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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, check out some of our holiday offers below.
- Destinations
- South America
- Costa Rica
- The Caribbean Lowlands
- Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero National Park
Despite its isolation on the northern part of the Caribbean
coast, Tortuguero National Park is an extremely popular destination
and one of the most important nesting sites of the green sea
turtle, which lays its eggs here between July and October. Three
other turtle species also use the beach as a nesting ground, namely
the giant leatherback, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles. The park
covers an area of over 120 square miles (189 sq km), protecting not
only the turtle beach, but also wetlands and swamps, forests and
one of the most developed reefs in the country. Nature trails in
the park offer opportunities for wildlife viewing and birding and a
network of waterways serves as an alternative method of
transportation and exploration.
Approximately 50 percent of Costa Rica's bird and reptile
species are found in the park along with a diversity of flora and
fauna, including some of the endangered mammals like the jaguar,
sloth, tapir and manatee. Most visitors come to watch the
spectacular sight of thousands of marine turtles laying their eggs
or to observe the hatching. Guided tours are recommended to control
the amount of disturbance caused by the increasing numbers of
tourists, and guides provide a wealth of information about the
area. Beaches are beautiful but not suitable for swimming as the
surf is rough and sharks are present. The area also receives a
large amount of rain and insect repellent is necessary to keep the
mosquitoes at bay.
Information & Facts
Language
Spanish is the official language, but English is widely
spoken.
Money
The Costa Rican Colón (CRC) is divided into 100 céntimos and is
the official currency, although US Dollars are also widely
accepted. US Dollars and travellers cheques can be exchanged in
banks and many hotels. Banks charge a service fee for cashing
travellers cheques and currency other than US$ is difficult to
exchange. Using black market exchange options is risky as they have
been known to pass on counterfeit bills printed in Colombia. Banks
close anywhere from 3pm to 6pm. Major credit cards are widely
accepted, although American Express and Diners Club might be more
limited. ATMs are available in major towns throughout the country,
but it is advisable to always have some local cash handy.
Time