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

Posted on January 18, 2023January 31, 2023 by James Armstrong

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.

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!

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

Posted on January 26, 2022January 26, 2022 by James Armstrong

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 31^st – March 2^nd – April 1^st – May 30^th – June 28^th – July 28^th – Aug 27^th – Sep 25^th – Oct 25^th – Nov 23^rd – Dec 23^rd. 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

Posted on September 16, 2021September 17, 2021 by James Armstrong

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.

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.

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!