Playa Tortuga Conservation Volunteer Project, Costa Rica

My family and I stayed at Tortuga Reserve in April 2023. What a fantastic time we had!

We are a family of 4 – our children are 10 and 12 years old, and staying at Tortuga was a real highlight of our time in Costa Rica.

All communication was excellent – right from first contacting Vicky at workingabroad.com a full year before our trip, up to receiving what’s app messages from staff at Tortuga a couple of days before we arrived. We were given a lovely welcome by Linnea, who showed us around and talked us through our all-important schedule. Our family room was basic but perfectly serviceable and became a real home-from-home during our stay. Without exception, all the staff and volunteers made us feel welcome and we were involved in activities pretty much as soon as we arrived.

Our children loved their time at Tortuga, and both say it was their favourite part of the holiday. They were a great age for having a bit of independence and spending time with the older interns and volunteers – going off to check the hatchery without boring Mum and Dad in tow!

Other activities included monitoring the local capuchin monkey population and helping another of the interns with their studies on scarlet macaws; working in the butterfly garden – finding the right leaves for different caterpillar species, carefully transferring chrysalis into a special cupboard and finally releasing butterflies into the butterfly enclosure; visiting a local coral laboratory; collecting plastic from a local beach; planting new samplings and looking after the new mangrove nursery and going on bird watching walks.

My early morning walks (5.30am is a good time to set off!) down to the beach will be a memory I always hold dear – the peace and tranquillity of hearing only the bird call and the waves in such an unspoiled setting is pretty special.
Thank you Tortuga, for a wonderful stay – wish it could have been for longer!

Our family (2 adults and 2 ten year olds) volunteered with Volunteer-abroad at Playa Tortuga for ten days which was a fantastic experience. Vicky helped us every step of the way from choosing the right project for us as a family, through the application process to helping with the many questions we had. We all thoroughly enjoyed all our time there and were sad when we had to leave. There was always something going on at the reserve which meant there was always a wide range of different activities to complete – whether this was undertaking monkey surveys, helping in the butterfly farm, looking for tent bats or monitoring macaw behaviour amongst other things! Our favourite activity was helping release the baby turtles back into the wild after counting, weighing and measuring them. The food was excellent, and it was great that you got to help yourself to breakfast and dinner – always lots of supplies to choose from. We loved it here, learnt so much and will always remember our time there and the friends we made. Truly unforgettable – and something that the kids will remember forever.

We would give it 5 stars out of five! The girls want to give it 10 out of 5!

Vicky expertly guided us through the application and booking process, answering all our questions quickly and efficiently, and Oscar the Director at the reserve provided a detailed volunteer manual; so we felt very prepared and excited ahead of the trip although we were slightly nervous about how our first family volunteer experience would go in a tropical country with all the challenges that bring (heat, humidity, insects, unusual food etc.)

We need not have worried – words cannot express how truly amazing this week was!

As soon as we arrived at the reserve we were given a very warm welcome and tour by the staff and fellow volunteers, setting us at ease straight away. Arriving on a Sat lunchtime, we didn’t have any duties to do that day so we settled into the basic but comfortable room and headed to the glorious, palm tree & rainforest lined beach – encountering a cheeky troupe of white-faced capuchin monkeys along the way playing in the treetops!

Over the course of the week, we were there in December, we were incredibly blessed to be part of 5 turtle releases (multiple nests hatched whilst we were there containing nearly 1,000 babies, all released safely to the sea.) We were also very lucky to excavate a nest ourselves – digging through the sand to get the little fellas out safe and sound is an experience I will never forget. Our nest contained 63 babies and 21 unhatched eggs (which are examined for data gathering) – all wriggly, cute and desperate to get to the ocean, which they did at sunset after we’d weighed and measured them.

In between volunteer duties, we had time off to relax, eat and play games (lots and lots of Top Trumps!) Ryan, the volunteer coordinator, often takes volunteers out on trips to the local area, we were lucky to go on two waterfall trips in the week we stayed. Ryan has young children himself so was great with us and was impressed with Amelie’s abundance of energy and growing knowledge of the rainforest.

The week was an awesome bonding experience and the special, unique memories we made, we will treasure forever. So incredibly proud of how Amelie adapted to the environment and really made the most of every opportunity. It was a real privilege to be a small part of the excellent work Oscar and the rest of the team do at Playa Tortuga.

“My daughter and I had an AMAZING experience in Reserva Playa Tortuga!! We met so many wonderful new people and the staff was wonderful also! We definitely recommend it! We learned so much from them and got to have some once in a lifetime moments together.”

