Playa Ostional: where olive ridleys arrive in the tens of thousands
Playa Ostional, 15 kilometres north of Nosara, is one of a handful of beaches worldwide where olive ridley turtles nest in mass arrivals — arribadas of tens of thousands of animals over three to seven nights, in most months of the year and biggest between July and December. The beach is entered with a licensed guide. Nobody swims here: the rips are permanent, the shore break is heavy, and the nesting draws sharks.
Photo: Panegyrics of Granovetter, CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
The facts
| Swimming | Not safe for swimming |
|---|---|
| Rip currents | Strong permanent rips and a heavy shore break along the whole beach, with sharks drawn in by the nesting turtles. Nobody swims here, including the people who live here. |
| Tides | Arribadas begin on a rising tide, most often in the last quarter of the moon. |
| Surf | Advanced — A serious beach break; surfing is restricted during an arribada |
| Snorkelling | No |
| Water | 28 °C |
| Getting there | Dirt road — passable in a normal car in the dry season — Unpaved from Nosara with two river crossings; the Nosara river is impassable at high tide and after rain |
| Parking | In the village, free; the beach itself is entered with a guide |
| Drive from Sámara | 105 min |
| Length | 8 km |
| Sand | Dark grey volcanic |
| Shade | No |
| Lifeguard | No |
| Bandera Azul | No |
| Facilities | Ranger station, Licensed guides, Sodas in the village |
| Turtle nesting | Olive ridley arribadas — tens of thousands of turtles over 3–7 nights, most months, biggest Jul–Dec |
| Best months | Aug–Nov for the largest arribadas; the road is easiest Jan–Apr |
| Where it is | Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste — 15 km north of Nosara |
| GPS | 9.99820, -85.70250 |
Not yet checked in person — compiled from published sources
What is an arribada?
A synchronised mass nesting. Instead of arriving individually, olive ridley females come ashore together over three to seven consecutive nights, in numbers that reach the tens of thousands at Ostional. They most often begin on a rising tide in the last quarter of the moon. It happens in most months and is largest between July and December.
Ostional is one of very few beaches in the world where this occurs, and the only one in Costa Rica where a strictly regulated harvest of eggs from the first nights is permitted — the reasoning being that later females dig up those clutches anyway. The refuge is administered by SINAC, and the local association manages access.
How do you visit?
With a licensed guide, arranged in the village. The beach is closed to unaccompanied visitors during an arribada, and going out alone at night is neither allowed nor sensible. Guides work to the tide and the moon rather than to a timetable, so an arribada cannot be booked far in advance — the practical approach is to be in Nosara during the season and ask daily.
Why is the water off limits?
Every reason at once. Strong permanent rips run the length of an eight-kilometre open beach, the shore break is heavy, there is no lifeguard, and the concentration of nesting turtles and eggs draws sharks close in. The people who live in Ostional do not swim there either, which is the clearest answer available.
What is the road like?
Unpaved from Nosara with two river crossings, the first of which — the Rio Nosara — is impassable at high tide and after rain. Check the tide before setting out, and be clear about when you plan to come back.
Photos
Photo: Panegyrics of Granovetter, CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Where it is
Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste — 15 km north of Nosara
Navigate · Opens Google Maps directions to this beach's access point, not to the middle of the bay.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see turtles at Ostional?
August to November brings the largest arribadas, though they occur in most months of the year. They usually begin on a rising tide in the last quarter of the moon and run for three to seven nights. Nobody can predict a date more than a few days out.
Do you need a guide at Playa Ostional?
Yes. The beach is entered with a licensed guide, arranged in the village, and it is closed to unaccompanied visitors during an arribada. The guide fee is what you pay — there is no charge for the beach itself.
Can you swim at Playa Ostional?
No. Strong permanent rip currents run the length of the beach, the shore break is heavy, there is no lifeguard, and nesting activity draws sharks close to shore. The village does not swim there.
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