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Despite its isolation - 254km from San Jose by road and water, and 83km northwest of Limon - PARQUE NACIONAL TORTUGUERO (US$6) is extremely popular wtih visitors. The park is one of the most important nesting sights in the world for the green sea turtle , which, along with the hawksbill, lays its eggs here between July and October. First established in the 1960s, Tortuguero covers a large area - 189.5 square kilometres to be exact - protecting not only the turtle nesting beach, but also surrounding forests, canals and waterways. Except for a short dry season during February and March, Tortugero receives over 6000mm of rain a year, a soggy environment which hosts a wide abundance of species: fifty kinds of fish , numerous birds , including the endangered green parrot and the vulture, and some 160 mammals , some under the threat of extinction. It's the turtles that draw people here, however, and the sight of the gentle beasts tumbling ashore and shimmying their way up the beach to deposit their heavy load before limping back, spent, into the dark phosphorescent waves is truly moving. The most popular way to see Tortuguero is on one of literally hundreds of packages that use the expensive "jungle lodges" across the canal from the village. These are usually two-night, three-day affairs, although you can certainly go for longer. Accommodation, meals and transport are taken care of, while guides point out wildlife along the river and canals on the way. The main difference between tours comes in the standard of hotels. With a little planning, you can also get to Tortuguero independently and stay in cabinas in the village , which is a more interesting little place than initial impressions might suggest. Basing yourself here allows you to explore the beach at leisure - though you can't swim - and leaves you in easy reach of restaurants and bars.
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