On planning our family sabbatical we kept a lookout for places where we could volunteer with kids. It formed an important part of the ethos behind our trip, to open our kid’s minds about the world. We wanted to find a way of contributing to the communities we travelled in and felt that joining an organised volunteer programme would be a good, and safe, way of doing this.

We connected with, Working Abroad, to identify suitable volunteering opportunities in Costa Rica. Reserva Playa Tortuga stood out as a place where we could get involved in wildlife conservation. Many of the programmes they run have activities that are suitable for kids too, and they are mindful of volunteer safety, whatever their age. During our seven days with the reserve, we monitored bats and monkeys, counted macaws, planted coconut trees, took part in a beach clean and helped to start an inventory of reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Our highlights were seeing animals in their natural environment. Unlike some of the busy national parks in Costa Rica, these animals haven’t adapted to human visitors. We learnt how to behave so we could observe the animals without scaring them. Seeing capuchin monkeys at rest and howler monkeys at play was a privilege. One of my favourite memories is of Charlie asking Graciela if basilisk lizards could run across ‘rough’ water (rapids). Before Graciela had a chance to answer Charlie watched a basilisk race across a rapid section of the river. That surpasses searching for answers on the internet.

In our normal lives, we don’t get many opportunities to work as a family team. At home the kids have chores, and when we go camping they are given jobs to help out. Volunteering with them gave us a chance to really work together, an experience I would highly recommend to any family. The boys put as much effort in as any of the volunteers working with us that week and were always full of chatter and questions. We were so proud of the way they got involved and always with a positive attitude.

Photo credit: Deborah Patterson / Grand Adventure Story

For my first long term trip abroad, I thought it best to book my experience through a reliable and trustworthy travel company, who would provide help and guidance whenever I may need it. It is safe to say that WorkingAbroad did just that. I felt completely at ease booking my 3 month volunteer program at the Playa Tortuga Conservation project, as I knew I would always be in safe hands. Vicky did an amazing job organising transport for me, providing me with the necessary contacts and altogether making my trip as easy and enjoyable as possible.

Costa Rica is the most beautiful country and I shall never forget the feeling of first seeing the head of a baby Olive Ridley Turtle emerging out of the sand, and then later watching it as it begins its perilous journey into the immense ocean. Or observing the beautiful birds up in the canopy of the rainforest, or monitoring a young caiman that you yourself are holding in your own hands. I cannot recommend conservation volunteering enough – it is the most rewarding and uplifting form of work I ever took part in, and is an experience I will never forget.

As well as feeling confident and excited before the trip began, I felt a great sense of joy and happiness at being in the reserve and surrounded by the other volunteers and staff, who I will remember as being some of the kindest and most passionate people I know. They made sure I felt welcomed and settled in and within days I felt completely at home. After some time, having gained knowledge and responsibility within the reserve, I even began to feel like I was being treated less like a volunteer and more like one of them, and this I really appreciated as it is what ultimately made me envision a future career in this paradise country. Both the help in Costa Rica and back in England helped to give me the trip of a lifetime and I cannot thank either enough for how much they did for me.

We were very happy with this volunteer work. Especially because of the fast answers on the emails at the beginning and the flexibility of the project. We are older so we had quite a few wishes which were all met (private room). We were also very glad that the group of volunteers was small. The food during our stay was also excellent. We were glad that we did not have to cook for everybody and we did not have to clean. The research  subjects were very diverse, which was nice. The coordinator of the reserve and all the other people were very kind and helpful to us!! We had an excellent time and have good remembrances!!

We travelled around Costa Rica for a month and a family vote at the end of the holiday concluded that the Playa Tortuga project was the best and most rewarding part.

In January it was hot and extremely humid but the amazing experiences we had far outweighed the discomfort of this. The highlight was of course the baby turtles. We were too late in the season for the turtles to be nesting but we were lucky enough to be there when a nest hatched. We were tasked with weighing and measuring the wriggling babies (the kids are encouraged to be 100% hands-on with this) and then later in the day we released them into the Pacific, which was incredibly emotional. We also worked with butterflies, went on two night-time snake hunts (a highlight for our 6-year old son), a jungle walk, a monkey hunt to record behaviour and general wildlife sporting. We were lucky enough to see a red-eyed tree frog and a coati.

