Costa Rica: Pachira Lodge

Our one splurge in Costa Rica was a two day one night stay at Pachira Lodge in Tortuguero.  Neither Abby nor I are much interested in resort life, preferring instead to live in residential neighborhoods and explore local food spots when we travel.  But when we found out that September is sea turtle nesting season, we absolutely had to add that to our itinerary.

From our research, Tortuguero National Park was the place to go to see sea turtles.  Only problem was, getting to Tortuguero isn't quite a simple car ride.  Oh, no.  First you have to get to the town of La Pavona.  Then you have to board a boat.  I was too lazy to figure out all the logistics, so an all inclusive resort it was!  

We were picked up early in the morning from our guesthouse in San Jose by a small tour bus, which took us to a much larger tour bus:

The bus made a pitstop at Guarumo Lodge for breakfast:

We were directed to sit at any table and upon seating, we were quickly brought a plate of gallo pinto:

It might not look like much, but the rice and beans were very well seasoned.  With our bellies full, we continued on our way.  After a bit more time on the road, we traded our giant tour bus for a small boat:

Eventually, we arrived at Pachira Lodge:

We were welcomed with a drink and instructions on how to check in.  A canal tour in the afternoon was included in the package as were all meals.

After scoping out our room, we reported to the dining room for lunch: 

Buffets are my weakness.  I always want to try a bit of everything:

There was chicken, pork, rice, roasted veggies, and more.

The canal tour was lovely.  Our tour guide was very entertaining and had a keen eye for spotting wildlife:

The tour ended at the town of Tortuguero where we set free to explore on our own for an hour or so:

Then it was back to the lodge for dinner:

Dessert was arroz con leche or rice pudding:

The main event took place late that night.  The sea turtle tour was our sole reason for booking Pachira Lodge.  The tour itself wasn't included in the package, but we gladly forked over the $42 per person and the additional $17 per person for the park entry fee.  

The tour began at 8:00pm.  A group of us were taken to an unmarked location by boat.  We huddled in the darkness around our tour guide as he told us what to expect when we got onto the beach.  We then got back on the boat and headed to a second unmarked location.  

The entire experience felt like some sort of top secret spy mission.  We were dressed entirely in dark clothing from head to toe.  We walked single file through the jungle in near total darkness.  Our tour guide led the way with a single flashlight, which he immediately switched off the moment our feet hit the sand.  

We joined other groups on the beach, all of us waiting for park rangers to locate and alert us about nesting turtles.  There was no guarantee that there would be a turtle, but we got lucky that night.  A sea turtle was spotted and each group took turns squatting behind her to watch her lay her eggs.  She laid so many that we were actually able to get a second turn and watch her cover her nest with sand.  

We weren't allowed to take any photos, so all I have are my memories and a shared surreal experience with my sister.  It was by far one of the coolest things I've ever seen.  

We continued to talk about it the next morning at breakfast:

Before we knew it, it was time to leave.  We boarded a boat, then a bus, and then we found ourselves back at Guarumo Lodge in time for lunch:

While resorts are still not my preferred way to travel, I have to admit that I had a great time at Pachira Lodge.  At $258 per person for a one night stay in a double room, it wasn't cheap.  However, it was worth the money not to deal with transportation and tour logistics.  

If you're looking for a stress-free way to see sea turtles, Pachira Lodge is the way to go!

Pachira Lodge

Canals, Limón Province, 70206, Costa Rica

+506 2256 7080

https://pachiralodge.com/en/