Playa Grande Turtle Tour: Night Nesting Near Tamarindo

Playa Grande, just across the estuary from Tamarindo, has long been known as one of the most important leatherback nesting beaches on the Pacific coast, so it is no surprise that many visitors search for a turtle nesting tour at Playa Grande. Short answer: Tamarindo Estuary Tours Mi Rey runs a night turtle nesting tour that picks you up in Tamarindo at 5:30 pm and costs $60 per person. Because the nesting beach of Las Baulas Marine National Park closes during the season to protect the leatherback, the tour takes place at Playa Minas or Playa Jesús, where you may see olive ridley and black turtles, sometimes hawksbills and, occasionally, a leatherback.

This guide explains why the tour works this way, what happens during the night step by step and how to book with realistic expectations.

Why the Playa Grande turtle nesting tour goes to Playa Minas or Playa Jesús

The leatherback is the largest sea turtle in the world and it is endangered. Las Baulas Marine National Park was created to protect its nesting beaches, and during the nesting season the park stays closed to keep the beach dark and quiet for the turtles.

There is a second reason to be honest about: the number of leatherbacks nesting at Playa Grande has declined sharply in recent years. Seeing one is now a rare event, and no responsible operator can promise it. For that reason, our night tour goes to Playa Minas or Playa Jesús, beaches where turtles nest regularly and where you have a real chance of watching a female lay her eggs.

To learn more about the park and its history, read our Las Baulas National Park guide.

The night tour, step by step

Pickup at 5:30 pm. We pick you up in Tamarindo. Transportation from Tamarindo is included; farther areas have an extra cost paid directly to the driver.
Arrival and briefing. At the beach, your guide explains the rules: no white light, no flash, keep your voice low and stay together as a group.
The wait. Turtles come out of the sea when they are ready, not at a fixed time. While the guide checks the beach, you wait in the dark and listen to the waves. Patience is part of the experience.
Watching the nesting. When a turtle is found and has started to lay her eggs, the guide brings the group closer, always from behind the turtle and at a respectful distance.
Return to Tamarindo. The length of the tour varies with the night. Some nights the first turtle appears early; other nights it takes longer.

What a nesting turtle does

If you are lucky enough to watch the full process, you will see several stages:

The female crawls out of the surf and looks for a dry spot above the high tide line.
She clears a shallow pit with her front flippers and then digs a deep egg chamber with her rear flippers.
She lays her eggs, which is the calmest moment and usually when the guide lets the group approach.
She covers the nest, throws sand around to hide it and slowly returns to the sea.

Turtles you may see on a Tamarindo turtle tour

Olive ridley (lora): the most common turtle on this coast and the one you are most likely to see.
Black turtle: the Eastern Pacific form of the green turtle, also seen often on this tour.
Hawksbill: appears sometimes, recognizable by its pointed beak.
Leatherback: seen only occasionally, given the decline of its population.

For sizes, nesting habits and how to tell them apart, see our guide to the sea turtles of Guanacaste.

Price, what is included and booking

Price: $60 per person, minimum 2 people. Children 2 and under do not pay.
Deposit: $20 per person online; the balance is paid in cash, in US dollars or colones, on the day of the tour.
Included: transportation from Tamarindo.
Bring: dark clothing, water shoes or tennis shoes, a camera without flash and insect repellent.
If we do not see turtles: we reschedule the tour for the next night or make it up to you with the estuary tour.
Cancellations: cancel at least 24 hours before departure and we refund your deposit.

Before your night out, read our tips on turtle watching rules and what to expect.

When to book

Turtle activity changes through the year. Olive ridleys nest mainly in the rainy months, and the leatherback season at Playa Grande runs from October to February or March. Our month-by-month turtle guide helps you pick your dates. If you can, keep one or two flexible evenings in your plans, in case the tour needs to be rescheduled.

To complete your turtle experience, the Sunset and Baby Turtle Release ($50 per person, departure at 3:30 pm from Tamarindo) is available from November 12, and the estuary boat tour ($40 per person) shows you the mangroves of Las Baulas by day.

Ready to spend a night on the beach with Tamarindo Estuary Tours Mi Rey? Book the Turtle Nesting Tour online with a deposit. If you have questions about dates, children or pickup from your hotel, write to us on WhatsApp and we will gladly help.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I go to Playa Grande at night to see turtles?

The nesting beach of Las Baulas Marine National Park stays closed during the season to protect the endangered leatherback. That is why our night tour goes to Playa Minas or Playa Jesús instead.

What time does the Tamarindo turtle tour start and how long is it?

We pick you up in Tamarindo at 5:30 pm. The length varies each night, because it depends on when the turtles come out of the sea.

How much is the turtle nesting tour?

It costs $60 per person with a minimum of 2 people, and children 2 and under do not pay. You pay a $20 deposit per person online and the balance in cash, in US dollars or colones, on the day of the tour.

Do you pick up guests outside Tamarindo?

Transportation from Tamarindo is included. From farther areas such as Hacienda Pinilla, Conchal or Flamingo there is an extra transportation cost, paid directly to the driver.

Which turtles am I most likely to see on this tour?

Mostly olive ridley and black turtles. Hawksbills appear sometimes, and leatherbacks only occasionally.

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