Santa Cruz del Islote
A coral islet of about a hectare holding well over a thousand people, generally counted the most densely populated island on earth.
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The islet is roughly a hectare - about two football pitches - and estimates of the population run from around eight hundred to over twelve hundred depending who is counting and when, which by any of those figures makes it the densest island population in the world, several times denser than Manhattan. It was settled by fishing families from the mainland who found no mosquitoes here, and it grew by families building outward and upward and filling in around the coral with rubble. There are around a hundred houses, two shops, a school and no cemetery - the dead are taken to the mainland. Fresh water is shipped in and electricity runs limited hours. The reef around it supports the fishing that the community lives on.
What you actually see
- About a hectare holding a thousand-plus people - the densest island anywhere.
- Around a hundred houses - built outward and upward on filled coral.
- No cemetery - the dead go to the mainland.
- Water shipped in - and electricity on limited hours.
When to go
December to April. Half a day.
Honest expectations
This is a crowded community's home, not an exhibit - go with an operator who pays a community contribution and behave accordingly. Photography of people needs asking. There are effectively no visitor facilities. Fresh water and power are scarce.
Nearby
Isla Mucura is close; Tolu is on the mainland.
What to pack for Santa Cruz del Islote
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
