Lighthouses of El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica

This page is for lighthouses of these three Central American countries. There are only a few lighthouses in this region, and the ones that do exist are unknown to most lighthouse fans. However, as tourism in the area increases, opportunities to visit lighthouses will increase. Additional information from visitors would be very welcome. I am particularly interested in seeing a photo of the Faro Punta Remedios, El Salvador.   ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals for Caribbean lights and from volume G for Pacific lights. Light List numbers are from NGA Publication 110 for Caribbean lights and from Publication 111 for Pacific lights. What's Hot:

Faro de Cardón, Corinto, Nicaragua, May 2007 photo copyright Michael Leydet; used by permission

Pacific Coast: Lighthouses of El Salvador
Punta Remedios

1905. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white light, 2 s on, 18 s off. 12 m (40 ft) pyramidal skeletal tower, probably with central cylinder. The lighthouse was built after a 1902 hurricane wrecked numerous ships in the area. References to the lighthouse are available, but no photos. The Puerto de Acajutla recently gave notice of a buoy placed in front of the faro de Punta Remedios. One reference claims a height of 180 Spanish feet for the lighthouse, conflicting with the Light List data. More information is needed badly. Located on the cape southeast of Acajutla. Site status unknown. ARLHS ELS-001; Admiralty G3378; NGA 15372.

Pacific Coast: Lighthouses of Nicaragua
Isla el Cardón (Morro Cardón, Corinto)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26.5 m (87 ft); white light, 3 s on, 7 s off. 13 m (43 ft) white round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, on a square base. Lantern removed. Rodrigo Castillo has a good photo, a distant view from the mainland and a second distant view by D.F. Barrero are available. Located at the north point of Isla El Cardón, marking the entrance to the harbor of Corinto. ARLHS NIC-003; Admiralty G3352; NGA 15400.

San Juan del Sur

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 30.5 m (100 ft); white flash every 6 s. 4.5 m (15 ft) round cylindrical white tower. Lantern removed; beacon mounted on a short mast at the top of the tower. A small photo is available (halfway down the page), also a good photo, a view from the sea and another distant view. Located on a bluff above the harbor entrance; accessible by a short walk from the beach. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NIC-004; Admiralty G3350; NGA 15440.

Pacific Coast: Lighthouses of Costa Rica
* Los Sueños

Date unknown (recent). Active (privately maintained?); white light, characteristics unknown. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) conical concrete (?) tower with gallery and a small lantern. Access to the gallery is by an external stairway that winds around the tower. The lighthouse is painted a light brick red color. A good daytime photo is available, and a nighttime photo shows the lighthouse in action. Located at a modern resort on the east side of the entrance to the Golfo de Nicoya, about 65 km (40 mi) south of Puntarenas. Site open; it is not known whether visitors can climb to the gallery. Site manager: Los Sueños Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort. Not listed by NGA as of 2005.

Isla del Caño

1940. Active (?); focal plane 63 m (207 ft); white flash every 4 s. 22 m (72 ft) steel skeletal tower with a red lantern. No photo available. The lighthouse was built and originally operated by the United Fruit Company. The Isla del Caño is a 300 ha (740 acre) island located about 20 km (13 mi) west of the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica. It is now a national park and is a popular destination for day trips. The lighthouse is located at the southwestern tip of the island and is accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, and visitors can climb to the gallery. Site manager: Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño. ARLHS COS-003; Admiralty G3306; NGA 15468.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Barrio del Carmen (1914-?), Costa Rica. ARLHS COS-007.
• Punta Chiquirin (?-?), El Salvador. ARLHS ELS-002.

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Checked and revised July 25, 2007. Lighthouses: 5. Site copyright 2008 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.