From Huatulco: Turtle Release & Bioluminescence

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Huatulco, Mexico

9 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Departing from Santa María Huatulco, you can watch newborn turtles journey to the sea in a turtle sanctuary before witnessing the wonder of bioluminescent plankton in the Manialtepec lagoon. This tour takes care of transportation and tickets, so you don't have to waste time booking separate activities or renting a car.

See three of Oaxaca's top natural attractions in one day
Receive personalized attention in a small group limited to nine travelers
Stress-free hotel pickup and drop-off are included

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Bilingual Certificate Guide
Ticket to release turtles
Entrance to the Manialtepec lagoon for a lagoon tour

tips
Food and drinks

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We pick up at hotels, houses, villas, apartments located within the Bahías de Huatulco, if you are outside the Huatulco area we assign a meeting point.

Operating hours
.2:00 pm

Itinerary

Santuario La Escobilla

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Playa Zicatela

25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Laguna Manialtepec

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Siobhan_O

What an amazing day! Our guide was Tito who was very friendly and spoke good English and took us to some great spots. The journey was quite long from Huatulco but we stopped at a chocolate factory, and at Zicatela on our way. We got to the turtle nest sanctuary just before the sunset which was stunningly beautiful, learned about how the volunteers collect eggs and re-bury them to ensure they hatch safely. The babies were then brought out in a basket which I was fortunate enough to carry down to the waters edge, we were then each given a few turtle hatchlings to release individually and watch as they made their way toward the ocean. It was an incredible experience and I would highly recommend to anyone who has an interest in turtle conservation. Later we drove to the lagoon where we were taken on a boat to locate the bioluminescant plankton. The sky was so clear and the stars so bright they reflected in the water of the lagoon. Once the plankton had been located we were able to splash the water from the boat, it looked like stars rolling down your skin, and then we were allowed to swim, the glow was beautiful and so magical. This was an unforgettable experience and so very worth the long drive.

Reviews

4.7

based on 53 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Wonderful

Patricia_S, Dec 2025

To release the day old turtles was humbling. The passion for these turtles is obvious, to dedicate their lives to this commitment is awesome.

Incredible experience

Siobhan_O, Feb 2023

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Siobha! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I’m thrilled to hear that you had an amazing day with Tito as your guide. It sounds like you had a fantastic time experiencing the turtle release and the magical bioluminescence. We take pride in providing memorable experiences, and it’s great to know that the journey and the stops along the way, including the chocolate factory and Zicatela, added to your adventure. Your enthusiasm for turtle conservation is truly commendable, and I'm glad you found the experience so rewarding. Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable experiences in Huatulco!

Want to have fun and do something good for fauna? This is the tour for you.

PatriciaA_M, Jan 2023

Edger Escobar, our guide, was so special. The turtle release was a fun, hart warming experience. But, Edgar’s knowledge and experience added to the adventure. I highly recommend this tour.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Patricia! Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that you had such a heartwarming experience during the turtle release. Edgar is indeed a fantastic guide, and we're glad his knowledge enhanced your adventure. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable experiences in Huatulco!

Great trip for turtles and Puerto Escondido

Bernadett_M, Apr 2022

This was a great trip. Edgar was a great driver and also spoke very good English. There was only us and 1 other couple. We stopped for a chocolate and cocoa demo and sampling and also a fruit stand for mangos a fruit along the way. The turtle release was fun and then we had dinner on Playa Zicatella in Puerto Escondido. The bioluminescence was fun more for being on boat at night and looking and stars and fish were jumping right into our boat. Entrance fees were included. It was a late night getting back but a very worthwhile trip.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Bernad! Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful experience! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the trip and that Edgar provided excellent service as your driver and guide. It sounds like you had a fantastic time exploring the chocolate and fruit stops, as well as the turtle release and bioluminescence experience. We’re glad you appreciated the late-night adventure, including the beautiful stars and jumping fish. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and we hope to see you again for more memorable experiences! Best regards, The Lamby Tours Team.

Incredible experience!

Corey_B, Mar 2022

We had the best time on this tour! Not only did we get the opportunity to experience a turtle release and the magical bioluminescence, our guide Edgar explained the all of the important culture, history and heritage this area has to offer. The drive was worth it for the experience and Edgar made it interesting the whole way! The street tacos and stories convinced us to book another tour the next day! Awesome experience!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Hello Corey! Thank you so much for sharing your amazing experience! We’re thrilled to hear that you had such a memorable time on the tour with Edgar. The turtle release and bioluminescence truly are magical experiences, and we’re so glad Edgar was able to share the rich culture, history, and heritage of the area with you. It’s wonderful to know the drive was enjoyable, and the street tacos and stories were a hit! Hearing that you booked another tour with us the next day is the best compliment we could receive. We look forward to welcoming you on more adventures in Huatulco! Thank you again for your kind words. Warm regards.

