Interested in "ecotourism"?!  Then your premier point of destination is arguably Tortuguero, Costa Rica.

My first visit to Tortuguero came about when I had family visiting from the United States.  The August visit of my 13 year old daughter, my mother and my ex-father-in-law put Tortuguero on my short list of in-country trips due to the seasonal nesting of Green Sea Turtles from July through October (Leatherback Sea Turtles nest in Tortuguero from March to May).

 
Web Photos: Tortuguero Beach (Playa Tortuguero) Green and Leatherback Sea Turtles

Located in the Caribbean North area of Costa Rica, Tortuguero features; rainforests, rivers, canals, swamps, beaches and lagoons.  Home to 57 species of amphibians, 111 species of reptiles, 309 species of birds, 30 species of fresh water fish, 60 species of mammals and untold numbers of plant and insect species - Tortuguero is definitely a one-stop showcase of what Costa Rica has to offer..

Costa Rica - Tortuguero Area Map

Tortuguero is accessible only by boat or small plane.  Be sure to bring cash, because the island has no banks or ATM's (Cajero Automatico) and many small hotels, stores and restaurants don't take credit cards!

Tortuguero Area Detail map

We chose to make the trip to Tortuguero via inexpensive public transportation as opposed to the more expensive option of putting gas into my own vehicle.  This option would also allow us to take different routes to and from Tortuguero without the burden of having to return to the single place our car would have been parked.

Route A: 8 Hours (3 hours by bus + 5 hours by boat)
Starting in San José at the Caribbean Terminal (Terminal Caribe) we took the approximately $5 per person, 3 hour bus ride to Limón.  At the Puerto Limón terminal we switched to a local bus headed to Moín at a fare of approximately $0.40  per person.  At Puerto Moín we boarded a 9 person boat at $35 per person for the 5 hour, 50 mile boat ride up the canals and rivers that lead to Tortuguero. 

Tortuguero River (Río Tortuguero) boat ride to Tortuguero Island

I highly recommend this boat trip as at least one leg of your Tortuguero experience.  The river views are breathtaking, including the three river outlets that meet with The Caribbean as well as the many encounters with rainforest animals.

Tortuguero River Crocodile (Cocodrilo del Río del Tortuguero) & Manatee (Manatí) crossing sign as seen from our boat.

Our visit to Tortuguero was initiated due to the current nesting season of the Green Sea Turtles on the beaches of Tortuguero Island, so the highlight of our visit was most certainly the turtles (tortugas).  Due to the conservation and protection of these giant sea turtles, the public is prohibited from wandering the beaches at night when the turtles are laying their eggs ... but viewing is encouraged under supervised conditions.

Nightly 2 hour tours (8pm-10pm, 10pm-12am) at $15 per person are offered through most hotels where the participants are accompanied by a guide that coordinates the viewing of these turtles from a very up-close position ... right behind the turtles as they lay the eggs in their newly created beach nests.

Web Photo: A guide lights-up a Green Sea Turtle (tortuga) laying her eggs

The turtle tour was a sight that no zoo in the world can recreate. I am positive that the viewing of this magnificent natural display will forever remain in the memories of my 13 year old daughter and 10 year old son!

Important:  Cameras and flashlights are prohibited on all turtle tours being as the turtles are extremely light sensitive prior to and during the laying of their eggs.  The guides use red lights to illuminate the egg laying process and there is no shortage of close views as each turtle lays approximately 100 eggs at a 'turtles pace' :o)

For our return trip from Tortuguero back to San José, we chose a shorter route ... both for convenience and as a way of seeing things yet unseen.

Route B: 4 Hours (1 hour by boat + 3 hours by bus)
Starting at our hotel's boat dock (Casa Marabella), we were picked-up by a water taxi for our $3.00, 1 hour boat ride to a remote landing at La Pavona.  After a short wait at La Pavona a local bus took us to Cariari via a very bumpy gravel road that wound through banana plantations and various types of farms.  After another short wait at the Cariari Bus Terminal we took the bus through Guapiles to our final destination of the Caribbean Terminal (Terminal Caribe) back in San José.

For more pictures of our Tortuguero adventures, feel free to visit the "Costa Rica Destinations" album of our picture site at BienvenidosCostaRica.com.