Sea Turtle Nesting Season

Did you know that Costa Rica is the preferred nesting ground for six different species of sea turtle? Leatherbacks, Green Sea Turtles, Pacific Green Sea Turtles, Olive Ridleys, Hawksbills, and Loggerheads all crawl up Costa Rican beaches at night to lay eggs in the sand.

On the beaches near Manuel Antonio National Park, the sea turtles you are likely to spot nesting are Olive Ridleys. This species nests year round, but the best time to see them is July through December. Olive Ridley turtles lay up to 150 eggs. If you’re lucky, you may catch not only turtles nesting but baby turtles hatching!

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles are listed as a threatened species by the US Federal Endangered Species Act and International Union for Conservation and Natural Resources, so if you’re wanting to view the turtles we encourage you to book a guided tour.