Tortuguero, meaning " place of turtles " is located on the north-east of Costa Rica on the luxurious Caribbean coast. Geologically, this is a recent part of the territory, formed by rivers bringing sediments down to the vast Caribbean plain from the young volcanic mountain ranges. Volcanic activity has raised the Caribbean coast here, leading to changes in the drainage system. The evergreen swamp forest is interlaced by tranquil canals, both natural and manmade, and form the basis for the fascinating exploration possible for nature lovers in Tortuguero. Lumbering was once an important industry here, and today interesting traces of the machinery can still be seen. However, these activities ceased with the designation of the National Park Tortuguero in 1975. This park protects one of the most important beaches in the world for the egg-laying activities of the second biggest sea turtle in the world, the Green Turtle. The national park encloses some 20,000 hectares ( 43,000 acre ) of evergreen swamp forest.

A trip to Tortuguero offers a wonderful transect across most of the main geographical regions of Costa Rica, across the high and mountainous continental divide into the vast and inaccessible Braulio Carrillo National Park, into the industrious Caribbean plain with glimpses of banana plantations and agriculture crops.