The Island of San Lucas holds evidence of pre-Hispanic occupation during the Sapoá-Ometepe period (800-1500 AD) and structures that bear witness to its use as a penal center in the 1930s, earning it the designation of San Lucas Island Historical Site.
The archaeological sites located on the island reflect the knowledge of navigation, extraction, and utilization of resources related to marine and coastal environments.
In the Gulf of Nicoya, there are few archaeological sites on the islands, and since these are non-renewable and finite, they must be protected.
Declared and incorporated into Costa Rica’s Architectural Historical Heritage by Executive Decree No. 30714-C, published in La Gaceta No. 185 on September 26, 2002, as a Historical Site. Property of the Municipality of Puntarenas.
The old penitentiary on the Island of San Lucas holds testimonial value as a place of confinement. Established in 1873 by then-president Tomás Guardia, the penitentiary is a collection of concrete buildings, likely constructed in the 1930s. The island spans approximately 500 hectares and is located 15 km from the port of Puntarenas. On April 24, 1974, by Law No. 5469, it was stipulated that once the penal center closed, the island would be transferred to the Municipality of Puntarenas with the aim of developing a tourism project that would capitalize on the island’s natural and scenic wealth.
The penitentiary was closed in 1991 during the administration of Lic. Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier.
Declared of Historical and Architectural Interest by Executive Decree No. 24520-C, published in La Gaceta No. 161 on August 25, 1995, as a state property. Property of the Municipality of Puntarenas.
The Diversity of Flora and Fauna, along with its significant historical contribution, led to the declaration of San Lucas Island as a national wildlife refuge and national heritage in 2001.
Tourists visiting the island can indulge in its lush natural beauty, crystal-clear waters, white sandy beaches, and walks along various trails.
Surrounded by a mysterious and chilling past, San Lucas Island, also known as “The Island of the Lonely Men,” is a tourist paradise intertwined with a captivating penitentiary history that reveals the violence, pain, and desire for freedom experienced by the prisoners of this jail.