Where and when can you see sea turtles in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica Sea Turtle Nesting Habits
  • Santa Rosa National Park and Playa Nancite: Year round, but the best months are May through October.
  • Ostional Wildlife Refuge: Year round, but the best months are May through October.
  • Camaronal Wildlife Refuge: April through November.




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Whilst turtle hatching takes place along much of Costa Rica's coast, for reliable sightings we particularly recommend the protected reserves of Tortuguero on the northern Caribbean coast, and Ostional beach, near Nosara on the Pacific Coasts Nicoya Peninsula.

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Turtles can be seen year around, but October to April is the peak season for turtle nesting. You will be dropped off at your hotel at the end of the tour. Click Here to See All Tamarindo Area Tours!

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The Costa Rican legislature declared Tortuguero National Park in 1975 to protect the nesting turtles, the beach and the adjacent terrestrial habitats.

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The largest green turtle nesting population is found at Tortuguero, on the coast of Costa Rica where about 22,500 green turtle females nest annually. Raine Island, on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, has the second largest nesting population of about 18,000 females per season.

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Where do sea turtles live? Sea turtles can be found all around the world, from the cold waters off California to the warm beaches of the Coral Triangle. Males never leave the ocean, while females will come ashore to lay their eggs on sandy beaches during the nesting season.

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Sea turtles usually only come ashore late at night or early morning before sunrise and they are intent on creating their nests, laying their eggs and getting back in the ocean as quickly as their ponderous bodies will permit.

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Is it usual (or how rare is it) to see turtles or hatchlings on the beach? Both are usually active at night and most of our volunteers have yet to see a turtle lay a nest or a nest to boil (hatch). So consider yourself very lucky if you happen to encounter sea turtles.

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The Galápagos Islands are a chain of volcanic islands off the coast of Ecuador, in South America, most famous for being the home to many giant tortoises and sea turtle populations. The giant tortoises of the Galápagos are among the most famous of the unique fauna of the islands.

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The best time to visit Costa Rica is between December and April, when the weather is at its driest and brightest. We'd also recommend traveling in the country's green season, from May to June or in November. This is when you catch the seasons in transition, and the national parks are quieter.

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The best time to visit Costa Rica is between December and April, when the weather is at its driest and brightest. We'd also recommend traveling in the country's green season, from May to June or in November. This is when you catch the seasons in transition, and the national parks are quieter.

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January and February are peak travel months in Costa Rica. The weather around the country is gorgeous, with less rain and comfortable temperatures.

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