Destination:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, Bundaberg, Australia
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery
8 March 2008, 1 night stay
Carolyn Anderson, AustraliaSource: Review Submitted Trip Rating: Excellent |
"Worried we wouldn't see any turtle hatchings because it was close to the end of season for hatching, but the baby turtles came through, didn't wait long, about an hour until we got to go down to the beach, walked about 600 meters to the nest, which we later learned was a relocated nest, up onto higher sand dunes.
The baby turtles came, so cute pushing their ways up and out of the nest, just when we thought that was all of them, more and more came out. The ranger gathered up the little loggerheads into a makeshift basket on the beach, until all the babies were out of the nest, showed each of us the babies, let us touch them and encouraged the kids to the front to view the whole process.
The ranger explained in detail and answered questions to about 30 of our group, before letting the babies make their way to the ocean guided only by a few torches to help light the way to the water, with every wave that came in, a few more little babies were washed into the ocean to begin their journey.
It was so much better than I expected it to be, really educational and enjoyable, not just for kids, for such a small amount of money, AUS $20.40 for a family of 2 adults and as many children as you have, 3 for me.
Stayed at the caravan park right next to the turtle reserve, very inexpensive as well, not flash, but suitable for the night, home again in the morning, all for under AUS$100 including fuel (2 hours away).
It [sea turtle tours] is a great inexpensive outing for the family, photo's were limited, but once you were educated why it is so important that the baby turtles are confused by the flash, to make their way to the ocean, you really don't mind. We were able to take photo's while the baby turtles were shown to us and to touch before letting them make their way to the ocean.
Really enjoyable, we want to go back next season to see the laying of the eggs too." (Full review)
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Destination:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, Bundaberg, Australia
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery
14 December 2007
Mark & Chrissie Hayward, UKSource: TravelBlog |
Mark and Chrissie did not have to wait long before a Loggerhead turtle made her way to the beach at the Mon Repos Turtle Rookery to lay her eggs. Mark says that she was more than 1 meter in length, and that when their group reached her she had already rested her body in the sand and was preparing a hole for the eggs.
They were impressed with how much care is taken to organise the groups of visitors on sea turtle tours in such a way that they do not bother the turtles during the nesting procedure and were fascinated at the idea of a surviving hatchling making its way back in adulthood to lay eggs in the same vicinity.
The Loggerhead's eggs had to be relocated to a safer area, but while the ranger continued his search for the eggs their group went on to join the relocation of yet another nest…
 
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Destination:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, Bundaberg, Australia
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery
Accommodation:
Turtle Caravan Park
March 2007
Jonothan & SiobhanSource: RealTravel |
Recently Added Review:
Siobhan writes that seeing baby turtles break through the sand and make their way to the ocean was truly a remarkable experience.
She learned a great deal about the natural habits of these interesting marine animals and says that they were lucky to sight two more trails of baby turtles heading to the water on their way back to the information centre.
It's wise to book sea turtle tours early, which is what they did and so got to join the first group to go out to a nest, which meant that there was practically no waiting before heading out to the beach…
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Destination:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, Bundaberg, Australia
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery
08 February 2006
JillSource: Travelpost |
The visitor center at the Turtle Rookery is where Jill began her tour and she was shown a slide show and a video and told that most evenings the turtles hatch between 8 and 9 pm. At 11pm the first hatchlings were spotted (patience is the watchword here) and Jill's group was taken to the nest. They were able to touch and help the tiny turtles on their journey to the sea. At this point no flash photography is allowed on sea turtle tours because it can interfere with the baby turtles navigation as they follow light on the horizon to make their way...
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Destination:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, Bundaberg, Australia
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery
01 December 2005
Paul & Jill Malborough, UKSource: TravelPod |
Paul and Jill visited the rookery in the hopes of seeing a turtle laying eggs and in this they weren't disappointed. She laid 134 eggs in about 20 minutes, oblivious to the crowd around her, and dragged herself exhausted back into the surf afterwards. They were a little disappointed by the behaviour of some in the large sea turtle tours group who found it necessary to push and crowd round in the fear of missing something...
