It is possible to see sea turtles in Guatemala, and yes! But where do you go to observe these creatures?
Guatemala is perhaps less known than its neighbours like Mexico or Costa Rica, and yet its fauna and flora are dense and especially preserved from mass tourism! In Guatemala, you can admire baby turtles on beautiful beaches of black sand. What do you think?
Where to see sea turtles in Guatemala?
Photo credit: Flickr – Magnus Franklin
The most likely place where you can admire baby turtles but mostly turtles coming to Guatemala is on the Pacific coast, near Monterrico. This is where the Tortugario Center is located, which you can visit. This center is responsible for harvesting eggs laid on the beaches of Monterrico and the surrounding area, to put them safe (and thus preventing them from getting eaten by predators or being stolen by inhabitants). They take care of it until the eggs hatch and then release the baby turtles in the middle of the sea!
Not far from there, Monterrico's biotope is a huge mangrove where turtles also come to lay and lay their eggs.
When do you see sea turtles in Guatemala?
Photo credit: Flickr – Beth Jusino
The turtle deck period takes place only a few weeks in the year, so you will have to travel to Guatemala at the right time to attend this unique show! Indeed, it is between August and September that you have the best chance to see it, especially if you walk the night on the beach. Hundreds of turtles come to lay on the Pacific coasts.
With respect to cowards of baby turtles, they arrive later in the year as it takes between 60 and 90 days on average for a turtle egg to hatch.
Getting to Monterrico
To get to the south coast, there are collective shuttles leaving every day from the city of Antigua and Panajachel to Lake Atitlan. It will take 2.30 and 3 hours respectively to get there, and about 20 euros.
The best to admire this phenomenon is to choose a hotel located directly by the sea in Monterrico or El Paredon, the two seaside resorts on the coast. You can find a cheap hotel in Monterrico by looking for this Compare hotels .
Main photo credit: Flickr – Beth Jusino
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