The typical arribadas(arrivals) of hundreds of turtles on the coast at Playa Ostional attracted the attention of a group of a Japanese television crew, who filmed the reptiles and other natural tourist attractions of Guanacaste to make them known in Asia.
Wendy Cruz, officer of the Ostional Arribadas Biomarine Station (Estación Biomarina Arribadas Ostinal), explained that the film crew was made up of four Japanese people who were there during the last week of September until October 2nd filming in Ostional and the surrounding area.
Additionally, Cruz said that this is the third Japanese film crew that has come to the community in the past five years.
However, the arrival of foreign tourists to Playa Ostional at this time of year is not as massive as in other months. The reason, according Elmith Molina Parra, vice president of the Association of Local Guides of Ostional (AGLO – Asociación de Guías Locales de Ostional), is the low season, the constant rains and because the Ostional River and Quebrada Seca (Dry Creek) do not have bridges in good enough condition that would allow access from Nosara to Ostional, which is limited to only 4×4-type vehicles. So she recommends access from Santa Cruz to Ostional.
Molina said that they were initially concerned about the low number of turtles that arrived in previous months, as the arrival was just in the morning, which is unusual. However, since this week turtles have begun to arrive in the morning and afternoon. “We have seen more than 2,000 turtles on the beach,” she said.
Interestingly, the arrival of the reptiles coincides with heavy rains in late September and early October. “I think that the more it rains, the more arrive,” said Cruz.
To see the arrival of the turtles with a certified guide, contact AGLO at 2682-0428.
