I have already written about Tortuguero itself, it’s probably my favourite region of the trip – the sloths, the turtles, the tropical jungle that never seems to sleep. If I had my time again, we’d have spent another day or so here, purely on the basis of how much I love exploring tropical jungle and spotting its wildlife. Some people find the change in surroundings intense – there are a lot of unknowns, and you can’t really escape nature – the bugs, the leeches, even the rain. But I think the rainforest is one of the most exciting places to explore for those very reasons. It’s like nowhere else you’ll ever travel, and going to sleep to the sounds of the jungle never gets boring – I think everyone should experience it at least once. It really is the best lullaby.
On that basis, choosing your accommodation for any jungle stay is important. It’s a fine balance between ensuring your comfort and still letting the rainforest in. Plus, opting for somewhere that does their bit for the region and its wildlife needs to be considered too. This is why our Tortuguero lodge, Evergreen Lodge, deserves its own deep dive – where you lay your head in such a remote area is half the experience, not just a detail.
Getting there
Evergreen Lodge sits inside Tortuguero National Park itself, reachable only by canal and boat. It was our first itinerary stop and approximately 6 hours from San José. We had an arranged coach transfer from the capital, which also included a breakfast stop, to approximately an hour outside of the National Park. It was canals from there for approximately an hour.
This level of isolation is entirely the point of a visit to Tortuguero; that and the amazing biodiversity of the area. You will see so much during a stay here. Our two nights were packed with fun and there was so much more to explore.
The room
Evergreen is a wooden lodge-style accommodation, with walkways running on stilts above the rainforest floor. It’s stunning and houses all the facilities you could need for a jungle stay. We had a family room with two king beds and a simple, self-contained bathroom: everything we needed and perfectly formed. I was excited to see there was no glass in the windows – just mesh – which was enough to keep the bugs out and let everything else in.
My kids were both a little apprehensive about the lack of windows at first. That didn’t last. Once they realised what it really meant to be staying so close to nature they were truly wowed – monkeys joining us for breakfast or swinging over the pool as we took a dip; leaf cutter ants going about their business on nearby trees; a flash of red that turned out to be a tiny frog; butterflies looking for somewhere to land – everywhere you looked there was something new to see.
This property has two restaurants on site; a river view bar for evening drinks; a nice sized pool, which is shaped like a turtle, with a pool bar; its own private dock and lovely welcoming reception. There are also spa services available.
We stayed in the terraced room options but larger room types are available if you’d like to stay longer and want to enjoy more space.
The sounds of the jungle
This is genuinely what I’d tell anyone considering Evergreen: the rainforest itself is the standout feature, not any single amenity. The sounds of the jungle were the nighttime lullaby and the morning wake-up call every single day we were there. I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels for a lot of reasons, and I can’t think of another where the accommodation’s best feature was something you couldn’t see.
Food
We stayed at Evergreen Lodge on a full board basis, and it makes complete sense once you’re there — Tortuguero village is genuinely the only other option for dinner, and it’s not exactly on the doorstep. The two restaurants offer simple buffet dining that left us fully satisfied after every sitting; and fully ready for the next day’s adventure. Capuchin monkeys joined us for breakfast and lunch without fail – a lovely bonus in my opinion.
Booking extras through the lodge
The staff on site are the best. Super knowledgeable and helpful. It’s worth knowing that they can help with any additional extras you want to incorporate once you arrive. We added the Tortuguero Hill hike this way and a night tour to see the turtles nesting – both were straightforward, easy, and the staff added so much additional information and handy tips for each trip, rather than just processing the transaction.
Was it worth it?
Completely. This isn’t a lodge you stay at for the thread count or the spa – you stay here because the rainforest does all the work. Evergreen is a fabulous base and offers complete comfort and quality but it somehow manages to do it without taking centre stage. If you want to fall asleep to the stunning sounds of one of Costa Rica’s most biodiverse areas, this is the place for you – it’s genuinely hard to beat.
Keep planning your trip:
- Tortuguero National Park: Sloths, Turtles, and a Rainforest That Never Goes Quiet
- Self-Driving Costa Rica: What You Need to Know
- Pura Vida! 12 Nights in Costa Rica, from Caribbean Coast to Pacific Coast by Car
- White-Water Rafting the Río Balsa in La Fortuna: My Son’s Number One Activity
- La Fortuna, Costa Rica: Frogs After Dark, ATVs Through the Jungle, a Volcano Hike and Hot Springs to Finish
- Costa Rica’s Monteverde: Zip Lines, Chocolate, and a Cloud Forest at 4,500 Feet
- Costa Rica: What We’d Do Differently with our 12 Night itinerary
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