The interns there were all so attentive, knowledgeable and patient. Oscar runs the reserve. He was determined to make sure we were happy, busy and felt useful. This place is a fantastic experience for the whole family and one we will never forget. The accommodation is basic but adequate. The food is outstanding! We ate better at the reserve than most of the meals out we had elsewhere!! The Playa Tortuga project is highly recommended for those with a genuine interest in wildlife and not afraid of some hard work.

You can read more about the Lea Family’s volunteering adventure in Costa Rica in this blog article.

I have had an amazing and enriching experience in Costa Rica which blew all my expectations away. This project is incredible and I hope other people get to have the same experiences as me!

We had so many special experiences here. There was a big butterfly observation station where we could have a look at butterflies’ eggs, puppets, larvas. It was amazing and interesting. The night walking was the best looking for frogs, snakes and insects. When we found a snake, we did measurements, chipped it and then released him. During night patrol when we used the flash light we saw many crocodiles’ and alligators’ eyes as they watched us. Sometimes those eyes disappeared and I was wondering if they were coming towards us? It was frightening and exciting. But we knew we were safe.

Participating in the turtle rescue program was one of the most beautiful experiences of our life. If I want to describe it in one word: touching.

The staff was really kind and well trained. Everything was perfect. Thank you so much for your work.

We are back from our time at the Playa Tortuga project and Costa Rica as a whole. In short, we had a wonderful time filled with many memories.

Our time at the project was a highlight of our 6 weeks away (2 weeks in Hawaii, 2 at the Playa Tortuga project and two in other areas of Costa Rica.) We loved meeting with and working with the many staff and other volunteers who came in and out, and adored the fact that this project offered a variety of animals and projects to work on. This was ideal for our family because we had a diverse array of comfort levels – some that wanted to work with the crocodiles and others, with the butterflies, for example. We also LOVED the opportunity to take 6 hours of Spanish lessons, offered by the wife of the project – Nelly. This really added to our enjoyment of our time away.

Our quarters were small and basic but sufficient for most of our needs. Our 7-year-old son made good friends with many of the adults at the project, but sadly there were no other young children (which was expected). The internet was kind of patchy, with many times during the day either very slow or non-existent. This did not impact on our enjoyment of the reserve. Finally, the various recommendations (from WA) for hotel accommodation in San Jose and transport to/from the project all worked very well and were gratefully received.

Overall, a wonderful time and an experience we will cherish for a long, long time.

We had an amazing time at the Playa Tortuga project. We enjoyed the opportunity to be involved in the projects they run, in a hands-on way. Everyone at the project was friendly and welcoming. We immediately felt at home. The accommodation is basic, but comfortable and the lunch provided was tasty (other meals we prepared ourselves, from the well-stocked kitchen).

During our stay we worked in the butterfly garden, planted coconut trees, prepared educational materials, monitored frogs and snakes, collected plants, patrolled the beach at night and released baby turtles. We loved it all and even signed up for extra duties. October is pretty rainy, but it’s the best time for turtles. There were turtles laying eggs on the beach or nests discovered most nights and five nests of babies hatched and were released during our stay.

I would recommend the project for families. Our children (aged 12 and 14) were able to get fully involved. They had the option to join the night patrols, but our youngest chose not to. He loved the evening frog-walks. For future volunteers – if you’re a light sleeper, take some ear-plugs. The howler monkeys are pretty noisy at 5am!

It was our first volunteering experience as a family, but we would definitely do it again.

It was really great. I loved that there were many different things to do and you could see they were really serious and scientific. Also all the people working there were really nice. I enjoyed my time there so much.

Our visit to the Playa Tortuga project was fantastic.  Oscar and all the staff were great, and we were able to be involved with all the projects currently going on at the reserve.  In addition to painting the hatchery workstation and mural, highlights of our week included the discovery of a sea turtle nest with 102 eggs on one of our many serene early morning/late night beach walks, seeing a group of 40 capuchin monkeys (many with young on their backs) cross over our heads in the canopy, routine handling and inventorying of Caligo and Morpho butterflies, as well as lizards and a green tree frog for inventory projects, working with kids from the Ojochal community on a recycling crafting project, and assisting Oscar and his team with the capturing and measurement of crocs up to 1.4m in length by headlamp in the middle of the night.  This trip certainly planted the seed for our interest in future volunteering projects – both at this and elsewhere – particularly for my daughters who are planning to study Biology in college in a few years.

Thanks again for directing us to this great project, and for facilitating a smooth and clear process from start to finish.  We will highly recommend the Playa Tortuga project and WorkingAbroad.com to our friends and colleagues, and hope to be joining you for another volunteer experience in the future!

