Inspired by BBC’s slideshow that features the world’s best beaches for wildlife we decided to highlight South America’s candidates as, it may not be surprising, but 3 out of the 5 featured wildlife beaches are actually located in the continent we’re located in! Very often when we speak about beaches with travelers it’s about the white, soft sandy beaches and clear, turquoise waters, those seem to be the typical factors for a spectacular beach. But did you ever think about visiting a beach destination for the interesting diversity of wildlife that can be found there? We’ll introduce you to 3 of South America’s best beaches for wildlife, from north to south:
Costa Rica’s turtle beaches
The country’s Pacific Coast is famous for the four different kinds of turtles that inhabit its shores. They only come to land to bury their eggs in the sand of the beaches of Tortuguero on the Caribbean Coast. Playa Grande Marine Turtle National Park is one of the largest nesting colonies of turtles in Costa Rica and a highlight during your tour to Costa Rica.
Toruguero turtle beach
From October to March visitors can see the baby turtles making their way to the shore for the first time in their lives. The Tortuguero area is not only known for the turtles that nest here on yearly bases, more than 800 species of wildlife can be seen around the canals in this area. The best way of spotting wildlife is certainly by boat.
Galapagos’ unique wildlife beaches
The isolated position of these volcanic islands makes it the ideal breeding ground for a large number of endemic animals. The Islands are a must-see for all wildlife enthusiasts! From Santa Cruz and Baltra to Espanola Island, you have never seen a place with such a wide variety in flora and fauna. Espanola is the oldest and most secluded island, which makes this place home to the highest number of endemic species in the Galapagos Islands. From Espanola mockingbirds to sea lions at the shore, Espanola is the ideal island for wildlife spotting, but also for snorkeling and swimming. Class Adventure Travel will shortly be launching numerous new Galapagos Island Cruises that include Espanola Island! Take a look at our extensive Galapagos Guide for more information about these intriguing islands.
Tierra del Fuego National Park
This extensive national park reaches all the way along the most southern coasts of South America through Argentina and Chile, also known as ‘the end of the world’. The Tierra del Fuego NP houses a wide range of species and as well several penguin colonies in both Argentina and Chile.
Ushuaia penguin beach
These colonies can be visited by boat and as well by hiking along the numerous paths that lead to the penguin beaches. The beaches down south are mostly rocky beaches, from small to enormous rocks, do not think about wide and soft sandy beaches in this case, it’s about the penguins in the end, isn’t it?! You will be sure to see the black and white Magellanic penguins, one of the smallest penguin species and may also be lucky to encounter King Penguins, who every now and then visit the areas where other smaller penguin species are located. It’s impressive to see the cute Magellanic penguins in such big numbers.
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