Camp Tortuguero release
A camp visit and a release, about two hours.
✓ Free cancellation
from$39USD per person
Check availability →
Sea turtles in Puerto Vallarta
Baby sea turtles, set free at sunset
One of the most moving things you can do in Banderas Bay. Here is how it works, how to choose a release you can feel good about, and how to book it.
Release season is on: about 7 weeks left
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 3.0
When is turtle season?
Release season is roughly August to December. Nesting is reported from June to September and eggs incubate about 45 days, so exact dates vary by camp. Always confirm for your date.
What the evening is like
A typical release, step by step.
Arrive a little before sunset
Many programs start around sunset. The release itself can last 30 to 60 minutes, and waiting for the hatchlings is normal.
A short talk first
Responsible programs explain the species, the threats and the rules before anything happens.
Stand where you are told
Staff decide where visitors stand, and children may need to stay behind a line. The strictest sites do not let volunteers past a certain line in the sand.
Dark, quiet and calm
Expect a dark beach with no flash and no phone lights. The hatchlings crawl to the sea on their own.
Hatching and weather decide
Releases depend on when nests hatch, and weather can cancel them. That is why you should prefer a booking with free cancellation.
How a release works
From nest to the water's edge, in four steps.
Nests are found
From June to September, night patrols led by biologists look for nests along the beaches of Banderas Bay. Olive ridley turtles nest here.
Moved to a nursery
Eggs are gathered and moved, still in the nest, to protected nurseries run by camps and some hotels.
About 45 days
Incubation takes roughly 45 days. Temperature decides the sex of the babies: warmer nests produce females, cooler ones males.
Release at the water's edge
Hatchlings are set down at the edge of the beach, often at sunset to reduce predators, and crawl to the sea on their own. Some are said to return about ten years later to nest.
45days of incubation, roughly
96%of eggs now incubated successfully, up from about 40% before the programs (as reported)
1 in 1,000released hatchlings is reported to make it back to reproduce
Meet the olive ridley
The species reported nesting on Banderas Bay beaches, and why it needs help.
- Olive ridley turtles nest on the beaches of Banderas Bay. Further south on the Jalisco coast, the Mayto camp also protects nests of the black turtle, another name for the Pacific green turtle.
- The IUCN lists the olive ridley as Vulnerable, and it is in CITES Appendix I.
- Most nest alone, but the species is best known for mass nesting events called arribadas.
- Eggs usually take 45 to 51 days to hatch, and up to 70 in poor weather. Nest temperature decides sex: about 31 to 32 °C gives only females, 28 °C or less only males.
- Threats include egg poaching, fishing bycatch, boat strikes, marine debris, beach development and artificial light that pulls hatchlings the wrong way.
- Mexico has nesting beaches for seven of the world's eight sea turtle species. Tourism-funded camps are described as the country's most successful protection strategy, though crowds can also harm nesting.
Release it right
Do
- Stay behind the line the guide sets and wait for instructions
- Turn off flash and phone lights: bright light confuses hatchlings
- Stay quiet, keep out of the hatchlings' path and let them crawl to the sea on their own
- Ask the camp or operator what happens to your fee before you book
Don't
- Don't pick hatchlings up unless authorized staff tells you to, and never for a selfie
- Don't use flash, flashlights or drones
- Don't book a release in the middle of the day
- Don't join a crowded release where nobody is explaining the rules
Red flags when choosing an operator
- Hatchlings handed out for photos
- No biologist or trained guide present
- Large crowds and bright lights
- Releases at midday or in strong sun
- Cheap programs that allow handling, or that force a release when nests aren't ready
Where your visit goes
These camps and programs do the conservation work. Confirm times and how to support them directly, as details change.
Campamento Tortuguero Boca de Tomates
Behind Puerto Vallarta airport
A release camp and sanctuary. Release times change daily, so check its page first. Reported to accept nest adoption and voluntary donations; confirm directly how to give.
Facebook page (reported) ↗CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta
Marina Vallarta, hotel beach
A hotel hatchery program reported to run since 2005, open to guests. Dates and times vary: call ahead.
Campamento Tortuguero Nuevo Vallarta
Flamingos Beach, Nuevo Vallarta
Conservation, hatching and release on the Nayarit side of the bay. Ask for current release times.
Campamento Tortuguero Mayto
Cabo Corrientes, about 90 km south of Puerto Vallarta
Runs an "adopt a black turtle nest" campaign, reported at 250 pesos (about US$15) per nest as of February 2024, with a certificate and an estimated hatching date so donors can attend the release. Confirm the current price; sign-up is through its Facebook or Instagram page.
Sayulita Turtle Release Camp
Sayulita, Nayarit
Releases happen the day the turtles hatch, so dates are announced daily. Nest adoption is reported at about 500 MXN.
Proyecto Tortuga (Project Tortuga)
Volunteer projects
Reported to offer volunteer projects of about two months, subject to availability.
Website ↗Confirm times and ways to give directly with the camp.
Many camps run on donations and volunteers. A tour fee goes to the tour operator and does not automatically reach the camp. If you want to support a camp directly, ask the camp how, or adopt a nest.
Vallarta Pro earns a small commission when you book through our Viator links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend or the order we show. Nothing is paid to us on behalf of any camp.
Choose your release
Real prices, durations and ratings from Viator. Sorted by our editorial order, never by commission.
Release and conservation experience
A release with a conservation focus, about two and a half hours.
✓ Free cancellation
from$77USD per person
Check availability →
Conservation release (shorter)
A shorter evening option, under two hours.
✓ Free cancellation
from$47USD per person
Check availability →
Prices and ratings read from Viator's listings and refreshed regularly. Vallarta Pro earns a small commission when you book through our Viator links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend or the order we show. Nothing is paid to us on behalf of any camp.
Common questions
When is turtle release season in Puerto Vallarta?
Release season is roughly August to December. Nesting is reported from June to September and eggs take about 45 days to hatch, so exact dates depend on the camp and the week. Confirm availability for your date.
How much does a turtle release cost?
Booked tours listed on this page range from $39 to $77 USD per person. Some camps run releases that are described as usually free, with donations encouraged; check with the camp.
Is a tourist turtle release ethical?
It is debated. Good releases keep groups small, are led by trained staff, avoid flash and handling, and happen at dusk. If a release hands out hatchlings for photos or is crowded and bright, skip it. Ask the operator how they run theirs.
Can kids take part?
Most releases are family-friendly, but minimum ages and rules vary by operator. Check the listing for your chosen experience before you book.
What if there are no hatchlings the day I go?
Hatching depends on when nests hatch, so there is no guarantee for a given evening. Ask the operator what they offer in that case, and prefer a booking with free cancellation.
How can I help beyond booking a tour?
Adopt a nest or donate directly to a camp, volunteer, use reef-safe sunscreen, keep lights off the beach at night and take your trash with you.
Keep reading
Sources
- Sol México News: It's sea turtle season on Vallarta-Nayarit beaches
- Beach Please Mexico: Where to release sea turtles in Puerto Vallarta
- Olive ridley sea turtle (Wikipedia)
- Mexico Travel & Leisure: Puerto Vallarta sea turtle release guide
- Mexico News Daily: The long road of Mexico's sea turtles
- Mexico News Daily: Adopt a turtle nest (Campamento Tortugero Mayto), Feb 2024