Volunteering at the Playa Tortuga Project for 3 weeks was by far the best experience of our lives. Costa Rica is an incredible country, the people are so friendly and helpful, and the landscape and wildlife are pristine. The staff were so accommodating, and made as feel instantly welcome. The base is a great place to stay with all the facilities you could need, and being embedded in the jungle, just next to the sea was amazing. Everyday was a different experience, and we got to help with every different activity and really get stuck into the work. The staff were so much fun to work with, but also amazing teachers, and made the experience so much better. All of the information provided by WorkingAbroad before departure was everything we needed, and we had absolutely no problems getting from London to the  base in the remote Costa Rican town of Ojochal.

I just want to thank all the people involved on the Playa Tortuga project! They gave to me a fantastic time and a wonderful experience. I didn’t expect to wake up every day with a smile, because every day was just amazing. I spent 2 weeks there and not one day was boring. I had the opportunity to release round 4 nests of baby turtles and see these run to the sea is something magical. I just feel lucky because all the biologists involved me in the job during the day and night time. The crocodile monitoring at night was amazing with around 6/7 hours on the boat looking for crocs and caiman in the mangrove river. Some night we’d do the night walk and we would see crocs and different kind of frogs and a tree boa.

During the day, walking into the rainforest checking for birds, bats and monkeys gave me a good tip to learn a lot about the habit of these animals. I cannot wait to do again this kind of experience again, because even just from the cleaning the beach, you can understand our impact on the world and I really appreciate being part of the change there.

I could not have asked for a better experience with the Reserva at Playa Tortuga!  All of the staff were absolutely incredible and went above and beyond to include me in as many events as possible, but also to teach  me as much as possible.  Even in the “off” season, which was the time that I went during there were numerous research projects and events that I was able to participate in, in a very up close and personal way.  Also, the accommodations were very comfortable, clean and the meals provided were amazing! I would highly recommend this volunteer location to anyone who asked.

Nothing but positives to report! I had an incredible time in Costa Rica. I was lucky enough to help with the first two turtle releases of the year. Can’t overstate how amazing it is to watch them make their way to the water for the first time. Other highlights were the tree boa monitoring and the crocodile/caiman boat trip.

On my days off, I went on a canopy tour and a snorkelling day. I particularly recommend the snorkelling as we saw dolphins, whales, turtles, sharks, and eels (amongst others). Everyone I met at the reserve was friendly and accommodating, and it was clear they all genuinely cared about the animals. The facilities at the reserve were better than I was expecting. All in all, fantastic trip!

It was 0200 hrs, walking along the beach with only the light from the stars, that’s when I knew we had definitely made the right choice in Volunteering at Playa Tortuga. We started as a family of 4, Dad, Mum, 2 kids, (13 and 6), as novices in volunteering, not sure what to expect or how useful we could be in just 7 days. By the end of the week we were spotting monkeys digging up turtle eggs, walking down rivers in the dark to find crocodiles and taking fin samples from hammerhead sharks.

Volunteering at Playa Tortuga was without doubt one of the most enjoyable parts of our Costa Rican adventure. The full time members of the team were very welcoming and under Oscar’s guidance (Project Director), clearly enjoyed their work and valued the help of the volunteers.

The turtle walks during the night were at times quite draining lasting 3 / 5 hours, which at high tide became more demanding as you have to wade through a fast flowing river. This meant that our 6 year old son was not allowed to participate, but our 13 year old coped really well and declared these ‘adventures’ as her personal highlight. That said, our 6 year old certainly still enjoyed himself and got involved in other projects, working with Butterflies, bird watching, checking the turtle hatchery and beach cleaning duties.

If you are lucky enough, you will get to see a turtle laying her eggs on the beach. Once she has finished, under the guidance of one of the full time team you will dig up the nest and remove the eggs,  taking them to the hatchery further up the beach. In the week that we were there, only 2 turtles were spotted. Luckily one of us was on patrol that night and managed to witness this first hand. An amazing experience with such a powerful animal, but this cannot be guaranteed.

You have to commit to working up to 6 hours per day, 5.5 days a week, but in reality the workload is lighter and we could enjoy large parts of the day as a family to explore the local area. There are some great waterfalls and beaches nearby, accessible with a 4 x 4 car, which we would certainly recommend if you are staying at the project. There is a local bar and supermarket across the road for essentials, you are not allowed to drink alcohol on the projects premises, but without a car your options are limited. We would recommend that if taking children, hire a 4×4 vehicle for your stay. It allows you to get to local beaches and attractions easily without having to rely on public transport which appeared somewhat ad hoc.

