Turtle Beach Lodge is an all-inclusive jungle lodge on 175 acres north of Tortuguero village, set between the black-water canal of Caño Palma and a wild Caribbean beach where sea turtles nest. Guests arrive by boat on a package that covers transport from San José, meals and guided tours. It’s further from the village bustle than most Tortuguero lodges, which is exactly why people choose it.
At a glance
| Location | On Caño Palma, north of Tortuguero village, Limón province |
|---|---|
| Style | All-inclusive lodge sold as 1 to 4 night packages |
| Setting | 175 acres of rainforest between a canal and a nesting beach |
| Best for | Couples and families who want a quiet, structured Tortuguero visit |
| Getting there | Road transfer from San José to the coast, then boat; included in packages |
| CST status | Not listed in the CST directory (checked 2026-10-21) |
Where it is
Tortuguero has no roads to the outside world. Boats replace buses here, and the lodge sits along Caño Palma, a narrow canal of dark, tannin-stained water that runs north from the village, parallel to the sea. Sources put the lodge somewhere between 5 and 8 km north of the village, about 1.5 hours by boat from the mainland landing. The canal continues north toward the Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge, and the main body of Tortuguero National Park lies to the south.
The property stretches from the canal to the Caribbean, so guests have both a boat dock and a long beach on their doorstep. That beach is a real nesting beach: the lodge describes it as used by turtles to nest. Like most of this coast, it has strong surf.
How a stay works
Almost everyone comes on a package from 2 days and 1 night up to 5 days and 4 nights. According to the lodge, packages include:
- Transport from and back to San José, including the boat transfer.
- All meals.
- A room for the length of the stay.
- A guided canal tour with a stop in Tortuguero village.
- A guided walk on the lodge’s private trail.
Park entrance fees, the seasonal night turtle tour, drinks and snacks, fishing and the canopy tour are extra.
Rooms come as singles, doubles, triples and quadruples, which makes the lodge an easy choice for families and small groups of friends. The lodge’s own site says little about the rooms themselves, so ask about bed layouts when you book.
Tours from the lodge
The tours page describes the main outings:
- Caño Palma canal tour: a slow ride on one of the lodge’s quietest boats, with guides watching the banks for birds, mammals and frogs.
- Tortuguero village: about 1.5 hours to walk around the Afro-Caribbean village, see the park office and try a local pati pastry.
- Chocuaco Trail: a flat guided walk on the property, named after the boat-billed heron (chocuaco in Spanish) that nests in the swamp nearby. Small red frogs, red-eyed tree frogs and lizards are regulars.
- Kayaking on Laguna Cuatro: a lagoon about 2 km north of the lodge, fed by Caño Palma. The lodge has its own kayaks, or you can go by guided boat.
There’s also a canopy tour and fishing trips, and in season a guided night tour to watch green turtles nest.
Turtles
Tortuguero is the most important green turtle nesting beach in the Western Hemisphere, and that’s the main reason to visit between July and October. Leatherbacks nest in smaller numbers earlier in the year. Night tours follow strict park rules: only licensed guides, no lights or photos, and limited group sizes. The lodge books these tours for its guests. Read more in our Tortuguero National Park guide and our guide to sea turtle nesting in Costa Rica.
Around the lodge
Between tours there’s a pool, a bar where you can play pool or sip a cappuccino, a dock on the canal for quiet reading, and beach volleyball on the sand. The facilities page shows the layout. Meals are Caribbean-style cooking by local chefs, using ingredients from the area, in a tradition that mixes African, Chinese and European influences going back to the late 1800s.
Community and conservation
According to the lodge, it has donated to COTERC, the Canadian conservation charity that runs the Caño Palma Biological Station on the same canal, for turtle research and for its turtle museum. It also says it helped rebuild the local school and gave musical instruments to a children’s dance troupe in the area. These are the lodge’s own claims, and it isn’t listed in the CST sustainability directory.
Who it suits, and who might prefer somewhere else
Turtle Beach Lodge suits travelers who want a well-organized, good-value Tortuguero trip with everything arranged, and a quieter setting than the lodges facing the village. Families appreciate the pool and the quad rooms.
Because it’s further from the park entrance, every trip to the village or the main park canals adds boat time. Travelers who want to walk to the village or stay right on the main lagoon might prefer Tortuga Lodge and Gardens or Pachira Lodge. For more choices on this coast, see the Caribbean eco lodges.
Frequently asked questions
Is Turtle Beach Lodge inside Tortuguero National Park?
It sits on Caño Palma, north of Tortuguero village, rather than in the park sector around the village itself. Park entrance fees aren't included in packages, so expect to pay them when tours enter the park.
Can I see turtles nesting on the lodge's own beach?
Turtles do nest on the beach in front of the property, but sightings are seasonal and never guaranteed. Organized night turtle tours with licensed guides run in season and are booked as an extra.
Can I swim in the sea?
The Caribbean here has strong currents and surf, so most visitors stick to the lodge pool and the calm canal for kayaking.
How long should I stay?
2 nights is the minimum most people recommend for Tortuguero, so the 3-day package gives you a full day of tours. The lodge offers up to 4 nights.
