The Best Beaches Around the World to Spot Sea Turtles

Did you know sea turtles are remarkably intelligent? Each one has its own distinct personality—no two are the same—and they play a vital role in keeping our marine ecosystems healthy. Plus, they’re an absolute delight to observe, whether gliding through the sea or resting on the shore. It’s no wonder their image has been represented in everything from body art to jewelry. 

While there aren’t nearly as many sea turtles in the world as there once were, conservation efforts are helping to save them. If you’d like the opportunity to watch one or more of the seven different species, there are still many beaches where you can do so, either right on the sand or in shallow waters just offshore. I’m fortunate to live just a short distance from one of them, and as viewing wildlife is one of my passions, I’ve been able to see a variety of sea turtle species during my travels. 

These are some of the best beaches for spotting sea turtles, from places closer to home to exotic islands in far-flung corners of the world:

Punalu’u is one of Hawaii‘s most famous black sand beaches, in part because of the opportunity for close encounters with hawksbill and green sea turtles. Located on the southeast coast of the Big Island, the beach itself is stunning. The midnight black sands are beautifully contrasted by the turquoise sea that laps the shore, providing multiple outstanding photo ops.

The turtles enjoy basking in the sun in between feeding on the flourishing red seaweed in the shallow water. Although it’s often too rough for swimming, on days when it’s calm, the northeastern end of the beach provides easy access. And, you might just find yourself alongside a turtle.

On Maui, Hookipa Beach is the place to go for sea turtles. There are almost always green sea turtles lounging around the sand. While it’s not the best place to swim, you can often see their heads above the water’s surface on the other side of the shorebreak. Plus, it’s right off the beginning of the famous Road to Hana at Mile #9, making it a perfect stop before your drive. If you want to stick around, there are picnic tables, and you can usually find a food truck for local bites if you don’t bring your own.

Along the Pacific Coast of Baja California Sur, just an hour north of Cabo San Lucas in Todos Santos, there is a long stretch of often empty beach with soft golden sands. La Pastora sits at the north end, with its powerful waves popular for surfing. If you take a short stroll south, you’ll see a setup where conservationists host baby sea turtle releases from December through April. This is also the season for whales, with the peak time January and February, when gray whales can often be seen very close to the shore while humpbacks breach in the distance. 

Don’t miss a visit to The Green Room. Located right on the beach, it’s the perfect place to unwind with a cocktail and enjoy a delicious meal while watching an amazing sunset. 

Sea turtles can be seen on beaches throughout much of the Galapagos Islands, but Las Bachas on the northern shore of Santa Cruz Island is one of the top spots. This pristine white sandy beach serves as one of the archipelago’s two largest nesting sites for green sea turtles (along with Quinta Playa on Isabela Island). Located in front of Baltra Island, the site can only be reached by taking a boat tour from Puerto Ayora or a naturalist cruise that includes a stop here.

The scenery is worth visiting Las Bachas alone, with its chalk-white sands beautifully contrasted by turquoise water and black volcanic rock. It’s also known for its flamingos that often feed here. Plus, the shallow seabed near the beach is not only visited by green sea turtles but also by rays, butterfly fish, parrotfish, and occasionally whitetip reef sharks. 

Jekyll Island is not only home to many beautiful beaches, with 10 miles of publicly available sandy shoreline, but it’s also a popular nesting spot for loggerhead turtles between May and October. Plus, it’s home to the renowned Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Here you can get up close to the turtles while learning about their care on a behind-the-scenes tour.

It’s also worth the early wake-up call to join the turtle patrol at dawn, which includes assisting with the monitoring and cataloging of turtle nests around the island. It isn’t necessary just to see them, however, as sea turtles can often be spotted lounging on the sand. The best beach to see the turtles in their natural habitat is Driftwood Beach. It’s a natural nesting area and famous for its ancient driftwood monuments. 

Tortuguero National Park provides a sanctuary for around 20,000 green sea turtles. They nest along its beaches between July and October as the Western Hemisphere’s most important nesting site for the animals. Tortuguero is also the name of the park’s main beach, a 22-mile-long stretch of sand that serves as a designated area for watching the turtles.

The beach begins at the mouth of the Rio Tortuguero and represents one of Costa Rica‘s few nesting sites with most major sea turtle species. In addition to the green sea turtles, it’s significant for loggerheads, hawksbills, and leatherbacks. To view the nesting, you’ll need to visit with a professional guide who will ensure the mother turtles can lay their eggs without being stressed. If you’re lucky, you might even get to see the hatchlings emerge from underground and make their way to the surf.

