Turtle Night Tour in Isla Cañas

Description

Cañas Island is one of only 11 places in the world where mass nesting of olive ridley sea turtles occurs. Watch as the turtles lay their eggs at one of the most important nesting sites on the planet! The Turtle Night Tour in Isla Cañas begins on the mainland, where you will board a boat that travels through a channel among the mangroves to reach the island. This is only possible during high tide; otherwise, you may need to walk along the pier to reach the shore. The departure point for Isla Cañas is located about 20 minutes from Playa Venao, and transportation is available if needed.

Participants will have dinner at a family home that also functions as a small restaurant. Your guide will provide information about the turtles using posters displayed on the walls. After dinner, you will head to the beach in a horse-drawn carriage (or, occasionally, in a pickup truck). Sometimes this transfer coincides with sunset; at other times, you may be able to enjoy the sunset during the boat ride, depending on the tour's start time. You will arrive at the government facilities where the turtle hatcheries are located, and from there, you will begin your walk along the beach in search of nesting turtles.

Isla Cañas was declared a wildlife refuge on June 29, 1994. Located off the Pacific coast of Panama, the island spans 832 hectares. The protected area covers 254.3 km² and is situated between the Tonosí and Cañas rivers. The island features a 13-kilometer stretch of gray-sand beach, which serves as a nesting site for the turtles. Currently, the island is divided into two parts as a result of an earthquake that occurred in October 2026.

Every year, more than 10,000 turtles nest here; this is one of only two places in Panama where a mass nesting event—known as an "arribada"—takes place. The other site is La Marinera, in Tonosí. If you are lucky, you may witness this phenomenon, which occurs only on a few nights each year. Most of these turtles are olive ridleys—the smallest of all sea turtle species. However, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and green turtles also nest on Isla Cañas. These turtles lay more than 600,000 eggs; half are kept in the hatchery, and the other half are left on the beach. You can also book a sunrise excursion to see the release of baby turtles on Cañas Island.

Includes:

• Boat crossing
• Dinner
• Transfer on horse carriage or pick-up truck
• Local guide
• Turtle observation tour

Available: 1 of July to the 15 of December
Time: 5: 30 p.m. to 10 p.m. (maximum 11 p.m.)

What to bring? sneakers or beach shoes, long pants, rain jacket, water and mosquito repellent.

Important information: The sea turtle observation tour is a walk through the conservation area in Isla Cañas. This is conducted by an authorized guide and you will be able to see the turtles laying in their natural area. What you see depends on the tide, weather and season since it is a natural process; therefore we cannot guarantee turtle sightings. It is best to go when high tide is late afternoon. We have a calendar of the best dates per month that we can provide. If the tide is not suitable we may suspend tours, so please inquire before booking.

The Turtle Night Tour in Isla Cañas usually starts between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Transport can be arranged from 5:30 p.m. if you wish to spend some time on the island in the afternoon. The excursion can also be initiated later, at 7:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., based on the tide levels necessary for observing the turtles nesting. We have guides who speak both English and Spanish. However, there may be times when an English-speaking guide is not available; in such cases, it is perfectly feasible to carry out the activity with a Spanish-speaking guide, provided that the clients agree.

Clients need to drive to the port of Cañas. Round trip transport is available for an additional fee from Playa Venao or Pedasi. Prices of a private tour are for 2 adults, if there are more than 2 adults the price is cost per shared person. Please contact us prior to booking to verify the rate in case more people are signed up for that date. Children from 1 to 6 are free. Meal can be included for $12 optional. Child rate is from 7 to 11.

Dinner is served at a local restaurant. Meal options include the catch of the day, seafood, meat, or chicken, accompanied by potatoes, rice, fried plantains (patacones), or a salad. Vegetarian options are available. On the day of the tour, you will receive a message with the day’s menu so you can select your dinner choice.