Gorgona Island: High-Profile Prison in Colombia Turned National Park

(Photo : Reuters)

Gorgona Island, off the coast of Colombia, is now increasing tourists' attention though it only allows a limited number of visitors per day with certain restrictions such as the prohibition of bringing firearms and alcohol on the island.

The once detainment facility in the country is now filled with awe-worthy plantation. It is a 21-mile boat ride from the Pacific coast of Colombia. 

Upon arrival to the island, tour guides provide rubber boots for those who will be participating in the hikes around the island. The boots do not only protect the visitors' feet from getting dirty from mud but also snake bites.

The abundant population of snakes on the island makes it one of the most unexplored islands in the world. 

In the history of Colombia, the island was dubbed as the island of the Devil where it was a place where 1,200 criminals from the 60s to the 80s were detained. 

In a couple of years ago, guerillas had tried to take over the Gorgona Island when it was just starting to become a tourist attraction.

The National Park System in Colombia's director Julia Miranda had said that tourism on the island was a difficult thing to manage.

For those who have an interest in adventure, Gorgona Island is the perfect place for them. However, fishing in the area is not allowed because of the abundance of sharks and other marine animals that may cause harm to humans. An island is also an ideal place for watching whales. 

The land area Gorgona includes a high volume of lizards, birds, and monkeys. Some of those animals found on the island are rare.

According to the manager of the sole resort situated in the island Jorge Ramírez, the island is like a mini version of the Galápagos Island. Galápagos Island is the place where Charles Darwin was able to formulate his theory regarding evolution.

Far back, the island was once the home of indigenous tribes. It was named by Francisco Pizarro who arrived on the island in 1527 while traveling to invade Peru. Pizarro had lost a large number of his team from snake bites. That experienced had inspired him to name the place as Gorgona Island.

Gorgon is a Spanish word that is the name of a female mythical creature with a head filled with venomous snakes.

Gorgona had become deserted until the 60s when it was used by Colombia as a detention facility for the country's high profile criminals during the period of the 60s to the 80s.

The island was viewed during that time as an inescapable prison because of the high number of sharks that surround the island. But some were able to getaway.

According to a ranger on the island, some of the prisoners were able to escape the island by creating rafts made of wood taken from the walls of their prison walls. 

One of the known escapees of the prison island was Daniel Camargo. He was charged with committing rape and murder. His make-shift raft had led him to land on the coast of Ecuador in 1984. Later on, he was arrested and was killed in the prison of Ecuador by another prisoner.