Tortuguero's Nesting Sea Turtles
October marks the peak of Costa Rica's green season, a wonderful time to observe nesting sea turtles in the Caribbean hamlet of Tortuguero, while enjoying discounted rates on hotels.
ACTIVITY OF THE MONTH
Turtle Tours
Guided turtle tours are a fun and environmentally-sound way to observe these gentle giants as they come ashore to lay their eggs. Five species and one sub-species of sea turtle nest on the country's Caribbean and Pacific coasts, where park rangers and turtle conservation organizations strive to protect and monitor their populations. Visitors can arrange evening turtle tours with a licensed guide or park ranger. Note that cameras, video or flash photography are strictly prohibited on night turtle tours. Turtles are extremely sensitive to ambient light, and rangers and biologists want to keep our impact to a minimum.
Read MoreDESTINATION HOTSPOT
Tortuguero
The last vestiges of sawmills sit idly along the main path through Tortuguero village overgrown with ferns and flowers. In the distance, you can hear the roar of the waves where sea turtles emerge in the moonlight to lay their eggs in sandy craters near the top of the beach. On the other side of town, across Tortuguero River, a wall of thick foliage stands 100-feet tall, impenetrable to the naked eye. Inside, Jaguars stalk Costa Rica's largest land animal, the tapir; while howler, capuchin and spider monkeys swing through the canopy, toucans snatch fruit off the trees with their colorful, elongated bills and three-toed sloths sleep the day away.
Read MoreLast updated: Jan 30, 2023