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Destination:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, Bundaberg, Australia
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery
23 November 2005
Celia Barclay, UKSource: TravelPod |
Celia thinks sea turtle tours at Mon Repos are fantastic... even though she arrived at the visitor center at 6.30pm and had to wait until 2am before the turtles were spotted on the beach. Most of the other visitors had left by then and there were only about 30 hardcore enthusiasts left. She was fully rewarded for her patience by seeing a Loggerhead and Flatback turtle lay about 150 eggs each in the dunes. She helped the rangers reposition the eggs in safer nest sites...
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Destination:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, Bundaberg, Australia
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery
25 January 2005Source: TravelPod |
The Mon Repos Turtle Rookery is one of the most popular beaches for turtle nesting in Eastern Australia which is why your chances of seeing a turtle laying eggs or a hatching nest on sea turtle tours are very good here. In this case it was a four foot loggerhead turtle which only breeds every 3 to 4 years that came ashore to lay its eggs, disguise the nest by kicking sand over it and then waddle back to the sea...
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Destination:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, Bundaberg, Australia
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
Mon Repos Turtle Rookery
05 January 2003
Kathleen M.Source: RealTravel |
The turtle egg laying season at the rookery stretches between November and February each year and the 15km stretch of beach is strictly controlled by rangers. An interesting fact to note is that turtles are not too bothered by noise on sea turtle tours when everyone is clustered around them because apparently they can't hear human voices. The first turtle that Kathleen and her group were assigned to watch laying decided to abandon the attempt and return to the sea, so they had to wait for the next one to arrive and fortunately it only took about half an hour...
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Destination:
Selingan Island, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo
Species Seen:
Green Turtles
Trip Operator:
Sabah National Park
October 2006
David, UKSource: Review submitted |
Recently Added Review:
David spent one night on Selingan Island to view nesting and the hatchling programme. He thought the whole operation was quite eco-friendly although he realised it's impossible to have tourist activities without impacting the natural environment to some extent.
He considered going there a priviledge and left with renewed respect for nature and the need for us all to protect it.
David's green sea turtle nesting experience »
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Destination:
Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia
Species Seen:
Green & Hawksbill Turtles
Trip Operator:
Turtle Islands National Park
14 September 2002
Lee & CathySource: TravelPod |
The beaches in this national park are patrolled by rangers from 6pm to 6am every day to spot any turtle landings. The rangers remove the eggs as they are laid and take them to an incubator in a hatchery where they hatch in about 60 days and are then released back onto the beach for maximum protection. Lee and Cathy thought it was wonderful to see the Green turtle laying the eggs but that the sea turtle tours here are a tourist circus with 50 people all jostling for the best view and holding the eggs and baby turtles...
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| Costa Rica |
 = Trip Summary  = Full trip report  = Video clip |
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Destination:
Marine Turtle National Park, Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica
Trip Operator:
Tamarindo Tours
Species Seen:
Leatherback Turtle
December 2007
AndrewSource: TravelPod |
Recently Added Review:
Andrew was very disappointed by Tamarindo Tours and would discourage potential from using their services. The man in charge of the sea turtle tours company (also their driver) neglected to collect them after their visit and kept postponing the time he was supposed to take them back to San Jose the following day, to the extent that they made alternative plans. He also tried to overcharge them in comparison with other companies.
That aside, he is happy to report that they were fortunate enough to see three turtles nesting the night they visited the park. To keep from alarming the turtles no taking of photographs is allowed and the nesting procedure is viewed by use of infrared light. Andrew says that since the park has a no refund policy, on nights that visitors fail to view a nesting they are given the option to return another time with no additional cost.
