Laguna Tortuguero

Tortuguero is the only sizeable natural freshwater lake on the island, sitting in a belt of sandy soil behind the north coast that supports a plant community found almost nowhere else: acid scrub with bladderworts, sundews and other carnivorous species growing in the nutrient-poor sand, alongside orchids and endemic shrubs. Trails run through the scrub and along the lake edge, and the birdlife is good. The lagoon is also known for a large population of spectacled caimans, released pets that established themselves decades ago and now number in the thousands, which makes swimming a bad idea and gives the reserve an unusual problem to manage.

What you actually see

• The carnivorous plants - sundews and bladderworts in the acid sand scrub.
• The lake itself - the island's only large natural freshwater body.
• Birdlife - herons, ducks and migrants around the margins.
• Caimans - a large introduced population, visible along the banks.

When to go

December to April is drier and the trails firmer. Early morning is best for birds and cooler for walking the exposed scrub. Mosquitoes are heavy near the water at dawn and dusk.

Honest expectations

Do not swim: the caiman population is large and well established. The scrub trails are hot, exposed and sandy, and the plant interest is small-scale rather than scenic, so this rewards people who care about botany more than views. Facilities are minimal and signage is limited. Illegal dumping around the edges is an ongoing problem.

Nearby

Mar Chiquita is twenty minutes west; Dorado is east along the coast.