Explore Tortuga Island, Costa Rica - Vol 2-2012Released on Mar. 30, 2012 |
Just off the coast of the Nicoya Peninsula lies the Tortuga Island. My brothers and sisters and I often see tourists boarding the boats that sail across the blue waters toward this beautiful island. It's a little difficult for us to reach it, being tree frogs and all, but sometimes we stow away on the ferries and head over to see our friends on the island.
Let's go exploring and learn about all the fun things you can do there!
Gotta bounce!
Javi the Frog
Explore Tortuga Island, Costa Rica
In this Issue
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Tortuga Island
Latest Posts from my new Blog
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What to do on Tortuga Island
Many thousands of visitors flock to the Tortuga Island every year due to its stunning natural beauty, unspoiled beaches and crystal-clear waters. Travelers can take a catamaran ferry from Puntarenas to reach the island, a journey that takes around 90 minutes. My brothers and sisters and I have seen some adventurous tourists taking speedboats across the water, which takes much less time!
Snorkeling on Tortuga Island
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Once people arrive on the island, they can do all sorts of fun things. A lot of visitors go snorkeling, as the visibility underwater off the coast of the island is excellent. The warm water is also great for swimming, and we often see tourists playing and splashing around. Some tour companies offer kayaking trips out on the water, or adventures aboard a special kind of boat called a Spyak, which has a fiberglass bottom so tourists can see the fish swimming beneath their boat!
For visitors who'd rather stay on dry land, there's lots of activities to do. The island is criss-crossed with great hiking trails, and some converge on a lookout point high up on the island, offering active tourists spectacular views of the surrounding jungle and ocean. During the dry season, people often play volleyball right on the beach.
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| Featured Tour |
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Costa Rica Cloud Forest & Volcano Tour
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Costa Rica Cloud Forest & Volcano Tour, offers you to stay at two of the most beautiful destinatinos in Costa Rica on this 5 Day / 4 Night vacation package.
Locations: Monteverde Cloud Forest and La Fortuna / Arenal Volcano
Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
Prices Starting at $498.00 per person
Special offer: Relax your body and your senses and pamper yourself. Reviece a free Garden Massage and a free Facil Massage while listening to Arenal Volcano erupt. Special only vaild if you reserve Tourist Class accommodations.
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| Tour Rates | More Details |
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The History of Tortuga Island
The tranquil island of Tortuga Island has been inhabited by the indigenous people of Costa Rica for hundreds of years. The entire Nicoya region, including Tortuga and its neighboring islands, were an important part of the Nahuan tribal culture as far back as the 1500s. Over the years, the region has become increasingly popular with tourists due to the lush vegetation and swaying palm trees that line the island's sandy beaches.
Vintage engraving from 1878 of the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica
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Tortuga was permitted to develop largely autonomously by the Spanish Conquistadors due to its lack of a significant labor force. Indigenous people tended their own land, observed their own customs and were left in relative isolation and peace by the Spanish from the 1600s onward.
Today, Tortuga Island is largely uninhabited, but has become one of the hottest tourist spots in all of Costa Rica. The island attracts more than 120 visitors per week, and lies directly across the water from the Curu Wildlife Refuge. The surge in popularity of Tortuga Island could be due to the serene, tropical environment and calming natural beauty of the island.
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| Sponsored Hotel |
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| Hotel Villas Rio Mar |
Hotel Villas Rio Mar is set on the banks of the Barú river, located 800 mtrs from the beach and surrounded by impressive tropical forests, the jungle resort Villas Rio Mar awaits you with traditional friendly hospitality.
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| Amenities | Rooms & Rates | More Details |
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Flora and fauna of Tortuga Island
One of the reasons that Tortuga Island is so popular with tourists is because of the abundance of exotic plants and animals that call the area home. Tourists who appreciate nature will definitely want to bring their cameras!
Spinner Dolphins near Tortuga Island
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Even the catamaran ride to the island can be a wildlife enthusiast's dream. Travelers can watch huge manta rays, whale sharks and sea turtles in the water as they approach Tortuga Island. Once visitors get to the island, they can see a variety of marine life in the waters off the shore, including angel fish, spinner dolphins and octopuses.
Back on dry land, a variety of remarkable creatures can be seen by tourists visiting the island. Exotic birds such as quetzals, green ibis and the northern caracara can all be seen in the dense, lush greenery that covers the island. Other species that call Tortuga Island home include sloths, spider monkeys, jaguarundi and margay cats.
Visitors touring the lush jungles of the islands can also see a huge variety of exotic plant life and flowers while exploring this tropical paradise.
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| Sponsored Activity |
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| Coco Beauty Spa |
Coco Beauty Spa offers distinct Argentinan beauty supplies and an array of treatments that are as unique and individual as its owner. Massages and body treatments are specifically tailored for individual needs, and include healing stone massages, aromatherapy message, deep tissue massage, Swedish massage, a very memorable four-hand massage conducted by two masseuses, Royal Thai Herbal Bundle massage, and many other services.
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