Insider tip: With its dense jungle habitat, Tortuguero National Park is also one of the top spots to see sloths in the wild. A guided boat or canoe tour along the system of canals that winds through is one of the best ways to see them.

In the Cayman Islands, sea turtles are so important that they’ve become a key symbol of the country’s identity and culture, depicted on its flag, money, and more. While you can watch for sea turtles on many beaches throughout the three-island archipelago and in multiple protected bays, the best beach for seeing them right from shore is Spotts Beach. Located on Grand Cayman, they can often be seen grazing in the seagrass beds that are just off the coast, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon hours. Either period is ideal for snorkeling with them, requiring just a short swim out with a snorkel and mask.

Visitors can also learn more about the turtles at the Cayman Turtle Centre (CTC). The organization has been helping to re-establish the population of green sea turtles throughout the Caribbean with a successful breeding program that was started over 20 years ago. 

One of the longest and most undeveloped beaches in Queensland, Mon Repos is located just under nine miles east of the city of Bundaberg in the Mon Repos Conservation Park. A globally renowned nesting site for sea turtles, including green, flatback, and loggerhead turtles, they can be seen nesting and hatching from around mid-October through April, although public access is restricted from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Visitors can gain access by booking a guided night tour through the Mon Repos Turtle Centre, just a short stroll from the beach. The facility helps raise awareness for loggerhead turtles by educating visitors on responsible turtle watching, in addition to hosting viewings of the hatchlings, which include watching them as they make their way to the sea.

Lying off the coast of Malaysian Borneo, spread across the islands of Gulisan, Bakungan Kecil, and Selingan, is Turtle Island National Park. No matter which you visit, you’ll discover a haven for leatherback and green sea turtles, with the turtles emerging from the ocean at dusk to lay their eggs throughout the year. The best time to witness nesting and hatching is from July through October, when the sea is calmer and there are more turtle landings. The clear turquoise water also offers vibrant coral reefs ideal for snorkeling and diving. 

To visit the national park, you’ll need to head to Semporna, where tours depart to Sipadan and the adjacent islands, requiring advanced booking due to the limited daily permits. Sipadan is the best island for the chance to swim alongside sea turtles, but avoid August or keep your distance as it’s mating season, a time when the animals can be aggressive.

Dry Tortugas National Park protects seven keys lying off the Florida coast, easy to reach via the national park ferry. The archipelago was named Las Tortugas after explorer Juan Ponce de Leon discovered leatherback, loggerhead, green, and hawksbill turtles here in the early 16th century. During the summer, sea turtles bury their eggs in the white, sugar-like sands. August through October is the nesting and hatching season, when you can see hatchlings emerge and heed their call to the sea. While they can be spotted throughout the islands, Loggerhead Key is the largest and has the highest population of loggerhead turtles. 

Be sure to bring all the supplies you need, as there is no running water, food, or even restrooms in the park, although the ferries docked at Fort Jefferson have bathroom facilities.

Many of the islands in the Maldives are home to private resorts like Kuredu, so if you’re looking for a luxurious and exotic escape that includes sea turtle sightings, it may be ideal. Located in the Lhaviyani Atoll, it offers long stretches of stunning white sands where sea turtles are often seen feeding in the shallow seagrass meadows along the shore. They also use the beaches as nesting sites, primarily between November and January. Snorkeling and diving bring the opportunity to enjoy the enticing warm waters of the Indian Ocean with the chance to swim alongside turtles. While five of the seven sea turtle species can be found in the Maldives, Kuredu hosts one of the biggest populations of green sea turtles. 

Zakynthos (also known as Zante) is renowned for its sea turtles. One of the Ionian Islands, it may be best known for its famous Shipwreck Beach, but there are multiple beaches where you can admire the beauty of loggerhead turtles. Many along Laganas Bay, like Kalamaki and Laganas beaches, offer a good chance to see them, but your best bet is to head to Marathonisi. Often referred to as Turtle Island, it’s located in Laganas Bay and serves as a top nesting site for loggerheads. 

The island has a protected, undeveloped beach that serves as a sanctuary for nesting turtles, with a boat tour offering the best way to see them. Most include stops for the chance to swim or snorkel alongside them too. If you want to learn more, head to the Zante Turtle Center near Gerakas Beach at the island’s southern tip.