Baula turtles, the giants that nest on this coast

Villa 3 takes its name from the baula, the leatherback sea turtle, the largest turtle on Earth. These animals nest on Caribbean beaches, especially near Cahuita National Park, mainly between March and July.

If you walk night beaches during nesting season, go with a licensed guide and keep lights low. From Blessed House the connection is close. The same sea you swim in by day is the highway these turtles have used for longer than any villa has stood here.

Leatherbacks do not have a hard shell like other sea turtles. Their backs are ridged and dark, built for deep water. Seeing one come ashore is rare and should stay rare. Crowds and flash photos push them off the beach.

Hatchling season needs the same care. Do not pick them up to help unless a trained guide says so. The walk from nest to water is part of how they learn the coast.

Villa 3 sits in the garden, not on the nesting sand. The name is a reminder. Sleep here, swim here, and if you go to the night beach, go as a guest of the turtles, not as their audience.