Volcanic in origin, surrounded by mountains and a haven for whales, Gorgona Island is a natural gem that emerged from the remains of a prison that instilled terror in Colombia. The country's largest island in the Pacific, measuring 44 square kilometres, was famous for the prison it housed for two decades. But today it's a natural park made up of two islands of black gravel, colourful reefs, dense jungle and lush fauna with temperatures in the mid-30s. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES