Caribbean Coast

The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica offers some of the most exciting nature expeditions. Fifty miles north of Limon on the Caribbean shore lies Tortuguero National Park, one of the few remaining strongholds of tropical wildlife. Tortuguero (which means "Turtle Place"), is recognized internationally for its sea turtles. At certain times it is possible to observe the turtles nesting on the beach at night and newly hatched turtles scrambling from the nest to the sea (see below for the nesting schedule). There are walks on the beach by night and river trips by day for observing birds and monkeys.

Sea turtle nesting on the beach	Sea Turtle Nesting Schedule (Caribbean Coast)
	March-June	Leatherback Turtles
	June-November	Green Turtles
	July-August	Hawksbill Turtles

South of Limon lies Puerto Viejo and Punta Cocles, and nearby is Cahuita National Park, offering visitors a transitional subtropical forest and uninhabited, white sandy beaches with coral reefs for snorkeling and scuba diving. Roads are mostly unpaved, and hotels are casual and unpretentious.

Tortuguero National Park and Mawamba Jungle Lodge
3 Days/2 Nights

Located in the Northeast area of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, Mawamba Lodge is set in 15 tropical acres on the eastern shore of Tortuguero Canal between Tortuguero Lagoon and the Caribbean Sea. It is the ideal hideaway for nature lovers and people seeking soft adventure. Its beautiful gardens and rustic accommodations blend with the exuberant jungle vegetation, exotic birds and wildlife, creating a perfect balance with nature. The lodge features two open-air restaurants with delicious international and local cuisine, and a pool-bar with an inviting waterfall (above, right), where you can enjoy exotic tropical cocktails. The lodge has 54 comfortable rooms with private bathrooms, hot water, and ceiling fans. Rooms have either three single beds or one double bed and one single bed. The hotel has the capacity to host up to 100 people.

Itinerary
Day 1: San Jose to Tortuguero Morning departure toward the Caribbean Coast via motorcoach with a stop en route at Braulio Carrillo National Park. Then boat along the rivers and canals through densely vegetated areas in search of alligators, monkeys and birds, with arrival at Mawamba Lodge in time for lunch. After lunch visit the village of Tortuguero, where you can mail your postcards with some unique stamps, and the Turtle Research Center ($5 contribution not included). (B, L, D)
b: Tortuguero All day at Tortuguero, including nature tours or optional fishing expeditions. If during nesting season (MAR-NOV), you can observe the sea turtles laying eggs on the beach by night or see newly-hatched baby turtles. (B, L, D)
b: Tortuguero/San Jose After breakfast, return to San Jose via boat and bus with lunch en route. (B, L)

Puerto Viejo/Punta Cocles
3 Days/2 Nights
Rates Include: Transfers from San Jose or Mawamba Lodge pier with driver; hotel accommodations in bungalows with private bathrooms and ceiling fans, hotel taxes.