Food is provided for you, but only lunch, (Mon – Fri) is prepared for you. All other meals you have to cook yourself, but the larder is well stocked so you need not go hungry. There is a common room that all volunteers share with games and a table tennis table. Mixing with the different nationalities and wide range of people made our experience a great one. You work closely with all the other volunteers, there were 16 of us in total, and discussing life experiences and debating current issues was a particular highlight. 16 strangers all brought together with a common purpose made for an easy and entertaining mix.

Accommodation is basic and clean. We shared a family room which was cosy with 4 of us. It was also very hot, no air con. During the rainy or ‘Green’ season it was very humid with temperatures around 22 degrees at night. That said we all slept well, tired after either swimming in waterfalls or completing a 4 hour patrol of the beach. It was a good feeling to work in a project, which although small provides a wealth of different experiences. We would recommend this trip to single travellers or families with children.

It was a wonderful experience working with such a great group of people, I would repeat it without a doubt. My expectations were met. I encourage new volunteers to join this research group, if what they want is to learn and really collaborate with nature.

It was a privilege to have spent albeit a short time with the Playa Tortuga project. The staff are clearly passionate in their work and are so devoted. It is the first time we have done any volunteering work and the project was an ideal choice for us.The community spirit was wonderful and the fact you are living so close to everyone at the project helps everyone to bond that much more quickly.

Whilst our youngest enjoyed her time there in hindsight, I don’t think she was mature enough to get the most out of her time. On the other hand our eldest daughter (13) absolutely loved her experience and threw herself into each task she was permitted to be involved in with gusto.We were very proud of the way she engaged so openly with many of the other volunteers, even though they were much more senior than her. Chris’ various aches and pains did cause her to struggle at times, which took the shine off of her time there to a degree; although we would stress that was not the project’s fault.

I found the experience much more enjoyable than I had expected. The fact you are amongst the forest and the wildlife is on your door step makes the experience that much more real. Whilst Chris’ physical limitations may hinder her doing something like this again in future I can see myself and certainly Fern doing some more volunteering work in future. Fern was adamant she wanted to come back at some time.The accommodation was certainly cosy for four, but that was largely our choice, as both the girls chose to sleep in one room with us rather than have a separate room of their own. Yes, it was hot and humid, but that is what we expected.

Overall a fantastic experience which we would recommend to anyone who is prepared to muck in. You don’t have to be super fit (we most certainly don’t fit into that category), but you do need to be of a reasonable fitness to get the most out of your stay. Many thanks go to Oscar, Adrian, Gabby, Melissa and Brian and all the other staff.

I had a great time at Playa Tortuga. All I can say is that most definitely future volunteers will gain so much knowledge and experience all at once. Not one moment felt the same and there isn’t even time to feel bored or homesick. The people at the Playa Tortuga project take good care of every volunteer. It is also a great way to explore and know a new country, especially for first timers. This is the second time that I did volunteer work via Working Abroad, mainly because the communication is fast. I would definitely ask Working Abroad to help me for a third time when the time is right.

You can also read the blog on her time volunteering at the project here: www.nature-myview.com/blog/reserva-playa-tortuga-a-volunteers-view 

I had an amazing time! The people that work there and volunteers are such incredible people, and made my time there so much more fun.

My group and I had an amazing time volunteering at Reserva Playa Tortuga! Our journey down from the states went smoothly, and we arrived to a warm welcome. Over the course of the week we were able to help interns and the reserve with different research projects they were conducting by going on different treks. On these treks, we looked for different mammals to count and observe, and for snakes/caimans to catch. We were able to do some extra volunteer work like doing a beach clean up and clearing out a back room at the reserve. The reserve had us help with their butterfly garden and recycling project. We took labels off of plastic bottles, rinsed them, then sorted them. The reserve is currently building a greenhouse made entirely of these recycled bottles, which they had compiled from the surrounding community.

It was an amazing experience not only to volunteer, but also to learn about the environment and biodiversity in Ojochal. For example, we learned about the parasitic trees that grow off of other trees’ nutrients. Also, the research my classmates and I got to help with was full of surprises, like wading through waist deep water while looking for snakes and tracking a group of monkeys through the rainforest. Clearing the beach was a great experience, and to our surprise we found many shoes! We filled two bags of recycling and one bag of trash in a few hours. I personally loved being able to help at Reserva Playa Tortuga and it helped me decide that I would like to pursue a career as a tropical biologist.

A special thanks to Working Abroad for all of their help! Without you we would not have been able to have this amazing volunteering experience.

