are in an excellent state which makes a good balance in the trophic chain. It is important to emphasize that many of its endemic species have been found in the island’s coral reefs.

Curious Details Associated with the Island

1. Desert Island: It is said that for this book his writer Daniel Defoe was inspired by Coco’s Island, to describe the island on which Robinson Crusoe lived. However, it placed it off the coast of Venezuela (Caribbean).
2. The film The Island of Sharks was inspired by this island for production.
3. The film Jurassic Park takes place on Nubar Island, which is supposedly owned by Costa Rica. Interestingly the video game Jurassic Park: Trespasser if you use the topography of Coco’s Island.
4. The novel La Caída del Aguila by Costa Rican writer Carlos Gagini uses the island as the setting for a large part of the work.

Visiting Coco’s Island

At the tourist level the main attraction of the island is diving. The companies that do diving tours in our country have a perfectly elaborate plan for its enjoyment, with all the safety measures and always taking care of the seabed and its species.

After about 36 hours of travel leaving Puntarenas you will reach the long-awaited destination. There you will live seven days, enjoying three daily dives, excellent gourmet cuisine suitable even to special diets such as celiac or vegetarian. You will be treated like a king on board, and underwater you will have a specialized guide in the area that will take you safely to the most beautiful places.

Although most of the tourist visits come from abroad, Costa Ricans should take the opportunity to get to know this paradise which Jacques Cousteau named in 1984, “The most beautiful island in the world”.

If you want to know this paradise and / or take advantage to dive in its waters, contact us to make you a travel plan.