Turtle Release Puerto Escondido: 5 Best Tours in 2023

5 Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

1. Turtle Release and Bioluminescent Bay Boat Tour

Get ready for a wonderful experience on this Turtle Release and Bioluminescent Lights Tour. These are two of the best things to do in Puerto Escondido, and you can combine them for a fun night out.

Not only will you get round-trip transportation from your hotel to a turtle sanctuary, but you’ll also see glittery dinoflagellates in Laguna Manialtepec, the famous bioluminescence Puerto Escondido lagoon.

By participating in this Puerto Escondido sea turtle release, you’ll also be joining conservation efforts and learning more about how to protect these tiny critters straight from the folks in the conservation trenches. A win-win!

As one reviewer put it, “Our experience was so unique… The turtles were such a magical experience.” In short: get ready to create a special memory in a special place.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

4. Turtle Release in Puerto Escondido with Transportation

Join your super story-teller host, Juventina, on one of the best experiences releasing turtles Puerto Escondido has to offer.

During this tour, you’ll learn from a group of passionate volunteers who are all-in when it comes to conserving these incredible animals.

You’ll get to learn about the different species of turtles as well as learn about coastal flora and fauna, all while enjoying a two-hour stroll along a beautiful beach.

This tour will take you on a Puerto Escondido off the beaten path adventure. Travelers loved it, mentioning the amazing staff, beautiful turtle release experience, and the great information they learned.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

5. Huatulco Turtle Release & Bioluminescent Lagoon (Huatulco Turtle Tour)

If you plan to stay in Santa María Huatulco but will be visiting Puerto Escondido, this is the perfect turtle tour for you! It is the highest rated Huatulco to Puerto Escondido turtle tour.

Not only will you get to see baby sea turtles at a sanctuary, but you’ll also tour Manialtepec Lagoon for a chance to see a rare bioluminescent phenomenon.

Along the way, you’ll learn about the life cycle of sea turtles and the efforts to save them from extinction. You’ll also get to watch the sunset from a pristine beach. 

Last but not least, you’ll journey out onto Laguna Manialtepec Lagoon to see the shimmering bioluminescent waters. If you want, you can jump in and swim in this famous Puerto Escondido bioluminescent lagoon.

Travelers loved the guide on this turtle release Huatulco tour and the overall experience. One reviewer said, “I had a great day and was quite overwhelmed with the beauty of it all.”

Puerto Escondido Turtles FAQs

🐢 Olive Ridley Turtle

Olive Ridley turtles are olive green, and have heart-shaped shells.

They are among the smallest sea turtles in the world and are usually found in the tropical areas of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.

You can see them in several places throughout Mexico and Central America.

🐢 brown, black, sack, parlama, or torita turtle

Green sea turtles, also called black sea turtles or Pacific green turtles have an olive or black-colored shell with a layer of green fat beneath.

These sea turtles are primarily herbivores and tend to live in shallow lagoons.

🐢 hawksbill sea turtle

Hawksbill sea turtles have lovely shells and prefer to live in lagoons, coral reefs, and coastlines. They eat shrimp, squid, anemones, sponges, crustaceans, and marine algae, among other things.

🐢 leatherback sea turtle

Leatherback sea turtles are the largest turtles in the world. They can weigh more than 2,000 pounds (907 kg) and may reach lengths of up to 7-feet-long (2 m).

As you might guess from the name, they don’t have a hard shell, but a rubbery one instead. Leatherbacks can stay underwater for up to an hour and 15 minutes.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

That’s right: The Puerto Escondido turtle release season runs throughout the year because there are so many types of turtles in Oaxaca Mexico.

• Olive Ridley turtles lay eggs throughout the year, so you can release the cute babies any time you visit Puerto Escondido Oaxaca Mexico.
• Green turtles lay eggs from October through March, making those months the best time to release this particular species.
• Hawksbill and leatherback turtles also lay eggs from October through March.

However, the hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles are critically endangered so tourists may not be allowed to be involved in conservation efforts and baby turtle releases for these species.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

These include the Leatherback, Hawksbill, and Green Sea turtles which hatch from October until March.

Wondering about Mexico turtle releases in other parts of the country?

This is primarily a Oaxaca activity, but you can also do turtle release Puerto Vallarta tours. However, there are no turtle release Cancun experiences nor turtle release Tulum experiences.

When in doubt, you can always Google “turtle release near me” or “free turtles near me” when you arrive in Mexico and see what comes up!

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

The Playa Bacocho Turtle Release Sanctuary is popular and highly touristed. It opens daily at 5pm.

To get there, take a taxi from downtown Puerto Escondido, or drive your rental car. You’ll have to wait a while to register and pay, but you should get to release a baby turtle as long as you registered in time.

​​Vive Mar has multiple turtle release locations, including at Playa Palmarito Beach Puerto Escondido. Turtle releases are usually between 5pm and 7pm each day, depending on what time the sunsets.

