Isla San Lucas National Park is one of the most attractive, emblematic, and historic tourist destinations in Costa Rica—a must-see stop for visitors to Puntarenas—and starting today, it will star in new stories with the official opening of its modern tourist pier.
This eagerly awaited tourist infrastructure project was inaugurated this afternoon by the President of the Republic, Laura Fernández Delgado, alongside Marcos V. Borges, executive president of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, government authorities, special guests from the tourism sector, and the first tourists, who experienced the comfort of disembarking on the iconic island via their boats.
The total investment amount for the project exceeds 1,100 million colones, contributed entirely by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).
“We celebrate that Isla San Lucas finally has a modern tourist dock, a strategic work that significantly improves access, safety, and comfort conditions for those visiting this extraordinary destination. From the ICT, we will continue promoting infrastructure that strengthens the competitiveness of our destinations and allows the benefits of tourism to translate into employment, well-being, and social progress for communities,” highlighted Marcos V. Borges, executive president of the ICT.
Specifically, this modern dock will improve the experience of national and international tourists, as well as the working conditions of tour guides, park rangers, and operators providing services in the area. Furthermore, this new infrastructure will open up greater opportunities to strengthen tourism linkages, benefit tour operators, and increase economic activity and social progress in Puntarenas and surrounding communities.
The opening of the pier in Isla San Lucas National Park will also help diversify Puntarenas’ tourism offering and further boost the arrival of visitors and cruise passengers interested in experiences related to history, culture, nature, and biodiversity.
Challenging and Necessary Construction
This modern dock will have the capacity to receive up to four boats simultaneously and incorporates accessibility criteria in accordance with Law 7600. Additionally, the project earned the Ecological Blue Flag award in the construction category. Moreover, this architectural work is entirely powered by solar panels, features rainwater harvesting for operational use, and is the first island in the Gulf of Nicoya to possess a self-consumption tank to meet its needs.
According to the ICT, constructing the project was challenging due to working inside a National Park—an unprecedented aspect—as well as building in the marine environment while respecting biodiversity and marine ecosystems. Furthermore, the construction phases highlighted significant logistical complexity caused by weather and tidal conditions.
The work is the result of coordination between the ICT, MINAE, SINAC, MOPT, the Board of Directors of the Isla San Lucas National Park, and the Heritage Office of the Ministry of Culture and Youth.
Isla San Lucas, an Emblematic Destination
Throughout the construction process, Isla San Lucas National Park continued to operate normally, welcoming hundreds of national and international tourists. Isla San Lucas is recognized for its former prison and heritage ruins, but it also offers visitors 15 kilometers of trails within the island and features one of the last dry tropical forests in Mesoamerica alongside archaeological sites.
Elvis Barrantes, a park ranger on the island, added that “tourists can enjoy spotting species such as white-tailed deer, anteaters, howler monkeys, as well as multiple resident and migratory bird species.”
Isla San Lucas National Park was created on August 24, 2020, and is located in the Gulf of Nicoya as a heritage and historical treasure. For many years it operated as a prison that even inspired the book La Isla de los Hombres Solos by José León Sánchez. Visitor hours are Monday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and guided boat tours are usually organized from downtown Puntarenas.
Press Contact: Luis Jara Cubillo. [email protected]. / Phone: 83414521
