The beaches of Mexico, aside from their striking beauty, are also home to one of the most incredible natural events it is possible to witness: endangered marine turtles laying their eggs and hatching.

During the year, species as varied as the Olive Ridley sea turtle (which can be seen in Mexico between June and December), Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle (June to April), Hawksbill sea turtle (November to February), Loggerhead sea turtle (May to September), Green sea turtle (June to September) and the Leatherback sea turtle (January to March) reach the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean in search of warm sand where they can lay their eggs.

After a period of 45 to 60 days of incubation, the new baby members of the species emerge. The tiny creatures struggle to break the shell and emerge onto the sand, and use all their strength to reach the shoreline and begin their lives in the water, receiving the salty embrace of the waves.

Though they are small they expend all their energy in this effort, but are still so weak that they often become disoriented and head into danger. This is where the adventure begins, together with the new life of the diminutive reptile – which have existed on earth for 150 million years – of lending a helping hand to nature by directing one of them towards the sea.

This peerless experience is truly spectacular. Watching the struggle of these babies and assisting them in their efforts, is an activity like no other for the family, and allows children to learn about respect for the environment and the delicate balance of the ecosystem.

Almost all of the Mexican coast is witness to the this beautiful event, but the best places to enjoy the natural spectacle and help a newly-hatched turtle to reach the sea are the turtle camps located in numerous states, particularly in Oaxaca, Tamaulipas, Jalisco, Guerrero, Nayarit, Michoacán, Colima, Campeche, Yucatan, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa and Baja California.