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Sea Turtle Watching: Costa Rica's Unique Experience
4.7
156 Ratings
Tamarindo
Costa Rica stands as the world’s premier location for observing sea turtles! You can spot every turtle species, barring one, in Costa Rica. North of the Leatherback Turtle National Park, three species could be yours to sight! Indeed, few wildlife encounters can rival this in intimacy.
Costa Rica stands as the world’s premier location for observing sea turtles! You can spot every turtle species, barring one, in Costa Rica. North of the Leatherback Turtle National Park, three species could be yours to sight! Indeed, few wildlife encounters can rival this in intimacy.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Las Baulas National Marine Park - At 5:45pm you will meet our naturalist expert turtle guide at designated pick up location or hotel, and our transportation will take you to the turtle beach about 40minutes north of Tamarindo.
During this experience the guide will be sharing much information about the turtles, reproduction , behavior, diets and…
-
Las Baulas National Marine Park - At 5:45pm you will meet our naturalist expert turtle guide at designated pick up location or hotel, and our transportation will take you to the turtle beach about 40minutes north of Tamarindo.
During this experience the guide will be sharing much information about the turtles, reproduction , behavior, diets and nesting processes.
3 different species of turtles can be seen, but we don’t know which species will be out during our experience. Leatherbacks are the worlds largest turtle, Green sea turtles and Olive Ridley sea turtles are the 3 species that are in the area.
During the tour we will experience the turtle activity following all guidelines given by the guide, you will be able to take pictures but without flash! You will be close to the turtle but never will you be able to touch it. The turtle nesting depends of conditions on the beach, like clear sandbars and good temperatures. Seeing the turtles lay eggs is not guaranteed as it depends of the conditions of the beach.
What's Included
- Flashlights
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Flashlights
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
Location
Discover Tamarindo Travel Agency
Nos encontraremos en la puerta de la casa verde
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(156 Ratings)
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V7223ssjosephc
Mar 27, 2025
Great experience seeing mother and baby turtles! - Trip was great! Got to see a mother turtle come up on the beach. It wasn't the right time/place for her and she went back in the water, but we felt like that was better for her. Then right after, further down the beach, some baby turtles were hatching. So exciting to see them make their way to the water.
Moises (sp?) was great. He was very respectful of the turtles making sure we gave them space. He was very knowledgeable about the turtles and their whole process.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lori_m
Mar 22, 2025
Turtles!!!!!! - Oh my god luck was on our side with help from our amazing guide Christian. We started at one beach where there was nothing then headed to the second beach. We saw two mamas come in then go back out when they didn’t like their spot. Then we saw a group of baby turtles!!! Come up from their nest and race down into the water. Christian was great, super knowledgeable and patient, making sure we had a great experience :)
Review provided by Viator
Cruiser19530849011
Mar 15, 2025
Turtles - Great experience. Fun time for the whole family. Felt safe and guides were respectful to us and the turtles. You could tell our guides really cared compared to the others
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gary_s
Mar 15, 2025
What a great experience.... - What a great experience. Our Guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about the safety of the mama turtles laying their eggs. We got to see exactly that and we’re lucky enough to see a turtle walk back into the sea after trying to find a spot. Recommended!!
Review provided by Viator
Kfp1970
Mar 12, 2025
Amazing night with the turtles! - Christian and Juan Carlos were amazing and super informed guides on this beautiful adventure! We saw a mama turtle try to nest but then return to the sea because the area wasn't just right, and an entire nest of baby turtles hatch then scamper to the sea. It was awesome to see nature this up close and to learn so much about the sea life of Costa Rica. We also saw some monkeys on the hike to the beach. I highly recommend this adventure but I will note there is a decent amount of hiking to the beach then walking on the soft sand to get to the turtle nests so if you can't handle a 3-4 mile hike then you might want to consider another adventure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oharasarah
Mar 10, 2025
Excellent tour - We had an excellent experience with Christian as our guide for this tour. We were fortunate to see about 25-30 baby turtles emerge and make their way to the ocean within minutes of our arrival at the beach. We also witnessed three adult turtles coming and going for nesting. Christian was highly knowledgeable and ensured that everyone knew how to observe the turtles in a way that didn’t disturb their natural behaviour.
The shuttle ride in from Tamarindo is partly on a very bumpy dirt road, and the walk down to the beach requires sure-footedness. Our group ranged in age from 8-69 and had no issues. Flashlights for the trek to and from the beach were provided, and cold water bottles were waiting for us back at the shuttle afterward. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maps47331502470
Mar 8, 2025
Wonderful experience! - It was a magical night. We got to see a green turtle prepare her nest, build the chamber and lay her eggs. Christian was a wonderful, patient and knowledgable guide. It was a terrific experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
393sharon
Mar 24, 2025
Responsible turtle viewing with an expert! - Great trip with Juan Carlos. He had great information about the turtles, as well as other wildlife we happened to encounter (including birds, monkeys, scorpions, and snakes). He also was persistent in finding us opportunities to see baby tutles rushing to the ocean, and a mama turtle that was laying eggs! What an exciting opportunity, and well worth the wait on the beach.
We were particularly impressed by Juan Carlos' obvious concern for keeping the turtles safe, and his focus on giving us an opportunty to view and appreciate the turtle nesting cycle, while still keeping the turtles safe.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oland14
Mar 5, 2025
Observation, okay. Transport borderline! - Our guide was expert and passed on a lot of interesting information. After seeing one that is also the other way around, we went straight back again. What I didn’t like at all was that while driving the bus, he constantly had a cell phone in one hand and something to eat in the other. I wasn't comfortable with the way he was driving.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lps_lee
Mar 20, 2025
Chaotic Tour with Little Respect for TurtlesQ - This tour was a huge disappointment. The guide, supposedly a naturalist, provided no real information about turtles. The experience felt staged—we saw two turtles and a few hatchlings in a hole dug up by the guides, with one guided to the ocean by a red flashlight. The whole scene was chaotic, with multiple tour groups crowding the small beach, raising serious ethical concerns. I regret going and don't recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
