Playon (Colombia)

Playón and Playona are the names of two beaches, two and twelve kilometres long respectively, located within Santuario de Fauna Acandí in Chocó Province on the Caribbean coast. 

It's to this zone, this area covered with fine sand and little visited by tourists, that leatherback sea turtles come to lay their eggs from April to June. To see them, you have to visit the place at night accompanied by a local guide. You'll need patience and luck when it comes to actually observing this wonderful natural phenomenon taking place.

The huge turtles (800 kilos) first dig a nest with their flippers then lay around 100 eggs no larger than ping-pong balls in the hole before covering it over again. Two months later, the baby turtles that manage to avoid being eaten by predators will reach the water's edge and head out to sea. Due to the fact that they are very conscious of the need to protect these marine reptiles, there are only a few Colombian guides willing to take visitors to watch this unique and amazing spectacle. It's definitely one of the truly memorable experiences to have when visiting Columbia.