Category Archives: Costa Rica Customized Tours

Best Time to See an Arribada in Costa Rica – 2025/2026 Nesting Season Guide

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So you want to see an Arribada in Costa Rica. As we are coming to the end of 2025 and peek Arribada season here in Costa Rica, we want to touch on the best nights to witness an arribada in these final months of 2025 and look forward to the 2026 Olive Ridley Sea Turtle nesting season.

What is an arribada?

If you are just learning about arribadas, or have no idea what one is, Arribada is the Spanish word for “arrival”, in this case, it refers to a mast nesting event of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. Here in Costa Rica we have many nesting beaches and several species of turtles that nest here. Arribadas are a little different, imagine hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of turtles all coming to shore to nest at the same time! This happens over a few days, and it is truly a wonder of nature. This can be a life-changing event for many people who witness the phenomenon, it is humbling.

 

 

 

Arribada Costa Rica 2025 - Ostional

Where to see an Arribada?

To see an arribada you need to be in the right place at the right time. This only happens in a handful of places around the world, and here in Costa Rica, we have 2 beaches where they nest in large numbers. Ostional in the Ostional Wildlife refuge, and Playa Nancita, in Sant Rosa National park further north. Arribadas mostly happen in the green season during the months of July through October.

Ostional, Costa Rica - This is the more accessible area for seeing an arribada. Getting to see an arribada you need to be in the area for a few days. This is always going to be hit or miss, nature is going to cooperate, or not. You can stay in the area, or nearby in Nosara or Sámara. All 3 put you in position to see an arribada.

When to see an Arribada - Moon Cycles and Best Nights for an Arribada – A mentioned the best months for an arribada are July - Ocotober but having an understanding of moon cycles is crucial. Turtles nest on the darkest nights of the month, this means you want to be in the area usually a few days before a new moon. The days leading up to the new moon and a few days after are the darkest of the month and most likely the time for nesting activity. In a nutshell, 3-4 days before the new moon on through to 3-4 days after the new moon, that will increase your odds. This chart is a great visual representation of moon cycles.

Monthly Date Sets for a likely arribada in Costa Rica - 2025

September 2025
New Moon: 21st
Be in the Ostional area: Sept, 18th – 25th

October 2025
New Moon: 21st
Be in the Ostional area: Oct, 18th – 25th

November 2025
New Moon: 20th
Be in the Ostional area: Nov, 17th – 24th

December 2025
New Moon: 19th
Be in the Ostional area: Dec, 16th – 23rd

Ostional arribada

Seeing an Arribada in Costa Rica - 2026 Season

Looking ahead into the 2026 Arribada season, we can determine what likely will be the best nights to be in the right area of Costa Rica and the right time of month. With that, let’s explore 2026.

January 2026
New Moon: 18th
Be in the Ostional area: Jan, 15th – 22nd

February 2026
New Moon: 17th
Be in the Ostional area: Feb 14th – 21st

March 2026
New Moon: 18th
Be in the Ostional area: March 15th – 22nd

April 2026
New Moon: 17th
Be in the Ostional area: April 14th – 21st

May 2026
New Moon: 16th
Be in the Ostional area: May 13th – 20th

June 2026
New Moon: 14th
Be in the Ostional area: June 11th – 18th

July 2026
New Moon: 14th
Be in the Ostional area: July 11th – 18th

August 2026
New Moon: 12th
Be in the Ostional area: Aug 9th – 16th

September 2026
New Moon: 10th
Be in the Ostional area: Sept, 7th – 14th

October 2026
New Moon: 10th
Be in the Ostional area: Oct 7th – 14th

November 2026
New Moon: 9th
Be in the Ostional area: Nov, 6th – 13th

December 2026
New Moon: 8th
Be in the Ostional area: Dec 5th – 12th

* Remember, there are no guarantees to see an arribada on these dates, sometimes they come early, sometimes they come late, and sometimes they do not come at all. They prefer to nest in the green/rainy season, and they prefer dark nights. 

We hope you found today's post on arribadas helpful! We do this post every year in hopes that more people become aware of the magic of nature, and the wonders she has to show us. If you are interested in seeing an arribada and are planning your vacation with us, please let your travel planner know. Contact us at info@crreferrals.com or you can start building your Costa Rica trip here.

When is the best time to see an Arribada in Costa Rica in 2023?

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It is that time of year again, our yearly Arribada update! So when is the best time to see an Arribada in Costa Rica in 2023? Before we get deeper into that, let’s talk about this amazing show of nature. For those who have not heard an arribada, also known as a mass nesting event, is a phenomenon that occurs in some species of sea turtles, in which large numbers of females come ashore to lay their eggs in a single location. This typically occurs at night and can involve thousands or even tens of thousands of turtles nesting over a several day period.

Costa Rica Turtle Nesting 2022a
Arribada Costa Rica 2022a

In Costa Rica, arribadas are most commonly associated with the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, which is one of the most abundant sea turtle species in the world. Costa Rica is home to several important nesting sites for the Olive Ridley, including Playa Nancite in the Santa Rosa National Park, and Playa Ostional in the Ostional National Wildlife Refuge.

Visitors to Costa Rica may have the opportunity to witness an Arribada if they visit one of these nesting sites during the appropriate season. However, it is important to note that sea turtle nesting is a protected activity in Costa Rica, and visitors should only observe the turtles with the guidance of a trained and authorized guide. Let your C.R. Referrals Travel Planner know you want to try and see an Arribada on your Costa Rica adventure!

