Best Places to See Baby Turtles Hatch

Please note the places and dates are a general rough guide and we can't 100% guarantee if you visit during this period you will get to see turtles. We have also included some useful links if you would either like to see the turtles up close on an organised experience or if you would like to contribute to conservation initiatives. Check our sea turtle volunteer programs worldwide for a more hands on experience.

1. Melbourne Beach, Florida

Flordia is a beautiful US state and each year hundreds of loggerhead, leatherback, and green turtles arrive on Melbourne beach to lay their eggs.

Guided walks are available with organisations like the Florida-based Sea Turtle Conservancy

takes you into Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge,

A 20 mile section of the beach has been designated to protect habitat for the Western Hemisphere's most significant area for loggerhead sea turtle nesting and the most significant area for green turtle nesting in North America. The guided walks are offered Monday through Friday in June and July; conserveturtles.org

2. Tofo Beach, Mozambique

One of the more off the beaten track destinations but a country you will fall in love with. Tofo beach has long been a popular hatching beach for sea turtles and several local organisations offer you the chance to volunteer with sea turtles here. Mozambique is beautiful with friends locals and tasty food. It is one of the most underestimated places to volunteer in Africa.

Hatching season: December to March.

3. Turtle Islands, Borneo

4. Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Located north of Limon, the spectacular Tortuguero National Park will leave you speechless. Expect pristine beaches, palm trees and stunning scenery. Costa Rica is one of the best places to see turtles due to the amount of nesting sites for giant hawksbill, leatherback and loggerhead turtles located here. You can also cross to the other Pacific side of Costa Rica for more hatching sightings. View our volunteer programs in Costa Rica for hands on programs.

Hatching seasons: Caribbean coast: July to October & March to May / Pacific coast: October to February & July to November.

Turkish Sailing

• Turkey
• 1 week - 2 weeks / From: £ 250

Costa Rica Adventure

• Costa Rica
• 2 weeks - 3 weeks / From: £ 750

Galapagos Island Hopper

• Galapagos Islands
• < 1 week - 1 week / From: £ 1250

5. Kosgoda, Sri Lanka

Green sea turtles are the most common species on the sandy shores of Sri Lanka. Four other species of turtle nest here as well, but due to their dwindling numbers are, sadly, a rare find.

The Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project has run a rustic but vital hatchery in the area since 1988, and has been especially hard at work to protect nesting grounds since the devastation of the tsunami in 2004.

Hatching season: November to May.

6. Greek Islands

Thousands of people book tours of Greece every year and go island hopping in the Greek Islands but not many realise this area is a popular turtle breeding ground.

While the status of sea turtles in 

The Mediterranean is a 

Several local and international organisations are working to protect the ever developed Greek coasts and you can play a small role in helping by applying to volunteer in Greece.

such as Archelon work to ensure the conservation of turtles at numerous sites of coastal Greece and its islands, graciously offering a less-intensive conservation work to sunbathing ratio for a variety of volunteers (part-time, full-time, individuals, families and large groups).

Hatching season: August to October.

7. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Puerto Vallarta is a popular destination with international tourists and the area is being more developed every year. Lots of organisations are now working in this region to help protect nesting turtles and their eggs, you can go independently or book a tour of Mexico to see baby turtles up close.

Hatching season: July to September.

8. Iztuzu, Turkey

Iztuzu Beach is located near Dalyan, in Province of Muğla in southwestern Turkey. The area is very peaceful and the beach at 4.5km long is really impressive and also one of the best places to see turtles hatching in Europe. If you like the idea of volunteering in Europe and would like to help turtles this experience can be arranged in Turkey.

Hatching season: May to June.

Family Volunteer Projects in Ecuador & Galapagos Islands

• Multiple Destinations
• < 1 week - 6 weeks / From: $ 1000

Borneo: East Sabah Adventure

• Multiple Destinations
• 2 weeks - 3 weeks / From: £ 1000

Island Conservation Expedition in Seychelles

• Curieuse Island, Seychelles
• 1 week - 3 months / From: £ 1500

9. Port Barton, Philippines

Hatching season: December to May.

10. Palau Tioman, Malaysia

The situation of turtles in Malaysia has been dire for quite some time, particularly on the paradisiacal-looking island of Pulau Tioman. Despite this, the dedicated volunteers at the Juara Turtle Project have done an exceptional job at improving their numbers through nest protection, working with local communities, research, education and outreach. But they’re still fighting the good fight every day, especially against beach development by resorts.

An easy drive and ferry ride from both Singapore and Johor Bahru, the Juara Turtle Project offers affordable and accessible single and group volunteer experiences for turtle hatching and conservation.

Hatching season: March to October.

11. Ras Al Jinz, Oman

Near the authentic fishing village of Ras Al Jinz, this area of the Arabian Sea is world-renowned for its endangered green turtle nesting grounds.

Oman’s eco-tourism project at Ras Al Hadd Turtle Reserve, does its best to help tourists witness a hatching, while ensuring that human induced threats are controlled. The centre also offers visitors guided night trips in hopes of witnessing a nesting.

Hatching season: Year-round, usually peaking in July.

If you are a nature lover and would like to be more than just a tourist check out our inspiring volunteering programs with animals abroad.

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