This conservation center works with all four species of turtle found in Puerto Escondido: Olive Ridley, Leatherbacks, Black/Green Turtle, and Hawksbill Turtle.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

For example, the turtle release at Playa Bacocho takes place at 6pm, but you should arrive at least an hour ahead in order to register, pay the fee, and then listen to the introductory talk.

Keep in mind, this is a very popular activity and can fill to capacity. If you want to secure your spot, show up early to register.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

These tours usually include transportation, a certified bilingual tour guide, and sometimes additional activities (such as visiting a bioluminescent lagoon).

However, if you have your own transportation, you can also visit a turtle sanctuary on your own. Most turtle sanctuaries charge between $150-200 MXN pesos (about $8-12 USD) per person, and/or per turtle you want to release.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

Simply arrange your own transportation to your preferred Puerto Escondido turtle sanctuary, register when you arrive, pay at the sanctuary, and release a baby turtle.

The Vive Mar Puerto Escondido Turtle Sanctuary and the Vive Mar Turtle Sanctuary at Playa Bacocho are popular spots. Of the two, the second one is closer to the main area of Puerto Escondido.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

In order to release a baby turtle safely, you should not touch the turtle (unless you’re told it’s ok).

The oils from your hands can affect the ability of the newly hatched turtles to imprint on their hatching beach, and their ability to return to that same beach.

Stay behind the indicated barrier and cheer for your turtle as it makes its first journey toward the ocean. For a bit of fun, you can name your turtle and cheer it on by name.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

The organization is well known for its sea turtle conservation efforts, especially in Puerto Escondido and Mazunte. Vive Mar has released more than 500,000 turtles in the past 10 years.

If you plan to release a baby sea turtle while visiting Puerto Escondido, heading to one of the Vive Mar sanctuaries is a great choice. They are located here on Playa Bacocho Beach Puerto Escondido.

🤔 Wondering, Who is Vivemar? A few people have had this question, so we want to be clear that Vivemar is an organization; not a person.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

In most turtle sanctuaries, volunteers and conservationists search for turtle nests and move them to the turtle hatchery.

The turtle eggs in the hatchery are kept in shaded camps (thus maintaining a more ideal temperature) and protected from predators.

By involving tourists and allowing them to release baby sea turtles, these turtle sanctuaries are not only raising funds for their operation but also raising awareness about sea turtle conservation.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

📍Puerto Escondido Map

Puerto Escondido is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Oaxaca state. It primarily attracts nature lovers, surfers, and beach fanatics.

Historically, Puerto Escondido or “Hidden Port,” was occasionally used to ship coffee. Nowadays it has gained fame for its beautiful beaches, surfing and biodiversity.

Tourists enjoy releasing baby sea turtles, going on dolphin and whale watching tours, horseback riding, experiencing bioluminescence, and lots more while visiting Puerto Escondido Mexico.

Best Turtle Release Puerto Escondido Tours

Mexico City to Puerto Escondido

Flights are available from Mexico City, Oaxaca City, and other major Mexican airports. If you prefer ground transportation, you can rent a car, book a shared or private shuttle, or take an ADO bus from Mexico City.

The ADO bus is the most budget-friendly option and is considered quite safe and reliable. Unfortunately, it also means a long 11 hour journey, whereas the flight is only about 90 minutes.

oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido

You can travel to Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca City by private transportation, taking the ADO bus, colectivo (shared van), booking a flight, or you can rent a car in Oaxaca City and drive to Puerto Escondido.

⚠️ Note: For a deep dive into this topic, check out Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido: Your 5 Best Transport Options.

Final Thoughts: Turtle Release Puerto Escondido

Ready for the best sea turtle release Puerto Escondido has to offer? Hopefully, by now, you’ve found a tour to love from this list, plus the answers to your pressing questions.

If you’re still undecided, I recommend this Baby Turtle Release and Bioluminescent Boat Ride Tour, which has a 5-Star rating.

Will you release baby sea turtles and visit a bioluminescent lagoon? Will you go for this 2-hour stroll along the baby turtle beach and learn about sea turtles, sea birds, and coastal wildlife? 

Or will you head into the sparkling blue of the Pacific Ocean to snorkel with adult sea turtles while you keep an eye out for dolphins?! No matter what you decide, it’s sure to be a great choice!

Additional Puerto Escondido Travel Blogs

I can tell you firsthand that Puerto Escondido surfing lessons are one of the best ways to enjoy Puerto Escondido Oaxaca Mexico — so I’m glad you landed on this article to book yours.

If you’re looking for more info on traveling to Puerto Escondido Mexico, check out these additional Puerto Escondido travel guides:

• Renting a Car in Puerto Escondido
• Top 10 Best Puerto Escondido Tours
• 15 Best Luxury Hotels in Puerto Escondido
• Puerto Escondido to Chacahua Tours
• 9 Best Puerto Escondido Bioluminescence Tours
• Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido: 5 Best Transport Options
• 30 Best Things to Do in Puerto Escondido
• 15 Best Beaches in Puerto Escondido
• Ultimate Guide to Puerto Escondido Mexico
• 21 Best Puerto Escondido Hotels
• Is Puerto Escondido Worth Visiting?