Wow, what a country! Costa Rica is by far the most beautiful country I have ever visited, filled with jungles, beaches and so much wildlife! I had a brilliant stay at the reserve where I learned so much about the various species of animals both in the jungle and on the beach. The staff were so knowledgeable and helpful in identifying the reptiles, amphibians and birds which I took pictures of. I most enjoyed spending my time trying to get a picture of the hummingbirds. They were excellent at teaching and explaining about the various field studies we did such as caiman crocodiles, olive ridley sea turtles and bird point counts.

The staff were all clearly passionate about conservation and protecting the wildlife in the reserve. We had some great finds during my stay including a sloth (not seen on the reserve for 2 years) and catching the biggest caiman caught on the reserve measuring 1m 63cm! It was truly unforgettable experience and I made so many lifelong friends from around the world!

Myself and a colleague chaperoned twelve 16-17 year pupils to take part in the marine research programme at Playa Tortuga in Costa Rica. From a personal point of view and having experienced many different parts of the world, this experience was one of the best! We spent 3 weeks living and working in Playa Tortuga where pupils worked on three different projects; marine turtle project, mammal projects and the butterfly garden project.

A little about the projects – First of all the manager of the reserve, Oscar, was superb and planned an excellent schedule for the trip. Each day the pupils would take part in a different aspect of one of the research projects. The pupils were able to be extremely hands on helping researchers capture caimans and crocodiles, setting up motion cameras in jungles and even collecting turtle eggs!

About the reserve: the reserve was excellent and all members of staff were around and helpful throughout the whole stay which really eased the pressured placed on us as teachers. The pupils were able to enjoy the natural environment in which we were staying whilst remaining safe which is always a priority when taking pupils on abroad trips.

Whilst out in Costa Rica we also took part in activity day trips including; a mangrove boat trip, high wire zip lining, whale watching and a trip to Cano Island. All trips were AMAZING and could not be faulted. Vicky from Working abroad planned everything for us, from getting picked up to and from the reserve to choosing safe and reliable companies. I would strongly recommend doing any of these trips as they were a real highlight for myself and the pupils.

Overall I would 100% recommend Working Abroad as a company to run any working trip and I look forward to planning many more trips through the company in the future!

No writing to describe this trip would ever be enough to summarise what a truly amazing experience it was!

Michelle Fox, teacher at Lewes Old Grammar School, UK.

It was a great trip and the reserve staff were very accommodating and helpful. They are very knowledgeable and approachable and we felt looked after at the reserve. We all learned a lot on the trip and it was really beneficial to see the fruits of the student’s labour in terms of footage from camera traps they had put out. It was good that the staff let the students work on a trial and error basis with the cameras as this allowed them to appreciate how they worked and it allowed them to alter them to be more effective.

The students enjoyed the caiman conservation aspect of the trip and especially liked measuring and weighing the animals and contributing to the data collection, and it was useful that the staff put this into context with talks about caiman and crocodile conservation.

Some of the students and myself did struggle with the heat and humidity, but fans were supplied in the rooms and the main common area had fans, which made the room cool. It was good that the staff at the reserve were aware that the heat and humidity did affect us (coming from a temperate environment) and they accommodated this by not staying out in the field for prolonged periods, and water was readily available.

The closing activity of going to a hotel and looking out onto the pacific and watching the sunset was a great touch and the students and myself really appreciated this at the end of the trip

Overall, it was a great experience, and some of the students want to go back to the reserve to volunteer in the future.

Adam George – Lecturer

The weeks I spent in Costa Rica over August were by far some of the most amazing, exciting and interesting weeks of my life. Before this trip I had never left Europe and had never travelled internationally by myself. Naturally I was very nervous, however I all the information I needed to reach the reserve was provided and it was very easy to plan my journey. All feelings of nervousness were instantly gone once I arrived at the reserve- this was because both staff and volunteers were extremely welcoming and friendly. Everyone was helpful and easy to get along with, I was lucky to have some great people volunteering there during my stay and I even still keep in contact with several of them.

