Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
lowing locals to harvest the first batches, the economic livelihood of the community is
maintained, and the villagers in turn act as park rangers to prevent other poachers from in-
fringing on their enterprise.
Rocky Punta India at the northwestern end of the refuge has tide pools that abound with
marine life, such as sea anemone, urchin and starfish. Along the beach, thousands of al-
most transparent ghost crabs go about their business, as do the bright-red Sally Lightfoot
crabs. The sparse vegetation behind the beach consists mainly of deciduous trees and is
home to iguanas, crabs, howler monkeys, coatis and many birds. Near the southeastern
edge of the refuge is a small mangrove swamp where there is good bird-watching.
TRACKING TURTLES
Since 1997 Programa RestauracĂ­on de Tortugas Marinas (Pretoma Marine Turtle Restora-
tion Program; www.pretoma.org ) has collaborated with locals to monitor turtle-nesting activ-
ity and operate hatcheries. Members of the community are hired as field assistants, and
environmental education activities are held with the children in town. The project also in-
volves tagging, measuring and protecting nesting turtles, which has resulted in a drastic
reduction in poaching levels.
At the time of writing, Pretoma was operating projects in Playa Caletas, Playa San
Miguel, Playa Corozalito (on the central Pacific coast) and Punta Banco, near the border
with Panama. For more information on volunteering, visit the website.
Activities
Mass arrivals of nesting turtles occur during the rainy season every three or four weeks
and last about a week (usually on dark nights preceding a new moon), though it's possible
to see turtles in lesser numbers almost any night during nesting season. In the dry season, a
fitting consolation prize is the small number of leatherback and green turtles that also nest
here. Many tour operators in the region offer tours to Ostional during nesting season,
though you can arrange with local guides to visit independently. Contact the Association
Guias Locales ( 2682-0428) in the center of Ostional town across from Soda La Plaza.
Surfers catch some good lefts and rights here just after low tide. Otherwise, this stretch
of sea is notorious for strong currents and isn't suitable for swimming unless you're green
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