From what I've been able to find, the turtle nesting season does not include May on the Pacific side of CR (where we'll be). Does anyone know if it's even possible to see turtles at one of the parks on the Nicoya Peninsula in May?

I think you are about one month out of the turtle nesting tours.

They say that the leatherback turtels nest at Playa Grande from November to April...but it is more like from late November to early March.


There are turtle tours at Playa Ostional and at Santa Rosa Park region, both of which are on the Pacific side ...but thse are not until July to December.

I would do this:

Contact [email protected]

Address it to Lupita( Ricardo's wife), tell her that I ( Percy) told you to get in touch with her about turtle nesting tours on the Pacific side.

I did a turtle nesting tour with Ricardo in early December 2004 at Playa Grande

Good Luck, Lupita can give you the accurate answers

Percy

Turtles go to Playa Ostional (20 minutes from Nosara) 10- 14 times a year, so sometimes twice a month, but only during the last or first quarter of the moon. They are Olive Ridley turtles, averaging 27" long and 25" wide, so not a large as the giant Leatherbacks, but impressive just the same, and they come in much larger numbers. See if you can find a moon phase calendar for the time you'll be there and maybe you'll be lucky!

I found this for you...looks like the first days or last days of May would be best time for you to see Ostional turtles.

http://www.almanac.com/astronomy/moon/index.php

Thanks so much, Percy and Ally! (this board is great!)