Playa tortuguero: Tortuguero Costa Rica truly a magical destination

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December 1, 2022
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Tortuguero Costa Rica truly a magical destination

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You may have seen one of those animal channel TV programs documenting the journey of sea turtles to their nesting grounds. It shows the mothers’ painstaking process of crawling up the beach to make a nest above the reach of the waves, and later, the hatchlings as they scurry toward the ocean. It’s an amazing spectacle, and one that you can see in person when you travel to Tortuguero in the Caribbean of Costa Rica.

Laguna Lodge Tortuguero

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Aninga Lodge Tortuguero

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Mawamba Lodge Tortuguero

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Turtle Beach Lodge

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Evergreen Lodge Tortuguero

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Pachira Lodge Tortuguero

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Sea-Turtle Paradise

Costa Rica is a sea-turtle paradise, known throughout the world as such. Different species nest during various times of the year and in many different spots along Costa Rica’s beaches. But the activity is year-round and if you have a little flexibility in your vacation dates and where you stay, you can time a visit to catch either the nesting or the hatching process on either ocean side. The tiny town of Tortuguero is a delightful place to view this miracle of nature.

Summer is Nesting Season

The community takes an active role in preserving endangered sea turtles, and you will find a museum and visitor center in town with information and insights into the species. Summer is the nesting season for the green sea turtles that call Tortuguero home, and there are several hotels, cabins and lodges available in a range of prices. You’ll also find plenty of tours you can join to see the turtles nesting in the wild. It’s an incredible experience, and one not to be missed.

Tortuguero

Where to Stay

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Take a Canal Ride

This town lies within the Tortuguero National Park; both the town and the park bear the name of Tortuguero marine turtles. The area is one of the most vital nesting sites in the western Caribbean for the green sea turtle. The hawksbill and leatherback turtles also nest along area beaches. You’ll have to fly or take a boat ride to reach this spot; Tortuguero is not accessible by vehicle. Navigating the network of Tortuguero canals is part of the overall experience, however, and the three-and-a-half-hour excursion helps set the mood for a magical visit far removed from other activities.

Rainforest Animals

The boat ride is anything but boring. As you make your way through Tortuguero canals, take note of the habitat around you. You’ll travel through areas of the rainforest, where trees rise from the swamps. These are popular spots for a variety of rainforest birds, and you’re likely to see egrets and other wading birds. Keep an eye out for both the colorful and the camouflaged among the several hundred birds that live in the rainforest.

Explore the Rainforest

The rainforest surrounds the Tortuguero area on three sides, offering you an opportunity to explore its beauty. Along with plenty of species to keep bird watchers happy, the forest is home to an incredible number of animals. You’re almost guaranteed to see a monkey or two. Get out and enjoy the scenery up close when you go hiking or canoeing, both popular area activities, and the Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge is just across the canal.

Map of the Area

Click to enlarge map – Map of the Area

Diverse Environment

The Tortuguero area offers a diverse environment, perfect for amphibians, birds and land animals. This region is a lowland, with more rain than any other spot in Costa Rica. With coastal banks on each side, a number of natural marshes, lakes and channels have formed in the middle, giving the area an abundance of marine life too.

An overnight visit to Tortuguero, Costa Rica should be high on your list of “Things to do” while you’re here. You can share a wildlife experience that many see only on TV and you’ll leave with some wonderful memories of Tortuguero marine turtles.

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2022 Guide to Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica • James Kaiser

Tortuguero National Park is one of Costa Rica’s most incredible destinations.

Its beaches attract thousands of nesting sea turtles. The surrounding rainforest is filled with wildlife. And because there are no roads to Tortuguero National Park, just getting here is an adventure.

If you’re looking for a fun-in-the-sun Costa Rica beach vacation, look elsewhere. Tortuguero’s dark sand beach is far less impressive than other beaches, and the waters offshore are home to dangerous rip-tides. Furthermore, Tortuguero is one of the wettest places in Costa Rica, receiving over 6 meters (20 feet) of rain each year.

This is an eco-travel paradise, pure and simple — filled with stunning biodiversity. And that’s exactly why so many people love it.

Tortuguero National Park

Adapted from

Costa Rica: The Complete Guide

The story of Tortuguero National Park is fascinating. In 1953 an American sea turtle researcher named Archie Carr traveled to the remote village of Tortuguero (“Place of the Turtles”) to investigate reports of a large turtle nesting ground. He was amazed by what he saw.

Tortuguero, Carr realized, was the most important green sea turtle nesting ground in the Western Hemisphere.