Turtles nest during the darkest nights of the month, you want to be in the area around a new moon. They are most active in the green/rainy season.  Ostional is the best area for an arribada in Costa Rica. In 2023 the new moon falls on the following days each month.

arribada costa rica 2023

January and February are not great months for an Arribada, but the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle does nest year round and there is in fact an Arribada happening right now! Activity can still be witnessed on the darker nights of the month.

Arribadas costa rica in 2023 best nights

Like January and February, March and April are okay months for an Arribada, turtles are still nesting in the area in smaller numbers.

Arribada in Costa Rica, best months

As we get into the start of the Green/Rainy season, Turtle nesting activities start to increase. The further we go into the rainy season the more activity and in turn greater likelihood of seeing an Arribada. Arrive sometime the week before the new moon.

Arribada in june or july 2023

Looking at the darkest nights, you want to be in position in the Ostional area on July 14th or 15th, and staying through the new moon. Or arriving on or around August 13th and staying through the new moon. These are the ideal nights for mid year in 2023.

Some of the best months are September and October. The time to be in the Ostional area are the week leading up to the New moon, September 10th and on Oct 10th.

Best months for an arribada in costa rica in 2023

Arribada November December 2023

Your last months to see and Arribada in 2023, arrive sometime the week beore the new moon to increase your chances.

Nature is always hit or miss, but with careful planning you can increase your chances to witness a true wonder of nature. Contact us to start planning your customized Costa Rica adventure!

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle 2023 Costa Rica

Seeing an Arribada in Costa Rica – What are the best months in 2022?

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An arribada (arrival), is a mass nesting event of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. Sea turtles will travel thousands of miles to nest on the same beaches they were born on. This incredible sense of direction is done through expert navigation on the turtle’s part using the Earth’s magnetic field to guide them. When you think about it, this is simply incredible, but there are other complexities & mysteries in the life of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle.

The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle and the phenomenon known as an Arribada, as mentioned, is a mass nesting event. Now when we say, “mass nesting”, we mean MASS NESTING! Tens of thousands of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles will visit over the course of a few nights to lay their precious eggs into the warm sands they themselves were born on.

Olive Ridley Sea Turtle 2022 Costa Rica

There are several theories on what might trigger an arribada including, lunar cycles, offshore winds, and the release of pheromones by females. Scientists have yet to conclusively determine why exactly arribadas occur, likely a combination of the above. Lucky for us Costa Rica is host to not 1 beach, but 2 beaches that see regular Arribada’s throughout the green season. Ostional and Rosa Blanca are the beaches that see regular Arribadas throughout the year.

The most accessible area of Costa Rica to witness this spectacular display of nature is Ostional. Here during the darkest nights of the rainy season, you have a very good chance to see something few on Earth get to see. The miracle of life, on the grand stage, in a most dramatic fashion!

We are looking for the darkest nights in each month. The New Moon offers the right conditions, the nights on or around the new moon is the target date range each month. With the exception of March and April, the new moon tends to fall on the latter half of each month in 2022. See the moon phase graph below to get an idea of when to travel.

Moon Phases 2022

Visiting a Nesting Beach: Visiting during sea turtle nesting times it is VERY important to wear dark clothing so as not to distract the turtles. Traditional flashlights are also not allowed, this would disturb the turtles as they fulfill their task, bright lights will do exactly that. Keep your distance from the turtles as they nest, respect their space and never interfere with natures work.

Arribada Costa Rica 2022a Costa Rica Turtle Nesting 2022a

The best dates in 2022 to see an Arribada are: Jan 31st – March 2nd – April 1st – May 30th – June 28th – July 28th – Aug 27th – Sep 25th – Oct 25th – Nov 23rd – Dec 23rd. The days in and around a new moon is the time to come to witness this. The Samara & Nosara areas of Costa Rica offer a good solid jumping off point to see this wonder of nature. Having an expert naturalist guide with you will enhance your experience and we have access to some of the best guides in Costa Rica.

Ask your travel planner about including our “Epic Add On – The Arribada” to your customized Costa Rica trip.  You can use our online Costa Rica trip builder to start building your trip!

Costa Rica Volunteer Adventures

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Just wanted to take a minute to talk a little about some of my favorite trips to plan, our Costa Rica Volunteer Adventures. Spend part of your time as a wildlife volunteer and the rest on an epic adventure of a lifetime! Our trips are fully customizable to your travel style and budget, our Costa Rica Volunteer Adventures are no exception.

The trips we create can take many shapes! There are several options for those looking to get more involved when visiting Costa Rica. If you want to get up close and personal with sloths, volunteering is the best way to do it! On the other hand, if you want to visit an orphanage or organic farm, these options are also available. We will match your interests when creating your adventure.

Bably Sloths

For example, In the Arenal Volcano area I love sending travelers to Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center for a half day or full day wildlife volunteer experience. Here you work with orphaned monkeys, sloths, and other wildlife. These rescue facilitates are vital to helping those that have no voice in this world. The goal is always to release animals once they have healed but in some cases this is not possible due to injury or trauma. These facilities take care of the needs of our most beloved and treasured neighbors.

2020 Costa Rica wildlife volunteer

If you are a dog lover like me you may want to volunteer at one of our dog shelters here in Costa Rica! There are several that can always use a helping hand. Territorio de Zaguates is probably the most famous, well known for their EPIC dog hikes, this is also an EPIC ADD ON for our trips! Imagine yourself hiking through the fields with several hundred dogs as your guide! We can help make that happen.

A volunteer adventure adds a deeper meaning to a trip and it helps the local communities you visit. After all, giving back to our communities we share the world with is the greatest gift we can give. We do not take any commissions for any volunteer elements in any of our trips. Our feeling has always been that money spent on this stays with the rescue facility in its entirety.

We hope to hear from you soon to start planning your very own Costa Rica volunteer adventure!