Location: between Tortuguero canals and the Caribbean Sea, about 25 km north of the Atlantic port city of Limon, Costa Rica.
Matina GPS Coordinates: 10.071414,-83.288406 (10°04’17.09″N, 83°17’18.26″W)
Size: 476 ha (1176 acres)
Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve Telephone: +506 2234-5890
Tortuguero Conservation Area (ACTO) Telephone: +506 2710-2929
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Website: www.turtleprotection.org
Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve Costa Rica was created on March 23rd, 1973 to protect the lowland primary forests of the central Caribbean coastal region, where sea turtles come to nest on the beach. The reserve is located between the mouths of the rivers Pacuare and Matina, including the Madre de Dios Estuary and which is also crossed by the Tortuguero canals.
Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve is an important sea turtle nesting site of the leatherback turtle as well as green and hawksbill turtles. As well, the reserve also has many river turtles. The leatherbacks come ashore here from March through June, and the green turtles from June through September. Both of these turtles are endangered due to poaching for meat and eggs, as also because of the destruction of their natural habitat due to land development along the coast line.
The reserve has hundreds of acres of pristine lowland rainforest and six kilometers of deserted beaches, so it is rich in wildlife, with a wide variety of monkeys, more than 250 species of birds, and an exotic flora; but its special mission has been to protect the critically endangered Leatherback Turtles.
In 1994 a volunteer turtle protection program was established at the Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve and is made up of volunteers and students. Visitors are welcome and upon arrival are given an orientation and invited to participate in the night patrol of walking the beaches to make sure poachers are not taking the turtles or the eggs. Visitors can stay at the very rustic lodge located on the property.
There are no public facilities at the Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve. Other nearby Costa Rica parks includes Tortuguero National Park, Dr. Archie Carr Wildlife Refuge, Limoncito Wildlife Refuge, Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge and Cahuita National Park.
Getting to Pacuare Matina Forest Reserve:
From San José, take the Guapiles highway toward the city of Limon. Turn off near a village named Matina and go about 30 minutes through very scenic route of banana plantations to La Trocha, located along the Tortuguero canals. Boat from the lodge picks you up and then it is a 20 min ride to the reserve.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Matina – Batan, which takes 2 hours (Grupo Caribeños, +506 2222-0610).
By plane:
You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Tortuguero airport, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Aerobell Airlines, both with daily flights.
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