Each year between June and October, tens of thousands of green sea turtles returned to the dark sand beach to lay their eggs. Recognizing the region’s ecological importance, Carr alerted the Costa Rican government. In 1975 over 35 km (22 miles) of beach were set aside as Tortuguero National Park.

Since the national park was established, sea turtle populations have declined worldwide. But nestings at Tortuguero have increased nearly 500%. Today roughly 20,000 green turtles nest here each year — the largest colony of nesting green turtles in the world.

The turtles, in turn, attract a steady stream of eco-tourists, who come to watch these magnificent creatures lay their eggs at night.

Tortuguero Rivers & Canals

Tortuguero is more than just sea turtles. Lying just beyond the beach are a handful of serpentine rivers that reach deep into the jungle, opening up a lush wilderness filled with wildlife.

You can explore the rivers by motor boat, kayak or canoe. As you cruise through the waterways, look for monkeys, sloths, parrots, crocodiles, caimans and dozens of other exotic animals.

All told, Tortuguero is home to 60 mammal species, 57 amphibian species, 111 reptile species, over 300 bird species, over 400 tree species and over 2,000 plant species!

With so much biodiversity, it’s no wonder Tortuguero is the Caribbean coast’s top eco-destination and Costa Rica’s third-most visited national park.

The visitation statistics are even more impressive when you consider how remote Tortuguero is. Located in the swampy northern Caribbean, it’s one of the least accessible areas in the country.

Getting to Tortuguero National Park

There are only two ways to get to Tortuguero: by boat or by plane.

Roads can take you to within 32 kms (20 miles) of Tortuguero, but from there it’s a one-hour boat ride through the jungle.

The other option is flying from San José to the paved runway north of Tortuguero village. This is spectacular, but more expensive.

Aerial view of Tortuguero, Costa Rica

No matter how you get to Tortuguero, it’s an adventure you’ll never forget. The combination of paddling the jungly waterways during the day and watching sea turtles lay their eggs at night is one of Costa Rica’s most magical experiences.

By Plane

The flight to Tortuguero from San José is about 35 minutes and offers soaring views of mountains, volcanoes and vast banana plantations. If you can afford it, I highly recommend arriving by boat and departing by plane. This option gives you a complete view of Costa Rica’s lush Caribbean landscape.

By Private Bus/Boat

Most visitors take private buses arranged by their hotel (see below) to the docks at Cariari, Caño Blanco, Moín and La Pavona. The bus ride from San José is about three hours. From the docks you’ll board special long boats, then cruise through the jungle waterways at high speed.

By Public Bus/Boat

If you’re cheap and adventurous, you can arrange your own transportation to Tortuguero via public buses and boats. First, head to the small town of Cariari, 22 kms (13.7 miles) north of Guápiles. Grupo Caribeños buses (2222-0610) depart San José for Cariari from the Terminal del Caribe (Calle Central, Ave 15) at 9am, 10:30am (₡1,660, 2 hours). After arriving at the estación nueva (“New Station”) in Cariari, head four blocks east to the estación vieja (“Old Station”). Purchase a bus ticket to La Pavona (Rancho la Suerte)—buses (8976-4302, ₡1,000) depart at 6am, 11:30am, 3pm. At La Pavona pick a boat and buy a ticket (₡2,000).

Tortuguero Hotels & Eco-lodges

Most hotels offer multi-day packages that include transportation to and from San José. You simply make a reservation and the hotel takes care of all the travel connections for you. Package tours are quick and easy. The majority of visitors choose this option.

Here’s a list of Tortuguero’s best hotels and ecolodges.

Tortuguero Birds

The lush jungles surrounding Tortuguero attract a wide variety of neo-tropical birds. Birders can look for warblers, flycatchers, raptors and other migratory birds. Resident species include toucans, great green macaws, whitecollared manakins and oropendolas.

Tortuguero Photos

Walking along Tortuguero’s dark sand beach. During the day, the beach is quiet. At night, sea turtles lay their eggs in the sand.

Sea turtle tracks, left by a nesting green sea turtle, are still visible the next morning.

Houses and buildings line the banks of the main river.

Tortuguero is home to a small village with a handful of streets. Due to its remote location, there are very few cars or trucks.

A vendor sells fresh coconut water.

Tortuguero schoolchildren are taught to respect and preserve sea turtles. This is major change from several decades ago, when sea turtle eggs were harvested by the tens of thousands. Back then turtle eggs were eaten as an aphrodisiac.

Motor boats are the main form of transportation in this watery wonderland.