Isla de Cocos

Remember that famous Disney movie Treasure Island (yes I know it was book as well)? Did you wonder if ever such a pirate hideaway existed? Not only does it exist, but it is located off the coast of Costa Rica. It is belived that Isla de Cocos is the very island that inspired the novel, Treasure Island. Although there has never been any actuall treasure found on the island, there are plenty of myths, legends and stories that say otherwise. It is these stories and the amazing scenery that bring people to this pirate hideaway every year.

How To Get There
If you feel like living out your pirate fantasies by visiting Isla de Cocos, you might want to rethink your plan. The island is located 373 miles off of Puntarenas on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast. Not exactly somewhere you can just hop on a water taxi to visit. About the only way to get to Isla de Cocos is by a private charter. there are a handful of diving companies and other yacht services that venture to the island on a regular basis. If you want to try one of these charters, be ready to pay for it.

Where To Stay
Given that the entire island is only about 7 miles long and 3 miles wide, there isn’t exactly room for hotels and condos. In fact, there aren’t any accommodation’s on the island at all. If you will be visiting here, it will either be on a day trip or involve sleeping on a boat.

What to Do
Look for treasure of course! The island is filled with an abundance of amazing flora and fauna. You can spend your day exploring the beaches and its inner. You can walk along the beaches and find remits of pirates and others who walked the island long before you ever knew it existed.

Most people don’t go to Isla de Cocos to explore the island unless they are treasure hunters. Most come to see what lies under its waters. Isla de Cocos is known for having beautiful reefs and a large amount of marine life. It has been said that the reefs around the island contain the richest concentrations of schooling fish in the world. There are over 270 species of fish in the reefs. many of these fish are native to the islands waters.