Laguna Lodge Tortuguero - Retired in Costa Rica

On my second adventure to Costa Rica, Christmas 2010, on the Caravan Costa Rica Tour (link to Caravan) I was fortunate enough to have Tortuguero included for two nights, thus a whole day in-between to explore this “Amazon of Costa Rica!” When that tour went from 10 days down to 8 it was Tortuguero they cut out, so no longer included on that still excellent tour of Costa Rica. I liked that experience so much that when Reagan came to visit me in 2016, one of the places I took him was to Laguna Lodge in Tortuguero. Thus I have Trip Galleries at the end of this article for two trips here. Check out all those photos! See also their Laguna Lodge Website.

Would I Return Here?

Yes!

Likes

Great nature experience and one of my first in Costa Rica!
Even though they are one of the largest lodges in Tortuguero and thus geared to large groups like our Caravan Tour, they still provide an excellent nature experience for each individual with good, clean basic cabins and tasty food.

Dislikes

None in particular with good memories from both times here. As I’ve gotten older I do prefer the better food & rooms of the more expensive Tortuga Lodge, but that is not a dislike of Laguna! 🙂
Buffet meals.

Montezuma Oropendola
Keel-billed Toucan
Collared Aracari
Anhinga
Snowy egret
Sungrebe
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Red-lored Parrot
Ringed Kingfisher
Little Blue Heron
Black-necked Stilt

Nature & Other Activities

All the nature walks and trails on property that pretty much all of the lodges have.
Both a swimming pool and a beach.
See their Laguna Lodge Activities Page for all of the boat trips and walks available including a pre-breakfast birding boat tour that not all lodges have.

Rainforest Trees
Beautiful Beach
Cashew Nut
Bixa orellana, achiote, Lipstick Tree
Red-eyed Tree Frog
Emerald Basilisk
Spider Monkey
Hooker’s Lips – Palicourea cyanococca

Rooms & Food

Very fine, clean basic cabin or room.
Food is buffet to handle the larger crowds they have.

Getting There

Like all of the lodges, you can arrange with them a pick up from any hotel in the San Jose/Alajuela area (those living here can use one of the hotels or the casino across from the airport in Alajuela as your pickup spot) by their van early morning going to the boat dock the other side of Guapiles, stopping in Guapiles for breakfast and a very good butterfly garden. Your return is then in reverse back to the San Jose area by van.
You can get directions from lodge and drive yourself to the boat docks where they provide secure parking.
You can fly to the Tortuguero Village landing strip with an advance ticket on Sansa Airways. The lodge picks you up at your arrival time in one of their boats. It is quicker and easier but the first time you go you might want to experience the river boat ride to Tortuguero from Guapiles on which you do see birds, monkeys and other wildlife.