Giant Sea Turtle Conservation Tour in Bocas del Toro｜Canada

The Giant Sea Turtle Conservation Tour takes place at Bluff Beach in Bocas del Toro. You can take a taxi from Bocas Town or stay at a hotel right on Bluff Beach. There, you will meet your guide—an expert in turtle conservation. Since 2010, a regular sea turtle monitoring and conservation program has been conducted at Bluff Beach. This initiative is coordinated by a local community organization, with support from the Sea Turtle Conservancy and financial assistance from USAID’s regional program for aquatic resource management and economic alternatives. Responsible tourism activities also contribute to funding turtle conservation efforts.

This nocturnal sea turtle nesting tour takes place on a beach that stretches for 4.3 kilometers. Two time slots are available each night: from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and from 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Located on Isla Colon (Bocas del Toro), this beach receives approximately 250 leatherback turtle nests, 100 hawksbill turtle nests, and between 1 and 5 green turtle nests annually.

It is the leatherback turtles that make this place so special. Being able to observe the largest of all living turtles is a truly memorable experience. It is as large as a human being, reaching a length of 5.6 feet (approx. 1.7 meters). This turtle is the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile in existence, reaching a weight of 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds)! Adult specimens measure between 4.5 and over 6 feet (1.4 to 1.8 meters) in length. The largest specimen recorded to date was found in Wales, measuring 6.6 feet (2 meters) long and weighing 1,980 pounds (900 kilograms). Your guide will measure every turtle that comes ashore and maybe you can break that record!

The nocturnal turtle tour allows you to observe the turtles as they lay their eggs. Since this is a scientific observation activity, protocols must be followed to ensure the well-being of the turtles, as they are an endangered species. Your guide will provide further information about these fascinating creatures as you walk along one of the most beautiful beaches in Bocas del Toro. The Giant Sea Turtle Conservation Tour is available from April through mid-September.