Overlooking the Caribbean Sea, Tortuguero is a colourful village in Costa Rica’s Limon Province. It’s renowned as a nesting site for green sea turtles and home to a turtle research station. Surrounding the village are the wildlife-filled rainforests and wetlands of the “Amazon of Costa Rica”.
To learn about the lifecycle and behaviour of green sea turtles, head to the Sea Turtle Conservancy Visitor's Center in the heart of Tortuguero. From July to October, sea turtles can be seen lumbering up the beach to nest before their newborn hatchlings make a dash for the water.
Join a guided tour to explore the canals, wetlands and forests of Tortuguero National Park, which is home to a huge diversity of wildlife that includes jaguars, tapirs and red-eyed frogs. More than 400 different bird species have also been recorded here, including great green macaws, as have manatees.
Getting there
Tortuguero Airport lies on the edge of the village and has regular flights to San Jose. By road, the Costa Rican capital is just over three hours away. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting around the area while the village is small enough to explore on foot.