The Tortuguero area is called the "Amazon of Costa Rica" because access is only by boat on winding jungle rivers. Turtle Beach Lodge, located just north of the town of Tortuguero in the Tortuguero National Park, is a secluded 175-acre resort. Surrounded by lush jungle with miles of trails, a meandering private canal, and a half mile of private beach on the Caribbean Sea, it is the ultimate in seclusion, tropical beauty, and exotic adventure for a Costa Rica tour. Whether you are looking for adventure, relaxation, or a combination of both, the unique location and diversity of Turtle Beach Lodge provides an unforgettable experience for all.
Rooms
Turtle Beach's airy bungalows feature comfortable beds, ceiling fans, cool tiled floors, private baths with hot showers, and wide, screened windows that let in gentle ocean breezes and melodic sounds from the jungle. Standard rooms are available with one double bed, two twins, or one double and one twin. Larger rooms are available for family groups.
Meals
The chef and staff combine local and international cuisine with fresh juices, fruits and vegetables to create a mouth-watering buffet three times daily. There is always enough to choose from and even the pickiest eaters never go hungry.
Relax after your jungle explorations in a thatched roof bar with your favorite mixed drink, a local beer, or a glass of wine. You can shoot a game of pool, play cards or a game of checkers or chess. Share in lively conversation with your fellow travelers from around the world as you eat dinner in a spacious open-air restaurant. Or, you can dine in romantic solitude with only the sound of the ocean's waves.
The Pool
The uniquely designed pool complex at Turtle Beach Lodge features a shady, thatched hut with hammocks overlooking a large turtle-shaped pool, both conveniently situated near the restaurant and bar. The pool is kept sparkling with an environmentally friendly salt filter, which is good for skin and hair.
Grounds
The lodge grounds practically explode with a breathtaking array of colorful flowers and plants, as well as a culinary and medicinal herb garden with plants native to Costa Rica. You will enjoy plentiful fruit trees such as lemon, papaya, mango, banana, avocado, and of course coconut palms. Ask your guide or a gardener to open a coconut with his machete and let you drink the sweet water or taste the delicious coconut flesh. Better yet, take a guided garden tour to learn all about the plants and flowers and local practices. You can also kayak in the canal bordering the property.
About Tortuguero
Tortuguero is home to an incredible variety of biodiversity thanks to its 11 different habitats, including rainforest, swamps, beaches and lagoons. The beaches are an important nesting ground for endangered sea turtles, including hawksbill, loggerhead, green and leatherback turtles. Manatees, caimans, and crocodiles live in the canals, and the jungle is home to endangered jaguars, three species of monkeys (spider, howler, and white-faced capuchin), sloths, and more. Basilisk lizards and tree frogs inhabit the area, along with 375 species of birds. There are more than 400 species of trees and about 2,200 species of plants.
Turtle Beach Lodge Community Work
Turtle Beach Lodge proudly supports local organizations, including COTERC to support turtle research and their museum. They also support Global Vision International volunteers who work on community projects such as improving local schools, donating musical instruments, and forming a children's dance troupe. The lodge makes regular donations to the police station and school in Tortuguero Village. Arrangements can be made in advance if you would like to combine your vacation with volunteer opportunities.
Lodge Activities
Remarkable adventures await you at Turtle Beach Lodge. It is the only hotel in the area that is actually inside Tortuguero National Park, and the only one that offers beach access, as well as rainforest and canals. There is always something exciting to see or do on their 175-acre property! Stroll along the Caribbean Sea, fish in the surf or canal, explore acres of pristine jungle, swim in the pool, relax in the hammock hut or bar and games area, or kayak the adjacent Canal of Palms -- all without leaving the property.