He was amazed not only by the sheer size of the leatherbacks, but also by the delicate manner by which they ensure their eggs are protected using their flippers to evenly spread the sand and cover the hole, and their weight to compress it before venturing back into the water…
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Destination:
Tortuguero National Park, Orosi, Costa Rica
Species Seen:
Green Sea & Leatherback Turtles
05 May 2005
Mark & EmmaSource: TravelPod |
Tortuguero National Park is reputedly the most important site for Green turtle nesting in the Western Hemisphere and it was here that Mark and Emma volunteered for a night of turtle conservation. They traversed the beach for 5 hours eventually finding one Leatherback starting to nest. Their job was to log the position, measure the turtle, check the flippers and shell for any injuries and damage and then let her finish laying her eggs in safety...
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Destination:
Tortuguero National Park, Orosi, Costa Rica
Species Seen:
Green Sea Turtle
Trip Operator:
Casa Marbella Hotel
08 December 2002
Liza M.Source: RealTravel |
In Tortuguero National Park there are few roads so you have to travel by boat to get where you want to be. Liza was extremely fortunate to stumble across a Green sea turtle nest that was hatching on the way back to her hotel via the beach. The baby turtles were making a dash for the safety of the sea.
Unfortunately sea turtle tours can have a downside: some of the other tourists were picking up the turtles and disturbing the journey with flash photography which interferes with their navigation...
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Destination:
Bahia Tortuga (Jade Bay), Akumal, Mexico
Species Seen:
Loggerhead Turtle
Trip Operator:
CEA turtle walk
March 2005
Louis & ClaudiaSource: Independant Traveler |
Louis and Claudia went on sea turtle tours in Jade Bay but didn't manage to see anything on the beach until they reached the hatchery. One of the nests was hatching and eventually produced about 100 baby turtles and they were allowed to take one and place it on the beach to help it along its way to the sea. This was the first of two hatchings that Louis and Claudia were lucky enough to witness on their trip...
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| Nicaragua |
= Trip Summary = Full trip report = Video clip |
Destination:
La Flor Turtle Reserve, San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Species Seen:
Olive Ridley
December 2007
Nikolas & SarahSource: TravelPod |
Recently Added Review:
La Flor Turtle Reserve uses the money made from sea turtle tours to help remunerate those who guard the shoreline against poachers. Since turtle eggs are still considered a culinary treat to some, the stealing of eggs is rife.
Sarah and Nikolas found San Juan del Sur to be a remarkably peaceful and beautiful location, with friendly locals and excited travellers all around it set the perfect background for their nesting viewing adventure.
After closely observing a relatively small female olive ridley turtle dig her hole and lay her eggs, they headed back along the beach only to find a trail of hatchlings on their way to sea, a first for their guide who has been working there for over twenty five years…
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| Suriname |
= Trip Summary = Full trip report = Video clip |
Destination:
Galibi Nature Reserve, Republic of Suriname, South America
Species Seen:
Green turtles, olive ridleys, hawksbills and leatherbacks
Trip Operator:
Galibi Tours
December 2007
Corina MilicSource: Canoe |
Recently Added Review:
Corina was part of a group of fifteen visitors to the Galibi Nature Reserve in the hopes of sighting a turtle nesting. The fact with sea turtle tours is that one does not always end up fortunate enough to actually see this take place. She says that in their case, none of the turtles which came out to the beach while they were there were able to find an appropriate nesting place, but it was an adventure worth the effort nonetheless.
She reports that since poaching is quite an issue here, with the laws being fairly easy going on such perpetrators it makes it fairly difficult for the rangers to keep poaching to a minimum. Nesting at night, as is the turtle's nature to do, further complicates matters by making it harder for rangers to catch poachers in the act.
She says that from the friendly welcome by the Surinamese people dancing and drumming for them to the information packed experience of going out with a turtle conservationist, she experienced the atmosphere and beauty of Suriname to the full…
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| Trinidad |
= Trip Summary = Full trip report = Video clip |
Destination:
Trinidad
Species Seen:
Leatherbacks
July 2005
Caroline Hawkins, EnglandSource: Review submitted |
Recently Added Review:
Caroline joined a group of locals and headed to the beach where they knew leatherback turtles were nesting. The group immediately saw a number of turtles which continued to come and go during the 2 hours they watched.
She says it was one of the best experiences of her life although it's probably better to go with an organised/official group... Caroline's leatherback sea turtle trip »
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