Cocos Island: an exceptional world destiny

Located 600 km off of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Cocos Island has been declared"Patrimony of the Humanity" due to its unequalled splendor.

One of the most important islands in the East Pacific (Cocos, Clipperton, Malelo y Galapagos), Cocos Island is the only one with hydrautic conditions suitable to support a tropical rain forest.

In addition to its isolated location, the influence of different underwater streams have allowed the evolution of many endemic species, all living harmoniously in the Pacific Ocean. This makes Cocos Island a unique laboratory for scientific study - particularly in the field of evolutionary biology.

The Okeanos has visited this natural treasure for almost 15 years, maintaining a balance between great adventure and the conservation of natural resources.

Historically, Cocos Island has been known to sailors for ages. Its oceanic location and copious freshwater waterfalls made it an important provisioning stop for early travelers. Many of the island's rocks bear the inscriptions of ancient, and not so ancient, explorers, including the crew of the Calypso. Some of these explorers may have been looking for more than fresh water - legend has it that Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island was based on Cocos Island. As the island is completely undeveloped and has no airstrip, all visitors to Cocos Island must arrive by boat. The journey from the port of Puntarenas, Costa Rica to Cocos Island is 32 - 38 hours, depending upon weather conditions.

While in Costa Rica, many visitors enjoy a few extra days of land-based sightseeing in this fascinating Central American country. Costa Rica is attractive to visitors because of its political stability and its efforts to bring peace to Central America. Although still largely an agricultural country, Costa Rica boasts a high standard of living, with a literacy rate of 93% and an average life expectancy of 78 years.