Tortuguero Canal

Turtle Beach Lodge has the privilege of being next to Caño Palma, one of the two only canals in Tortuguero where the water is always black. It is the main way of transit between Tortuguero and our hotel. When you arrive at the hotel for the first time, you’ll come through this canal. But the tour will be revisiting the canal at a slow speed in one of our quietest boats. It is a completely new experience, you’ll have the chance to take photos of the birds, mammals, and amphibians that lurks in the watershed looking for food. Our tour guides have an eagle eye and they will be checking for anything of interest in the proximities. No towns or human settlements, except for the Canadian Research Station, in the Caño Palma basin. Many species of animals make this canal their home because of the scarce human activity around.

Tortuguero Downtown

The town of Tortuguero is a humble but lively town that is located between the Tortuguero canal and the Caribbean sea. There, dozens of businesses attend to tourists with a wide range of products. From food, clothes, souvenirs, coffee, or fresh fish and fruit. Tortuguero also hosts the main offices of the Tortuguero National Park. From there, all the tours to the protected area are coordinated. There are just a few steps between the dock, where the boats park, and the beach. There you can find locals and foreigners bathing on the shore or playing a soccer game on the sand. The tour takes you from the Hotel to the town. Once there you’ll have like one hour and a half to explore the town and buy some souvenirs or eat a “patí”, a pie recipe from the Costarican Caribbean zone.

Chocuaco Trail

Located inside our property, the Chocuaco Trail has this name thanks to a bird species called chocuaco by the locals. Known in the rest of the world as boat-billed herons, these birds have their nests in a swamp near the trail. Chocuacos won’t be the only thing people could find on the trail. Red frogs, red-eyed frogs, lizards, and other species of animals can be found too. You will be guided by an expert on the flora and fauna of Tortuguero. The trail is totally on flat terrain, so you do not need to be in extraordinary physical condition. Do not forget your camera with good zoom because frogs are tiny but colorful. The real jungle experience.

Kayak in the Laguna Cuatro lagoon

2 kilometers north of the Turtle Beach Lodge, a quiet breeze float over a lagoon called Laguna Cuatro. The lagoon is fed by the dark waters of Caño Palma, so it looks like a huge black mirror that reflects the sky. Aside from this magical view, the lagoon waters are good for aquatic sports including kayaking. The hotel has kayaks ready to use and by the customer’s request, one of our expert helmsmen can take you in a boat to the lagoon. There you can enjoy Tortuguero more intimately and uniquely.