Tortuguero Hotels

Often compared to Venice and the Amazon, for its navigable canals, the town of Tortuguero is one of Costa Rica’s main treasures. Located in the northeastern area of the province of Limón, the tiny village of Tortuguero lies on a sand bar island facing the Caribbean Sea and the Tortuguero River. Its name literally means “place of the turtles” because it’s the yearly setting for the arrival of four different species of sea turtle who nest on its beaches.

Nature at its Wildest in Tortuguero

Stunning, unspoiled nature is the main attraction of this area, as it is accessible only by airplane or 40 minute boat ride from the closest Caribbean town, La Pavona. Tortuguero’s hotels are sprinkled around the main river whose riverbed runs parallel to a 22 mile stretch of sand—Tortuguero beach, that welcomes thousands of sea turtles nesting here every year. Tortuguero National Park harbors myriad of plant and animal species best seen with canoeing tours or kayaking on your own through dense net of river canals.

Tortuguero is also home to world record tarpon and snook, great info for any fellow fishermen out there ready to wrestle 100lb ‘silver’ beasts in the pristine waters of Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge, or go on a equally challenging off-shore fishing tour in the Caribbean Sea.

The local community is strongly organised around preservation and protection of natural resources, and sustains itself from eco-tourism completely; something you can fully experience in the top two hotels we recommend.