Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
swaths of virgin tropical dry and wet forest but also the unparalleled collection of
petro-
glyphs
and
statues
left here between 500 and 1500 years ago.
A handful of archaeologists have worked these sites, including Ephraim Squier, who
shipped several of the 15 statues he discovered here in 1849 to the US, where they are dis-
played at the Smithsonian Museum, and Swedish scientist Carl Bollivius, who discovered
more statues, many of which are displayed at Granada's Convento y Museo San Fran-
cisco.
Perhaps the most impressive expanse of petroglyphs is carved into a 95m by 25m ex-
panse of bedrock at the center of
Isla El Muerto
, where many statues have also been
found. Several of the other islands also have petroglyphs and potential archaeological
sites.
About 500 people live here quasi-legally, fishing and subsistence farming and hoping
that no one puts pressure on Marena to do anything about it. Fortunately for them, the
government isn't doing much of anything with these islands, which also means that infra-
structure is basic and access is inconvenient. You can camp for US$3 per person on the is-
land, but bring your own food and water; there's one restaurant, as well as a simple lodge,
US$5) leave Puerto Asese on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, or you can hire a private boat
from there for US$38/75 one way/return. Contact UCA in Granada for more information.
Otherwise, you'll need to sign up for a pricey day-long tour, offered by almost every
operator in Granada.
