The release of turtles is one of the biggest attractions in Riviera Nayarit.

Four protected species of sea turtles use the Nayarit coast as their nesting site, these are the Olive Ridley turtle, the Leatherback turtle, the Green turtle and the brown turtle. Leatherbacks nest from October-April, Blacks from September-February while Olive Ridleys nest year round.

During the summer and fall months you can visit the Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde (Grupo Ecológico de la Costa Verde), a green turtle hatchery located in the San Francisco area. During the nesting season, on Wednesday afternoons when the sun goes down, the newborn hatchlings are released on the beach.

In Marina Vallarta there is an ecotourism group, Wildlife Connection, which offers an afternoon tour to turtle camps in the Riviera Nayarit, where visitors can participate in the release of baby turtles and learn a little more about the fascinating world of the marine turtles.

Between June and December, olive ridley and hawksbill turtles arrive at Las Tortugas Beach and staff from official agencies, as well as volunteers, monitor the beaches to collect, protect and incubate their eggs. Later at night thousands of baby turtles are returned to the sea.

For many visitors to the Riviera Nayarit, being part of the patrols and the release of baby turtles is an unforgettable experience.