Experience you don’t want to miss

Sabrina_K, Mar 2022

We had the best experience with Edgar. He was extremely friendly and was happy to make a few extra spots. We stopped for a coconut drink on the side of the road, had an ice cream stop, saw a beautiful sunset, had the best tacos and still fit in the turtle release and bioluminescence. We would highly recommend!

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Sabrina! Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic experience with Edgar on the Turtle Release & Bioluminescence tour. It’s great to know that you enjoyed the extra stops, the refreshing coconut drink, and the delicious tacos, along with witnessing the beautiful sunset and the magical bioluminescence. We always strive to create memorable experiences for our guests, and it sounds like this tour was no exception! We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for more adventures in the future! Best regards, The Lamby Tours Team.

Long Day Unsatisfying Experience

Gaetano_C, Mar 2022

It must be mentioned this tour started in Huatulco, as such it has an affect on the rating. This had its good and bad points: Bad Points: Entrance fees to both the turtle release and the bioluminescence are NOT included in the price of the tour. Our tour guide was very friendly, however not very fluent in English, therefor making the journey very long and short on conversation and exchange of information about the area. Good points: The turtle release was interesting, individuals were given 1 baby turtle to release into the ocean. The bonus is the beautiful sunset. Bad Point: Nothing to see here except for the caged area where the eggs are transferred to after being taken from their "nest" in order to avoid them from being poached for either food or for trade. Total time spent on the beach approx. 30 minutes. Travel time from Huatulco was over 2 1/2 hours, with a quick stop at a chocolate farm and 30 minutes at Puerto Escondido Good Point: Bioluminescence the boat ride was comfortable and pleasant. You must remember these organism travel with the currents and are not always at the same location. The local residents have to locate them daily. The bioluminescent effect is best seen in the dark The darker the better...as such if you happen to be there on a full moon and the sky is clear they have to set up "darkness tents" which you have to swim into in order to appreciate these organisms. The experience is unique and very interesting. Bad point: The darkness tents are approximately 20 feet long and 10 feet wide (this is only an approximation and I may be wrong on these dimensions). That is not bad if you have 10 people going in. In our case we had our group of 10 plus a second boat of approx 20 individuals. Needless to say things became very crowded, noisy, and confusing in the tent. Under these circumstances I would not suggest this to anyone who suffers from claustrophobia to enter the tent. Time to travel from Turtle release 30 minutes, time spent at the lagoon approx.45 minutes Travel back time from Bioluminescence to Huatulco approx. 3 hours. Total travel time approx. 6 hours Total time at Turtle release and Bioluminescence approx. 1 hour Wonderful tour if you are closer to these attractions

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Gaetan! Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback about your experience on the Turtle Release & Bioluminescence tour. We appreciate both the positive and constructive points you raised. We apologize for any inconvenience regarding the entrance fees for the turtle release and bioluminescence not being included in the tour price. Your feedback will help us improve our communication and ensure our guests are fully informed before their tours. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the turtle release and the beautiful sunset, as well as the comfortable boat ride during the bioluminescence experience. We strive to provide unique and memorable experiences, and your insights regarding the crowded conditions in the darkness tents are valuable. We will take this into consideration to enhance the experience for future guests, especially regarding the number of people in the tents. We understand that the travel time can be significant, especially from Huatulco, and we appreciate your patience. We hope that, despite the long journey, you found the tour worthwhile and unique. Thank you once again for your feedback. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back for another adventure in the future! Best regards, The Lamby Tours Team.

Great Experience!

Ana_R, Jul 2021

The drive is long but well worth it. Our Lamby Tours guide was knowledgeable and professional. Highly recommend.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Ana! Thank you for your great review! We’re delighted to hear that you found the drive to the turtle release and bioluminescence experience worthwhile. It’s fantastic to know that our guide provided knowledgeable and professional service. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for more unforgettable experiences with Lamby Tours in the future! Best regards, The Lamby Tours Huatulco Team

Una experiencia de vida

Jesus_C, Nov 2022

Una buena experiencia y el guía el Sr Alejandro Aponte muy bueno y con mucho conocimiento, te la pasas muy bien

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Hola Jesus! Nos alegra leer su mensaje, agradecemos mucho su comentario sobre nuestros servicios y que comparta su experiencia del servicio. Los esperamos pronto a este hermoso destino que es Huatulco. Saludos de parte de todo el equipo que confirma Lamby Tours Huatulco.