Pirates & Shipwrecks · Treasure legend
Cocos Island
Costa Rica, Pacific
What happened
THIS IS A LEGEND. Cocos Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean administered by Costa Rica, about 550 km from the mainland. According to the legend, the Treasure of Lima was hidden there in 1820. Treasure hunters have searched the island many times, and the German adventurer August Gissler, who lived there from 1889 to 1908, found only a few gold coins.
Why it matters
No large treasure has ever been found. Today the island is a national park, protected for its rainforest and sea life, including hammerhead sharks.
What came next
Cocos Island became a Costa Rican national park in 1978 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Only park rangers live there.
Did you know?
It takes 36 to 48 hours to reach Cocos Island by sea.
Timeline
- 1820According to legend, the Treasure of Lima is entrusted to a ship that hides it on the island.
- 1889 to 1908August Gissler lives on the island and hunts for treasure.
- 1978Cocos Island becomes a national park.
- 1997It becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site.