Turtle Beach Lodge – the ultimate in seclusion, tropical beauty, and adventure in lowland jungle rainforest.
The area of Tortuguero is rightfully called “The Amazon of Costa Rica” because access is only by boat on Jungle Rivers. Turtle Beach Lodge, 5 miles north of the town of Tortuguero, is a secluded resort spanning 175 acres with miles of jungle trails, a meandering private canal, and a half mile of beach adjoining still more isolated beaches.
The lodge accommodates approximately 80 guests; assisted by a well trained staff and guides who ease you into an exciting jungle experience. Stay in the beautifully landscaped cabinas, swim in our turtle shaped pool, relax in the adjacent shady hammock hut with food and drink from the restaurant and bar.
From late June to early October the prime turtle season brings thousands of Atlantic Green Sea Turtles to the beaches of Tortuguero. Leatherback and Hawksbill Sea Turtles, in lesser numbers, arrive to lay eggs from November to May. Come join us for the opportunity to look for these Sea Turtles, and watch their young as they hatch and scamper to the sea. Other common sites are Monkeys, Blue Morpho butterflies, colorful poison Dart frogs, Three-toed Sloths, Parrots, Toucans, and many exotic species of birds.
LODGE & GROUNDS
* 175-acres of beautifully landscaped tropical grounds, jungle, and beach
* Comfortable rooms include hot showers, fans, tiled floors, 2 large windows, one double bed, two twins, or one of each per room.
* Large thatched-roof, open air restaurant and bar serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
* Delightful turtle-shaped pool and hammock hut complex located by restaurant
* A friendly and well informed staff to help you make the most of your stay!
Landscaped Grounds: Small round tables & chairs dot the landscape near the boat dock, paths, and beach inviting you to pause and enjoy the wonder of it all. 175 acres of beautifully landscaped tropical grounds and jungle are a lot to discover. Our grounds abound with colorful flowers, herbs, vegetables, and trees that are native to Costa Rica with exotic fruits such as lemons, papaya, mango, bananas, avocado, and of course coconuts. Ask our gardener, to open a coconut with his machete and let you sample the delicious sweet fruit. Better yet, take our Garden Tour for a blend of plant identification, local customs and myth.
Our Rooms: Our rooms feature comfortable beds, fans, cool tiled floors, warm showers, and two wide windows that let in gentle breezes and melodic sounds from the jungle as you fall asleep and awaken. Rooms are available with one double bed, two twins, or one double and one twin.
Dining: Enjoy exotic drinks and dining that combine local cuisine with fresh fruits and vegetables providing 3 delicious, healthy meals served daily. Dine with a group of fellow travelers to share in lively discussion and adventurous tales in our spacious open-air restaurant, or dine in solitude with only the sound of the ocean’s roar.
The Pool Complex: The uniquely designed pool complex at Turtle Beach Lodge features a shady thatched hammock hut overlooking a large turtle-shaped pool, both conveniently situated near the restaurant and bar. The waters of our pool are kept sparkling with an environmentally friendly salt filter, which is equally healthy for skin and hair.
The Beach: Greet the morning with a cup of coffee and a stroll on the beach at sunrise. Relax with ocean breezes in comfortable hammocks on a beach shaded by palms, or write postcards at a table with your toes in the sand. The beach on the property is a half mile long with miles of deserted beach in either direction. It’s like being at the end of the world.
Jungle Trail: Let our guide take you on an informative walk, day or night, on miles of our jungle trails, or go alone and enjoy the stillness. Start just steps from your room and meander all the way to The Canal of Palms. In the jungle, as well as throughout the rest of the property you will enjoy the chatter of colorful birds, three kinds of monkeys, and a wide variety of other kinds of wildlife.
Our Private Canal: As our boat turns off of The Canal of Palms and winds down our narrow private canal you will feel the jungle closing around you. Our Turtle Beach Lodge canal has been described as “a million dollar entrance.” The black-water reflects the mirror image of exotic thick jungle on either side. Caimans and colorful lizards scurry for safety into the water and birds cry out a greeting.
Testimonials
GREEN TURTLE NESTING
Last August I visited Turtle Beach Lodge with several friends. One night we were taking a walk on the beach after dinner. The stars were out and the breeze was cool. Suddenly I heard a sound I recognized to be the flippers of a sea turtle as she dug her nest in the sand. I stopped and waited to hear it again. Using flashlights with a red covering, to keep from distracting the turtle with white light, we followed the sound to find the turtle. It was an Atlantic Green Turtle, and she was very large. Her shell was about 50", and we guessed her weight at about 250-300 lbs
We sat quietly for over an hour, using our red filtered flash lights only occasionally to check her progress. I had learned from turtle guides in the past that it is important to limit whispering and movement when observing the nesting of sea turtles. If they are disturbed by white light, noise, or movement they will sense danger and return to the sea without nesting.
With each pass from her flippers as she dug her nest out she flung sand ten feet. Before long we were covered with the sand. After a laborious effort to dig herself into a wide hole, she began to vary her method of digging. She began carefully scooping out sand from just under her tail, where she would eventually deposit the eggs in a smaller hole.
When all the preparations were ready she rested. I wondered how many times she had repeated this nesting ritual. She was old. As a female, I’m sure I would find the number of nestings staggering. She was tired. I was excited to see the eggs start dropping. She was taking all the time she needed. I sat patiently waiting and waiting.
Finally she began depositing eggs, one at a time, into the small hole. We carefully withdrew one without her noticing. It was slimy and a little larger than a ping pong ball. This was the largest turtle I’ve seen lay her eggs, and the largest eggs. I carefully returned the egg to its hole. It took her about an hour to lay them all. Once again the ancient creature rested for a little while. Then she began to use her flippers to cover up the nest. It took about another hour to finish the process. It is important that she covers all traces of the nest so that animals don’t dig them up. The most dangerous of all animals to the turtles is man. For centuries people have been catching the turtles for food and profit.
It is illegal now, but poachers still take large numbers of sea turtles and their eggs every year. It is a big problem that the Costa Rican Environmental Agencies fight regularly.
By midnight she had finished her task. She turned back toward the sea and slipped away. My friends and I stood there in the moonlight feeling a sense of awe. What a privilege it had been to witness this event. She was amazing.
Six weeks after the female turtle lays her eggs the baby turtles hatch in their nest. They can tell when it’s day or night by the sun’s heat on the sand above them, or by its coolness. When the sand is cool the baby turtle’s instinct tells them that it is time. They crawl out of the hole, and race to the sea. If they are very lucky they will reach adulthood and return to the beach where they were born to renew the life cycle.