Some of the highlights of my trip were; the incredible journey to the reserve which allowed me to take in some of the scenery, this ranged from seemly endless rainforest, rivers winding through valleys and the vast Pacific Ocean. It was nearly impossible to go a day without seeing some new wildlife and quickly I lost count of all the different species I saw. The animals that stood out were the brightly coloured tropical birds, countless types of colourful lizards and frogs that ranged in all sizes, a large caiman, I was also lucky enough to see 3 adult sloths and of course, an olive ridley sea turtle. Seeing an olive ridley sea turtle laying its eggs was one of the most breath-taking moments of my life which I will never forget. Another big highlight was after telling Oscar (one of the staff at the reserve) that my favourite animal was a red eyed tree frog, he went to the effort to find one so we could get a close look at it while we walking through the forest. On clear nights it was easy to see the Milky Way and an endless amount of stars. Swimming and learning to surf in the Pacific Ocean are also stand out moments. It would be easy to go on and on about all the incredible different experiences this trip allowed for me to have but I’m afraid the list may never end.

The country and people who live there really are amazing and I shall always treasure the memories I made there.

We were the second family to stay at the reserva. I went along with three daughters 17, 15 and 12.

Arriving at San Jose gave us an instant buzz, the hot and humid environment enticed us into wanting to start on the conservation projects immediately but we were jet lagged and in need of good sleep. The next morning, we gathered our luggage and made our way to the bus station. We eventually managed to buy our tickets and board the correct bus to Ojochal. The bus ride was very interesting and picturesque. As we came down the mountain, we felt the heat and humidity rising. The first site of the pacific coast was the most breathtaking view. It had been a very long time since I saw the pacific. After quite a long, scenic bus ride, we were dropped off near Ojochal. It appeared as if we were in the middle of nothing. Just a road leading to a dirt track. We quickly proceeded up the dirt track to find the most wonderful little place; Playa Tortuga Reserva.

The reserva staff were very welcoming and made us feel at home. We were shown to our rooms which were very comfortable.  The area was in the middle of a rainforest near the Tortuga beach. One could already hear the multitude of screeches and tuneful noises emanating from the forest. It was like being in a simulated zoo enclosure, but with the air of authenticity.

We were given a few ground rules and allowed to settle until dinner to unpack. In the evening we met the researchers Oscar and Adrian who both took it in turn to give us instructions to meet them again the next day.

One could not sleep at all with the racket of crickets and other creatures demonstrating their presence. It was also hot and humid.

We spent the morning being shown the butterfly project by Melissa. The project looked at raising caterpillars and looking after butterflies. Two species currently were being observed. The area was hot and humid. The caterpillars were very cute with soft suction pads under their body. We took the caterpillars off the leaves and cleaned out the cages before putting the caterpillars back on the new leaves. Data was recorded during the process. We then went over to the butterfly house and inspected the food, which required changing. All the bowls were taken back to the main house and changed. Following this activity, we were shown the turtle project and told we would be doing night patrol to look for turtles.

We then walked over to the beach which we would be patrolling and looked at the area and sea. The way over to the beach was down a short path through the rain forest which was filled with a cacophany of noise.  Monkeys were howling and chattering, whilst crickets provided the background hum. At the beach we had to cross over two small streams which led to the ocean these provided good entertainment. The beach itself was flat with brown sand, soft underfoot and filled with crabs. We were shown some turtles eggs in a nest in the hatchery.

Our first patrol was to start later that night and we were quite excited by the prospect of walking the beach. In the evening we had an early dinner and got ready for beach patrol. The short way to the beach was under tide therefore we had to walk an hour or so to the beach camp, through a swamp. Once we got to the beach camp, we changed our shoes for beach friendly and started the patrol. Three hours of walking up and down the beach looking for turtle tracks. Although we were quite excited about the prospect of seeing a turtle, we didn’t. We enjoyed the walk nevertheless. We were taken back to the reserva. On one of our beach patrols, we eventually managed to see a turtle laying eggs, we watched as she finished laying eggs and cover the nest with her back flippers. She then slowly turned and made her way back to the beach, taking what appeared to be a long diagonal path back to the sea. She stopped along the way for a rest, which seemed to get longer and longer as she got closer to the sea. It was a wonderful experience seeing the turtle return to the ocean and swim away.

The reptile project involved catching and measuring caiman lizards in a swamp. This was a night patrol too as the caimans were easier to spot in the dark. The trail through the rain forest in the dark was exciting and spooky. During the journey we say green iguana with a stripy tail. We also saw a red eyed green tree frog. On our way to the swamp we were able to spot some poisonous bull frogs and some harmless little frogs.  At the swamp we managed to track a few caimans, however they proved very difficult to catch. We left empty handed. It was nevertheless an enjoyable trip.

During our stay we also were fortunate to see a local celebration performed at the village school. It was very interesting to watch different cultural activities.

