August through December each year, Puerto Vallarta hosts many turtle release programs and events. Turtle release experiences are offered by a few local hotels, local companies such as Wildlife Connection and Ecoturs.
Sea turtles come back home a decade after birth to nest on the same beach. About 45 days after the mama turtle lays her eggs on the beach, then returning to the ocean, the baby turtles hatch & begin to make their way to the ocean. Sea turtle release programs in the Puerto Vallarta area find about 70 to 230 nests and if nearby, release approximately 60 to 200 sea turtles per day during the season. Protecting these baby turtle nests & ensuring every hatchling’s journey is safe ensures that sea turtles will return to Puerto Vallarta for generations in the future. Although participation in a sea turtle release creates a unique and certainly memorable experience, it is also a great way for visitors to support local conservation work.
The beach at Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta is popular spot where, with the help of the hotel’s biologist, guests are able to be an active part of the liberation of the young turtles!
Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa has a conservation program at Banderas Bay. It even has its own biologist on staff plus a sea turtle nursery on-site! The hotel’s program began in 2005 and releases an average of 60,000 baby turtles each season.
Turtle releases are not scheduled but are done usually before 11 a.m. or at sunset when the angle of the sun helps protect hatchlings from curious birds.
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