San Lucas Island Tourist Pier Shows Significant Progress

Developing a building with the sea as the main feature, on an iconic island full of history that is also the country's newest National Park, involves a series of challenges to face.

However, simply providing the well-known "island of lonely men" with a new and modern world-class tourist pier justifies all the efforts.

During an inspection visit to San Lucas Island on Friday, March 27, by the Minister of Tourism, William Rodríguez, those responsible for the project confirmed a 26% progress in the construction, both in the gray work on the coast, as well as in the imposing piles several meters high embedded in the sea.

The final handover of the dock and the inauguration are estimated to take place between July and August of this year.

The total investment amount for the project is over 985 million colones, contributed entirely by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute.

“Tourism continues to advance, and the new tourist dock on San Lucas Island, in Puntarenas, is a priority project to consolidate first-rate infrastructure and safety conditions at this site of high historical and natural value. With approximately 490 meters of construction, the design has been conceived to integrate with the environment and respect existing heritage structures, replacing a now deteriorated infrastructure,” explained William Rodríguez, Minister of Tourism.

Challenging and necessary construction
This modern dock will have the capacity to receive up to four vessels simultaneously and will incorporate accessibility criteria in accordance with Law 7600.

The work is the result of coordination between MINAE, SINAC, MOPT, the Board of Directors of the San Lucas Island National Park and the Heritage Office of the Ministry of Culture and Youth.

According to Karl Kuhlmann, engineer and technical director of the project, “among the main challenges are working in a National Park, an unprecedented aspect for any construction company, as well as building at sea while respecting biodiversity.”

He also highlighted the complexity of the logistics due to weather and tidal conditions, in addition to the creation of floating docks.

“We are pleased to know that this pier will be of great benefit to tourists and the community,” he concluded.

The project will contribute to biodiversity protection and provide better working conditions for guides and park rangers, promoting sustainable tourism. It will also create a network of services for tour operators in Puntarenas and neighboring areas, in addition to increasing cruise ship visits.

San Lucas Island, an alternative for Holy Week.
It should be mentioned that the San Lucas Island National Park continues to operate normally and constitutes an attractive alternative for national tourists during Holy Week.

“While San Lucas Island is known for its former prison, it is much more than that and we have 15 kilometers of trails within the island, we have one of the last tropical dry forests in Mesoamerica and archaeological sites,” described Elvis Barrantes, park ranger of the island.

In addition, tourists can enjoy spotting species such as white-tailed deer, anteaters, howler monkeys, as well as multiple species of resident and migratory birds.

San Lucas Island National Park was created on August 24, 2020, and is located in the Gulf of Nicoya, a treasure of heritage and history. For many years, it housed a prison that even inspired the book "The Island of Lonely Men" by José León Sánchez.

The hours of operation for tourists and visitors will remain the same throughout Holy Week, from Monday to Sunday, from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, and guided boat tours are usually organized from the center of Puntarenas.

Source: ICT.