Often compared to Venice and the Amazon for its navigable canals, the town of Tortuguero is one of Costa Rica’s main treasures. Located in the north-east area of the Limon province, the village of Tortuguero lies on a sand bar island facing the Caribbean Sea and the Tortuguero River. Its name literally means “place of the turtles” because it’s the yearly setting for the arrival of four different species of sea turtle who nest on its beaches.

The town of Tortuguero sustains itself through ecotourism and as such it’s an ideal location to learn about eco-friendly practices and to be in commune with nature. The Tortuguero National Park is also home to a seemingly infinite number of plant and animal species, including various birds and reptiles.This area is only accessible by airplane or boat, so keep that in mind before planning your vacation.

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The village is very small. The main strip is around 400 meters (.2 miles) long and runs from the main boat dock launch to the entrance to the national park. There are some restaurants, souvenir shops, hostels, a park, a church and small hotels. Tortuguero village is surrounded by the river on one side and beach on the other. Although Playa Tortuguero is not a very photogenic beach, it is what put Tortuguero on the map as one of the leading eco-destinations in Costa Rica. This is because Tortuguero, or the “place of the turtles” became famous in the 1950’s when an American sea turtle researcher discovered that it was the single most important nesting site for green turtles in the Western Hemisphere. Since then, eco-tourists from all over the world travel to Tortuguero to see turtles in Costa Rica and visit Tortuguero National Park.

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