|
JUAN
FERNANDEZ - ROBINSON CRUSOE ISLAND - CHILE
This tiny group of islands, located
some four hundred miles off the Chilean coast, includes what is probably
literature's most famous 'deserted' island. Isla Robinson Crusoe is the
very island on which the Scottish mariner Alexander Selkirk was marooned
for over four years: his recollections of the ordeal gave rise to Daniel
Defoe's famous novel and the island dreams which so many share.
Rising dramatically from the Pacific
to jagged peaks exceeding 5000 feet, the islands of the Juan Fernández
archipelago are home to one of the most highly endemic ecosystems in the
world. Over 60% of native plant species on the island are found nowhere
else of earth, while notable endemic fauna include 6 species or sub-species
of birds and the Juan Fernandez fur seal, back from near extinction around
the turn of the century. Today, the entire archipelago is protected as
a national park and UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, boding well for the
preservation of biodiversity on Juan Fernández.
Isla Robinson Crusoe has the archipelago's
only permanent population, centered in and around the town of San Juan
Bautista, with a local economy based largely on the harvest of delicious
spiny lobsters. Tourism in the islands is decidedly low-key, with a number
of comfortable pensions and restaurants available in San Juan Bautista.
Hiking trails, fishing, birdwatching and diving are all excellent options
for active travelers.
|
