Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero National Park is a protected area on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica that includes rainforest, wetlands, and a network of navigable canals. The park covers both terrestrial and marine zones, with waterways winding through dense jungle and providing access to remote habitats.

The Costa Rican government created the protected area in 1975 to preserve the coastal region and its wildlife. Over the following decades, the territory expanded three times, with the final enlargement in 1998.

The park maintains a research center where scientists study the nesting patterns of green sea turtles and conduct environmental education programs.

The park can only be reached by boat, as no roads lead into the area. Boat trips through the canals usually depart from the port town of Moín or from smaller docks along the waterways.

The area hosts eleven different habitats that together support more than two thousand plant species and four hundred tree varieties. The beaches serve as the most important nesting site for green sea turtles in the entire Western Hemisphere.

Location: Limón Province

Inception: 1975

Elevation above the sea: 8 m

Operator: Área de Conservación Tortuguero (ACTo)

GPS coordinates: 10.42320,-83.49670

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:28