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Tortuguero National Park Review
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Tortuguero National Park 
- Address: Entrance at south end of Tortuguero Village, Tortuguero
- Phone: 710–2929; 710–2939
- Category: Parks
- Location: Tortuguero
Fodor's Review:
The palm-lined beaches of Parque Nacional Tortuguero stretch off as far as the eye can see, and its additional ecosystems include lowland rain forest, estuaries, and swampy areas covered with Jolillo palms. You can wander the beach independently, but riptides make swimming dangerous, and shark rumors persist. At various times of the year, Green, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, and Giant Leatherback Turtles lumber up the 36 km (22 mi) of beach and deposit their eggs for safekeeping – a fascinating natural ritual. If you want to watch the deshove (the egg laying), contact your hotel or the parks office to hire a certified local guide. One must accompany you on turtle-watching excursions. Note that you won't be allowed to use a camera on the beach, and that only your guide is permitted to use a flashlight and it must be covered with red plastic, as lights can deter the turtles from nesting. As the signs around town admonish you regarding the turtles: "Don't become another predator."
Freshwater turtles inhabit Tortuguero's rivers, as do crocodiles – most populous in the Río Agua Frío – and the endangered vacas marinas, or manatees. Manatees consume huge quantities of aquatic plants and are endangered mainly because their lack of speed makes them easy prey. You might also glimpse tapirs (watch for these in Jolillo groves), jaguars, anteaters, ocelots, howler monkeys, Collared and White-lipped Peccaries, raccoons, otters, skunks, and coatis. Some 350 species of birds and countless butterflies, including the iridescent Blue Morpho, also call this area home. At a station deep in the Tortuguero jungle, volunteers from the Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation manage a butterfly farm, catalog plants and animals, and explore sustainable forest practices.
- Cost: $7
- Open: Daily 6–6
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