Tortuguero National Park
Rainforest and canal park on the Caribbean coast, reached only by boat or plane. Visitors travel its waterways by boat to see monkeys, caimans and birds, and turtles nest on the beach in season.
Tortuguero
Boats are the way into this canal-laced Caribbean park, famous for rainforest wildlife and nesting sea turtles.
Attractive locations
Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge
Large wetland refuge near the Nicaraguan border, made up of rivers, lagoons and forest. It is known for fishing and for boat trips that pass birds and other wildlife.
Cerro Tortuguero
Small forested hill beside the village. A short trail climbs to a lookout with views over the canals, the sea and the surrounding jungle.
Tortuguero Village
A small village between the sea and the canals, reached only by boat or light aircraft. It is the base for turtle-nesting and wildlife trips in the surrounding national park.
Tortuguero River
A river running past Tortuguero village to the Caribbean. Boat trips along it and the linked canals are the main way to see herons, caimans, monkeys and other wildlife.
Airports
Juan Santamaría International Airport SJO
It is about 100 km in a straight line from Tortuguero.
Limón International Airport LIO
It is about 88 km in a straight line from Tortuguero.
Tobías Bolaños International Airport SYQ
It is about 97 km in a straight line from Tortuguero.
Scams and safe taxis
Taxi and scam advice for this country is on the Costa Rica page
Weather by month
Each month shows its average temperature in °C and its mm of rain per month.
- Jan23.7 °C139 mm
- Feb23.9 °C75 mm
- Mar24.6 °C73 mm
- Apr25.6 °C109 mm
- May25.7 °C279 mm
- Jun25.3 °C303 mm
- Jul25.0 °C312 mm
- Aug25.1 °C266 mm
- Sep25.1 °C294 mm
- Oct24.9 °C380 mm
- Nov24.5 °C314 mm
- Dec24.1 °C183 mm
Driest months: Feb, Mar, Apr. Wettest months: Jul, Oct, Nov.
Costs
Prices here are about 59% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Festivals and events
nature
Turtle nesting season
Tortuguero's beaches are where green turtles nest.
Who can help
Emergency
911 for all emergencies.
local government
Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT)
Helps with: Costa Rica's national tourism institute. Its site links to complaint channels, including a form for complaints against tourism companies. The page gives the main office number but no tourist helpline.
Who qualifies: Visitors and others dealing with Costa Rica's tourism sector.
Phone: +506 2299-5800
un agency
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Costa Rica
Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in Costa Rica since 1954. It works on migration management and crisis response, including support for migrants seeking to regularise their status.
Who qualifies: Migrants in Costa Rica and government or other partners. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: (506) 4052 3500
Address: Sigma Business Center, Costado Oeste del Mall San Pedro, Torre C, Piso 1, San Pedro, San José, Costa Rica
local government
Emergency number 911 (police, ambulance and fire)
Helps with: Reaches the police, ambulance and fire services in Costa Rica. The number comes from UK government travel advice.
Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors, can call this number.
Phone: 911