When we were researching our trip to Costa Rica we knew we wanted to get deep into the mangrove jungle and see some wildlife while enjoying a few lazy days, and Tortuguero Village fit the bill.

After experiencing the taxi/bus/bus/boat route we eagerly arrived at the village, threw our backpacks on, and followed the host of other travelers into town from the dock. We didn’t have far to go as Tortuguero is a tiny, swampy town in the country’s Northeast. Sitting on a slender peninsula between the Caribbean Sea and the canal we traveled on, we took in the friendly scene while walking to our guesthouse, a host of local dogs trailing along.