Isla Cañas: Newborn Turtle Release Tour with Breakfast｜Canada

Approximately 35,000 sea turtles lay their eggs each year on Isla Cañas, depositing nearly 600,000 eggs. Half are raised in a hatchery, and the other half remain in their natural habitat. The main turtle species are the olive ridley, hawksbill, loggerhead, and green and black turtles. Watching the turtles hatch and take their first steps in the Pacific Ocean is an unforgettable experience.

Isla Cañas is one of the eleven most important nesting sites in the world for sea turtles. These eleven beaches witness the arrival of numerous turtles to lay their eggs. Panama has two beaches where this phenomenon can be observed.

From September to January, you can witness the release of newborn turtles on Cañas Island. The tour begins at the Cañas port on the mainland. You'll cross by boat through the mangroves. If the tide is very low, you may have to walk. It will still be dark, as this tour begins before dawn. You'll board a horse-drawn cart (sometimes a pickup truck) to go to the turtle hatchery on the beach.

Your guide, with the help of a park ranger, will identify the nests with baby turtles. These will be selected and taken to the beach so they can enter the water at dawn, which is safer for them. After this beautiful experience, you'll return to town by cart for breakfast at a local family home. Return to the mainland, where your excursion ends.