Tortuguero Village
Landmark · Caribbean Coast
A car-free Afro-Caribbean village squeezed between the lagoon and the sea, linked by sandy paths with brightly painted houses, sodas and the small Sea Turtle Conservancy visitor center.
- Cost
- Free
- Time there
- 1 h
- Best time
- afternoon
- Kids
- 8 / 10
- View
- 6 / 10
- Crowds
- 6 / 10
- Swimming
- 0 / 10
- Effort
- 0 / 10
- Location
- 10.542, -83.5028 — Google Maps
Tip
Stop by the Sea Turtle Conservancy visitor center (small fee) to learn how turtle protection began here, then catch the sunset from a lagoon dock.
Be careful
Keep an eye on your belongings in busy town centres, and dress respectfully if you go inside a church.
Getting there
No road access: arrive by boat from La Pavona or Moín, or by small plane.
Places nearby
- Budda CafeFood & CoffeeTerrace restaurant in the middle of Tortuguero village with river views, a wide menu of traditional dishes with some creative touches and cocktails at sunset.
- Tortuguero Nature Native GuidesParks & Wildlife · from $30Local guides in Tortuguero running quiet paddle tours on the canals, national-park hikes, night walks and turtle-nesting tours; part of each fee goes to a local school and community.
- Restaurante Mi NiñoFood & CoffeeLocal and traveler favorite right next to the boat dock in Tortuguero, known for its ceviche, shrimp in coconut sauce and fruit juices; there can be a wait at peak hours.
- Laguna Lodge TortugueroStays · from $291.54Jungle lodge between the canals and the Caribbean sea in Tortuguero.
- Tortuga Lodge & GardensStays · from $150Riverside lodge in Tortuguero set in plantation-style gardens, offering guided boat, kayak and turtle-nesting tours.
Sources: OpenStreetMap node/441421501 · Wikidata Q2482545 · https://www.twoweeksincostarica.com/tortuguero-off-the-resort/ · https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2482545