How weird is this. With friends Joellen and Jonas and their daughter Astrid we decided to visit the Pacific Ridley Sea Turtles laying their eggs at the beach in Ostional National Wildlife Refuge. As we find a guide and start walking down the beach, trying to avoid all the broken eggs shards and egg goo, we are approached by a Japanese film crew. They are apparently filming a documentary about the turtles laying their eggs and the importance of preservation and they are asking if they can film our families as we visit the beach. I personally hate being interviewed and filmed, but ever professional JoEllen (former auctioneer so…) steps right up and expertly answers all their questions and she naturally sounded like she knew all about turtles.
It was quite amazing seeing all these turtles in one place. Over a few days, several times a year, the arribadas (arrival) take place; the turtles come to shore, slowly make their way up the beach, dig a hole, lay their eggs, and then equally slowly make their way back to the sea. Unfortunately there are so many turtles, laying so many eggs, that the beach gets over crowded and turtles that arrive later tend to dig up other turtles’ eggs and break them in the process. The last few days of the arribadas, teh ebach is full of rotten eggs and shells. Another issue is the ever present poaching of eggs. Poaching, selling, cooking and eating. Apparently these turtle eggs are a delicacy. Now adays the preserve is guarded even at night to protect the eggs and the baby turtles.
Visiting the beach is done with a guide. The guides were all biology students engaged in the preservation of the Costa Rican wildlife and our guide knew quite a lot and was very helpful. The cost was usd 10 per person and the guides are available at the entry to the beach. To get here make sure you have a good car since the roads are awful. We actually left our sedan at at he hotel and hired a driver with a jeep to take us to the beach for usd 50, arranged by the hotel. That was a good choice as we traversed several mini rivers which would have undoubtedly broken our car.
We stayed at the L’Aqua Viva Resort and Spa, about 15 minutes from the beach on the road between Nosara andPlaya Guiones. It was nice, almost deserted, in the middle of lots of greenery, just off the main road. The place felt kind of eery since no one was in the restaurant for dinner, the staff looked surprised to see us and we were alone most everywhere we went in the resort area, and it was generally just an odd feeling. For breakfast the next day there were more some people and it felt more normal, less like we were intruding. The greenery made it very humid and very, very mosquito prone. bring lots of repellant! As most places in Costa Rica the restaurant was expensive and the food bland, but it was nice and quiet. They had several pools and best of all small kid play area in a corner of the restaurant. This is quite brilliant, the kids are entertained and the parents get to relax!. The hotel is around usd 100 a night. The rooms are clean and modest, but overall the impression was of a place that has seen better days and that needs some staff overhaul, some service lessons and some cleaning up. Do not get a room near the road as the morning traffic noise is awful.
The next day, on our way back to Tamarindo, we stopped in Nosara for lunch. We found the much recommended Beach Dog Cafe. It was good! It was like finding an American Burger(sandwich joint hang out smack in the Costa Rican jungle. I had a chicken sandwich, with avocado, lettuce, tomato, bacon, the works, just like I always use to love back in San Francisco. It was so good, and actually the best thing I had in Costa Rica for the whole month. No offense Costa Rica but food is not your thing. The guy who ran the place was very friendly and sweet, great service and nice ambiance all round.! I highly recommend it if you are passing by. It was also on the less expensive side in Costa Rica.
Nosara and the small towns around are nice, they are not really much to speak of as towns, they seemed pretty deserted when we were there, not a lot of people and very, very laid back, which is a good thing, but sometimes some more action is desired. Ss with many places in costa rica, if you are not into surfing, diving or yoga, well it is not much to do. The scenery is beautiful, the greenery very green and the beaches very nice.
The roads between Nosara and Tamarindo are ok. Some really bad ones with potholes, other new and paved. if it is the rainy season, do get a four wheel or at least a car that sits higher of the ground. A sedan will not make it and most insurance does not cover breakage due to your driving in unsuitable conditions.
Watching the turtles was magical. We were there just before sunset and it was quite amazing seeing all these turtles, fewer at first, more and more as it got darker, slowly make their way across the beach, leaving marks along the sand. My son found it utterly captivating (well, for the first half hour, after which went of on his own adventures). especially as the turtles were swept off back into the waves. Seeing how the eggs were laid, in the newly dug holes was another special moment. The kids got to experience first hand how nature ‘works’ and learn why it is so important to preserve their habitat and guard their eggs. I have never seen anything quite like it!.