We used our free days to explore the surrounding area, there is a small town Uvita which had a host of shops and nice beach as well as Playa Ballena a local nature reserve with an interesting geological beach formation. There are many waterfalls in the area with water which is warm and clear enough to swim in. A ziplining tour was also available near Dominical which is also accessible via bus or car.

We cannot thank the reserva staff enough for an amazing programme of activities we had the pleasure to be involved in.

Our recent trip to Costa Rica has been one of the most eye opening experiences of my life so far. From the outset I was in love with the country, before we had even arrived at the Reserve. The people are extremely friendly, and they have an amazingly relaxed and soothing way of life. On our transfer down to the southern part of the Pacific Coast, to a town called Ojochal, we were able to take in some of the stunning countryside. The four hour journey took us through the rainforest, over 200 foot ravines and along the coastline; however it seemed to pass so quickly as there was constantly something to look out of the window at.

We aided the team at Reserve Playa Tortuga in a number of ways, from patrolling the beach in three hours shifts each night, to taking a device to the egg hatchery which was inserted into the nests to provide data for the scientists. The data collection was particularly important for the team because the sex of turtle hatchlings is dependant entirely on temperature – a temperature difference of 3 degrees is enough to change the sex of the resulting turtle. Along with the 3 scientists who work full time at the reserve: Oscar, Juan and Melissa, there are also around 4 ‘citizen scientists’, who are local full time volunteers. They help to keep the hatchery under a 24 hour watch, to prevent the eggs from being stolen by poachers. An egg can fetch between £1-2 and with up to 60 eggs in a nest, poaching is a huge threat to turtle populations. As volunteers, we also helped to keep the hatchery protected by spending the nights there a few times a week on a mattress in a mosquito net under the stars!

The Reserve has also been running a crocodilian monitoring survey for the past two years, which we took part in. The survey is conducted to provide baseline data on the Spectacled Caiman and the American Crocodile, as this has never been done for either of these species in this area of Costa Rica. Once a week, we went out to nearby streams, swamps and estuaries at night in order to look for the crocodilians. By wearing a head torch, the reflection from the eyes gave away where they were. The idea was to then capture the caimans, and determine their sex, measure their length, and tag them. (The caiman is a smaller animal than the crocodile, and safer to handle – for the crocodiles, a size estimate was taken by looking at the distance between the eyes, thereby judging the width of the head). However, unfortunately, the two nights that we helped out on it had rained in the late afternoon. This meant that the water was cloudy and so the caimans could evade being captured more easily; and so we didn’t manage to catch one. On one occasion we came very close to one, with it swimming between Oscar’s legs, and coming within 5 feet of Henry and I. Even if none are caught, a size estimate was taken of the ones we saw, and also the locations in which we saw them were noted; which is the main objective of the monitoring.

Another area in which the Reserve helps the local community as well as the environment, is that they provide environmental education to children in nearby schools. Henry and I went to help out with the teaching there for a day. The children were extremely eager to learn and fascinated by what we were teaching them. After collecting a number of water-living insects from a river, we were teaching them how to identify these different species. The insects caught were also helpful to Melissa (the education coordinator of the reserve) who noted down the different species to obtain an estimate of the water quality, as a higher water quality is able to support greater species variety, with insects being a good indicator.

Even when we didn’t go to one of the schools we could still help out with the education side of things by maintaining the butterfly garden located at the reserve. This required us to remove caterpillars from their cages, in order to change their water, clean their cages and provide them with different food. When a caterpillar had formed a cocoon, we dampened it with water to soften the silk attaching it to the leaf, so that we could move it to a separate cage. The emergent butterflies were then transferred to the main butterfly garden. This was where the children usually went to learn about the different butterflies of the jungle, however sometimes they came to learn about the work that went on ‘behind the scenes’ to learn about the life cycle of the different species.

Since it was still early in the turtle season we were extremely lucky to manage to see one, there had been a few that had laid eggs during the week, but on different patrol shifts to ours. This Olive Ridley turtle did what is known as a ‘False Birth’, which means that it came up the beach to lay eggs, but couldn’t find a suitable spot, so returned to the sea. It would however come back in perhaps a few hours, or maybe the next day to try again. Although it didn’t lay eggs, the team still needed to collect data from it, regarding its shell size and coordinates of where it emerged from the sea. Also, since it had already been tagged from a previous year, the tag numbers needed to be checked. Henry and I were asked to hold it up of the ground by holding its shell, so that they could read the tags easily. They are surprisingly strong! After this, we let it go back on its way down to the water again.It was an incredible trip, and an amazing experience. Our only regret was that we didn’t stay for longer!